Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we headed to Wiltshire as we saw Chippenham Town take on Dover Athletic in the National League South. Chippenham were fighting relegation, so they would have been keen to take three points off a mid table Dover Athletic side.
It's All In The Name
Chippenham may have derived its name from Cyppa's Hamme, possibly after a Saxon chief named Cyppa, or from the words ce-ap, which means market, and Hamme, which means enclosed by the river or an enclosed water meadow. The Bluebirds are the team's nickname. This is simply due to the colour of the club's uniform.
Some Notable Former Players
James Constable
Joe Hanks
Yan Klukowski
Tyrone Mings
Kaid Mohamed
Scott Twine
Chris Zebroski
Some Notable People From Chippenham
Jeremy Corbyn- Politician
Tyrone Mings- Footballer
Danny Kent- Motorcyclist
Victoria Wicks- Actress
Sir Cyril Fred Fox- Archaeologist
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
The club claims it was founded in 1873, but according to local newspaper reports, it was founded on 3 December 1884, with the first game played on 17 December 1884 against Melksham. They were founding members of the Wiltshire League in 1894. They would win the competition in 1908 and 1909, with their next victory coming in 1929.
They joined the Western League shortly before WWII and won it for the first time in 1952, the same year they reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time. They spent many years in the Western League before returning to the Hellenic League in the 1960s. In 2000, they were one of the last two teams to play in the FA Vase final at the old Wembley Stadium, losing 1-0 to Deal Town.
Despite a change in managers and a nearly new team for the 2005/2006 season, the Club had an unprecedented season, reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time since 1951. Despite losing the replay with Worcester City and a chance to entertain Huddersfield at home in the second round with guaranteed TV rights, the Bluebirds still drew a capacity crowd of over 2,800, the majority of whom were home supporters. The team was once again in the top five of the League all season and was only denied promotion to the Conference South by a last-minute goal in the play-off final.
A series of promotions in the early 2000s propelled them to the Premier Division of the Southern League, but a string of failed playoff campaigns prevented them from advancing further. However, their dreams came true in 2017 when they set a new record with 103 points to win the Premier Division of the Southern League and gain promotion to the National League South. The Bluebirds finished 7th in the National League South in the 21-22 season, their highest-ever finish, and after knocking out Football League side Lincoln City in the first round of the FA Cup this season, they hope to keep flying high.
And here's a fun fact: the club's all-time winning record is 9-0, which they've accomplished three times.
Honours
🏆 Southern League Premier Division (Champ: 2016–17)
🏆 Western League Premier Division (Champions: 1951–52)
🏆Western League Division One (Champions: 1980–81)
🏆 League Cup (Winners: 1999–2000, 2000–01)
🏆 Wiltshire League (Champions: 1907–08, 1908–09, 1928–29)
🏆 Wiltshire Premier Shield (Winners: 1965–66, 1986–87, 1988–89, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2017–18)
An Interview With Chippenham Town Supporter Lee Kington:
GG: Could you please tell us a little bit about Chippenham?
LK: It is a well-known market town with a population of around 40,000 people and three secondary schools and a college. However, there isn't much to do at night.
GG: How long have you been a Chippenham supporter, and do you remember your first game?
LK: My first game was just over twenty years ago, when we played Ilkeston Town at home and won 3-0, with ex-Crystal Palace defender Gareth Davies scoring.
GG: Can you tell us something interesting about Chippenham?
LK: The sister of King Alfred married here on the site of St Andrews Church, and Eddie Cochran (the Rock and Roll singer) died here in a car accident in 1960.
GG: What are your thoughts on non-league football in general, and where it stands in football globally?
LK: I think Non-league is fantastic; I go to many games and see how much it means to the fans who are watching or volunteering. It's growing in size, and we even have our own fanbase in Norway.
GG: What does the club mean to the community?
LK: It means a lot because we have an annual game where our Ability Counts side plays a football match against a band of supporters and players and everyone comes to watch, and last year we also had a game against the Manchester United legends. We also have many local businesses that sponsor the club. We also contribute significantly to local charities such as Doorway.
GG: What are the clubs' long-term goals?
LK: I believe it is to remain in the National League South and to strengthen the club in order for it to grow and expand. There have been discussions about putting in a 3G pitch, but we are not sure what is going on right now.
GG: What do you believe is the most famous event to have occurred on the ground?
LK: I believe it is safe to say that this moment occurred this season when we knocked Lincoln out of the FA Cup 1st Round with a fantastic back heel from Joe Hanks.
GG: Who would you sign if you could only sign one player to play for Chippenham for one game?
LK: Kieran Parselle, our captain last year, left for Bath (our rivals) in the summer so I could put him on the bench.
