Taking Charge at 17
Archie Cramer
With the management team gone and a squad of Under-18s stepping up, Horsham YM’s teenage caretaker reflects on a Vase tie that showed what this group is made of.
Firstly, I’m massively grateful to Liam Giles and Harrison Williams for giving me the opportunity to be involved around the first team at Horsham YM before their departure. At just 17 years old, being able to work alongside them, experience the first-team environment and learn from them has been invaluable for me, and it’s something I’ll always be thankful for.
To then be given the opportunity to take charge of the first team at just 17 was a huge honour and an experience I’m incredibly grateful for. With the management team leaving and a number of players also moving on, we always knew Saturday’s FA Vase tie against Epsom was going to be a massive challenge. In a very short space of time, I had to put a side together, with a large number of our Under-18s stepping up alongside a few older players.
I couldn’t be prouder of how the lads responded. We went into half-time at 1–1 and were still right in the contest at 2–1 down until the 77th minute. For such a young and newly assembled side to compete for that long against strong opposition is a massive credit to every player involved. We matched their energy and competed really well, but towards the end tiredness began to show and Epsom were able to take advantage with some late goals. I don’t think the final scoreline reflected just how competitive the game was for such a long period.
More than anything, I’m immensely proud of the effort, attitude and togetherness the players showed. For so many young players to get the opportunity to represent the first team in a big competition is something they can take a huge amount from, and hopefully it gives them even more belief in where their football can take them.
Our attention now turns to Tuesday. We’ll be looking to bring a few more players into the group and strengthen the side, but Saturday showed there is already a lot to be positive about. It has been a difficult period for the club, but the response from the lads was excellent and everyone involved can be proud of the way they represented themselves.
First published in Dugout News, Issue 002, Sunday 16 August 2026. Republished here in full.
