Hello and welcome to the newest Gloucester Groundhopper blog post.
For this instalment, myself, AFC Finners, Gloucester Groundhopper Sr and debutant Winchcombe Groundhopper (better known as my nephew, Cameron) travelled into the Forest of Dean to a team that competes in the Southern League. The team is Cinderford Town. Cinderford were reinstated in the Southern League Division One South and West after being demoted the previous season courtesy to Walton Casuals' expulsion from the competition.
Cinderford Town play at the Causeway Ground in the centre of the town. The Cinderford Town’s ground is located in the town. The centre has a few cafes, restaurants, and shops. A short drive will take you to other neighbouring sites, including Beechenhurst, Puzzlewood, and many more. We visited the town before going to the stadium.
It’s All In The Name
The club has two known nicknames, the Town or the Foresters. These nicknames came around back when the club began in 1922. The most popular name for the club is the Foresters, a nod to their location in the Forest Of Dean.
Some Notable Former Players
David Bird
Matt Bower
Max Harris
Gareth Hopkins
Some Notable People From Cinderford:
Dave Bird- Footballer
Jimmy Young- BBC Radio Host
EMF-Pop Group
John McAfee-Founder of McAfee Antivirus
Luke Thomas- Footballer
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Cinderford Town were founded in 1922 and joined the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, winning it in 1939 after finishing runners-up twice previously. Following WWII, they joined the Western League, winning promotion to Division One in 1957 before leaving the league two years later.
They returned to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, winning the League Cup and Western Division in 1961, but left to join the Warwickshire Combination League a few years later, winning the League Cup and Western Division in 1965. They switched leagues again in 1969, joining the Gloucestershire County League, before more league changes occurred over the years, culminating in 1990, when they joined the Hellenic League Division One, where they won promotion to the Premier Division on their first attempt. In 1995, they won the Premier Division, Premier Division Cup, and Floodlit Cup, earning them promotion to the Southern League.
The following season, they advanced to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, and in 2001, they defeated Bristol City 1-0 to win the Gloucestershire Senior Cup.
They advanced through several divisions in the years that followed, eventually winning the Southern League South and West in 2016. They are now in the Southern League Division One South, hoping to improve on their previous season's 17th place finish.
And here's a fun fact: the club joined the Bristol Charity League in 1939, but it only lasted two weeks due to the outbreak of World War II.
Honours:
🏆 Southern League Division One South & West (Champions: 2015–16)
🏆 Western League Division Two (Champions: 1956–57)
🏆 Hellenic League Premier Division (Champions: 1994–95)
🏆 Premier Division Cup (Winners: 1994–95)
🏆 Floodlit Cup (Winners: 1994–95)
🏆 Hellenic League Division One (Champions: 1990–91)
🏆 Warwickshire Combination Western Division (Champions: 1964–65)
🏆 Warwickshire Combination League Cup (Winners: 1964–65)
🏆 West Midlands (Regional) League League Cup (Joint Winners: 1968–69)
🏆 Midland Combination League Cup (Winners: 1982–83)
🏆 Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (Champions: 1938–39, 1960–61)
🏆 Gloucestershire Senior Cup (Winners: 2000–01)
An Interview With Cinderford Town fan, Charlie Johnson:
GG: Hi Charlie, Thank You For Taking The Time To Speak To Us, Firstly, What Does The Club Mean To The Community?
CJ: I believe the club has a significant positive impact on the local community. It's fantastic to see such a diverse range of people attend both home and away games. The club is mostly run by volunteers, and it's inspiring to see how people come together to help the club grow both on and off the field.
GG: What Are The Club’s Aspirations?
CJ: On the field, I believe you'll find Cinderford Town FC to be a viable option. We have to rebuild after avoiding relegation last season thanks to another team folding, which is always disappointing. Alex (Sykes) and Morfs (Will Morford) have now had enough time to impose their vision on the squad, most notably with the signing of ex-Hereford forward Symo (Mike Symons). I genuinely believe that everyone is aiming for the same thing: a successful season in terms of league position. As I previously stated, after last season's relegation antics, I believe a midtable finish would be a good starting point for truly competing for the league the following season.
