It’s difficult to believe that we are already now half way through the league season. There were some doubters who didn’t believe that we would even start it, let alone get this far. Last season was memorable for all the wrong reasons and it is time to move on.

August saw four points from a possible nine and we were in 10th place. There was also an FA Cup exit.

Unbeaten in the two league fixtures in September and we were up to third but were also out of the FA Trophy and the Kent Senior Cup.

There was just one loss from five in October, and we were in second place, but the lack of postponements due to the weather and cup commitments helped. Cup hopes ended in the Velocity Trophy on penalties. Whilst cup progress would have been good, especially in the money-making national competitions, it was not the priority. The team selection was consistent, with only injuries forcing changes, which is in contrast to previous seasons when comings and goings were non-stop.

Bay were unbeaten in November with two draws and one win; the match at Hythe became our first weather-related postponement and with other sides catching up on their fixtures we were out of the top five.

December was the worst month so far, hit by injuries, and with some tough fixtures, we lost three from four and had dropped down to 11th.

January has got off to a great start with a draw and a win against two sides tipped to be up there with a shout come April. In total we have lost just five matches and 13 sides in the division have been defeated more times, and one the same. We have drawn seven and only one team in the division has drawn more.

The first target each season for most clubs is to avoid relegation. In the past two completed seasons that has been by gaining 36 & 36 points. Bay have 28 points from their 19 matches so would need 8 points from the remaining 19 games, a PPM (Points per Match) of 0.42. Two more wins and two draws will reach the target. Next up would be to make the play-offs. In the past two completed seasons the fifth placed team has gained 67 & 66 points, so Herne Bay’s aim would be a PPM of 1.76. The current PPM is 1.47. To reach 1.76 Herne Bay will need a PPM of 2.05 from their remaining 19 matches which equates to 13 wins and only six defeats. Of course, draws would change this and it will depend on the performance of the other competing teams.

To put things into perspective, we still have a football club, thanks to the efforts of a few people who don't get the credit they deserve after the previous mess. We have a new manager, who is not daft, and speaks sense. We have a virtual new team, built from next to nothing, and not costing a fortune, but who are loyal to the club. It's not going to be perfect, but football rarely is.

Crowds are consistent and even taking away the 1,000+ crowd for Ramsgate we are averaging over 400, and we are second in the divisional attendance table, 67 ahead of the club in third place and well ahead of clubs such as Sheppey United, Ashford United, Sittingbourne and Hythe Town. In Mike Salako we have the league’s fourth top goalscorer, remembering that he did not join until we had played three league and three cup games. The last player to make a first team debut was Sam Wright in October 2023. November and December were the first two months, when football was played, that we had no debuts since April 2017, a tribute to coaching to improve rather than disposing and replacing. We are currently in ninth place which is higher than six, and equal to one, from the nine seasons that have been completed since we joined the Isthmian League in 2012. We have stability and consistency.

As well as the first team we have an Under 23 Development side, five youth teams playing in the Kent Youth League, two Veterans sides who have already put a trophy in the cabinet this season, two Walking Football teams and an associated Women’s side, the largest number of teams under the Herne Bay umbrella in the last five years. We thank all of the managers, players and support staff who help to get these teams out on the pitch and representing Herne Bay Football Club.

We say a massive thank you to the supporters, volunteers, directors, hospitality staff, sponsors and advertisers, suppliers, neighbours and everyone associated with the Football Club. Progress can be made if everyone pulls in the same direction. We will continue to build on the positives and learn from the negatives. Here’s to the next 19 league matches and see where it takes us.