Downham fly the flag with promotion

So it wasn’t to be for King’s Lynn Town, who went down by a single-goal play-off defeat to Chorley last week, bringing the curtain down on another National League North season.The deciding moment of the game arrived late on leaving Lynn very little time to recover the situation and force extra-time, but again, the lack of a regular goal scorer proved the difference on the night.Listening to the match, the home team always seemed to have a little more nous on how to handle such games, as you would expect from a team who are regularly involved in these types of games.I’m sure that Adam Lakeland and his team would have learned much from the evening and the season in general, which can be carried forward to next term.It’s been good progress from the team this season, following the relegation battle the previous term, and to make the play-offs in 12 months from that position is something all concerned should be proud of.Incidentally, Chorley themselves face another season of NLN football after losing 4-2 to Scunthorpe United, who in turn will face Chester in the play-off final on May 18.It wasn’t all gloom though for non league West Norfolk football as Downham Town gained promotion from the Eastern Counties League with a 2-1 play-off final win over Walsham le Willows at a packed Memorial Ground on Sunday. An official crowd of 700 watched on as their team moved up to Step 4 football, the highest level the club has ever competed. Manager Dale Stokes, his assistant Danny White and the whole squad have produced a season that will go down in history, generating many good memories along the way. It’s justice as well for the club that was well set for promotion a few seasons back when Covid struck, rendering that particular season as null and void at that level.Despite this season only just finishing, I’m sure all concerned with the club will be looking forward to, and already planning for August when league football returns.It will be very interesting to see how the club fares next season in what will be a step up in terms of quality and miles to travel although if the same levels of strength and determination are shown again, another good season will lie ahead. In the meantime, though, congratulations to everyone at the club.Enjoy the moment, as promotions don’t come around all that often in the game.With the action now over on the pitch for another season, the attention will switch firmly to off-field matters, namely the ongoing financial situation at the Walks, which has again been creating headlines over the past few weeks. It has been announced that a special general meeting will take place at the football club next Thursday (May 15) starting at 7:30pm.The meeting is for members of the Blue & Gold Supporters Trust only, although if you are presently not a member of the Trust but join up by Wednesday, May 14, you will be able to attend the meeting but will not be able to vote if any proposals are put forward. The wording of the statement issued goes on to say that the purpose of the meeting is ‘to inform and discuss with members the results of recent meetings with Mr Bal Srai, who is proposing to work with the trust to secure the future of KLTFC .’ At the time of writing this column, current owner Stephen Cleeve had made no further comment about the ongoing situation, so what is going on in some quarters remains a mystery.Whatever does materialise from this, and other meetings that will take place certainly over the next few weeks, the future of King’s Lynn Town Football Club MUST be secured and placed on a footing that is sustainable for now and the future.And if that does mean big changes behind the scenes in the way the club runs and how it does things in the future, those hard decisions must be made now.There will probably be decisions taken that will not be popular initially, but from things I’ve read and heard in certain quarters, change must be made from how things stand today. Lynn Football Club’s financial matters have never been far from the headlines in recent times, usually all for the wrong reasons. Supporters I speak to are fed up, and some embarrassed, by the regular pleas for financial help and bucket collections that have been made in recent times.Almost all have said the club must live within its means and do whatever it has to, to achieve that aim.Like many, I will never forget the day the original ‘King’s Lynn Football Club’ went to the wall in 2009 with an unpaid tax bill of £67,000.Despite assurances the bill would be paid, it never was as so the club was laid to rest. A phoenix rose from the ashes, known today as King’s Lynn Town Football Club, let us all hope that it won’t be laid to rest this summer.So, as one half of a famous comedy double act used to say,’ that’s goodnight from him’ as the Hearle World column completes its run for another season.As usual, it’s been another interesting nine months or so and one which has again flown by so quickly.I must thank all at the YLP, especially West Norfolk Sports Editor Greg Plummer, for his continued support throughout the season and of course you, the readers, both in paper format and online who take a few minutes out of your week to take a look at my thoughts on both the local and national football scene. The ‘Hearle World’ column now reverts to its summer format with a column on the last Wednesday of May, June and July before returning weekly as season 2025/26 kicks off in August.However, do keep an eye weekly as an odd ’emergency’ column may appear if needed. Enjoy your summer.