There won’t be too many football teams up and down the country who can win their league this weekend.

But’s that’s precisely the position that Cheltenham Civil Service find themselves in as they prepare to host Shurdington Rovers in the Cheltenham League on Saturday.

A remarkable run means that a win will see manager Steve Holend’s team crowned Division One champions four days before the shortest month of the calendar year has passed.

They’ve won 15 of their 16 league games so far and are a massive 17 points clear of nearest rivals Upton Town so there’s every reason to think there will be some party at their Tewkesbury Road clubhouse come 4.45pm on Saturday.

Holend and his assistant Paul McCauley have been at the helm since November 2015 and had guided the club to 2nd and 3rd place finishes before the current campaign.

So had Holend expected his team to be so dominant this time around?

“Before the season started I thought that 48 points would be enough to win the title so I was right about that,” he said, “but I didn’t expect to win it this early.

“There has been a definite upward spike in terms of quality in the squad.

“Our sole objective this season has been to win the Cheltenham League and get into the Northern Senior League which is the minimum for a club like Service.

“The big difference this season is that we’ve won the roll-up-your-sleeves type of games. We’ve always played good football but last year those were the games we’d draw or lose.

“We’ve found a way to win them this season.”

That’s certainly true and Holend is keen to heap praise on a group of players who only became the club’s flagship team midway through last season following the withdrawal from the County League of what was then the club’s first team.

So who are the players who have made this a season to remember?

“Stu Midwinter is our top goalscorer with 29,” said Holend. “He’s quick and a relentless runner and I think most defenders in the division will say that he is the striker they least like playing against.

“Dan Wills was injury-hit last season but he’s come back and scored 21 goals. He’s a strong powerful striker.

“Then there’s Lewis Driscoll. He’s only 17 and come through the reserves but he’s got 14 goals. He plays in the number 10 role and has been absolutely superb.

“Joe McCauley is another and he’s up to 14 goals. He’s probably the best finisher in the club. And Josh Goodhall has got eight goals since coming back to the club from Saracens in October/November. He plays centre midfield and is a class act.”

Clearly goals are not a problem for Holend’s upwardly mobile team – they’ve scored 109 in all competitions this season at more than four a game – but as Liverpool and even Manchester City before this season have shown, you don’t win games without being solid in the defensive third.

“Our captain Mike Kember plays in centre midfield and is the shoveller, the hod carrier in the team,” said Holend. “He does all the nitty gritty things, all the dirty work. He was colossal when we beat Bishop’s Cleeve on Saturday.

“Our goalkeeper Brett Pittaway joined from Southside and has been superb and in front of him there is Joe Bermingham, who did so well for the club when they were in the Northern Senior League and went up to the County League. He’s an absolute standout centre-half.

“He plays alongside Marcus Finch and not much gets past them.”

Holend is happy to talk up all his players which, with the season they’re having, is extremely understandable.

“Full-back James Hall scored arguably our most important goal of the season in stoppage time in the 2-1 win at Newton,” added Holen.

“And another full-back, Harry Gilbert, is a great talker who can play any position along the back four.

“Rich Morse is a club stalwart centre-half who is a towering presence in the air and has scored a few goals and Glenn Wilson is back from an ACL suffered in 2016. He’s another centre-half and his fitness is outstanding.

“Connor Hart is also back from an ACL after missing two years of football. He’s 20 and is an outstanding centre midfielder with quick feet.

“And we’ve also got Mark Jones who was a squad member in the Northern Senior League Division One team. He has amazing ability on the ball.

“Then there’s Ash Murray. He’s had his most consistent season since joining the club, a full-back who rarely gets beaten.”

And while Holend is clearly and quite understandably proud of his men, he’s certainly not taking victory over Shurdington for granted on Saturday.

“They’re on a good run and have won four of their last five,” he said. “Their manager Dan Pardoe is a good friend of mine and he says they’re coming to delay our celebrations.

“We beat them 6-0 earlier in the season. We got a couple of lucky goals but then we just swamped them.

“But I don’t mind what the score is on Saturday, I just want a win and to finish the job off.”

And when the inevitable happens – if not on Saturday then certainly in March – 41-year-old Holend says that it will be the best moment of his managerial career.

The one-time full-back or sweeper enjoyed plenty of success as a player as well, winning the Hellenic League Division One West title when he was with Cheltenham Saracens.

He won a Hellenic reserve division title with them as well along with a Senior Charities Cup with Endsleigh, a team he player-managed during their days in Division One of the Cheltenham League.

He played for Service as well and while he enjoyed good times elsewhere, there’s no doubt who are his club these days.

And what pleases Holend almost as much as the success of his side is the success being enjoyed by all the other teams at the club.

All three senior men’s teams are through to their respective County Cup semi-finals and the ladies’ team are also through to the last four of their County Cup.

“The 2nd team are managed by Dan Midwinter and he’s a real character,” said Holend.

“He’s assembled a team that are a mix of youth and experience and they’re hunting down The Beeches at the top of Division Two.

“He’s got some good players – Jack Horrell is ex-Cirencester Town and Bishop’s Cleeve, Sam Smith-Hutchinson is ex-Baros and goalkeeper Simon Greenwood used to play for Lakeside.

“They’ve got Hanley Swan away on Saturday which is a real tough game but if they can come through that they will be in really good shape.”

The 3rd team, under manager Scott Edginton, still have a chance of making the play-offs in Division Three while the ladies are currently being managed by Elliot Roberts, who is a top goalkeeper in his own right.

“We’ve had a ladies’ team for quite a few seasons,” said Holend. “Gemma Riley is the club’s leading goalscorer and Luke Tovey’s twin sisters – Beth and Amy – both play.”

Cheltenham Civil Service, with their excellent facilities, are clearly a club that are moving in the right direction on four fronts.

“We’re trying to do things the right way,” said Holend. “Alan Wakefield has come back to the club as chairman and after last season pulling out of the County League we’re a phoenix from the ashes.

“We’re a bit of a throwback because we’re a club-based set-up. We’re not just a one-team club.”

So how far back up the football ladder can Service’s flagship team go?

“We’re looking to build from within,” said Holend. “For the time being, let’s get back to the Northern Senior League and try to make a dent in it.

“And if we can keep this squad together and add a couple of players, I think we will.”