GG: What is your favourite aspect of being a football fan?
LK: It's probably cliché by now, but being with your friends and seeing them at games with a drink and a laugh basically means we don't care if we win, lose, or draw. If we win, it will be a bonus.
GG: Who is the best footballer you've ever seen play at Chippenham, and why?
LK: Andy Sandell was one of the best players to play for Chippenham, scoring so many goals to propel us to promotion in the 2016/17 season. He simply had the air of a Football League player about him. Scott Twine deserves special mention as well. Dominic Poleon absolutely ran us ragged when we played Ebbsfleet last year and scored a hat trick against us. I can't believe he's still not in the EFL.
GG: Finally, tell us why people should come to Chippenham Town.
LK: Chippenham is simply a very friendly club with a diverse fan base. We have a fantastic new clubhouse with some good beverages on tap, and we want as many people as possible to come here and enjoy the experience.
Matchday: Chippenham Town 3-1 Dover Athletic
We travelled to Chippenham on a wet and cold Saturday afternoon. We arrived at the ground in good time, and took a stroll into the town centre, where we enjoyed some of the charity shops and a crepe from a pop up stall. We then headed back to the stadium to enjoy the game.
When arriving at the ground (for the second time) we were immediately greeted by some friendly women who were cheerful and willing to guide us in the right direction. We paid the entrance fee (a tenner for students) then entered the ground. One thing that could be argued is that Chippenham could introduce online sales for those wishing to buy their tickets in advance, as there was only the option to pay on the day.
We then did our customary circuit of the ground. There's a lot of character in the ground, and it is obvious that there have been multiple upgrades in recent years. One of these is the club bar. In the club bar there's... well... a bar. They were showing the early kick off, which for those of you who keep score: Bournemouth vs Liverpool. They sold a variety of rolls in the bar, and a large amount of drinks. A cheese and onion baguette and a coke cost about £4 so not bad really. There was a kiosk selling hot food as well including burgers, hot dogs and chips. I do feel that these were slightly overpriced though.
The atmosphere was great for a game in the National League South. Both sets of fans were singing throughout, with a variety of chants. It's not the loudest atmosphere I have ever experienced at a game, but it was a great effort by both sets of fans. The inclusion of the drum was a welcome bonus, it really added to the atmosphere- it still baffles me that some clubs don't allow them.
Finally, the welcome we received was great. Everyone, from the ladies in the club shop, to the people in the bar, to the fans, were really friendly and willing to chat. It's always nice to feel welcome and we love to chat, as those of us who know us will already know, so it's great when a fanbase is really engaging.
Teamsheet:
Chippenham Town
Manager: Gary Horgan
Will Henry
Eddie Jones
Will Richards (c)
Alefe Santos
Tom Mehew
Matt McClure
Craig Fasanmade ⚽️
Alex Bray
Will Tizzard
Joe Parker ⚽️
Luke Russe
Substitutes
Aaron Simpson
Owen Windsor ⚽️
Joe Hanks
Caine Bradbury
Pele Kouisseoue
Dover Athletic
Manager: Mitch Brundle
Stuart Nelson
Alfie Paxman
Jake Goodman
Tyrone Sterling
Myles Judd ⚽️
Luke Wanadio
Lee Martin
Jordan Higgs
Brandon Pierrick
George Wilkinson
Noah Carney
Substitutes
Will Moses
Luke Baptiste
Kieron Agbebi
Mitch Brundle
Andi Janjeva
Dover got off to a fast start and had numerous chances in the first period, with Wanadio and Higgs both testing Will Henry in the hosts' goal. Luke Wanadio should have opened the scoring when put clean through, but Henry came out quickly and saved smartly. The Whites had a lot of the ball and played some good football up the hill, and they could have gone ahead if not for some good goalkeeping. Chippenham broke down Dover's right and shot across Nelson, who could only parry the ball out into the path of Joe Parker, who slotted home for the Bluebirds in the 22nd minute.
Dover responded almost immediately after the restart, when a corner was played short along the ground to Myles Judd, who lashed the ball off the crossbar and into the far corner of the net. As the Whites poured down the slope, visitors suddenly gained momentum. There was a barrage of attacks immediately following the equaliser, but the hosts held firm as Dover huffed and puffed to find a way through.
With Dover pressing forward in an attempt to break the deadlock, Chippenham broke and crossed for Fasanmade to head home from close range. It was a knockout blow for the visitors, who had begun to gain ground on the home side. Again, the Whites poured forward in search of an equaliser, leaving huge gaps in behind, which Owen Windsor swept home from close range in the 80th minute to send Chippenham towards a second victory in as many days.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 6/10
Food and Drink: 7/10
Stadium: 6/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 8/10
GG
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