View from the Cole Warren: The Hastings United juggernaut is rumbling along

So Chris, it’s not been a bad season for United up to this point! Has it met or exceeded your expectations?

Well, at the beginning of the season I was confident we would be fighting at the top. But things were not going so smoothly towards the end of 2021.

And now it’s unbelievable to be top of the table considering in November, when Aggie left unexpectedly, we were 13 points behind Cray Valley.

It’s been an incredible season as a supporter, with all the people we’ve met from other clubs it’s a big reminder that we are all one big football family.

What’s been the best game and best goal you’ve seen so far?

Best game for a Hastings fan was Chippenham away in the FA Cup before Aggie left. Chippenham (a National League side) thought we were mickey mouse and not only did we go there and school them at their place but we did it with ten men.

Heath put the Hastings party on hold.

As for goals, there have been so many good ones this year. Sam Adams’ cracker during his 600th game comes to mind just for being during such a big game for him personally.

There have been crucial goals like Kenny Pogue at Whitstable or Tom Chalmers’ last gasp strike at Sittingbourne. But for a truly audacious goal the ridiculous but awesome Finn O’Mara overhead kick on a very wet day at the Pilot Field v Faversham is my favourite.

What did you think when Chris Agutter left - did fans think the whole promotion bid may be derailed or did you always keep the faith?

I’ll be honest it was a big blow, Chris had been very good to me and supportive when the podcast started up.

Even though the signs were there that his mind was elsewhere, I just didn’t see him going yet. I just thought that this was a job half done and why on earth would he ever leave?

Town lower colours of FA Vase heroes.

For a few weeks I was distraught and lost some faith in automatic promotion ( I’m an emotional so-and-so, football can do that to you).

But a regular on the podcast, Willsy, reminded me that the season isn’t a sprint and we had the quality to turn this round – and how right he was.

How do you rate Gary Elphick’s management so far and how far do you think he can lead the team?

The noticeable change when Gary Elphick took over was that the tempo quickened.

The wings started getting in to the game more, using all the pitch and there was a shrewd use of subs so as not to let games drift at all (which we were occasionally guilty of before).

It was a brilliant decision to put one of our most impressive players, Tom Chalmers, at right-back. That was a big call by Gary Elphick. Tom took to it almost immediately and has been a joy to watch this season, terrorising up and down that right side of the pitch for 90 minutes. I’m sure Gary Elphick is taking us up this year and with the right backing, who says he can’t take us up even further?

Player(s) of the season - who are the top contenders for that prize?

It’s a tough one: there are so many stand-out players.

Ben Pope has been such a rock for us up front, a leader of the line and a quality striker. Finn O’Mara has jumped into the team and been amazing. I’m astonished that such a quality player was available mid-season, a true hulk in our team hopefully for the next five or ten years.

Kenny Pogue, while being more of a squad player this season, has banged in so many important goals at crunch moments. Tom Chalmers, who only broke into the side in the last few seasons, is captain of England Colleges.

He glides past people with ease and is worth the admission fee alone for the brilliant football he brings.

But for me it’s Jack Dixon. He has been immense as our captain, Jack has reigned in any hotheadedness this season and his discipline has been exemplary. He has been a quality midfielder, being able to ping quality cross field passes and score goals but also breaking up play and getting in the trenches in the midfield battle when needed. A tremendous leader of men.

If - if! - promotion is secured, how well will this team do in Isthmian prem? Season of consolidation, or a serious bid for a second straight promotion?

Well tomorrow could and should decide it. I can’t see us dropping any more points. The juggernaut is well and truly rumbling along for next season but I think it depends on our start. You never know but I would think with our squad, a mid table Isthmian Premier finish next year minimum. We’re a well-run club that doesn’t panic, as we saw when Chris Agutter left. I believe the club knows what’s required at the higher level and we don’t need wholesale changes at all.

We have a flourishing youth set-up with our U23s winning trophies for fun...it’s a bright future if you follow the Us!