Club History

The 2010/2011 season marks the start of a new era for Chesham United. For some time the club’s Supporters’ Trust has been the largest shareholder and in June 2010 the other two majority shareholders, including the club Chairman, relinquished control of the club and handed over their voting rights to the fans’ representatives ahead of the Trust securing sufficient funds to purchase shares for outright ownership.

So, we go into the new season as a truly supporters’ run football club looking forward to the challenge of re-establishing ourselves at Southern League Premier Division level after a four year absence. 

Following relegation to the Southern League South & West Division in 2006, Chesham were transferred to the Midlands Division after a single season. In 2007/08 United finished 6th and missed out on the play-offs by goal difference, and then last season, having finished 5th, they stumbled at the semi-final stage of the play-offs losing out to two late goals at Nuneaton Town having led 1-0 for much of the game. Last season a fourth place finish was enough to reach the play offs. A 1-0 victory away at Burnham set off a final at home against Slough Town with a crowd of 1,115 witnessing a 4-0 victory at The Meadow to secure promotion.

The story of Chesham United has many highs and many lows. The club was formed in 1917 following the merger of Chesham Town FC (who were founder members of the Southern League in 1894 when still known as just Chesham FC) and Chesham Generals (who took their name from the General Baptist Church in Chesham Broadway). The new club played it's first league season in 1919-1920 competing in the Spartan League and the Great Western Suburban League as well as the FA Cup and the Amateur Cup. (First season history, results and league tables).

Relative success in the following years paled into insignificance following the FA Amateur Cup run of 1967/68 when, against all the odds, little Chesham United went all the way from the Preliminary Round to the final of the FA Amateur Cup, finally losing 1-0 to Leytonstone in front of a 54,000 Wembley crowd. At a time when the population of Chesham was just 18,000 people, the club sold 22,000 tickets for this game.

40th Anniversary Wembley Article

Chesham United's best FA Cup run came in the 1979/1980 season when, as an Isthmian League Division One club, the side went from the 1st Qualifying Round to the Third Round Proper. A crowd of 5,000 was present at The Meadow as League Division Two Cambridge United eventually ended the cup run with a 2-0 victory.

The club went into turmoil on May 3rd 1983 when the main stand burned down. A new stand was officially opened with the visit of a Graham Taylor Watford side containing former United manager Luther Blissett in 1984. Season 1987/8 marked the centenary year of non-league football in the town of Chesham, an achievement commemorated with a match against a full strength Arsenal side on 18th August 1987.

In January 1991, promotion and the Division One title were secured. In its inaugural season, the Loctite Final was reached but the match was lost to Bishops Stortford on penalties. In October 1992, the Club went to the very top of the Isthmian league after a famous win at Enfield, where they remained until the end of the season, being crowned Champions on the last day of the season following a 4-0 win over Dulwich Hamlet. Witnessed by an average home gate of just short of 1,000, the season also saw the arrival of ex-Liverpool star Mark Lawrenson. Promotion to the National Conference depended on ground improvements that could not be afforded. So, the season ended in disappointment after so much hard work.

Since those days the club has been through many managers, including ex-England Internationals Graham Roberts and Luther Blissett, and literally hundreds of players, including a stint with Bruce Grobelaar between the sticks.
 
In the early 2000s the club again had an eye on promotion to the Conference as Bob Dowie led a strong Chesham side to 6th in the Ryman Premier, possibly an under achievement when considering the resources at his disposable. The team that year included Wayne Andrews and Fitz Hall, both players having progressed to enjoy professional careers in the higher echelons of football. Two years later and the club were once again relegated back to Division One.

With re-structuring on the horizon, the following season was all about finishing in the top six to gain promotion, avoid relegation, depending on which way you look at it. After a fairly disastrous start, the ever improving side climbed up the table to eventually take 4th spot in the Ryman Division One (North) and earn a place in the Southern League Premier Division.

United’s first year in the Southern League was certainly adventurous. At times they looked title contenders, and then they flirted with relegation and in the end were happy to finish in mid-table. The following summer the true price of years of over-achieving came to light. Nearly two decades of wealthy Chairmen helping to fund the club was over and it was time for The Generals to stand on their own feet, a task that proved too much.

