Hill's rapid progress set for further step forward

12:31pm Wednesday 21st May 2008

EPPING FOOTBALL

THE season just gone saw a wealth of progress for at Buckhurst Hill Football Club, but first-team boss Phil Hernon is eager to take things to the "next level".

As a whole, the club had a fantastic season - a young first team squad finished seventh in the Herts County Senior League, while there was notable success at reserve and youth team levels.

Hernon is now preparing his senior players for life in the Essex Olympian League in division one for the 2008/9 campaign, subject to ratification from the league. The reserve side will be in reserve division two.

It is clearly a step in the right direction, but Hernon is still looking to push things on.

"We have the nucleus of a very good, young side at the club but we need to develop further," explained Hernon.

"I think we need one or two older heads in there, a bit of experience, to guide us through.

"Everything at the club, the underpinning, is right. We have great facilities, a great clubhouse and development going on in the background.

"We just need the team to compliment it."

While the short-term goal is the current flock of players, Hernon revealed that he is currently working towards a five-year plan to get the club into senior football.

"Our U13s won the county cup and got right to the finals of the national cup and our U12s won the Echo Premier and Doris Barker cup.

"By the time these players get to 18, I would like us to be in senior football," he said.

For now, the club is desperately on the lookout for a reserve team management duo, while Hernon is also keen to bring new coaches into the senior set-up with a long-term view of taking over the manager's reins.

"I am 50 and my ideas are archaic compared to what younger coaches can bring in," admitted Hernon.

"It'd be ideal to get some fresh ideas into it to take us to the next step.

"The club is going through an evolutionary process and we want to take on people equipped to take us into senior football."

Qualified coaches who are interested in joining the club can contact Phil Hernon on 07767 370 281.

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