We are the champions

[Andy K]

I thought I'd start a thread where we can all share our thoughts and experiences about today and how we got to this amazing day.

I think like so many others, I was struggling to sleep over the weekend, feeling a little sick and nervous because of what we could achieve. Today we achieved it with relative ease, but as the great man Dos always said "no league title is won on one game". As with any season, there are highs and lows and it's worth remembering a few things up to this point, such as the lowest we had been all season was 4th, there was only one occasions where a team beat us by more than one goal and only one occasion when a team beat us when we'd score, and even then, when we'd scored first we never lost. It really has been a remarkable season when you throw in the fact that we've scored the most goals (even when we went through a stage of struggling to find the net) and conceded the 2nd fewest. There were plenty of performances that showed we really were serious contenders, but for me that was really on show when we beat Stockport at their place. From then on we churned out results even when we were not playing as well as we had already shown that season - in the last 6 games we've scored at least 2 goals per game.

Now onto the bigger picture. With no disrespect to anything that's happened in the past, this is by far the biggest achievement this little club has ever done. The FA Cup giantkillings are fantastic and really put us on the map and gave us our own history, but in all truth, we're the smallest, least funded team ever to win the National League/Conference. Every club who has (and gone on into the league) were either ex-league clubs, the biggest names in non-league at the time, or clubs with stupidly big budgets. Barrow almost broke that mould last season, but it's easy to forget that their budget was quite big for this league, and potentially if the season had finished, Notts County could have overtaken them. This is a huge story for non-league football, and I think when the dust settles then it changes the dynamics of the game. Prior to us winning, it was all about getting lots of money to "buy" the league, but as we've seen, it doesn't have to be this way. Teams like Maidenhead, Weymouth and Woking will now start to think "If Sutton can do it, maybe we can". I honestly think apart from being historic for us, our title especially over better resourced ex league sides, has been fantastic for the game as a whole.

Of course credit must go to the management team and the superb job they've done. They got the right players in with the right attitude and got them playing to their strengths. Matt, Jason, Micky, Seb, Dundo, JC et all deserve every plaudit they get. Of course Dos deserves a lot too, for getting Matt in and lining up his successor. There's no doubt we wouldn't have won a title without his 11 years. But even beyond that, I'd like to pay credit to the unsung heroes - the ones behind the scenes who keep things going, and kept things going when things were not so good. I'm talking about the Dave Farebrothers, the Tony Dolbears, the Gareth Millers, the Grahams Bakers and Starns and all of those who have kept faith with unwavering loyalty and sometimes have one of the hardest jobs there are. In addition to those, I want to raise a glass to the Mark Frakes, Tony Dunmores, Alison Holloways, Sarah Aitchesons, Jared Hulls, Dan Taylors, Bob Budds and everyone else who has followed Sutton through thick and thin. The utterly depressing 2007/8 season is still a vivid memory for many of us, but in an odd way the pain we went through then (and really the couple of seasons prior) ended up being a price worth paying. Those series of events cleared the way for a literal rebirth of this wonderful club.

This is feeling like an Oscar speech (and really don't take any offence if you've not been mentioned by name) but this is just an outpouring of emotion which makes days like today worth every second of the 34 years I've been supporting, and all of the emotions attached to that.

We truly have a wonderful club, and something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. A football league club.

[os]

I am sure there will be many stories and memories on here over the next few months. Someone said their should be a DVD, I reckon someone should go back over this forum, and write a book, its all here, the ups and downs. All them arguments between us the supporters and even management over the years. I think snippets of this forum even appeared in the worldwide press back during the FA Cup run.

Me I am off to watch todays BT coverage from start to finish to see it it sinks in

[sol]

Me too OS - I have just got home from a days work down the mines...

👋🎈⚽️

[Rupert Scallywag]

The below is what I put on my personal Facebook page tonight before reading anything on here or social media. Looks like AndyK and I are thinking along similar lines.


"Hello everyone.

As you all know me, you know what I like and you will therefore know that is Sutton United FC.

You will know that I have sometimes posted about a match I am at and I know some of you couldn’t care less and I fully get that.

