The Last Day

Six years have passed since a day that will never be forgotten by anybody associated with Witham Town.

Sunday 4th May 2014 was the day on which Witham Town beat Harlow Town 3-0 in the Division One Play-Off Final to clinch promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history. It was the culmination of an epic campaign and the third season of a remarkable run of success by Garry Kimble’s side.

2011 -12 had seen the Town win the Essex Senior League at a canter, winning 25 of their 34 league matches, scoring a mammoth 114 goals and conceding 25. The goal difference was 89 in a season when no other side in the division scored more than 78. Billy Hunt and Rob Whitnell scored more than 30 league goals each. So did John Watson despite occupying the right-back position in a number of games.

Witham also won the Essex Senior Cup, the Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy and the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Memorial Cup. One wag at the club said that it was a disappointing that they failed to win the other two competitions that they entered: the FA Cup and the FA Trophy.

Promotion to the Isthmian North Division proved initially challenging in 2012-13. After an uncertain start with six defeats before the end of October, the Town recovered and improved as the season went on. They were the strongest finishers in the division with 11 wins in their final 13 games. Finishing in fourth place earned a play-off spot. A 3-2 defeat after extra time in a classic semi-final at Thamesmead put paid to promotion hopes. The defence was outstanding, conceding 49 goals in 42 games, which was only bettered by the two top sides Grays Athletic and Maldon & Tiptree.

Witham started the 2013-14 season in impressive fashion, with six league wins before the first defeat in late September. A 3-0 victory at Tilbury was swiftly followed by a 4-1 win at Dereham and a 6-0 demolition of Barkingside four days later. This was a Witham side bristling with attacking intent. There was talent throughout the squad. Stability was the bedrock on which the team was built. The old Essex Senior League squad was complemented by newer additions. The players with most appearances were Seb Murfet, James Stevens, Paul White, Lewis Godbold, John Watson, Kris Newby, Danny Emmanuel, Danny Lopes, Brad Stopher, Tom Wraight , Martyn Guest and the iconic skipper Paul King. Those names are evidence of a very impressive outfit. Other players with fewer appearances including Conor Mead, Lee Townrow, Joe Sweeney, Shamido Pedulu, Luke Olley and the legendary Rob Whitnell all made big contributions to the season as well.

The second league defeat of the season did not arrive until Boxing Day at Soham. By this time Witham had plundered thirteen victories. The side was in great form as 2013 drew to a close. 2014 was to prove even better. Bad weather in January and February led to postponements throughout the division and Witham only played six times in those two months. This left a backlog of games to play by the end of April. What happened in March and April has surely never been matched in the club’s history. Witham side played 22 games in 60 days. It looked impossible for the team to keep its momentum when faced with such a punishing schedule, but this side was accustomed to success. Their self-belief was the spark that kept the machine firing on all cylinders. Witham won 15 of the 22 games, drawing two and losing six.

Heybridge Swifts were on a good run of their own as both sides strove to close the gap on league leaders VCD Athletic for the sole automatic promotion place. A draw in Witham’s dramatic final league game at Cheshunt was not enough. VCD were promoted; Witham were one point behind and had to settle for second place and the play-offs. The side had won 30 games, drawn 8 and lost 8. The goal tally was 109 for and 54 against.
There was no rest for the Witham. The massive anti-climax of Cheshunt was followed by the play-off semi-final at Spa Road three days later. Victory over Needham Market was assured by a late Newby goal.

The final at Spa Road was against a Harlow Town side who had beaten Witham twice in the league. It looked a big ask but it proved to be a day when everything went right for the home side in front of a crowd of 868. A rare goal by Murfet put Witham ahead after 25 minutes. A superb pass by Newby and an assured finish by Townrow seven minutes later added the second. Harlow battled to get into the game in the second half but a deserved victory for Witham was sealed by an 85th minute goal from substitute Pedulu to make it 3-0.

It had been an astonishing campaign and the end of a remarkable three seasons under Garry Kimble in which Witham played 132 league games, won 79 of them and lost 21. They scored 294 goals in the process.

The celebrations in the clubhouse went on for hours. Amidst the mayhem, a lone figure stood aloof, far from the madding crowd. He was uncharacteristically quiet and seemed lost in thought. Tony Last, the iconic chairman of the club, had witnessed the culmination of his efforts over several years to deliver success to the club that he loved. Tragically, it proved to be Tony’s final match as he passed away during the subsequent close season. In the words of Shakespeare, we shall not look upon his like again.

No Witham Town fan will ever forget the final whistle on 4th May 2014. It was Witham Town’s finest hour but also the season’s Last day.