Planning already underway to help Horsham progress next season

Planning is already well underway behind the scenes at Horsham Football Club for next season.
Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.
Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.

The club’s board sat down with manager Dominic Di Paola and assistant Adam Westwood at the end of March to set out plans for next season and review the current campaign.

That annual meeting - held earlier than normal - was a positive one and plans are already underway to progress in the 2018/19 campaign.

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It will, after all, be a massive year for the Hornets as early in 2019 they are expected to return to the town to their new ground at Hop Oast. While the current one has been a difficult season, playing away in Lancing, Di Paola does believe the club has restablished themselves as a Bostik League side under his tenure - which has been three years this week.

Horsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve RobardsHorsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve Robards
Horsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve Robards

While they have not progressed as much as he had hoped, he believes that can be stepped up next season.

The club has already put Toby House and Lewis Hyde on contracts and they will continue to work and prepare behind the scenes in the close season.

Di Paola revealed: “We are hopeful of trying to have a less stressful season. We do not want to go anywhere (management team) and as far as I am aware, the club do not want us to go!

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“We have done some good things this season and some bad things and it was always going to be that way when we are waiting for the new ground, the end is near on that now. It’s three years we have been here this week. We have progressed as a club and established ourselves as a club a bit again.

Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.
Work is progressing on Horshams new ground at Horsham Golf & Fitness, just off the Hop Oast Roundabout.

“I feel as a football club we belong at this level again now, we have more than established ourselves as a Bostik League club and we belong here again.

“We get everything from the club. They always give us as much as they can help wise to do our job. I feel there has been progress made this year, not as much as we have liked, but given the circumstance, it has been. I hope from next year that progress will be bigger.”

And while the Horsham manager has made no secret of his struggles this season, the biggest being an ever-growing injury list, he does see light at the end of the tunnel.

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He said: “This has been the least enjoyable season I have ever had. It’s been really hard and not much fun because of the endless problems. I’d like to hope next year we will have a better run at it.

“We could still finish in the top half this year and that is not bad considering the problems we have had.”

And on the ground, which last week saw the foundations laid for the main car park, he added: “It’s all really exciting.

“When we came in we were told the ground was happening, it should have been earlier, but as always is the way with these things, there are delays.

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“It’s going to give me great pleasure to see the Horsham supporters watching their side back in Horsham again. They have not liked travelling down to Lancing and I don’t blame them. Even if we played one game there and then the club sacked me, I’d be happy. It’s been a long-time coming for the club and for us.”

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