“The Welsh League is the aim” – Villa Dino’s assistant Kearney

Nothing else to say!! #ChampionsAgain 🏆🏆🍺🍺🍺🍺💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷💷@villadinofc 🔴⚫️ #Cheers pic.twitter.com/cz2ucheDAc

— Smithyy (@smithyyy29) April 8, 2017

Villa Dino Christchurch players celebrate their Division Two title win in the changing room. Source:@smithyyy29

Villa Dino Christchurch’s multiple promotion winning manager and now assistant manager Craig Kearney says the aim for the club is to now challenge for the Welsh League following their Division Two title win.

With multiple promotions over the years for Villa Dino, they now are just one league away from the Welsh League and Kearney says the ambition of the owners is to reach the Welsh League but are aware of the task in hand.

“The Welsh League is definitely the club owners aim especially with the youth set up the club has.

They need the Welsh League to take the club to the next level now but we know how difficult the task a head is every division gets harder and harder. Division 1 is a very tough league so we’re not getting carried away and take each game at a time and hopefully we are there about a again next season.”

A 6-2 away win over Cwm saw them continue their rise through the leagues, winning each division they’ve played in for the last three seasons. Villa Dino won the league by a considerable distance, currently holding a 12 point gap over 2nd placed Pill.

A few players that have stood out for Dino this season has been Marcus Corner who has registered more than 30 goals for the title winners this season, getting off the mark quickly in the first 10 games of the season.

At the start of the season, Jamie Taylor was handed the reigns of first team manager after the good work of Kearney as he was unaware of his own commitments but the good times have continued under Taylor and Kearney has praised his successor.

“Jamie has come in and took the main responsibility this season of being the manager to carry on where we left off last season and keep the winning mentality. He has done brilliant but we couldn’t do it without all the players week in week out their commitment and everyone wanting us to fail drives them on even more each week.

It is a squad game. We have used close to 30 different players this season due to injurys and suspensions so it is definitely a squad game.”

As well as league glory this season, Villa Dino can also look forward to a Cup final in the Amateur Cup against Fairfield United.

“Hopefully we can add more silverware this season in the final of the cup on the 6th may but we have a very tough task in the Challenge Cup as we have drawn Division 1 front runners Pontymister which we are looking forward to testing ourselves.”

“We have worked really hard to get were we are at and achieved in such short space of time.

The majority of the squad have grown up with each since their teenage years with some going their separate ways to different local clubs, have all came back together. We are just a bunch of mates that have all come together to try and succeed and enjoy it.”

With success comes attention and with the club looking for the Welsh League, the ambition is to match and this was shown when one of their first teamers who had made his way through the Dino youth team was scouted for League Two side Newport County and then signed for them afterwards, this was Momodou Touray who made his debut for Villa Dino at just 16.

“We have worked really hard to get were we are at and achieved in such short space of time.

The majority of the squad have grown up with each since their teenage years with some going their separate ways to different local clubs, have all came back together. We are just a bunch of mates that have all come together to try and succeed and enjoy it. “