History will be made at the Steve Cook Stadium in Gravesend on Saturday afternoon as for the first time ever, Punjab United play a League game at Step Four in the pyramid as Eastbourne Town make the long trip to North Kent. 

And there will be no-one prouder than the man who has steered United to the Isthmian League for the first time ever from playing park football on a Sunday morning when the Club began, and he’s been talking this week to KSN. 

A beaming Chipie Sian told us, “We know it’s going to be tough, but I’m just pleased that the first one is a home game as the excitement to be back and now at Step Four – it’s something totally different, but we are all excited; I have never been so excited to play a game of football on a Saturday afternoon!” 

“We had a good start last weekend,” Sian said referring to last weekend’s 3-0 win in the FA Cup over Seaford Town.

“A couple of new signings settled in quite well – we’ve got one more signing that we’re looking to get over the line god willing before the weekend – but it will boost the spine of the team from back to front, so we are nearly there. “

“I didn’t go mad and make a rash of signings as I do think that the team we have at the moment is good enough, quite experienced already, but we just needed a few to boost the squad a little bit.”

“Saturday’s FA Cup game proved that we strong through that – it was one of those games where it could have easily gone wrong, but I thought it was a good win in the end!” 

“Our Club has come so far – we had loads of players ring up and loads of people asking to come training but I was true to my word with the boys – they were fantastic last season and to go on the run last year from having two massive disappointments last year – the big one was Wembley and if I look back on that, maybe I did get it wrong that team.”

“But in hindsight… promotion was our goal and we got that. And I said that I would be loyal to them for getting us where we are after them being loyal to me.”

“We needed a few as we were always going to lose a few, and that’s all I have done. I think that this team has got something about them – there’s a great spirit in this squad – a lot of the players have played this level and higher, so why would I need to go rushing in to sign loads of players who I don’t know?”

“So, we have kept it simple – I haven’t panicked one bit, players have come in and if i can get this last one in, it will boost our back line!” 

“We can be ready to go, and we won’t fear anyone in this League – we will respect them, of course we will go out and give it our best in every single game and that’s what I’m really looking forward to doing it!” 

“We had some critics last year,” the Punjab manager went on, “and they can do what they want. Whitstable didn’t play football, nor did Faversham, nor did Deal – Erith Town were terrible the year they went up – they all played long ball.”

“Listen, we did it too and we got crucified for it… but we are happy for it! I don’t care and we will carry on doing it and if it gets me promoted again, I will keep doing it! No-one cares; they just want promotion!” 

“SCEFL is the hardest level/League to get out of, and we did it in five years, so I think overall, people need to respect that!”

“And to go on a fifteen-game unbeaten run when we still had the chance and then the disappointment of Wembley and not get beaten in the League. Then go away to Fisher in the Play Offs and beat them away from home and then go and beat Rusthall who finished third and then beat them on penalties in the Play Off Final – no one can take anything from my Club, they can only respect it!”

“And everyone else who loves football, we got some lovely messages from teams in leagues above – Step Four who we know really well and from a lot of teams in Step Five.”

“You might get fancy football, but fancy football doesn’t always win games and that’s where people have to adjust, learn and we did that.”

“I learned how we were going to win the league or get promoted and that’s why we picked the team last few years, and I knew that we would get promoted if we did things right!”