Dear Club Member,
As I write my first Chairman’s message, I want to begin by saying thank you. Forty years ago, Tony Linnett, Paul Burton and Pete Smith founded Old St Mary’s Football Club to satisfy their desire to play competitive football with their mates. What it became is a multi-generational community of people connected by a love of the game. Four decades on, the core spirit of the club is still very much alive, and that is down to them. Tony led the club as Chairman from the beginning, shaping its character and values. Paul has served as Club Treasurer for the entirety of those 40 years, doing an outstanding job of keeping us on a sound financial footing. Pete has been the quiet engine of the club’s administration, dependable and unsung in equal measure. What we have today is a direct reflection of their commitment, and it is important that we recognise that.
On the pitch, the story of 2025/26 was one of real contrast. The First Team had a difficult season and will begin the new campaign in a lower division. I have full confidence that they will respond this season under the leadership of Oli Aslett and George Smith. The Second Team, meanwhile, enjoyed their most successful season in years and I look forward to seeing how Ryan Biring and Adam Guildford build on that success this season.
Our focus this season is on growth. We have strengthened the committee structure with a view to focus on player recruitment, club identity and building our profile. Adam Guildford takes over as Club Welfare Officer, and alongside that we have introduced a new Club Development Officer role, with Matt Linnett taking it on. But every member has a part to play in that. Membership at Old St Mary’s has always been by invitation, and that remains the case, but I want everyone to feel empowered to bring new people in, particularly younger players. Word of mouth is the most powerful recruitment tool we have. If you know someone who wants a game, make the introduction.
This is our 40th season, and it feels like a genuinely pivotal moment. The decisions we make now will shape the next 40 years. I don’t think that responsibility falls on any one person. It falls on all of us.
The foundation is solid. What we build on it is up to us.
Anthony Burton
Chairman
Old St Mary’s Football Club
