Punjab United boss and owner Chipie Sian thanks family for their support as Gravesend club earn historic Isthmian League promotion

Boss Chipie Sian has thanked his family for their support after Punjab United secured an historic promotion.

Sian’s side will play Isthmian League football for the very first time, having earned a 4-3 penalty shoot-out success at Rusthall after a 1-1 draw in the play-off final on Monday.

It proved third time lucky for the Gravesend-based outfit, who fell just short of an FA Vase final appearance at Wembley and also lost 2-0 in last month’s Kent Senior Trophy final against Whitstable Town.

It was an adage Sian’s wife had always believed in.

Sian said: “I always thought that. My wife said that to me after the FA Vase.

“She said ‘Don’t worry, there’s going to be something better at the end of it’. Whitstable are a very good side so we always knew the Trophy final was going to be a tough game.

“I don’t think I fully realised just how well we had done.

“It’s been unbelievable. Since we lost in the FA Vase, we didn’t lose a league game.

“It shows just how well we did, fighting for that fifth spot.”

Sian, who’s also Punjab United’s owner, puts plenty of time into the club and was pleased his family were able to see what all that hard work goes towards.

“She has been unbelievable,” the 50-year-old dad said of his partner. “I need a bit of time with her and the kids now. Football takes a lot of commitment.

“It’s a lot of midweeks and virtually every Saturday. I take my son to football on Sundays.

“They have been great, especially when things haven’t been going well. My wife has said to me ‘I now know how much it means to everyone’.

“It’s been great but I just need a bit of time with them.”

Punjab’s promotion was the latest massive stride for the club that was only formed in 2003.

Sian said: “It’s been amazing. I don’t think I