It has to be admitted that Creeting St Peter is not exactly a hotbed of sporting endeavour. Too small to have a team of our own, for competitive sport, one needs to fish at Creeting Lakes or visit a neighbouring town or village.
In recent years, Needham Market FC has become a bit of a big fish in the lower tiers of English football. FA Vase semi-finalists two seasons ago, they reached the quarter-finals last year and this, whilst challenging for the Ridgeons League title in 2007/08. This season, the title race went to the last week of the season, as Leiston, CRC (Cambridge Regional College) and Needham Market tussled for supremacy.
It all ended happily, with a win over Kirkley and Pakefield clinching the title, and with it promotion to the next level. And that's where the fun starts. Tier 4 of the National League Pyramid takes in the Unibond Northern League, the Zamaretto League (ex-Southern League) and the Ryman League (ex-Isthmian League). Either of the latter two could have been Needham Market's destination but, following some geographical juggling, they'll be playing their football in the Ryman League Division 1 North next season, alongside such teams as Harlow Town, AFC Sudbury and Ilford.
As a transplanted North Londoner, some of these teams used to play my local teams in the seventies and eighties, and I might even find time to catch the odd away game next season. So the best of luck to the Marketmen next season - one more promotion and their results will be broadcast on Sky Sports News!
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