The start of the 2025/2026 football season is upon us with Mersey Valley’s First Team ending their pre-season friendlies. It’s key to start preparations early as Mersey Valley move up to League 1 of the Cheshire League, after their efforts and determination last season led to promotion along with rival sides, St Helen’s Town and Stretford Paddock.

Performance of the season? The brilliant away win at Lymm

The 24/25 season was a strong one for the team with several highs and lows with a variety of learnings and teachings. We sat down with the First Team Manager, Jon Hudson, who reflected honestly on the team’s progress over the last year. When asked, Hudson claimed a key match highlight for him was the Lymm Rovers game on Thursday 24th April 2025.

“We went there under huge pressure obviously trying to keep pace with (Stretford) Paddock. It was a must win game for Lymm so we knew that they would be up for it and I thought we played so well in the game. Everyone stepped up that night and put in a really good performance.”

The win against Lymm Rovers was one of the key deciding factors for the team’s successful promotion as it kept Mersey Valley in the running for third place position at the end of the season.

The season looked over after a home defeat to Newton-le-Willows

No football team goes without struggles however, which Hudson addresses. Defeat can have a significant negative detriment on player and manager mindsets including the loss against Newton Le Willows at the beginning of April.

“It was after the (Stretford) Paddock game, after the (Warrington) Rylands game, we just gave up. It felt we just fell really flat. I think everyone felt, at the end of that game, that was it, season was over.”

In a show of determination the team proved they were not done, taking each loss as a lesson and putting this into action to win the final games and secure their promotion at the end of the season.

“I always try and learn from everything I do”, Hudson continues. “I don’t think you can ever stop learning.”

Changes occurred at the start of the previous season, which put the team on the right track, including the appointment of Assistant Manager, Paul Riley.

“I learn a lot from Riles (Paul Riley) with the experience he’s got in the game. He’s obviously a very different character than I am and I think it works quite well.”

Riley joined at the start of the 23/24 season – his Cheshire League CV is impressive having won League 1 promotion with Cheadle Heath Nomads and Denton Town and Premier League success with Knutsford.

Mersey Valley are entering this new season in a strong position with their squad now strengthened after the complete rebuild at the start of the 23/24 season and then with five players leaving before the start of the 24/25 season.

“We’ve kept faith with the lads who have got us where we are now. What we have challenged them all to do is to push themselves to get better. We’re lucky enough to have a group that listen and want to do that.” Currently, only one new player has been signed, details of which will be shared in due course.

“The challenge really is on them to step up” as the team enter the higher division.

When discussing absences in the team on match days through injury, the manager had a positive outlook, concluding that thankfully, injuries didn’t impact the team too greatly last season however suspension has proved to be problematic with some key players facing three game suspensions due to red cards and even the manager Hudson himself receiving a six game ban.

Mersey Valley’s First Team were fortunate enough to acquire a new sponsorship partner in Carl Sharpley with CDC Design Consultants.

CDC will continue as First Team sponsors next season

“Without Carl, I don’t think we’d be here now,” Hudson explained, discussing the positive impact Sharpley and his company’s contribution has had on the team and the club as a whole.

“Carl’s been a huge part in his sponsorship which has allowed us to change the structure behind the scenes and allowed us to operate the way that we do. He’s knowledgeable about football, he’s knowledgeable about off the field stuff. I’m hoping he’s going to be part of the club for a long time to come.”

All players also have an individual sponsor, details of which can be found on the Mersey Valley website.

Hudson described the performance last season as “World’s Apart” from the team’s previous year.

“The attitude compared to two seasons ago is completely different. We’ve built a proper team this season.”

The club will continue to develop with plans for a reserve team in the works for the 26/27 season.

The back room staff of the team looks to remain similar with one key change. Sam Chaddock, a long serving player in the team is now joining the coaching staff in place of Adam Rigby, who is departing the club to join the coaching staff of Runcorn Linnets FC. Mersey Valley wish Adam the best of luck with his future endeavours. Chaddock joins Hudson and Riley alongside team physio Lydia Rowe.

Brilliant away support from last season at Hartford.

The team are in the fortunate position to have a strong fanbase with several busy turnouts of partners, parents and siblings. Hudson explains just how important fans are to a team’s morale.

“It makes such a difference to us. You can hear them and they get involved. We want to look after them (the fans) more.” The manager spoke about plans to hopefully introduce a supporters club. So whether someone turns up to every game or comes as often as they are able to, the supporters are noticed.

“We’ll always try to look after the supporters as they are an important part of this club.”

With promotion comes new opportunities and new challenges.

“We will take it one game at a time.” Hudson explains that sometimes perception of the strength of the team is determined before a game.

“All we can do is prove people wrong and take each game as it comes.”