They’ll still only let you whisper it, but Whitton United are on the verge of not just promotion into the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, but a possible Championship title t’boot.

They’ll still only let you whisper it, but Whitton United are on the verge of not just promotion into the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division, but a possible Championship title t’boot.

The Ipswich-based Thurlow Nunn First Division side are having a cracking season under team boss Paul Bugg, with possible League glory, on top of two cup finals as well.

It promises to be quite an end to the season for the Green and Whites.

And although Bugg and everyone involved at the King George V club will not be drawn on promotion until it’s assured, there is little doubt they are on the cusp.

Indeed should Swaffham and Halstead draw tomorrow afternoon and Whitton beat Team Bury, it would leave Bugg’s side needing to then beat Needham Market Reserves on Wednesday night for the Whitton promotion party to begin.

Ifs, buts and maybes. But you would get very short odds on anything other than Whitton playing in the Thurlow Nunn Premier next season.

“At the start of the season all we wanted was promotion,” Bugg said.

“It was made clear to all of us that cups can be sacrificed if that is what it took for us to get back into the Premier Division.

“As it has turned out, we haven’t had to sacrifice the cups, as we are in the League Cup final against Debenham and the Senior Cup final against Ipswich Wanderers. The team has been superb.”

Whitton have indeed been the team of the First Division, despite suffering the devastating blow of losing influential play-maker Kevin Inglis in October with a serious knee injury.

“Losing Kevin at that time was a huge blow,” said Bugg.

“But fair play to the committee, they said we must go out and get players to replace him. There was no just making do with what we have got. They backed me and it’s hopefully about to pay off.”

Whitton beat high-flying Halstead Town last weekend, although surprisingly drew 2-2 with Braintree Town Reserves on Monday night.

“The Braintree result felt like a defeat after our win at Halstead,” Bugg said.

“We created enough chances to win six or seven at Braintree, but we didn’t score them.”

Yet it is at the other end of the pitch where Bugg has been most happy. While creating chances hasn’t been a problem, the Whitton defence has been especially mean.

“All the team have been great this season, but especially Robbie Knott and Scott Majoram at the centre of defence,” he said.

“They have been very strong and we have conceded just 25 goals in, what, 28 games.

“The team spirit has been superb and we have come back and got points in games I know very well we would never have done last season.

“We don’t talk about promotion until we achieved that. And we won’t talk about titles until we have won any.”

Honourable thoughts ahead of tomorrow’s clash at King George V against Team Bury.

Yet take it as read, Whitton are as good as back in the Eastern Counties Premier and for the non-league game in Ipswich and the community of Whitton in general, it will be great to have them back where they belong.