“It says everything about the character and commitment of the group” – Eversley & California co-boss on avoiding the drop

Eversley & California have beaten the odds by surviving their first season in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South.

The Boars were promoted via the play-offs last summer and have finished above two relative giants by comparison – Guildford City and Camberley Town.

Both Surrey clubs have long histories in the non-league game, but both will be playing Step 6 next season (subject to ratification and reprieve through the AGM Cup) for the first time in their histories.

Both clubs though have been outdone on the pitch where it matters though by Eversley & California and the clubs managers Mitch Cooper and Darryl Jelly.

Speaking to Football in Berkshire last summer, Jelly said the club would continue to operate in 2025/26 without a budget and acknowledged the size of the task ahead. You can listen back to it below.

Following his sides final day 3-0 win at home to Redhill that gave the Boars a one point avantage in the table over Camberley, Jelly told FiB they had stuck to their guns:” It is still the case. We have not spent a single penny on players, coaches, or physios all season, and that includes expenses as well,” he said.

“Huge credit has to go to the group. They have travelled to places like Lydney Town in the FA Vase, Kidlington in the Combined Counties Cup, and made multiple trips inside the M25, all at their own expense. That applies across the board. Players, coaching staff, physios. Nobody has been paid a penny. It says everything about the character and commitment of the group.”

If population size doesn’t translate to footballing success, it doesn’t take away from the achievement of a village-based side in Everlsey finishing above established Step 5 towns like Camberley and Guildford City/

“We have had the lowest attendance in the league by a considerable margin,” Jelly cites. “We average around 40 people per game, compared to the next closest team, Balham, who are around 83 and ground share with Tooting & Mitcham United, and we are over 110 per game fewer than Camberley!”

One of the reasons Jelly and Cooper have been able to galvanise their squad this season comes down to numbers. Jelly said: “We have also used a considerably lower number of players than both sides below us. We have used 34 players this season, compared to 70 for Guildford City and 59 for Camberley. That shows we have not brought in players from higher levels when things got tough or constantly changed the squad. We trusted the players from last season to keep us in the league, supported by a couple of lads from our under 18s and reserve team, and they have delivered.”

Apart then from ‘staying up’, what other highlights have the Boars had this season?

Jelly says setting a new club record attendance of 231 against Horndean in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round was a big moment, “even though we narrowly lost 1-0.”

He adds: “The win away to Thatcham Town in late November was another key moment. That marked the return of our top goalscorer, Henry Paxford, who scored a last-minute penalty to give us a 1-0 win.

“The biggest achievement, though, has been the final four games of the season. After a tough loss to Badshot Lea left us bottom of the league, Mitch and I told the players they had to win all four, and something special happened.

“With the majority of the team carrying injuries, we beat Sutton Common Rovers 3-1 at home and genuinely started to believe. We then beat promotion chasing Horley Town 2-1 with a last-minute penalty from Henry.

“We then went to Redhill with only 13 players available against a side chasing the playoffs who needed a win. Again, Henry scored late, this time with a strike to earn a 1-1 draw, which gave us real momentum going into the final game, where we were comfortable 3-0 winners.

“The resilience the group has shown, with everything that has been thrown at them and with many people expecting us to be relegated, has been outstanding. They deserve a huge amount of credit.”

An incredible end to a first season at Step 5. And an antidote perhaps to the ‘big spending’ that is creeping into the non-league game further and further down the pyramid?

“We are tighter than ever as a group. We have learned that if you give a good group of players belief and confidence, even if many have not played at that level before, they will repay you with hard work, fight, and passion,” suggests Jelly agrees.