Sometimes things get exciting at Sutton. You will know we have had some big FA Cup games in the past where we have played higher ranked teams and performed well. Little non-league Sutton against the big boys.

Today, something changed.

Today we won the National League and as a result, head into the Football League for the first time in our 123 year history.

Next season we will be standing as equals with the teams in EFL League 2 (Division 4 in times past)

When I started supporting Sutton in 1982 and started to understand how non-league worked I never envisaged we would make it into the Football League. Dreamt, yes. Did it in my Football Manager computer games, yes. Ever think it would happen, No. It seemed impossible

Today the impossible happened. Today we made it.

This last week while waiting for this game I have been thinking a lot about the people at this club both past and present. It’s what makes this club special.

People who worked/volunteered for us and did their bit. Those that still do.

People who have supported us over many years. The people that go to all the away games and spend a lot of money on travel, food and drink and sometimes hotels too.

The people who have started to watch us more recently. You don’t know what you missed out on.

The people that started out as fans in years gone by that now are part of the management of the club.

The players, managers and all their staff who not only performed so well this season but all of them for all seasons. Each one of them, whether in good times or bad has had a part to play in the moment we got to today.

The friends I have made and those that have passed along the way

I hope we can stick around in the Football League. However, if we come straight back down it will never change the fact that we got there and made that dream come true."

[markf]

51 years 6 months and 10 days from my debut at GGL (Leatherhead, Amateur Cup 1st round, 2-0 to Sutton) and just, wow!

What a fantastic achievement but so well deserved. The players have performed with such ability, high energy, tremendous resolve and shown such faith in themselves as individuals and as a collective to make football history. As for Matt, Jason and the rest of a brilliant management team they have taken this little football club to a place where very few if any of us could imagine to be possible.

The TV and Radio stations may have concentrated on the PL top 4 race yesterday but the biggest football story was unfolding at GGL, seen of so many great occasions during my 51 plus years but as an achievement this is by a long stretch the greatest.

As most know, the '79 Anglo-Italian Final will always be my favourite of favourites but yesterday saw the culmination of a 42 match season ending in unprecedented club glory. I have been very fortunate to have witnessed so many great occasions in my half century of watching Sutton; Leeds in 1970, AIT '79, Middlesbrough '88, Coventry '89, AFC Wimbledon, Leeds and Arsenal 2017. Four Isthmian titles, the NLS title and now the crowning moment, NL champions. Countles Surrey Senior and other so-called minor cups that back in their day were competiitvely contested competiitons.

Of course there have been the lows too. Yeading and Alton Town spring to mind plus three relegations. here are quite a few more too. The 2007/8 season is looked upon with distain and embarassment by many but you know, perhaps it should be looked at more fondly. The club was reeling but perhaps had it not happened a certain Mr Doswell wouldn't have been interested. Perhaps the club would have stuck with Ernie Howe had we stayed up. I refer to Dos because he undoubtedly (along with a willng BOD's) layed the foundations and took the club on a whirlwind decade. He will be so chuffed for the club he took to his heart (he has indeed tweeted so).

But. This is Matt Gray's success. And that of his brilliant management team. It his team, his way of playing, his recruitment, his drive, his commitment (anyone lucky enough to have watched in a near deserted stadium and listened to Matt, Jason and Jamie on the touchline can testify to that - how hard they worked from the dug out). The preparation for each match, their decision making during a match and getting the players to respond, dig that little bit deeper when the reserves were low. It is Matt, Jason, Jamie, Micky, Dundo, Bobby, Catherine and Clive (anyone seen him in the PC World advert yet?). Matt took over, recruited, moulded and got the very best out of his players by keeping the spirit that runs right through this fantastic football club from the boardroom to the terraces and adding to it. He bought into the club's philosophy. He has grown as a coach, probably as a person too during these difficult times and come out at the end as the NL's manager of the year in waiting and with the widest of smiles on his face.

We have one more match as a non-league club (for at least a year) and then we will be an EFL club. It still hasn't sunk in properly but for little Sutton to compete with and hold off all those ex EFL clubs to become 2020/21 NL champions is some story. It is Leicester all over again.

