LEAMINGTON | STREETE'S AHEAD

Joy for veteran defender

Leamington earned an immediate return to the Vanarama National League North following a hard-fought play-off final victory at AFC Telford United on Monday afternoon.

For veteran defender, Theo Streete, it was the perfect way to end a memorable season, which saw them with the best defensive record in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, as they overcame the challenge of his former club to take their place at in Step 2.

“It was a very special year this year,” he told us. “To be able to gather ourselves from the disappointment of relegation last year and bounce back at the first time of asking was no mean feat.

“The Gaffer signed some great lads on and off-the-pitch to complement what we already had and once we settled into the season, the confidence grew within the group and we were able to get the job done.

“The final was a cagey affair; they always are because as players, you don’t want to make any mistakes, so the game was tight throughout.

“I think that we edged the biggest moments in the game and ultimately that was enough on the day to see us through.

“It brought a fantastic end to what has been a season of massive success for myself personally. When teams come down, there is always that expectation to be amongst the top teams to go straight back up, so you have to be able to deal with that added pressure.

“We’ve managed to do that as a group and found ourselves part of the leading pack pretty much throughout the season.

“Defensively it’s been a great achievement to be part of the best defensive record in the League. As a team we pride ourselves on our organisation so that is something to celebrate in itself and then winning the play-offs was the perfect ending.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better season really. The Premier Central is a very demanding League with a lot of good teams and talented players that will be moving up the levels quite quickly.

“It’s a great place for young players to showcase their talent and ability because of how competitive it is. There are a lot of attack-minded teams that aren’t afraid to play an open and attacking brand of football, which is also great for the fans to watch.

“There are also a lot of local derbies and it has been great to see some of the attendances that teams have been getting, including the numbers that were at Monday’s game.”

We congratulate Leamington on promotion and send our commiserations to AFC Telford United.

IMAGE: Leamington FC

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