DELAFORD manager Stuart Marks believes the football club has been put on the map after an incredible treble-winning season.

Delaford won the East Berkshire Premier Division and League Cup plus the Berks & Bucks FA Saturday Intermediate Cup.

Marks is delighted to have won something for Chairman, Keith Mounteney, and he is confident Delaford could be even stronger next season.

He told the Observer: “Winning the league made me the happiest because it’s the one I always wanted. We were at the top for most of last season but dropped away towards the end.

“This is the first time we’ve really won something and it’s good because the club has been put on the map and other clubs do take note.

“We’ve proven that we’re the best team in the league now but it’s not going to be easy next season.

“We’re the team to beat now but other sides are going to want to beat us, so we’ve got to be prepared.

“We had a strong squad and were the best in the league by some distance last season, and I’m confident we will be even stronger next season.

“If more players come in then we will be even stronger, so I’m confident we will be up and amongst it again next season.

“I love football and enjoy the pressure, it’s good. I want to compete and don’t want things to be easy, so we will see if we can go again and better that.”

Marks continued: “The club has a good youth set up and those teams are doing well, and the first team has now given them something to look up to.

“Keith has worked really hard to get us to this point and I’m glad to give him something back as well. I’m glad we’ve done something for him and hope the club can continue to move forward.

“It’s a good family club for kids to get involved in football and run by some good people.”

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Mounteney added: “The success goes right throughout the club. We’ve had a terrific year from the youngsters right up to the first team.

“We start them at four years old, to get a feel of the ball and the people around them, and progress from there.

“We’re a development club so the first team is classed as an exit route into adult football. As individuals, they are good guys but as a team they’re phenomenal.”

On winning the treble last season, Marks said: “It would have been too far for me to say we would win the treble at the start of the season, but deep down I thought we could win something.

“We had improved on the team from last season with some better players and one or two came in after Christmas that made a big difference as well.

“I knew we would be up there in the league because we had done very well before Christmas and, heading into the New Year, I expected us to come first and second.

“It would come down to the matches between us and Langley and that’s how it panned out really.

"We lost once to Slough Heating Laurencians and drew with Beaconsfield but other than that won every match so it has been a very good season for us.

"The league is always the best one to win because it shows you are consistent and playing very well.

"It looks on paper that we won easily and convincingly but it didn't feel like that at the time because there were some hard games."

He added: "We did well to get to the final in the League Cup and win, but I didn't expect to go all the way in the county cup.

"You can always win a cup with luck on your side but the county cup success was a great achievement for us because it involves the whole county."

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