End Of Season Statement | Aspen Drewitt-Barlow
As the season comes to a close, it is difficult to put into words just how proud we are of what has been achieved at the football club this year. Winning the league is a special moment, but more importantly, it reflects the hard work, belief, and unity that has been built across every part of the club.
On the pitch, the players and management team have been outstanding. Their consistency, commitment, and togetherness have driven this success, and they fully deserve the recognition that comes with being champions. Our FA Cup run was another standout moment, reaching the First Round Proper and travelling to face Port Vale in what was a memorable occasion for the club, players, and supporters alike. Experiences like that show just how far the club has come.
Off the pitch, we have worked hard to strengthen the foundations of the club and build something that goes beyond results. Attendances have risen significantly, with the club now welcoming the highest average attendance in the league—over 900 supporters per game. This is a huge achievement when you consider the club was attracting around 120 supporters prior to the takeover, and it highlights the progress that has been made both on and off the pitch.
We have also become a major contributor to the local economy, bringing people into the area from across the county on a regular basis. Beyond matchdays, the club has worked hard to bring the community together, hosting weekly bingo, party nights, and a range of events that have helped make the stadium a place for everyone, not just football supporters. Initiatives such as our education programmes, including the BTEC and degree courses, along with increased use of our facilities and hospitality areas, are helping to create a more sustainable and community-focused football club.
What has been particularly pleasing is the way the club has connected with the wider community. This success is not just for those on the pitch, but for everyone who supports, volunteers, sponsors, and believes in what we are trying to build. The club is bringing people together, and that is something we are incredibly proud of.
We are also excited to be heading into the Isthmian League Premier Division next season. We recognise the challenge ahead, but we are fully committed to building a team capable of competing at that level and pushing for top honours, while continuing to grow the club in the right way off the pitch.
With the ITV programme set to be released in May, it is another opportunity to showcase the journey of the club and the people behind it, and we look forward to sharing that story more widely. More news on the ITV-X release date in the coming days!
Finally, we would like to thank everyone connected with the club, players, staff, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters, for their incredible backing throughout the season. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for what comes next. I have to thank two people who stepped in and worked their butts off whilst I was working on other areas of the family business in Miami. Scott, my co-partner in this club, and my father, Barrie, who has somehow become extremely well known in football now! Without both of their hard work behind the scenes and Barrie’s ability to draw a crowd, the growth would not have happened so fast!
Those of you that have met Barrie this season will agree, he is totally all in on this project and has been instrumental in making things work. He has gone from zoning out when we talked about football to joining in and being part of the conversation. He has met almost every legend in the business in just a short 12 month period, it is crazy for me, to watch him mixing so naturally, with people I used to look up too in football, and suddenly, they are sat in our house! Crazy! And it’s been great for our club to welcome some of them over there. I know the supporters have enjoyed meeting some of them!
I will also mention my wife Pim, some of you have met her as she works on the turnstiles every home game. She has been a constant source of support for me with this project. She has been amazing in supporting some of our BTEC students over the past few months with their GCSE study revision and I cannot thank her enough. Pim joins my brother Orlando, who you may have also seen on the turnstiles this season, at Surrey Medical University in September, both transferring from University South Florida to finish their medical degrees, but will both be coming back for every home game and working on those turnstiles for every home game and “keeping it real” as our dad likes to say!! In 4 short years, we will have two club doctors at the club! How cool is that!
My twin sister, Saffron, who works behind the bar at every home game, and my little brothers, Jasper & Dallas, who you may have seen walking around the grounds with a camera crew and mic’s interviewing anyone they can grab who is walking by! You have all contributed to turning this club around and helping me build a community hub that just keeps getting better and better! Thank you.
I will never be able to repay them for their hours of dedication to me, and the club! Family means everything to us, as does our community. My whole family have got behind this project and without them, none of the achievements would have been at all possible.
Have a wonderful summer and we will see you in July when our pre-season kicks off with some incredible fixtures that Sporting Director Mitch Cowling has been able to put together and for those of you away during pre-season, we will see you when your back for August, when we kick off in a new league with new adventures and a slightly enhanced team that we hope will help us flourish in the Isthmian League Premier Division!
Up The Jammers!
Aspen Drewitt-Barlow
Owner of Maldon & Tiptree FC