By February 2006 the club was truly on its knees. The front pages of local papers were highlighting the sorry plight of the club that had seen so much. A public meeting was called at the Town Hall to “Save Chesham United” – it was a last desperate throw of the dice …

Fortunately the sorry tale had a happy ending. A local businessman, Charles Manchester, read the stories, visited The Meadow, showed an interest and helped get the club back on its feet. His intention was always to hand over the club to its supporters and he gradually brought more members of the Chesham United Supporters’ Trust onto the main club board whilst other Trust members took on many of the day to day tasks of running the club. Fittingly, after four years at the helm, he was able to stand down at the end of last season with promotion back to the Southern League Premier Division secured and the club back on a stable footing.

Chesham United's opening matches and first full league season

Date	Competition	CUFC team	Opponents	Venue	Score	Chesham goals
03/11/1917	Friendly	Friendly	Royal Artillery Halton	H	L 2-5	Unknown 2
29/12/1917	Friendly	Friendly	Royal Artillery Halton	H	L 2-3	Unknown 2
24/04/1919	Friendly	Friendly	Wycombe Wanderers	A	W 5-2	Unknown 5
31/08/1919	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Yiewsley	A	W 4-2	Barnes 2, Keen 2
13/09/1919	Friendly	Friendly	Aylesbury	A	L 3-4	Vine, Keen, Wright
20/09/1919	Spartan League	Cup Team	Newportonians	H	W 5-0	Vine, Keen 3, Barnes
27/09/1919	FA Cup	Cup Team	Tufnell Spartan	H	W 6-0	Keen 4, Carter, Stillman
04/10/1919	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Uxbridge	H	W 8-0	Barnes 2, Keen 3, Carter 2, Stillman
11/10/1919	FA Cup	Cup Team	Enfield	A	W 1-0	Barnes
18/10/1919	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Wealdstone	H	W 4-2	Keen 2, Vine, Barnes
25/10/1919	FA Cup	Cup Team	Leavesden	A	W 2-0	Gomm, Keen
25/10/1919	Spartan League	'A' Team	Great Eastern Railway	H	L 1-5	Gomm
01/11/1919	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Yiewsley	A	W 5-1	Keen 3, Barnes 2
01/11/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Botwell Mission	H	D 2-2	Hearn, Spratley
08/11/1919	FA Cup	Cup Team	Luton Clarence	A	W 3-0	Barnes 2, Carter
15/11/1919	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Hampstead	A	W 2-1	Keen 2
15/11/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Newbury	H	W 3-0	White, Ringsell 2
22/11/1919	FA Cup	Cup Team	London Caledonians	A	L 1-3	Vine
22/11/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Maidenhead	A	D 1-1	Dean
29/11/1919	Berks & Bucks Senior Cup	Cup Team	Aylesbury	A	W 2-0	Keen, Wright
29/11/1919	Spartan League	'A' Team	Newportonians	H	D 4-4	Dean 2, Pipkin, Vine
06/12/1919	Spartan League	Cup Team	St Albans	H	W 6-1	Keen 4, Vine, Carter
13/12/1919	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Uxbridge	A	W 2-0	Wheeler, Barnes
20/12/1919	Spartan League	Cup Team	Great Western Railway	A	L 3-4	Gomm, Wheeler, Vine
20/12/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Marlow	H	L 2-4	Langley 2
26/12/1919	Spartan League	Cup Team	Wycombe Wanderers	A	L 0-6
26/12/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Wycombe Wanderers	H	W 5-1	Gomm S, French, Pearson, Pipkin, OG
27/12/1919	Spartan League	Cup Team	Wycombe Wanderers	H	W 3-2	Carter 2, Gomm
27/12/1919	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Wycombe Wanderers	A	D 4-4	Wright 2, Gomm S, French
03/01/1920	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Aylesbury	H	W 2-0	Barnes, Carter
03/01/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	London Polytechnic	A	L 3-3	Pipkin, Langley, Wheeler
10/01/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Reading	A	L 0-6
10/01/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	1st Scots Guards	H	W 2-1	Filby, Pearson
17/01/1920	Amateur Cup	Cup Team	Bromley	A	L 0-5
17/01/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	Aylesbury	H	W 3-1	Wheeler, Wright 2
24/01/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	Aylesbury	A	D 1-1	Carter
24/01/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	2nd Coldstream Guards	H	W 2-0	Wright, Hayes
31/01/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	Sutton Court	H	L 1-2	Gomm
31/01/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Newbury	A	L 0-1
07/02/1920	Berks & Bucks Senior Cup	Cup Team	Wendover	H	W 7-2	Carter 2, Dean 4, Barnes
07/02/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	Great Eastern Railway	A	L 0-4
14/02/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	Great Western Railway	H	W 3-0	Dean 2, Vine
21/02/1920	Bucks Charity	Cup Team	Slough	H	W 1-0	Vine
28/02/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Slough	A	L 1-3	Dean
28/02/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Windsor & Eton	H	W 2-1	Moulder, Lacey
07/03/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	Tufnell Spartan	H	W 4-2	Carter, Dean, Stillman 2
07/03/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	2nd Coldstream Guards	A	W 7-1	Howell 3, Lacey 2, Holt, Darvell
14/03/1920	Berks & Bucks Senior Cup	Cup Team	Maidenhead	A	L 0-2
14/03/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	Sutton Court	H	W 6-3	Howell, Spratley 2, Wheeler 2, Vine
21/03/1920	Bucks Charity Cup	Cup Team	Wycombe Wanderers	Aylesbury	W 1-0	Stillman
21/03/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Slough	H	D 2-2	Lacey, Tanner
28/03/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Botwell Mission	A	L 0-6
28/03/1920	Spartan League	'A' Team	Tufnell Spartan	H	W 2-0	Lacey, Filby
03/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Yiewsley	H	L 1-2	Vine
03/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Marlow	A	D 3-3	Unknown 3
05/04/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	London Polytechnic	H	W 3-2	Howell 2, Vine
10/04/1920	Spartan League	Cup Team	St Albans	A	L 1-4
10/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Uxbridge	H	W 3-1	Spratley, Tanner, Ringsell
17/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Maidenhead	H	L 0-3
17/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	1st Scots Guards	A	W 4-0	Pearson, Tanner, Nash, Ringsell
24/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	Cup Team	Windsor & Eton	A	L 0-3
24/04/1920	Great Western Suburban	'A' Team	Reading	H	L 1-2	Tanner

