Who's Who

Jon Chalaye - Joint Manager

After a nomadic playing career at some decent levels of the non-league pyramid, Jon returned to Storrington in the Summer of 2007. Having enjoyed a couple of successful seasons at the Rec between 1992 and 1994, he became part of a management triumvirate along with former Swans team-mates from that era, Nigel Dyer and Eamonn Searle. A creative forward as a player, the intervening years have seen him ‘fill out’ somewhat, which may be partly due to some unusual organic food preferences - although he preaches fitness to his players without a hint of irony.

Nigel Dyer – Joint Manager

A true Swans legend, Nige arrived at the club from West Chiltington in the late-eighties. Having captained the front side during some of its most successful times, he eventually retired from playing in 2005, having had a brief stint as player manager a few years earlier. Got bored not playing though, so decided to build the Swans a new clubhouse, which was quite nice of him. After guiding the Reserves to unprecedented success, including the section Cup triumph in 2006, he stepped up alongside old buddies & team-mates Searle and Chalaye a year later, marking the first day of the new season with his seriously overdue wedding. One can assume that as a married man his previous taste for Belgian lager will now subside.

Eamonn Searle – Joint Manager

One of the most prolific goalscorers in Swans history, Eamonn was one half of a formidable partnership with Chalaye in the early nineties. Fifteen years on, he’s still banging in County League goals, although this first move into a managerial role may see a gradual reduction in the time he spends on the pitch. Don’t back against him leading the scoring charts come April though. A calm, quietly spoken fellow with silver-screen good looks, Eamonn became something of a media darling last year. An interview in the Worthing Herald in which he proclaimed, in best Fred Trueman style, ‘County League football isn’t a patch on what it was in my day’, prompted several other grizzled old veterans to respond in kind. The debate dragged on for weeks, ever accompanied by a selection of attractive photos of the man himself. Being 32 now myself, I’d like to point out that he is, of course, completely correct. Contrary to popular legend, Eamonn was not the child catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Alan Tucker – Reserves Player-Manager

Long-time stalwart Tucks dedication to the blue cause is such that he chooses to live within a hoofed clearance of the Rec. After a decade of service as a player, has stepped up in the new regime to take charge of the reserve side. At only 31, he still has plenty to offer on the pitch though, having been a key figure in the team that hauled Swans back into senior football by winning Division 3 in 2005. So I imagine he’ll be leading by example – in which case a spate of cards and suspensions may engulf Reserve Section West. Tucks has even been known to launch into tackles against opponents taking free-kicks, although his real place in Swans folk-lore must be as the scorer of the first goal on the long awaited return to Rec in 2003. I think I’m right in saying that he hasn’t scored since…..

Joe Joiner – Third Team Player-Manager

What a career this bloke has had, and he’s still only 23. A promising teenage referee, he decided to join in the game in 2002, and made his first team debut that season as a flying 18 year old winger. Tragically discovered white-wine spritzers, meaning a sudden plunge to the 3rd XI (one of these days he’ll find out about women too, and probably stop playing altogether). The phoenix began to rise from the ashes when he took over as manager of the side, leading them to the West Sussex Div 4 North title in 06/07, and Joe has become a mightily important figure around the club. Abusive speech at the end-of-season bash somehow didn’t end with him getting his head kicked in, surely a sign of the respect he commands from his troops. This can only be the result of regular tears/blood/ejections/sleeping on nights out, not to mention a propensity for vomiting during training sessions.

James Peake – Bar Steward/Youth Team Manager

Another local lad with Storrington FC at the very epicentre of his soul, Peakey is also a fine all-round sportsman, who strikes a football as sweetly as anybody in the club, without exception. Fortunately for aging strikers desperately clinging on to the vestiges of a first team career, he is more partial to chips than training, and is content to thrash in hatfuls of goals in the successful 3rd XI, 47 of them in 06/07 in fact. And each Monday he cheerfully awards himself top marks on the 3rds website for the weekend’s game. Girlfriend Jess is always good value at club nights too but then you'd have to be a special girl to tackle the cuddly monster that is James Peake. Peakey has taken on management duties for both the bar and the U18 team for 07/08, which is quite a commitment, and I watch with interest to see which role suits him better…. anybody who thinks that perhaps the two jobs represent a certain dodgy conflict of interests clearly doesn’t understand the needs of the modern teenage footballer.

Steve Dalmon – Youth Team Coach

3rd team skipper Trev this year becomes the third admirable young fellow to get involved behind the scenes as he joins team-mate Peakey in the U18 dug-out. His own playing career should prove a source of inspiration for his new charges – a cultured footballer, Steve arrived in his twenties injured and well out of shape, but worked determinedly to get back to form and fitness, and got his rewards as he led the III’s to league glory last term. Daft as it may sound bearing in mind their occasional lunatic Saturday night behaviour, but the Dalmon-Peake-Joiner generation ensures that Swans long-term future is in safe hands. And if Stevie is anything like his father, woe betide the youth player who mucks about too much…

Keith Dalmon – Secretary

A no-nonsense Swans defender in the 70’s and 80’s, Keith now applies equally stringent measures when collecting fines from the yellow-carded – he insisted that Norris set up a direct debit to cover his escalating misdemeanours during the 06/07 season. Keith’s sunny disposition remains reason in itself for visiting the clubhouse on matchdays, and if your lucky you might catch him in one of his memorable poses with Henry the Hoover. Rumoured to be “delighted” with the recent influx of Tottenham fans….

Malcolm McMichael – Chairman

Subtle. Calm. Reserved. Discreet. Judicious. A master tactician. All adjectives that are never used to describe Swans’ esteemed chairman. Malc’s enthusiasm surely cannot be questioned though (a current golf fad is a bit of a worry, but I’m assured he’s rubbish, so it won’t last). A rugger bugger in his youth, he somehow found himself managing a successful Steyning under 18 football team in the early 90’s, and subsequently brought most of them to the Rec to play under him. The classic ‘half-moon’ formation (don’t ask) brought promotion to Division 2 and cup success in 1998, but everybody knew he was winging it, and so he was summarily booted upstairs to the far more suitable post he now occupies. Loves pinching all the committee room sarnies before the opposition bigwigs arrive.