PETER King had his first taste of women’s football back in 2004 when he was taken to watch a match with his wife and daughter.

He was hooked from the first match he saw and fell in love with the game. But he had no idea how big a part of his life it would soon become.

He said: “It’s a different game.

Women’s football is more honest and pure. There’s no problems, no messing about. The girls work and train so hard.”

After watching his first game, he recognised something special in the Basildon Town Ladies and wanted to help. Peter joined as manager in 2005, w h e n there wa s only ten regular players. But he saw the potential and vowed to transform the club and girls into a winning team.

The team has just won the FA Women’s Premier League South East Division and will now compete in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division.

This promotion concludes a remarkable rise up the ladies football ladder by Basildon.

In 2008, Basildon were promoted out of the Essex County Women’s League Division Two.

Five league titles in seven seasons, during which they have not finished lower than second place in the league, now sees Basildon promoted into the top tier of the ladies winter football pyramid.

One of the main ways Peter improved the team was structure and he said it was so important to look at individual players and assess their strengths.

He said: “I spoke with the players and we said, look perhaps you might be better suited in this position.

Some of the girls were reluctant to change positions, but I suggested their strengths may be better elsewhere on the field. And it really worked.”

Peter runs his own insurance broker company, CKRE and the company would soon become a big part of the ladies’ team.

With a change of manager came a change of name.

Peter soon named the team after his insurance company and Basildon Town Ladies became C&K Basildon.

He said: “I was investing around £1,500 a month into the club and that came from my own salary. It was important that the girls looked good out on the pitch, if they looked good they felt good and played well.”

Peter began to invest more money and time into the team and with time came more and more success.

Peter said psychology plays a big part in the game and success.

He added: “The girls are always so positive and a disappointing result just spurs them on to achieve better and greater things.

“With more wins came better confidence and when more and more fans came to watch the girls play, it helped the girls go out and deliver amazing games.

“The psychology is fifty percent of the game and the success and the territory really, you cannot do it if the mind set is wrong.

Peter has always been keen to keep a very profession feel and the club and believes it has helped the team progress.

He said: “If you operate on a professional basis, and you treat the players like professionals then youwill get the necessary positive reaction back.”

The club has gone from strength to strength, and 2013 saw the appointment of former Southend United coach Steve Tilson. Peter insisted the success of the club has been a team effort and his part is minimal. He said: “This is not an ego trip for me.

“You find something with potential, and this is what I love, you sort out all the problems and build a structure. You see disappointment change when the team begins to win more and morale changes.”

To find out more about the team, visit clubwebsite.co.uk/ ckbasildonladiesfc/Home