Family-owned club Kings Park Rangers - with links to popstar Olly Murs - ready to celebrate rapid rise to Step 6 football at Cornard United FC with trophy lift
A day celebrating ‘dreams around a table’ becoming a reality beckons at Cornard United FC on Saturday when Kings Park Rangers’ players and coaching staff lift their first winners’ trophy after completing back-to-back promotions to Step 6.
Having gone up as runners-up from Division One of the Essex & Suffolk Border League in their debut campaign, the Danny ‘Dev’ Cunningham-captained Kings wrapped up the Premier Division title with two games to spare.
Set up in the summer of 2023 by former Cornard resident Joshua Pollard – fresh from winning promotion with AFC Sudbury – as a way of connecting his family – including famous cousin Olly Murs – and work colleagues through their shared love of football, the club is set to compete alongside semi-professional outfits in 2025/26.
It remains to be seen whether they will be placed in the second tier of the Thurlow Nunn League or Essex Senior League, but the FA Vase now beckons for a club that has gained a sizeable following via their documenting social media videos.
Manager and co-owner John Pollard, like his son, also a former AFC Sudbury player, said: “It's incredible. I think it's hard to put into words what we have achieved.
“When we set the club out just over 18 months ago, one of the things that we wanted to achieve was Step 6 football – that was the very first of our milestones.
“But we never expected to do it within this timeframe as we didn’t know what league the Essex & Suffolk Border League would put us in, so a massive thank you to them for getting us in what proved to be the right one. And for letting us have the opportunity to even compete as a new side. They made the dream possible.”
He also outlined how the club which emanated from the Pollards’ family-run Amazon prep centre business – Kings Park Fulfillment Ltd – in Pebmarsh has been a real collective effort.
“It was a tough season to get runners up. We were like ‘that was hard’ but we managed to do it,” he said.
“And then this season, to achieve what we've done at the first time of asking, it's amazing, absolutely incredible.
“These were dreams, aspirations, things that were just spoken around the table.
“And then to think now we have secured it is brilliant; it's unreal. And that was everyone who's been involved off the pitch, on the pitch; everyone's contributions have helped to get us this far.”
Saturday’s 2-1 home win against Barnston – via goals from Ross James and substitute Jamahl Godward – saw them gain revenge for a 4-0 defeat three games previously, which handed them only a fourth defeat of the campaign.
This coming Saturday (3pm) sees them bow out against a side in Brightlingsea Town who look set to finish as runners-up, only being behind Earls Colne – whom the Kings ground-shared at last season – on goal difference with two games in hand.
A family fun day, including bouncy castles, has been planned around the real trophy lift (having used others on social media), that will also leave some tears in eyes and lumps in throats after a recent bereavement.
“People might not know that the club was set up off the back of losing my mother-in-law, Josh’s nana, in January 2023,” said Pollard.
“And unfortunately, we really sadly lost my father-in-law in February, two years after.
“We always said Colin was the oldest Kings Park Rangers fan that we had and he was an avid fan who followed us who was so proud of what Josh had achieved.
“We were so close to him seeing what we had done and I know he'd have been super proud, but we know he'll be looking down on what the club's achieved.”
Pollard has always insisted his players sing after each game, win lose or draw. But it will never feel as loud and proud as it will this Saturday.
