Kings Stanley chairman Roger Bassett has heaped praise on player/manager Shane Tanner and his assistant Andy Jones after they guided the club to the Stroud League Division One title.

The club will now be playing in Division Two of the Northern Senior League next season and Bassett, who has been involved with the club since the early 1960s, initially as a player, couldn’t be happier.

“It’s been a good season,” he said with some under-statement. “The manager and his assistant have worked really hard. There’s been a big emphasis on fitness and training and it’s paid off.”

It certainly has because long-time rivals Charfield, who finished three points behind Kings Stanley in the runners-up spot, made a quickfire start to the campaign that saw them setting the pace in the early part of the season.

But Kings Stanley slowly but surely reeled them in and after winning 16 and losing only two of their 22 league games they will be very hopeful that they can continue that form next season.

“We’ll go there with the aim of winning it,” said Bassett, and it’s easy to understand his optimism because until three years ago Kings Stanley played in the County League, and before that had played in the Northern Senior League for well over 50 years.

And it’s not just for historical reasons that the club are full of confidence because they also have a very good team.

“We brought in a couple of players from Stroud Harriers and they made a difference,” added Bassett. “Corey Fletcher and Nathan Green are both attacking midfielders and they’ve done well for us.

“Fletcher and Jordan Cooke have got the most goals for us.

“Steve Wakefield in the centre of defence has also had a good season. He’s been with us three or four seasons and has been a good clubman, he’s done well alongside our captain Matty Maryon.

"It's been a real team effort with all members of the squad playing their part and ably backed up by a hard core of committed committee members.

“It was always the ambition to get back into the Northern Senior League.”