Our founding fathers, Charlie Vaughan, Dave Hermitage, Ted Powell, Barrie Williams, John Rains, Brian Williams (oh how much he would have enjoyed this moment) and Tony Holland will hopefully be looking down today with the biggest of smiles and the swelling of their hearts.

Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. It is Sutton United Football Club's finest hour.

[bottleonthehead]

Very well said Mark.

Could not have put it any better.

[Del]

My earliest recollection was my friend taking me along to the ground aged 8 in 1958. it was an Athenian League match but can't remember the team we played against. After a few years we took up the offer to play in the Isthmian League and it was matches against Wimbledon that were always keenly contested. Of course they were a very progressive team then joined the Southern League shortly after. My parents took me to Wembley 1963 for the Amateur Cup Final which we lost 4-2 with Eddie Reynolds scoring all 4 goals with his head. Sadly never got to see Charlie Vaughan play but he did pop over Sutton Common recreation ground to give us kids some coaching.

Memories of queuing up for tickets to see us lose to Leeds in the FA Cup and wondering at the time if we could ever graduate to the Football League. It was almost impossible then with Division 4 clubs always re-electing their own and after all we weren't even in the Southern League. Skip forward 50 years ,2 more Wembley appearances only 1 of which i got to watch but still no joy at Wembley. Various Surrey Senior Cup wins and some fantastic FA cup runs and beating top teams on the way.
Sadly missed the Anglo Italian exploits as girls had come on to the scene but i returned regularly for our first season in the Conference and not looked back since.
Its an absolutely wonderful feeling that we have now joined the 92 and i can't thank the board ,management ,players and supporters enough for helping us achieve this.
As people have said the foundations for this were started by Dos so a big thankyou for him as well.
It was the biggest game in our long history yesterday but just maybe there will be even bigger games in the future.

[medyel]

I think some key seeds for this season’s amazing success were sown within a few weeks apart in Oct/ Nov 2019. Firstly, the Board holding their nerve with the management after a really slow start and a shellacking in the FA Cup in a Billericay mudbath. Many clubs would have pulled the trigger - thankfully Bruce and co didn’t so for that - thank you. Secondly, Matt and the management sorted the spine out; no team wins anything without a rock solid keeper and central defence - without that it’s building on sand. The signings of Louis John and initially Nik Tzanev galvanised the team, allowed slow starters like Ben G, Omar, David A and Will R to bed in and we’ve never looked back. Dean B picked up Nick T’s mantle and the brick wall of Louis and Ben G has been the fundamentals of this year for me.
So..,thank you Board, thank you management and thank you magnificent players. I’ve been following the U’s since 1967 and this is the best and certainly fittest team we’ve ever had

[halftimet]

May 24, 2021 11:08:03 GMT markf said:

51 years 6 months and 10 days from my debut at GGL (Leatherhead, Amateur Cup 1st round, 2-0 to Sutton) and just, wow!

What a fantastic achievement but so well deserved. The players have performed with such ability, high energy, tremendous resolve and shown such faith in themselves as individuals and as a collective to make football history. As for Matt, Jason and the rest of a brilliant management team they have taken this little football club to a place where very few if any of us could imagine to be possible.

The TV and Radio stations may have concentrated on the PL top 4 race yesterday but the biggest football story was unfolding at GGL, seen of so many great occasions during my 51 plus years but as an achievement this is by a long stretch the greatest.

As most know, the '79 Anglo-Italian Final will always be my favourite of favourites but yesterday saw the culmination of a 42 match season ending in unprecedented club glory. I have been very fortunate to have witnessed so many great occasions in my half century of watching Sutton; Leeds in 1970, AIT '79, Middlesbrough '88, Coventry '89, AFC Wimbledon, Leeds and Arsenal 2017. Four Isthmian titles, the NLS title and now the crowning moment, NL champions. Countles Surrey Senior and other so-called minor cups that back in their day were competiitvely contested competiitons.

