DOESN’T time fly when you’re enjoying yourself?

It only seems like yesterday when Anthony Hampson was being plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as chairman of Worcester City.

Yet on Thursday he will mark 12 months in the job and it has been eventful.

A controversial annual general meeting at which he was reappointed, political unrest, financial turmoil and a new stadium project that has provided more questions than answers — the City chief has had his work cut out.

Indeed, the very survival of the club has been placed on his shoulders.

But, although Hampson admits to a degree of naivety on arrival at St George’s Lane, he has no regrets in taking over from Dave Boddy and is enjoying the challenge.

“I had no idea what I was letting myself in for but, looking at it again, I think I would have taken up the challenge and given it my best shot,” he said.

“I intend to stay with the club for as long as the supporters and shareholders want me as chairman.

“It’s been a very tough job. I didn’t realise the politics that were going on at the club. I had no idea there were warring factions and I’ve attempted to bring them together.

“I didn’t realise the supporters had such animosity towards some of the directors.

“I’ve attempted to remedy as best I can because I think the supporters are the most important people involved with this club, together with the staff, players and the manager.

“I thought it was a simple question of 11 people running around on grass but it’s not as simple as that at all. It’s a complicated business.

“For some people, it’s highly emotional, some feel an affinity with the club and, for some, it’s their way of life.

“So there’s a certain responsibility to the people who have got the best interests of the club at heart to make it work.

“I have learned a lot about football and how it operates, something I didn’t have any idea about this time last year.”

Which begs the question, why join in the first place?

Hampson, originally co-opted to the board on the recommendation of out-going director David Hallmark, said: “I am a Worcester person and in my past businesses we sponsored the club in a small way. It was because of my past contacts that I felt I wanted to help out.”

So does he see his time at the helm to date as a success?

“The year has flown by and I think we have made progress,” he said.

“We have raised the profile of the club in the city which is important.

“We’ve made progress in changing some of the personnel around and have modernised the internal accounting systems because they were in a pretty poor state in terms of the administration.

“Moving the shop to be slightly more user-friendly and nearer the turnstiles has upped the sales and we managed to invest £10,000 in renovating the pitch in the summer. We also upgraded the Legends Bar, which is now running profitably and is self-financing.”

But, for all his efforts so far, Hampson is ultimately going to be judged on his handling of a potential move to Nunnery Way and he is fully aware of that.

He added: “It’s crucial that we make the right decision for this ground move because it will have profound effects on the whole future of the club and how it operates.”