Pitching In to the Isthmian League: Sheppey United

1. Tell us how you became a fan? What attracted you to the club initially?

I had just become interested in football. It was around 1973 and I was 6. As is usual I supported one of the bigger, more famous sides.

There was no way I could go see them play though at my age. I won't give any clues as to who I supported but let's just say it would have been a 500 mile round trip to see them. Knowing I had become massively interested in football my dad took me to see the local club - Sheppey United. I lived one street over from the ground and, from my bedroom, could see the floodlights of our old Botany Road ground. And so it became part of my routine. Every home game, whether Saturday afternoon or Tuesday night my dad would take me to watch the Ites. It was the only thing we did together on our own as my siblings and mum would be included if it wasn't football. I later found out my dad didn't like football and only took me because he knew I loved the game so much and that has meant a lot to me especially as he passed away when I was 25.

2. And what is it about the club that has kept you there since?

I was lucky. When I started watching Sheppey it was right at the start of our "Glory Years". The 1970s were a great time to be a Sheppey fan. We won the Kent League as it was known then 3 times in that decade as well as numerous county and league cups. We were a real force back then. One season we only lost 1 league game all season and won the league cup too. We had great games against local, tradiitonal rivals who challenged, like us, for the league title pretty much every year. (In the 1970s the Kent League was only won by 4 sides and all of them will be in the Isthmian League South East next season. Chatham Town (3 titles), Faversham Town (3 titles), Sheppey United (3 titles) and Sittingbourne (1 title)). While we have been playing Chatham Town in the SCEFL for a few years now it will be great to renew old rivalries as it's been 22 and 32 years respectively since we were in the same league as Faversham and Sittingbourne. The buzz around the ground in the 70s was exhilarating, especially as my school mates and some of my extended family also used to go to watch Sheppey. Starting in the 80s I also started attending every away game I could and have watched Sheppey from Suffolk to the West Country and attend 60 games a season in a good season. I was hooked and have been going - health problems allowing - ever since.

3. What does a typical home matchday look like for you?

I like to get to the ground early. I will usually leave my house, pick up a mate, and be at the ground around 2PM. I like to get a program and give it a good read. I also take the opportunity to chat with my mates about the club. Who we've signed, who's left, what the team is likely to be that game and chat about previous games - especially if we won them! One of the great things about supporting your local non league team is that you get to make friends with the management, club officials and even the players and is one of the reasons I like to get to the ground early.

4. Is there a moment in the history of your club that supporters always talk about? What would it be- and why is it important to you all?

I've already mentioned our success in the 70s (our current manager, Ernie Batten, actually played for the club back then and helped us win at least one of our league titles and Kent League Cups so is a nice tie between the club's 2 most successful eras). There was the 1995 season where we won the Kent League even though we played our home games 20 miles from home at Faversham Town's ground. That was a great year as we beat Chatham Town - who must be sick of the sight of us - and Folkestone Invicta to the title.

2021 would be memorable too as we beat Welling United from the National League South 2-0 on the way to our best FA Cup run in 101 years. We even had the BBC at the ground to witness it who beamed our 2 goals near-live to the rest of the country. We even gave Eastbourne Borough, another National League South, side a hell of a scare in the 3rd Qualifying Round on their ground as we were winning 1-0 at half time before succumbing 3-1. There would be our run in the FA Trophy where we won at both Ebbsfleet United and Billericay Town before losing at Dagenham that is still talked about today.

But I would humbly suggest even though it's the season just gone, the 2022 season is going to be talked about for years and decades to come. The sheer scale of our achievement is remarkable. We won the SCEFL title with a club and league points record, club and league wins record, scored 161 goals in all competitions, won 16 games in a row after our first defeat of the season to Marlow, went the last 26 games of the season unbeaten only failing to win once in that time and won our last 14 games straight. And won 3 Cup Finals too, the 2020 (which had been delayed due to the pandemic) and 2022 Kent Senior Trophy and the SCEFL Challenge Cup. All this despite losing our entire forward line during the pandemic and having to keep building the team and squad throughout the season.

Our top scorer, Warren Mfula, didn't sign for the club until December! And we beat a fantastic Chatham team to the title who themselves were setting all sorts of club and league records (they went the last 26 league games unbeaten, secured 100 points and must be wondering how on earth they only finished 2nd). We played in front of three 1,000+ attendances, Holm Park's attendance record was broken twice and we only dropped 2 points at home in the league. It's been 2 months since the season ended and I am still buzzing. It's a moment in the club's history that will never be forgotten and will always be talked about.

5. For the benefit of those who haven’t visited before, describe your ground.

The club have played at Holm Park since 2013 though the ground has been around for decades. Before Sheppey moved in it had been a Sunday League ground for a number of local sides. I even remember going there back in the 80s as my dad worked for the company whose team were the owners back then.

