Unbeaten quadruple winners? Ridgewood FC aim for perfect season

After 15 games played in the league season, the team has won 14 times, only drawing once to title rivals AFC Varndeanians 2nd’s back in December.

A lot of praise has been given to the current management team, led by joint managers Josh Imber and Robson Ternouth, with Ternouth in particular full of praise of the club's progress since their arrival.

“It is a strange one, game to game you do not see the change that has happened, it has been slow but when you step back, we have come a long way. When we came in as managers in 2022/23 we wanted to create a fun environment where we could attract top players, get them to buy in when they really could be playing higher.”

And the team as a whole has certainly brought into their style of play, and have been dominant in front of goal, scoring 72 times in their 15 league appearances to date.

Leading not only the team, but the entire league in goals is Will Fenner, hitting the back of the net on 29 occasions this season, although Fenner is reluctant to let his goalscoring form turn into over-confidence.

“In general I've been pleased with my own performances, fortunately scoring goals can act as a good smoke-screen when you have a bad game and that is something I normally manage!”

Fenner added “I've also been very lucky to have the service that I do, often finding myself in awe of the football that I can see being played.”

The 22 year old has had plenty of praise from around the club, with Ternouth applauding the striker's determination to help the team.

“His work ethic is another thing that really stands out, he has to work some Saturdays and is a notable absence when not around, he would do a full day’s work then rush to wherever we were playing, come on for 30 minutes and score like it was nothing.”

And Fenner isn’t the only player impressing this season however, with the likes of fellow striker Aaron Stimson, the league's second top scorer with 18 goals, as well as being supported by a rock solid defence that has only conceded 12 times in the league, keeping five clean sheets in the process.

Goalscoring has certainly been the major theme throughout the season though, with plenty of strong performances to be in awe of this season, from a 14-0 win in the Mid Sussex Senior Charity Cup, as well as an 11-0 win and two separate 8-0 victories in the league.

Despite their dominance in games, the tighter games have been many of the team’s highlights of the season so far, with Ternouth in particular praising the result against their closest rivals this season.

“The one result that stands out so far was the 3-0 win away to AFC Varndeanians II. We went there in the rain, both teams had won eight games out of eight and even though it was late October, it felt like a final. Neither team seemed like they were going to drop points and neither really have. Varndeanians have had an incredible season so far and in any other league it is the kind of form that wins you the title, which they still might!”

This success has been a long time coming however, with another one of the integral pieces to the Ridgewood FC journey being the clubs chairman, Chaz Shires, who helped found the club 14 years ago, and is clearly proud of the progress made since that formation.

“It is a really special feeling to have made it to somewhere that was never even really an aspiration when we started. We were a group of players who had become disillusioned at another club and decided to give it a go on our own and just steadily worked our way through the divisions.”

“It’s only in the last few years that promotion to the Premier Division became something we considered as plausible and it’s been a real challenge to achieve it but something we are all so proud of.”

And that challenge has been clear in the last few years, with the side narrowly missing out on promotion in the last two seasons, although it seems that Shires, and the club as a whole, have taken these setbacks, and used them to galvanise the team to this year's success.

“I think on reflection we probably weren’t ready the last two seasons, and we are in such a better place as a team and as a club now which is evident from the performance this year and also the second team being top of their league as well.”

With an unbeaten season still on the cards, naturally eyes will be drawn to such an unlikely accolade, although Ternouth seemed to praise one member of the squad in particular for his psychic tendencies.

“Will Fenner told me before we played our first league game that we were not going to lose one; I think I chuckled at the thought. Now we really can do it and it is a target we have set ourselves during the season” Ternouth continued.

“How many teams manage an “Invincibles” season?! Our target was promotion, the goal posts were moved to title winners halfway through the season, moving it to unbeaten was the natural progression.”

And the league isn’t the only competition the team are fighting for, as they enter the later stages of three separate cup competitions, although mystic Fenner is more hesitant to predict the sides chance for the quadruple.

“It will prove tough for sure because the deeper you go into each competition, the tougher it is to keep fighting on all fronts and that combined with the fact that some of the cups include the league above.”

“All we can do is keep trying to tick off one game at a time and see where that leaves us for the end of the season, but it is something we will be gunning for.”

Such confidence in a club typically can be a catalyst for success, but it can also leave the door open for complacency. One of the major factors in keeping this at bay is club captain Will Read, who has remained steadfast in reiterating the expectations the players need to have of one another.

“It’s important to remain humble and not let our cockiness be our downfall. However we are a team that thrives from an aggressive press and fast flowing football. Of course we need to remain aware that we now have an audience watching our results, but using that and our winning streak adds swagger to our performances and keeps the club hungry every fixture.”

While the club is certainly looking towards the challenge currently in front of them, the task of next season is apparent to everyone, with Ternouth clear on the priorities going forward.

“First job is player retention, we will lose a couple as you always do but we need to have this platform to build on from. If we manage that, we will be able to bring in a few as people want to play where they enjoy it and where they will win silverware.”

It’s clear to see that the confidence from this season has spread throughout the club, and looks set to continue into the Premier Division, with Ternouth tipping their sides chances going into a new division.

“Our target would be top 4 of the Premier next year and one that I believe is realisable. My personal aim would be to win it and I think that feeling is spread wide amongst the squad!”