Promoted to their highest ever playing level last year, this season in the Isthmian South East League was never going to be a walk in the park. Abi reflects on an unprecedented season for Crowborough Athletic FC.
By Abi Garety
Stepping into step 4 football was always going to test us, to those on the pitch and those of us off it. The margins are finer, the opposition sharper, and the demands, both physical and mental, are relentless.
This season has been exactly that, a challenge in every sense. But as it draws to a close, the most important fact stands firm. We secured the points needed to stay up. In a league like this, that is no small achievement.
It has not been a straightforward journey, far from it! The season has seen a steady turnover of players, with some moving on and others arriving to make their mark. That is the reality at this level. Players come and players go and there is always a sense of disruption in that cycle. New players bring fresh energy and then there the ones thay go on to bigger things, or at least they like to think so. Whatever the move, in or out, one thing for sure is they have all contributed to our story this year.
Throughout it all, stability has come from the touchline. Under the leadership of Sean Muggeridge, supported by trusted head coach Dan Wood, the team has continued to grow. There has been no panic, even when results have tested belief. Instead, there has been a clear sense of direction and an understanding that progress at this level does not come overnight. Resilience has been just as important as quality.
There have been moments that showed exactly what this team is capable of.
Recognition came along the way, with a Game of the Month award from the league in the velocity cup against Chatham Town FC. It was the kind of performance that reminds you why you stick with it, even through the tougher spells. It was proof that when everything clicks, this group can compete with anyone.
Of course, it has not all been smooth. There have been heavy defeats, games where things simply did not go our way and lessons were learned the hard way. Those lows have been balanced by some remarkable highs. Perhaps none more so than the 3–1 victory away at Margate FC. It was not a result many would have predicted. Even within our own camp, there was an awareness of how tough that challenge would be. Yet, despite a disjointed team and all the external doubts, the players found something. They showed character, discipline, and a clinical edge when it mattered most. That result did not just earn three points, it reinforced belief to everyone.
Beyond results, this season has also been about recognising contribution, both past and present.
A proud moment for the club came with Sean Muggeridge receiving a civic award from the town council, acknowledging his ongoing contribution to sport in the local area. It is a reminder that football clubs like ours are about more than just what happens on a Saturday afternoon. They are part of the community fabric, shaped by people who give their time, energy, and commitment year after year.
Then there is one name that deserves special mention, Tom ‘Bodds’ Boddy.
In an era where loyalty in football can feel increasingly rare, Bodds stands apart. Joining as a youth player and spending his entire career at Crowborough, he has been a constant through changing squads, management teams, and league challenges. Six hundred and fifty appearances is more than just a number, it reflects dedication, resilience, and genuine love and pride for the club.
As he steps back to take some well-earned rest, his absence will be felt. Not just on the pitch, but around the club as a whole. Players like Tom do not come along often. His legacy is already secure, whether that is in the record books, the dressing room stories, or the standards he has helped set. When someone gives that much to a club, it matters.
Looking back, this season has not been defined by perfection, it has been defined by persistence. By coming together and always finding a way, even when things were not quite right. Survival at Step 4 might not grab headlines elsewhere, but within this club it represents something significant. It is a foundation, a platform to build from, and a sign that we belong at this level. If this season has shown anything, it is that there is more to come.