Staplehurst Monarchs chairman reflects on SCEFL promotion

By John Lyons

DELIGHTED chairman Gordon Reader reckons it’s third time lucky after Staplehurst Monarchs were elevated to the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL).

Ground-grading issues and Covid conspired against the Kent County Premier Division outfit over the last couple of years, but they’ve finally got the green light to step up the ladder.

“We have had so many knock-backs in the past, but now it should be all systems go and everybody is cock-a-hoop,” he told The NLP. “We have spent a lot of money getting work done on the ground so that we’re in the position we are now.

“Everything bar the grandstand and floodlights is in place and we don’t foresee any problems with those.”

Reader is fully aware that there will be new challenges ahead as the Monarchs aim to make an impact at Step 6.

“We are restructuring the club behind the scenes,” he said. “There’s a lot more to being in SCEFL than turning up and kicking a ball about. It’s a different level and we will play against some semi-professional teams.

“The playing side is down to the manager Steve Sands. There are some good teams in SCEFL, but there were also in the Kent County League – and we have been one of the best.”

The chairman believes the Monarchs, who were founded back in 1893, will only benefit from being at their highest ever level.

He added: “We are older than a lot of professional clubs but we were always just a local village greenstyle club. Over the years we have progressed and it gives the juniors something to aspire to.

“They can see what we have done and achieved, and hopefully they will come through and play for us – it will be a natural progression.”