Irrespective of what happens in Saturday’s Notts Senior League, Senior Cup final, against league champions FCV Grace Dieu, the 2024/25 campaign will have been the best in the 25-year history of Aslockton & Orston.

A best league finish of third in the NSL Premier Division, a best points total, sixty points, and the most goals scored in a season with ninety goals, the Cranmers have certainly turned on the style, finishing the campaign with only one defeat this year.

That one defeat, in sixteen games in all competitions, was at home to eventual runners-up, Cotgrave, in mid-March (winning twelve and drawing three), the season, for founder/manager (and pretty much all else) Martin Hallam, turned on the 5-0 County Cup exit away to Bingham Town.

“It’s all just come together this season,” admitted Hallam, ahead of the NSL Senior Cup final.

“We’ve had the talent here as well, winning 22 of our last 25 games, I think.

“But I’ve been doing this long enough to know that, when it clicks, then you need to enjoy it whilst you can.

“The highest we’d finished prior to this season was seventh, when Julian Joachim played for us, in 2018/19 so, before this one, I’d have taken eighth or ninth, and we hadn’t even put in for promotion.”

Having been formed as a junior side back in 2000, the Cranmers moved into adult football sixteen years later when they spent a season in the NSL Division Two, winning the Notts FA Minor Cup, before a season in the Central Midlands Alliance.

Returning to the NSL in 2018 was also coinciding with the changing of the clubs’ name from its initial, Aslockton Cranmers, to Aslockton & Orston, adopting Cranmers as their nickname in tribute to their roots.

Hallam explained the Cranmers name, and that most places in Aslockton have adopted that name, including the school in which the club first saw the light day; although the club only dates back to the year 2000, Cranmer, as it initially was, dates back to the late 1400s, and the birth of Thomas Cranmer, in Aslockton – Cranmer went on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury in the early 1530s.

Back to the present day though and Hallam said of the clubs’ founding that: “I started the club what, 25 years ago, and it’s all come out of nowhere really.

“I set it up for my sons (James and Pierce Hallam have, and still turn out for us.

“Fourteen of those have come through youth football here, and played this season for us.

“Now though, it’s time for the cup final (against FCV Grace Dieu), and if we get the victory then great.

“I’ve a near full-strength squad to choose from so we’re hoping that they are hitting their bad patch now.

“I played several reserve players when we beat them in the league last week (1-0 at home on 3 May, 17-year-old Reece Jones with the only goal of the game), but this game, the players going, it’s the biggest headache I’ve had in the 25 years I’ve been here.”

Throughout the season just finishing, the Cranmers have seen four players finish in double figures, all of whom netted during their run to the final of the NSL Senior Cup – Aidan Loscalzo (16), Tyrell Gordon (15), Greg McLean and Jack Robb (12).

ASLOCKTON & ORSTON RUN TO NSL SENIOR CUP FINAL

Round Two – Meden Vale Colts (a) W1-0 Tyrell Gordon

Quarter-Final – Cotgrave (h) W3-2 Pierce Halla, Greg McLean, Jack Robb

Semi-Final – East Leake Robins (a) W4-2 Aidan Loscalzo (2), Sam Breakwell, Kieran Wells

“I really though that Cotgrave (quarter-finals) would be the ones to knock us out” admitted Hallam.

“So, getting through that meant we were more confident when we faced East Leake in the semis; therefore, what happens against FCV, happens.”

As for moving forward, and next season – well, it’s got be onwards and upwards now they’ve done what this season has seen of them.

“Yes, we’ll be hoping for a top three or four next season, and will also be applying for promotion,” concluded the Cranmers supremo.

“The plan would be for that but we’ll just have to see what happens.

“You always have to look at pushing on, but it’s also tough with other clubs looking at your best players.

“As for the NSL Premier next season, we’ll have Arnold (Town), Kimberley (Miners Welfare Reserves), and Bingham (Town) I believe, which is great.

“They’re all nice clubs, and some good friends there; some good teams for what will be another, challenging season.”

Martin Hallam was speaking ahead of Aslockton & Orston’s NSL Senior Cup final clash with FCV Grace Dieu this Saturday (10 May), to be played at the home of Hucknall Town.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @CranmersFC Aslockton & Orston will face FC Grace Dieu in the NSL Senior Cup final.