Today and on Tuesday we welcome our good friends from both Luton Town and Watford to the Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park. May I wish their Directors, Manager, Players and Supporters a pleasant stay with us and a safe journey home.
Well after an amazing end to last season, we did perhaps silence the doubters, we possibly even silenced the doubts inside of ourselves and by winning our last eight games, we managed to win promotion back to the National League at the first attempt via the play offs.
I must thank my Manager, the dressing room, the staff, the supporters, sponsors and our partners for their efforts, hard work and sheer determination to stick with us, to never give up on us and to keep going when all seemed lost at times.
Eight wins on the bounce to finish a season has never been achieved here but to do it under the most extreme pressure when you needed it most, showed great belief, togetherness, character and an understanding of what was required to bring us the success and promotion we craved.
As we begin our preparations for a new season, so much has happened here over this summer. Incomings and out goings player wise. Staff wise there has also been some tweaks and changes in certain areas but things I must say do feel very right at present.
In terms of the Stadium and facilities, well that’s been a 7 day a week project to give the place a complete facelift in almost every area and to become UEFA compliant for our Arsenal Women.
Can I take this opportunity to congratulate the Arsenal Women who incredibly beat Barcelona in Lisbon to becoming European Champions for the second time – well done Ladies and it was an honour to be there to witness possibly the greatest day in your illustrious history to date.
We have because of deadlines undertaken a mammoth task here to be ready in just six weeks for today but in that time, we have completed so much including new fence lines, segregation gates, pathways, tarmacking, lighting, electrics, away fan zone, two technical areas complete with interior and exterior decorations and re paint jobs everywhere.
On top of that our amazing grounds team led by Paul Ashcroft and Jack Reed, have in just 5 weeks produced a pitch once again that would grace any game of football at any level and in my opinion, it is the best it’s ever been at this time of year.
Can I especially thank Ross Griggs, his team and all of my summer team of incredibly driven tradesman, who under incredible pressure time wise, worked with me seven days a week from the minute the promotion final was over to get the Stadium and facility to where it is today, and I hope you all approve of the efforts, tweaks and changes made.
Today and Tuesday though is about thanking and welcoming both Luton Town and Watford for bringing their first team squads to the Developments Stadium Meadow Park and we wish them and their supporters good luck next season.
To our supporters, our community, our sponsors, our partners and our town, let me start to wrap up these notes by saying we won promotion for you and because of you but it’s now time for us to get greedy and build our legacy by completing this stadium and by completing all things Meadow Park.
It’s now time for us to look forward, yes of course with realism, but let us only look ahead and look to the future as we prepare for this season and beyond.
The vision, foundations and building blocks at the South End of the ground are already in place. Our new planning application to enable us to go to the football league one day is very nearly ready and trust me will land at the Council Offices within the next three weeks – so let’s do this together while I’m young enough to enjoy it haha…
Lastly can I say, whoever you support, let’s hope for an open, attacking game and may the best team win.
Take care,
Danny.