The ground is unrecognisable from 2013 because the club has improved it every year since we moved in. While it does have that "new ground" feel it also feels organic and lived in. It helps that Sheppey average attendance is around 450 a game, and that always makes a ground feel more alive.

The clubhouse and car park is all that remains from when we moved in. There's a bar in the clubhouse and, even though it is set back from the pitch, as the bar is on the First Floor you can still have a pint and watch the game. There is also a dedicated supporters bar right next to the pitch so you don't have to miss any of the game when you get a refill!

As you enter the ground from the fairly decent sized car park the first stand you'll see is the seated Jim Grey Stand which holds 175 supporters. At each end of the ground there are covered terraces that hold approximately 300 supporters each. The side opposite the main stand doesn't have a stand yet but was raised, levelled and tarmacked last season so can easily be developed as the club own the ground behind that stand (there are more pitches behind it too for training and games). This side has the club's media tower as Sheppey have been videoing home games for a number of years now and put up match highlights, interviews and other videos on the club's YouTube channel. The club have joined the growing number of clubs that have installed a 3G pitch even though our previous grass pitch was award winning and a source of pride for the club. The economic argument for 3G pitches is just too good.

6. If an away fan was travelling to your ground for the first time, how would you recommend they got there? Tell us about parking and public transport.

If you're travelling by public transport I would recommend getting off at Queenborough train station. It's about a mile from the ground but is an easier route, there's a bus stop right outside the train station and a bus stop a short walk from the ground (check the timetable at Chalkwell for bus times as you want the 361 bus but it will only get you to the ground, the buses sadly stop running before the game ends). If you're going to walk, you turn left outside the station, walk until you get to the A249 and cross over (there are traffic lights and pedestrian crossings) and turn left once you get to the Queenborough Road. If you're thirsty or hungry you walk right past The Aviator pub which is a free house that often holds beer festivals and does great food!

By car you want the A249 whether coming by the A2, M2 or M20. It is one of only 2 roads onto the island. Once on the island you'll cross over a roundabout by the Aldi distribution centre and want to turn right at the next set of traffic lights. You are now on the Queenborough Road which passes right be the ground. You will know you are on the right road if you pass a BP garage and The Aviator pub. Sheppey's ground is on a road called St Peter's Close. You'll know you're there as you'll see St Peter's Church on your right and a road - that is handily signposted with a sign that says "Sheppey United FC" on it. Turn down there and a hundred yards down the road the club's entrance will be on the left.

DON’T go into the ground on the right, literally opposite Holm Park as that is Holm Place, the home of AFC Minster and they don't like supporters using their car park as it is theirs after all! To add to the possible confusion there is a THIRD ground on the Queenborough Road that belongs to Sheerness East FC.

7. Are there any local sights or amenities you’d recommend they visit? Tourist attractions, pubs etc?

As the club represents the whole of the Isle of Sheppey there are places to visit but they are spread out.

The only town on the island is Sheerness and is the main shopping area of the island. There's a nice Oriental buffet called Raises that does good food and a number of pubs including a Wetherpoons.
If you're feeling so inclined there's the wreck of the Richard Montgomery off the coast of Sheerness. It's packed full of explosives from WWII and is said to have enough to blow out every window Sheerness if it explodes! It won't be an attraction for long as the masts are rusting so are being removed in case the collapse and cause an explosion. There WAS an urban myth - now debunked - that the ship had parts for a nuclear weapon on board!

For those that like nature there is an RSPB reserve at Elmley. As an island there are plenty of water based activities including water skiing and jet skiing at Iwade and windsurfing, jet skiing and sea fishing at Sheerness and Minster.

There's a coastal park at Bartons Point which is a good place to park up if you want to do any of the water based stuff. The Isle of Sheppey was the site of the first powered flight outside the USA by the Short brothers and there's an aviation museam in Eastchurch. Leysdown is at the far end of the island but has numerous holiday camps as well as amusements and during Easter and Summer is pretty packed and worth a visit. Beyond Leysdown is Shellness which has a nudist beach for the adventurous.

If you're looking for a good pint and food I would suggest Queenborough and Halfway (Halfway is where the ground is and is called such because it is half way between Sheerness, Minster and Queenborough). Queenborough has 3 pubs well worth a visit. The Rose is owned by the family of the club's vice chairman and regularly holds beer and cider festivals as well as live music. The Flying Dutchman and The Aviator are owned by the same family and do great food. I regularly eat out at the Dutchman. The nearest pub to the ground is The Heritage (a few hundred yards past the ground if travelling by car). The Halfway area also has plenty of places to eat including Meme's Mezza (Turkish food) as well as an excellent Chinese restaurant, Indian restaurant and Pizza, Kebab, Chinese and Fish & Chip takeaways plus a cafe.

8. Finally, pie, burger or pint? What would you recommend, and why?

Burger. I'm not much of a pie man and don't drink at games as I drive. I would humbly suggest the food is now the best that I can remember the club doing in 40+ years.

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