French reflects on magic moments that led to Billinghurst promotion
Eddie French has hailed his Billingshurst battlers for a league and play-off campaign that has ended in promotion to the SCFL Premier.
The village side beat Infinity 2-1 in the SCFL Division 1 final after overcoming Worthing United 2-0 in the semi-final – that after a strong end to the league season brought a third-place finish.
French took over at Jubilee Fields in September 2023 with a backroom team of Olliie Berry, Tom Betts, Nathan Sleat and Nick Courtney alongside him.
They finished 12th in Division 1 in 23-24 and 10th in 24-25, when he said improvements started and the squad’s togetherness started to forge.
"Our objective this season was to try to get out of the league and get to a cup final and win some silverware,” he said.
"We drew our first four games then got thumped 5-0 at East Preston on August bank holiday, so this was a much slower start than we had hoped, but then we started to pick up some form.
"From the end of September I think we won seven and drew two through until late December, which put us right in the mix. The bad weather continued into 2026 and we lost momentum and fell away from the title chase but we kept in the play-off mix until mid to late March when we lost three out of four.
"We fell out of the play-offs and mathmatically we needed other results to go our way, so the message was clear to the lads to do our job and win our five remaining league games and hope. Well, we won all five and other teams dropped points, so we made the play-offs.
"We were drawing 2-2 at Saltdean on the last day got a corner in injury time. The ball floated deep over everyone but club stalwart, Matt Rendall recycled the ball, looping it back to the penalty spot, and club legend, Nick Tilley hit the sweetest volley to win the game for us 3-2.
"That was the magic moment, pure football poetry, and it put us into third position giving us a home play-off semi.”
It was a cagey semi-final versus the Mavericks.
“Both teams were compact and gave little space. Their defence was one of the best in the league so we knew we had to be patient, and clinical when the chance came. Then two chances came in quick succession and we held on.
"Infinity beat in-form Reigate in the other semi, meaning we got to host the final. Infinity came with a strong side and the game was fast and competitive, with both defences winning the battle.
"Then we found a special moment when Darren Wilson turned their right-back inside out and cut the ball back through about four or five players, then Luke Brodie arrived from the far side of the box and just passed the ball with power towards the top corner, and the place errupted!
"Infinity equalised with a deflected free kick, then we had to dig in, knowing we could still hurt them with a good chance.
"The moment came, Ronnie Reeves collected a forward pass and held off the defender at ease and as he opened his body Matt Hards made the run outside the other defender, and Ronnie just rolled the ball into Matt's path, and he just needed to pull the trigger. We watched in delight as he curled it past the keeper to put us back in the lead.
"The last minutes felt like an eternity, but we held on – we did it! We won the play-offs and gained promotion to the SCFL Premier – an unbelievable feeling of delight and pride followed by many emotions as we tried to contemplate what we’d achieved! What a day.
"I’m so pleased for those at the club that have devoted years of their life to making BFC a better club for the community year on year.”
More from Eddie French next week.