FOOTBALL: East Bergholt United won the Kingsley Healthcare SIL a record-breaking three years in row ending in 2006.

Their form has not surprisingly dipped somewhat since those heady days, but they go in to tomorrow’s Senior Division match with second-placed Achilles in mid-table and in good cheer.

Manager Frank Thompson will be looking to improve an away record that does not compare to the one at Gandish Road as a top six position at the end of the season is sought.

Kevin Foskett managed the side jointly with Thompson last season, but during the summer he moved up to become chairman where he is looking to build the foundations for more success in the not too distant future.

“We had a three-year plan, and we’re ahead of schedule at the half-way stage,” said Foskett.

“We have aspirations to end in the top six this term and we look as though we are going to be there or thereabouts.

“Progress has been carried on from last season, and we have faith in Frank continuing the trend.

“In the early part of the season we played mainly top teams, and it was tough to get any momentum going, but we are now having great fun at home if not pulling up too many trees away because of a lack of goals.”

Foskett wants to see a side made up of Bergholt or near vicinity players and he is putting his faith in Kevin Jones’ Under-18 squad to help achieve this.

“They won a great deal while moving up from Under 12 football, and are now playing against older boys at Under-18 level in the Ridgeons Youth League.

“Next season they will make more of a mark at this age group and in four or five years I want to see them forming the basis of our first team.”

Bergholt still have seven or eight players from the triple-title winning squad, but Foskett says that doing well in the Senior Division is often swayed by finance.

“Money talks,” he said. “But as far as we are concerned what is the point of attracting the best players through a wage packet and then not wanting to move up the football ladder if you win the championship?”

Foskett is hoping that talk suggesting that top striker Ian Gedny will return to the club for 2011/12 proves correct after a successful time in the Ridgeons League with Debenham Leisure Centre.

“Having Ian back would be ideal,” added the chairman. “He was head and shoulders above most other strikers when the club was winning things, and his experience would give us a perfect mix with the young players that Kevin is developing.”

A win for Achilles would put them top if Ransomes Sports fail to beat Woodbridge Athletic at Sidegate Avenue while Grundisburgh play Ipswich Athletic looking to capitalise on any slipping up by the two clubs above them.

Coplestonians need points against Crane Sports to avoid the possibility of being cast adrift at the foot of the table with bottom-placed Haughley United.

The latter take a break from their relegation worries when they take on last season’s losing finalists Capel Plough in the third round of the Omnico Cup.

Recent Kingsley Healthcare SIL transfers: Baden Holmes (Coplestonians to Ipswich Athletic), Ricardo Phillips (Crane Sports to Melton St Audry’s).