Petra Clayton and sons George (left) and Morgan unveil the plaque in memory of club stalwart Martyn Clayton. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0892172)

They have seen an upturn in fortunes from the first team – with three league wins already this season – throughout the club, culminating in the award of FA Community Club Status at the end of last year.

Football Committee member John Waterman drew up the club’s three-year plan at the end of last season, and is delighted at the progress made.

‘When I look at what we set out to do, and what we have achieved, there is a great deal of satisfaction. But we can do better and it certainly doesn’t stop here. We’re already thinking about next season,’ he said.

‘If someone had said to me at the start of the season that we’d have nine points at this stage I would have bitten their hand off. It’s difficult not to get too carried away, but I think we have achieved far more than we expected at first team level.

‘Between now and the end of the season, if things go our way, we could hold the mid-table position we have now and that would be fantastic.’

But Waterman said that while first-team success created headlines, the development of the club as a whole would not be forgotten, from the youngest minis through to the unbeaten Corbet Cup team, the veterans, currently top of their league, and the women’s team.

‘We cannot lose the momentum we have built up now and leave this to be a one-season wonder. We want to build both top-down and bottom-up.’