Young Men’s Social Club have a good chance in the next few months to end 36 long years outside the top division, but former player and coach Fred “Pinks” Lewis warns the team against complacency in their push for promotion.

The former powerhouses — who won three league and three FA Cup titles in successive years in the early 1960s when they went unbeaten for three years — sit top of the First Division with 20 points from eight matches, the only unbeaten team in the division. They play bottom team Ireland Rangers tomorrow and should pick up another win to carry their unbeaten run into the Christmas break. However, Lewis urges the players not to get carried away.

“Last year Social Club had them 3-1 in the first half and they drew 4-4,” Lewis recalled. “Ireland Rangers weren’t doing good last year either.

“They shouldn’t get complacent and have to remember that they are the bull’s-eye and everybody wants them. Everybody wants to beat the top team.”

Lewis has watched most of the team’s games this season. He and former top defender Larry Darrell were seen watching at PHC Field last Sunday as Social Club drew 1-1 with St David’s, their second straight draw. However, they still hold a seven point gap over the third and fourth place teams, St David’s and Southampton Rangers, in the battle for one of the two automatic spots.

“We went down in 1980 with PHC who won the FA Cup that year,” Lewis said. Both he and Darrell played in that final match of the 1979-80 season at PHC Stadium when PHC outscored them 6-5 to avoid finishing in last place. The match report the next day mentioned how neither team took the match seriously with their fate determined. PHC started with striker Marischal “Mop” Astwood in goal and Ed “Beaver” Burrows, the regular ’keeper, playing as a striker. Lewis started the match in goal, too, before later going back outfield and scoring one of the goals as Social Club fought back.

PHC came back up the next season and have since gone on to win league and cup titles despite another second relegation in 1990-91, while Social Club have languished in the lower division for three decades. Their fortunes could change this season.

“They have a very good chance, it’s up to them really,” said the former forward. “They have to get even more focused because when you get up top that’s when you have to be real focused to stay up because everybody wants to beat you then.

“I’ve seen them play six or seven games and they have been outplaying teams, but I feel they need to get even more mentally prepared for games. Larry and I meet now and then at the games and we try to go together and help them out, talk to the coach [Quincey Paynter] about some things we think the team is doing or not doing. It’s his first year as the coach and is willing to learn.”

PHC Field is also the home of the Premier Division leaders as the Zebras look a good bet for the league title. Maybe next year the two clubs could meet in the top division for the first time since Lewis and Darrell were nearing the end of their careers.

Another Darrell — top scorer Clay — is a key man in the club’s promotion push this season. He said recently that helping the team achieve promotion was his main goal for the season.

“It’s a team game but every team needs a leader,’ Lewis said. “Remember, he needs the other guys on the field too. He can do things but has to realise he can’t do it all by himself. All teams have stars but the ones who have the stars and still play as a team become champions.”

Lewis had a final friendly warning for the team. “Don’t think you know it all because you’re undefeated ... you’re just learning now. Teams will come up with all sorts of ways to try to beat you.”