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PICTURE: Red-hot Hype Train have scored four goals in three of their last four league matches, including a 4-3 win at KS Gryf on Saturday.
Hype Train owner, Rob Austin, admits it would mean ‘absolutely everything’ if his club were to win the Presidents Cup in their 100th match on Saturday.
The club was only formed in 2019 and, after two Coronavirus-hit seasons, is starting to blossom within the East Berkshire League.
Their route to the cup final has dovetailed with improved form in the Premier Division, where a four-match unbeaten run has seen the team climb into the top half in the table.
Austin has also been an instrumental figure in the League Management Committee, responsible for the new league website and much of its social media product.
And at Burnham FC on Saturday, he hopes The Train can continue with their growth and development to lift a first-ever piece of silverware.
Austin, also the team manager, said: “Hype Train Football Club was formed in 2019 and we’ve been in the East Berkshire League since our formation.
“After three years, this is the first time we’ve been able to have a full and proper campaign. The first two seasons were obviously struck off because of the Coronavirus and lockdowns, so it’s been great to have an actual season of growth and development.
“For me personally, I put all of my love, attention, money and care into this football club, and into this ambitious project.
PICTURE: The Hype Train team that drew 0-0 with Cressex in the league two weeks ago. The two sides will meet again in the Presidents Cup final at Burnham FC on Saturday.
“We’ve done some really good work with the league as well in that time. We try to help out where we can with the Committee, and all we care about is football. We think we’ve done a good job at creating a positive image for the league and ourselves.
“In our 100th game, which is what it is against Cressex in the Presidents Cup final, we’re hoping to go the distance to win our first trophy. And, for me personally, it would mean absolutely everything.”
Explaining the improved form, Austin said: “The squad has been progressing quite nicely over the past month, from where we thought we were going to be at the start to the season to where we are now. We’ve had a giant jump in form and quality.
“We obviously didn’t start out season until late-October because of a Special General Meeting. What that has led to now is a very good cup run and some very good results in the Premier Division, with largely the same squad and a couple of additions.
“The squad has done very well recently. We actually drew 0-0 with Cressex in a home game a couple of weeks ago. It was a preview to the final, a close, bitty game and not a lot really happened in it.
“Apart from that, we’ve got two very good wins against KS Gryf, home and away. We also beat Stoke Poges away, and scored four goals in each of these games, so we can’t argue that we haven’t been progressing well to the final.”
Hype Train have had a challenging route to the final of the Presidents Cup having started in the preliminary round stage back in January. Their standout results include a last-gasp win at Harts Of Bracknell in the second round and beating Old Windsor Reserves in the semi finals.
Austin commented: “Our route to the Presidents Cup final actually started in January as one of the only teams in the preliminary round, against Sandhurst Town. We beat them 8-0 and it was largely a one-sided game for the team, we had a very good afternoon in front of goal. It probably could’ve been more but, when we got the eighth goal, it was a case of the game was done and dusted.
PICTURE: Hype Train's improved form, a four match unbeaten streak, has seen them climb into the top half in the Premier Division table.
“We then had the pleasure of going away to the unbeaten Division One leaders, Harts Of Bracknell, and we did very well. They went ahead but we came back and the game was very exciting. They equalised with virtually the last kick in the game but, straight from the re-start, we went down the other end to win a corner and score from it. It was a great day out and we only had 11 players for the game.
“And then we beat Frontline in extra time, which was another great game in the quarter finals, before finally getting our first win over Old Windsor in the semis. It has been a very difficult route to the final.”
To enter the East Berkshire Football League ahead of the 2022/23 season, or for further information about the league, or an entry form for the upcoming season, please email the team at contactebfl@gmail.com
