IT IS a perfect magical tale for this time of year.Stowupland Falcons' romantic rise from the abyss typifies the spirit of the festive season.Down and out after losing 37 players last summer and getting hammered in the majority of their opening 10 Kingsley Healthcare SIL Senior Division games, the village side has bounced back.

Elvin King

IT IS a perfect magical tale for this time of year.

Stowupland Falcons' romantic rise from the abyss typifies the spirit of the festive season.

Down and out after losing 37 players last summer and getting hammered in the majority of their opening 10 Kingsley Healthcare SIL Senior Division games, the village side has bounced back.

After being point-less after 10 matches they have now accrued seven from their last four and go into tomorrow's encounter with Framlingham Town in good cheer.

And manager Paul Bugg is looking ahead to a bright future after a virtual re-birth of the club.

“I had to use third team players early in the season,” said Ipswich-based Bugg.

“But with the huge help of chairman Mark Campbell we have signed 23 new players and are now able to field three teams again, and have a competitive first X1.

“There have been a lot of knockers and a lot of people who had already written us off. I have used 47 players so far, but for the first time tomorrow I look like being able to take an unchanged squad.

“I'm optimistic we can stay up, and then go on and consolidate. I see no reason why we shouldn't be a top half side inside three years - five at the max.”

Bugg was manager of Brantham Athletic reserves for eight years apart from a short spell in charge at Haughley.

“That did not go too well, but a number of players I took to Haughley I have re-signed at Stowupland,” added Bugg.

“I have to give a big thank you to players who have stuck with me, and now we can see daylight at the end of the tunnel.”

Bugg is an ambitious manager, and says that he has been told the Stowupland job is there as long as he wants it.

“I'm 37,” he went on. “And if I can cut my teeth in this job it will add greatly to my footballing cv.

“I almost moved to help Jimmy Marjoram at Ipswich Athletic in the summer, but have no regrets about moving here.

“I have to call on a few friends in football with Peter Gorham from Ransomes a big help, and players like Tarquin Marsh, Caleb Ebanks, Arben Kastrati and Lee Beeton deserve praise for standing by me.”

Only Bob Britton and Daniel Taylor remain from last season's Falcons side that finished a respectable 11th; Falcons having finished seventh the previous campaign.

Six points separate the top five sides with leaders Old Newton travelling to Ipswich to play Ransomes Sports. If Colin Macrow's side slip up, Felixstowe United can go top with a home victory over Melton St Audry's.

Third and fourth-placed Crane Sports and Achilles meet in a crunch game at King George V Field, Whitton, while Woodbridge Athletic are set to move up a place from sixth if they beat level bottom Leiston St Margarets.