History home

Chesham United first season home

First season statistics (all cup and league games)
Chesham United 1919/1920	P	W	L	D	F	A
Cup Team	35	21	13	1	83	65
‘A’ Team	23	11	6	6	62	51
Friendly	1	0	1	0	3	4
Final league tables 1919-1920 season
Spartan League	P	W	L	D	F	A	Pts
Wycombe Wanderers	20	18	1	1	114	24	37
Great Eastern Railway	20	17	1	2	88	19	35
St Albans City	20	13	1	6	64	35	27
Aylesbury United	20	12	2	6	49	31	26
Chesham United	20	11	2	7	58	46	24
Sutton Court	20	11	2	7	54	45	24
London Polytechnic	19	6	0	13	42	64	12
Tufnell Spartan	20	5	1	14	41	70	11
Newportonians	20	3	3	14	24	69	9
Great Western Railway	20	4	0	16	21	78	8
2nd Coldstream Guards	19	2	1	16	19	93	5
London Polytechnic vs 2nd Coldstream Guards was an outstanding fixture at the end of the season.
Great Western Suburban League	P	W	L	D	F	A	Pts
Maidenhead	22	14	1	7	76	14	35
Botwell Mission	22	15	5	2	75	32	32
Slough Town	22	14	4	4	83	37	32
Windsor & Eton	22	11	6	5	52	33	27
Reading United	22	11	9	2	42	40	24
Yiewsley	22	10	9	3	49	50	23
Wycombe Wanderers	22	7	8	7	57	47	21
Chesham United	22	8	9	5	42	48	21
Marlow	22	7	13	2	40	70	16
Newbury Town	22	5	14	3	34	74	13
Uxbridge Town	22	4	16	2	31	72	10
1st Scots Guards	22	4	16	2	29	95	10

History home

Chesham United first season home

1 User online