Nailsea & Tickenham boast proud invincible Somerset Premier Division season
From left to right, Al Parsons (physio), Nic Steadman (manager), Jamie Smith (manager) and Rich Lucas (first team coach) celebrate Nailsea & Tickenham becoming Uhlsport Somerset County League Premier Division champions. - Credit: Josh Thomas
266 days, 38 weeks, nine months, 30 games played, 25 games won, five draws, no defeats.
This is the record Nailsea & Tickenham proudly boast after what has been a Uhlsport Somerset League Premier Division season to remember.
Goals from Jacob O'Donnell, Dan Cook and Luke Osgood earned the Swags a 3-2 win on Saturday against Worle at Fryth Way to help them become the first side to have an invincible campaign since Hengrove Athletic in 2005/06.
However, Nailsea & Tickenham weren’t around then. In fact it was another nine years before the side was created when Nailsea Town and Tickenham United merged in the summer of 2015.
Five years later the club appointed Jamie Smith and Nic Steadman as their new joint managers, to replace Alan Smith.
And in their first full season in charge have led the side to their first-ever league title.
Smith said to go unbeaten is 'unbelievable' and hopes their success will bring a higher level of football to the town.
Nailsea & Tickenham captain Joe Berry lifts aloft the Uhlsport Somerset County League Premier Division league title. - Credit: Josh Thomas
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He added: “It’s amazing. The biggest thing is Nailsea, as a town needs Western League football. That’s been our aim.
“There have been lots of fantastic young lads that have gone though Nailsea Juniors FC over the years and have gone to play for Manor Farm and teams like that.
“We want to keep them here. We want to offer them a higher level of football in Nailsea. That’s always been the aim. Hopefully we will achieve that.”
Nailsea & Tickenham picked up 25 wins and five draws from their Uhlsport Somerset County League Premier Division 2021/22 season. - Credit: Josh Thomas
Lifelong Arsenal supporter Steadman said their success links to the Gunners' famous 2003-4 season.
Arsene Wenger's side became the first side in 115 years to go through a campaign undefeated, since Preston North End in 1888-89, with 26 wins and 12 draws from 38 Premier League matches.
And Steadman, who was a season-ticket holder as Arsenal made history, says their unbeaten run was totally unexpected.
“We didn’t expect it at all,” he added. “I can’t remember it the last time it happened apart from Arsenal, considering I’m an Arsenal fan
“Our aim was to challenge this season, every game goes on. The thought is in the back of your mind. You get to 20 games unbeaten and you think 10 games to go, 25 games unbeaten, five games to go and the pressure was on.
“But the boys dealt with the pressure. They handled the pressure and they made it difficult for us, certainly today.
“It shows what champions are all about, what winners are, they don’t give up until the final whistle goes.
“It’s not a 90-minute game, it’s 100 minutes and they have showed that plenty of times this season. I couldn’t be happier.”
