Great expectations brought to book (Story posted on 27/12/01)

IN JUST their second season in the top flight Maidenhead United have surpased the expectations of all but the most one-eyed of supporters.
Indeed as previously reported in the Advertiser, the club, under the shrewd leadership of Alan Devonshire, now have to keep their feet, and that of their supporters, firmly on the ground.
Last week Devonshire said: “Maybe people just expect too much. We have never been this high in the league before and that’s a major achievement. It’s a credit to the players.”
However it is difficult not to get carried away, especially for the long suffering faithful who have stood on the York Road teraces for years without too much to cheer about until four or five years ago.
United have now transfirmed themselves from a side that merely existed in Ryman Division 1 to an outfit that is challenging for a top 10 finish in the Premier.
But with a limited budget, uncertainty over their ground and, surprisingly, a dwindling fan base, United know that anything they have achieved was hard won, and they will have to work just as hard to maintain the status quo.
Having not played in over a week – Boxing Day’s clash at Chesham being postponed because of a frozen pitch – tomorrow (Saturday) the Magpies will be out to prove how much they have improved when they make the long trip to rivals Purfleet.
In just their second game of this season, United were overturned 3-1 at home by the Essex side, but United are a more weathered team now and are currently two points and two places above their hosts.
This will be followed on Tuesday (New Year’s Day) with a home clash with St Albans, who also snatched all the points from an early season encounter. This clash has a 1.30pm kick-off