TT PREVIEW

Giles talks about the Generals

ABOUT ME

I’m 52, and always lived in the Chesham and Amersham area which offers lots of options for teams to watch as I grow up. I watched Watford until the early 90’s then started to watch Chesham as well, then for around 10 years my time was spent with my kids. Then in 2008 I was invited through work to attend a game at Chesham who where looking to get local businesses involved in the club and I started going to Chesham again on a regular basis and getting involved at the club, soon becoming a part of the Supporters Trust Committee then Chairman, which then offered a place on the club board, which I took up a role for 8 years, before taking a back seat and just enjoy going to football and started to do a bit of ground hopping as well as watching Chesham and also watching England matches (including attending the last two Euro finals)

BEING CLUB HISTORIAN & FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB

The club did have records of top appearances makers and scorers which frustrated me and when covid lockdown came in, I started researching all the games, scores and appearances and building a collection of programmes, memorabilia and other items involving the club since it was founded after WWI. Which replaced the not able to go to games and now I still continue to research information of the Chesham founding clubs Chesham Generals & Chesham Town, which takes up any spare time I have outside from my job and attending games.

With my involvement at the club I was able to be at the last meeting between Chesham and Torquay in the FA Trophy in December 2020, which under the covid rules was played behind closed doors. I also was at both the the other two matches played between the two clubs in 2015, which also was in the FA Trophy. One of the biggest achievements of Chesham was to get to the FA Amateur Cup final at Wembley in 1968, which I’m took the town became a ghost town that afternoon as nearly all the town’s residents made the trip to Wembley which Leytonstone won the final 1-0, which was before my time, but I did witness the only time Chesham have beaten a League side in the FA Cup, winning 1-0 at Bristol Rovers in 2015 and when the club won the Isthmian Premier league in 1992/93, but declined to take promotion to Conference, at step 1, which would have been the highest level the club played at.

HOPES & EXPECTATIONS FOR 24/25

I hoped that the team would be competitive in the league following promotion last season and the club can establish itself back at step 2 football again.

START TO THE SEASON

We’ve shown that we are going to be competitive and unlucky not to have taken all three points at the opening game at Eastbourne and good to see we are creating enough chances to score and then made it count on Saturday at St Albans getting the win. The team is getting better each game and starting to gel together.

KEY PLAYERS

Minhas & Weiss for creating and scoring goals has to be a key for gaining points.

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

James Duncan & Michael Murray, better know as JD & Muzz, came to club on Oct 2018, got us out of the relegation places and have pushed the club on every season. They are managers who made it become one big family at Chesham, and are open to fans talking to them and also inviting fans to training. They both made sure that when the league title was won last season that everyone celebrated together (fans, players, coaches and directors). They are very driven in getting the right results and give a good account of performances after ever game.

PRE-MATCH REFRESHMENTS

Chesham offer a few pubs in walking distance from the ground including Queens Head, Red Lion and George & Dragon. The George & Dragon is a really nice old pub and also was the Chesham Town post match venue for players to eat and drink over 100 years ago. There is also a couple of brewery shops offering a wide choice of refreshments.

ABOUT THE GROUND/LIKELY ATTENDANCE?

It’s always hard to say at this time of the year what attendances will be, with it being holiday season, but I would say 1100. No segregation, which means for fans that haven’t been to the Meadow before can move around the ground to find your favourite advantage place to watch the game, with some great views available.

PREDICTION

I hope for a 2-1 home win, but think it will be a close game, and would be good for Chesham to score a first goal against Torquay as they did manage to score in the previous encounters. A Torquay friend of mine, Chris Garrett, keeps reminding me that Chesham still haven’t scored against Torquay, so I hope we can correct that stat at least.