Of course there have been the lows too. Yeading and Alton Town spring to mind plus three relegations. here are quite a few more too. The 2007/8 season is looked upon with distain and embarassment by many but you know, perhaps it should be looked at more fondly. The club was reeling but perhaps had it not happened a certain Mr Doswell wouldn't have been interested. Perhaps the club would have stuck with Ernie Howe had we stayed up. I refer to Dos because he undoubtedly (along with a willng BOD's) layed the foundations and took the club on a whirlwind decade. He will be so chuffed for the club he took to his heart (he has indeed tweeted so).

But. This is Matt Gray's success. And that of his brilliant management team. It his team, his way of playing, his recruitment, his drive, his commitment (anyone lucky enough to have watched in a near deserted stadium and listened to Matt, Jason and Jamie on the touchline can testify to that - how hard they worked from the dug out). The preparation for each match, their decision making during a match and getting the players to respond, dig that little bit deeper when the reserves were low. It is Matt, Jason, Jamie, Micky, Dundo, Bobby, Catherine and Clive (anyone seen him in the PC World advert yet?). Matt took over, recruited, moulded and got the very best out of his players by keeping the spirit that runs right through this fantastic football club from the boardroom to the terraces and adding to it. He bought into the club's philosophy. He has grown as a coach, probably as a person too during these difficult times and come out at the end as the NL's manager of the year in waiting and with the widest of smiles on his face.

We have one more match as a non-league club (for at least a year) and then we will be an EFL club. It still hasn't sunk in properly but for little Sutton to compete with and hold off all those ex EFL clubs to become 2020/21 NL champions is some story. It is Leicester all over again.

Our founding fathers, Charlie Vaughan, Dave Hermitage, Ted Powell, Barrie Williams, John Rains, Brian Williams (oh how much he would have enjoyed this moment) and Tony Holland will hopefully be looking down today with the biggest of smiles and the swelling of their hearts.

Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. It is Sutton United Football Club's finest hour.

Don’t forget Pat and Ted Frake on the gate, Uncle Wally and of course Grandad in black coat and trilby. They with so many others played a significant part in the history of this club.

[kpinwp]

Simply overjoyed for eveyone at the club, for all of us fans, and that doesn't say the half of it.

We knew we going in the right direction and had been for quite some time. We knew we were good, this season. Very good. But, still. Astonishing!

[os]

May 24, 2021 19:43:45 GMT kpinwp said:

We knew we going in the right direction and had been for quite some time. We knew we were good, this season. Very good. But, still. Astonishing!

I told you lot we had the best team in the league back in October, in fact I said this was the best Sutton Side I have ever seen. What's more I also posted in March that 84pts would be the winning post for the league.

I guess I am just clever as I spotted U's had potential back in 1975

[Andy K]

May 24, 2021 18:40:51 GMT medyel said:

I think some key seeds for this season’s amazing success were sown within a few weeks apart in Oct/ Nov 2019. Firstly, the Board holding their nerve with the management after a really slow start and a shellacking in the FA Cup in a Billericay mudbath. Many clubs would have pulled the trigger - thankfully Bruce and co didn’t so for that - thank you. Secondly, Matt and the management sorted the spine out; no team wins anything without a rock solid keeper and central defence - without that it’s building on sand. The signings of Louis John and initially Nik Tzanev galvanised the team, allowed slow starters like Ben G, Omar, David A and Will R to bed in and we’ve never looked back. Dean B picked up Nick T’s mantle and the brick wall of Louis and Ben G has been the fundamentals of this year for me.
So..,thank you Board, thank you management and thank you magnificent players. I’ve been following the U’s since 1967 and this is the best and certainly fittest team we’ve ever had

Wonderfully put! I think you'll enjoy this

[markf]

That last para quoted a comment I had made in a defence of Matt G at the time and as a result took the comment a little out of context.

During that run we hadn't played that badly but not had the best of fortune. Last minute penalty given away against Ebbsfleet springs to mind.

A couple of those comments were bang out of order and my how the authors must now be keeping a low profile; that's assuming they remember typing them of course.

[trev]

I vividly recall some posters on this forum calling for Matt Gray's head back in October 2019, starting in the Stockport County thread. One of the most eloquent rebuttals of the naysayers came from markf. Thank goodness cooler, wiser heads prevailed!

[oohaah]

That should, of course, had read 'cooler, wiser, and grumpier heads'.