Rye surprise even themselves

That’s the view of chairman Clive Taylor after the Quarterboys finished second in Division One of the Sussex County Football League last weekend.

Rye also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Vase for the first time ever, made the last eight of the Sussex Senior Cup and were runners-up in the John O’Hara League Cup.

Taylor said: “It’s been hard work on and off the pitch, particularly off the pitch (largely due to the arson attack on the Sidney Allnutt Pavilion last August and the considerable efforts to bring Rye back to The Salts).

“I was slightly disappointed not to win the John O’Hara Cup because I think the team deserved to win something, but if anybody had said to me before the season started we would have that run in three cups and finish runners-up I would’ve taken their hand off.

“I’m very pleased with the way it’s gone. As the season progressed the expectation levels got higher, but we’ve amazed everybody, even ourselves. I think we’ve got so much talent in the side and they proved that.”

Although they’ve never won it, this was the fourth time Rye have finished second in Division One. The full article will appear in Friday’s Rye Observer.