MUSSELS ARE BACK UP

Proto describes just how difficult the task was when they took over. He said: "When we got the job a lot of the players had just left to go to Steyning and other clubs. We had to work hard over pre-season to try to get any Tom, Dick and Harry to come over.

"We had Rob Craven, Nick Lansdale and Christian Troak but other than them we had to get a whole new team.

"We persuaded Darren Annis to come back from Wick, and then Jason '” who had been at Burgess Hill '” managed to get Shaheen Sadough, Matt Hurley and Wayne Joseph to all join soon into the season. Ben Milford, who was with me at Three Bridges, joined in pre-season and we also brought in Richard Carter who has the experience.

"Then when we needed to add to the squad we brought in Danny Gainsford and Ben Garman.

"But everybody has played their part and given 100 per cent."

The turning point in the season (Mussels gained just six points from their first six games]? "Getting all the players. If we had kept the team we had at the beginning of the season we wouldn't have got promoted.

"November was a big month when players started coming in and we went on a bit of a run. When they all started joining we realised we had one of the better sides."

What about the run-in? "I was a bit tense in our last game against Westfield but I wasn't nervous. I was more nervous when we played Peacehaven (1-1] because that was a potential banana skin. Although we didn't win, the most important thing was not to lose as we wanted to keep our unbeaten run going.

"We knew what we had to do against Westfield and everybody was up for it. It looked like we were going to draw, though, until Shaz produced a bit of magic."

Aims? "Work hard in pre-season and get two or three new players in. We will look to stabilise the club and consolidate in Division 1."

Rutherford said: "It's great, I'm over the moon.

"At the beginning of the season, I didn't think we would go up, although I thought we should be going for the top six."

When did you think you were up?: "Selsey away. We were 2-0 down in 10 minutes and didn't look like we had a hope in hell. I couldn't see us getting anything, I threw tea at all of them at half-time and probably burnt them all.

"But Martin O'Donnell came on and when he scored the winner it was unbelievable.

"Every player has had their input over the course of the season. All of them have done their little bit. It's been a weird season in a way, though, because not in one game did everybody have a good game. Three players would one week, and then it would be a different three the following week."

Aims? "Get four more players and a mid-table finish. The club has been yo-yoing for too long."

Chairman Roger Brace said: "We need to consolidate in Division 1 so that everybody will think of Shoreham as a first division club. Fred and Jason are the right people to do this as well.

"The team spirit created by the players and the management is excellent.

"At the beginning of the season, I knew Fred and Jason had the capabilities to get a promotion side together but wondered if they would be able to get all the players they wanted for this season."

Next week, one of Shoreham's star players of the season, Shaheen Sadough, talks to The Herald about the most enjoyable season of his career.