Off the field, the supporters club is making a comeback this year, and we hope to bring a slew of events, both football-related and not, throughout the year. We are already a very nice family-friendly club, and we would like to keep it that way!
GG: Tell Us A Fun Fact About The Club
CJ: We’ve been in the Southern League for 27 consecutive years now!
GG: Who Can You Say Has Had The Biggest Impact On The Club?
CJ: I believe you should look to Stuart Tait, the former chairman who wielded enormous power. Without him, the club would have gone bankrupt years ago! He turned our finances around and got us back on track!
GG: Finally, Why Should People Come Down And Watch A Game?
CJ: People should come to the Causeway solely for the football atmosphere, in my opinion. You can easily show up to a game by yourself and leave with a handful of new friends. As previously stated, it is a great family club, and all of the players and management are happy to stop and chat.
Matchday: Cinderford Town 0-0 Chipping Sodbury Town
The stadium is about 20 minutes from the town centre, and the drive there is very picturesque. There is a club shop (if you want to call it that) in the club bar, which is right next to the ground's entrance. The shop sells pin badges for £2, as well as keychains, beermats, and match worn shirts. We parked across the street from the school on a street with plenty of free residential parking.
We performed our standard ground circuit. Around the stadium, there are two stands on one side of the pitch, each seating approximately 150 people. On the opposite side of the stadium, there is an open area where spectators can watch the game from. The club has a food stand that serves a variety of foods such as burgers and chips. If you want, you can also buy chocolate bars and packets of crisps from the bar.
The fans were extremely friendly, with many eager to chat and discuss the teams and their season goals. It's always heartwarming to be welcomed with open arms into a club, and Cinderford Town provided us with just that.
The atmosphere was severely lacking, but given the game's difficulty, this was to be expected. There was very little noise, and the fans didn't make themselves heard, which was a huge disappointment.
Teamsheets
Cinderford Town
Manager: Alex Sykes
Ellis Parker
Will Emery
Jamie Bremner
Mitch McCann
Jack Bartman
Tris Haswell
Jack Freeman
Jon Invernizzi
Mike Symons (c)
Ben Brooks
Harry Emmett
Substitutes
Kai Wint
Rob Atkinson
Will Morford
Dan Barnard
Joey Haswell
Chipping Sodbury Town
Manager: Jeff Roberts
Bailey Leach
Tauren Williams
Dan Dyke
Ellis McSharry
Conor McCoombe
Ibrahima Diallo
Mario Mateus
Zak Robinson
George Neill
Keane Ashwood
Aysa Corrick
Substitutes
Adrian Harvey
Lance Lewis
Jordan Lawrence
Josh Pandolfino
Jordan Badman
Fraser Little
The game began evenly, with neither side able to create many chances. The most entertaining part of the first half was a minor brawl between both teams after a Cinderford player elbowed his Chipping Sodbury counterpart, resulting in the Cinderford player receiving a yellow card. It's not an exaggeration to say that was the only action of the first half; it wasn't a good half of football.
The second half was a lot more exciting. A low shot from Cinderford's left back was parried into the path of a Cinderford player who appeared to be on target, only for him to rifle it over the crossbar. The Chipping Sodbury goalkeeper then scuffed a clearance that fell straight to a Cinderford player, whose shot hit the side netting. Unfortunately, that was the game's final real action, and it ended 0-0. Both sides lacked guile, with Cinderford finding plenty of space out wide but lacking any presence in the area when the ball arrived. Chipping Sodbury appeared to be aiming for a draw, which would force a replay. That replay will be much better than the one we saw at Causeway Ground, and there will undoubtedly be more entertainment on display.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 3.5/10
Food and Drink: 5/10
Stadium: 4/10
Welcome: 8/10
Overall Experience: 6.5/10
GG
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