More trophies for Matt
YM CAPTAIN Matt Duffield hopes his side can be the first since Burgess Hill to retain the County League title.
The Hillians' big-spending paid off when they dominated the County League, winning it three times consecutively between 1996-99 and then back-to-back in 2001/2 and 2002/3 before they were finally promoted to the Dr Martens League.
The now defunct Langney Sports and Sidley United broke the monopoly by winning the league between the Hillians' triumphs, while more recently Chichester won last year but in stark contrast only just escaped relegation this term.
YM, who were denied a spot in the Ryman League after they failed a ground inspection, now have the chance to follow in Burgess Hill's footsteps.
"Since Burgess Hill, a few sides have won the league but none of them could win it year on year. We have to be the Burgess Hill of old and win the league. I'm confident we will win the league again," said Duffield, who is 30 next week.
Duffield encapsulates everything that is good about the new County League champions.
Hard-working and as honest as the day is long, the right-back, who can also play mid-field, leads by example and has been a manager's dream since he joined from Redhill five years ago.
"I love playing here," he added. "I play football to enjoy it and ever since I have been here I have enjoyed it. That's why I keep coming back and I'll be here next year. I get on well with John [Suter]. I also like that my wife and kids come and watch, and my dad too, and they get treated well."
He was captain when YM won the RUR and John O'Hara
Cups in 2001 and 2002 respectively, but trumped those achievements when he lifted the County League trophy after the 5-2 win over Hassocks on Saturday.
"When I first came here five years ago, I could not see us winning the County League. Gradually we have got better and better, we had an outstanding squad and we've done it. It's absolutely fantastic, it's been a brilliant season," said Duffield, who lives in Southwater.
While manager John Suter shunned any title talk, Duffield was more confident about winning the league after their blistering start.
"There was just a feeling in the changing room that we might do it, there was a confidence in the side. When we lost the occasional game, we never lost our ponfidence. We came back from 2-0 down to win three times, that says a lot about the confidence in the side. We always believed in ourselves," he added.
Duffield also thought the quality in the YM dressing room would ultimately prevail.
"We kept everyone from last year, but we added Ali Russell, James Grant, Tom Carter and Nick Levett. We added Chats [lan Chatfield], Ellis [Hooper], Clinton [Moore] and Butch [Lee Butcher] later on.
"Every game we went out, I looked around the changing room and thought we were going to win. I always thought we had a great side," he added.