Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

The words of Dr. Seuss, the American author, sum up nicely the way Chatham Town’s bullish chairman-manager Kevin Hake reacted to a tough afternoon last time out on home soil.

Chatham Town are back at the Bauvill Stadium this Saturday, a fortnight after seeing their proud home record and a 12-game winning streak come to an end. A shock 5-1 home loss to Cray Wanderers ended them both.

On November 2, 2021, 324 fans were there to see Chatham Town beat Punjab United under the floodlights at the Bauvill. Hake’s men didn’t lose again at home in the league until last weekend’s match with Cray - 33 games later, watched by over 1,000 and two divisions higher. Now that’s progress!

Hake said: “The players involved with that great home run should be immensely proud, stretching back to October 2021 (the last home loss was at home to Glebe) and we find ourselves two leagues higher the next time we tasted defeat at home.

“That, alongside the 12 league game winning run we’ve been on has been unbelievable experience to be a part of.”

Hake, who has been chairman since 2017, added: “Pat Byrne, our club historian, says the previous record was 10 wins in 1936.

“I’m not sure that record will be broken for a while, although I will never say never and we will be working hard to replicate it!

“With the pressure that the lads were under last year on the title run-in, coupled with the higher level this year makes the run even harder, but as usual at the Chats we never do things the easy way.”

A run of seven straight wins at the back end of last season led them to the Isthmian South East title, coupled with their unbeaten home record.

Chats started this season at the higher level – higher than the club have ever played before - with five wins from five to lead the way in the Isthmian Premier Division, before Cray Wanderers came and spoiled the fun.

You have to dig deep to find any teams that can match it. Southern League Premier Central side Mickleover have made it to 12 straight wins too, but most teams slip up eventually.

In the Premier League-era Chelsea went four calendar years at Stamford Bridge - 86 games from February 2004 to October 2008 unbeaten at home. Liverpool made it to 68 in 2021.

Real Madrid went 121 games unbeaten at home between 1957 and 1965 in an era where Puskas and Di Stefano were turning out for Los Blancos.

Home form has proven key for Chats and they’ll hope to get back to winning ways at the Bauvill when they host Lewes this Saturday. They head into that game off the back of a goalless draw at Potters Bay last weekend, still top of the table.

It’s been a rapid rise for Chats in recent years.

The club’s relegation in 2017 to the Southern Counties East League was a low point for the club - but Hake saw an opportunity.

The club had for a long time been floundering in the lower reaches of the Ryman League, as it was then, bouncing between the North and South leagues.

Hake took over from Jeff Talbot as chairman at the end of that season, predicting a bright future ahead.

At the time, he said: “These are exciting times ahead for everyone involved at Chatham Town and I urge the supporters to come along and embrace the next chapter in this club’s great history.

“By making the club more appealing to the local community and surrounding areas, I hope that our supporters embrace this opportunity to really feel a part of the club.”

Mr Hake’s father Tom had managed the team in the 90s and both he and brother Gary once played for them. The club was in his DNA, as he put it.

Following the takeover, he said: “Chatham Town have a great history and I am happy to be the chosen one to take the club forward.”

He’s certainly done what he’d hoped, with the current side making their mark in the club’s history book, and with bold aspirations of making it to the Football League, you wouldn’t want to bet against it.