Calling all fans, players and club members!!, Memories are made of this. Options

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

Calling all Chippenham fans, Current Players, Ex players, Clubmen, ex clubmen. Executives.

Theres a proposition going around, that we collate memories and stories about our journey as a club over the last 10 years. (and before that for those that were there...)
The old days, your trips to the ground as kids, the western league years, the great players and games.
The run up to Wembley, the day istelf, the homecoming!
the promotions the away days, the good days and the bad days!
The tough games, the opposing players, the opposing fans and grounds.
The roadtrips!! (Simon and Ben - Beauty or Biffa?????)
there must be stacks of memories and stories out there that we could share in a book, no matter how small or big the memory.
A memory that defines our club its successes and growing pains.

How would you feel about all this going into a book? The definitive account across all levels of a nonleague football club!!

Discuss!

[Chris_g]

genius,

There must be some crackers.

One game ii'll aways remember was away somewhere- i always get the name wrong - cove i think. On the way to the ground they had taken their advertising hoardings down and laid them in the mud cos it was so boggy. They had some numpty of a fan that was jealous of the drum so turned a bin upside down and started twatting it with his brolly. Also had a streaker who run about on the pitch for a bit, then jumped off put his clothes back on and watched the game. We were 2-0 down got 1 back then brought dave bright on, much to my disgust. He set one up then scored (a screamer if i'm right). The ref then played about 17mins of injury time.

twas an epic game

[sm1]

THat was Cove away, and the streaker got the blame for Coves defeat. Rockins photo of the streaker made it all over the globe.

The chap who put his brolley throught the drum was at Tuffley.

ANd a sight Rockin will never forget will be on the way back to chippenham on the M5

Not forgetting the away game at Elmore when all the chippenham fans grabbed wheelbarrows, buckets and sand to try and sort the waterlogged pitch.. and we managed to get the game up and running.... and aftger the game we had the sponsored head shaving. and didnt the players have some fun on the coach on the way home and a few got in trouble with the gaffer at the time.

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

When I first moved to Chippenham, in 1994, I drove past the club a few times, and thought one Saturday I'd pop in. The path led to a small hut by the edge of the stand, with an old fella in it. We play in blue I was told i paid my £2 and sat with my daughter in the stand.
The ground was typical non league, but well kept. A white metal fence, wooden platforms in the stand, with painted lines indicating a 'press' area. There was no one sat there. There was a bar too, and bizarrely the entrance was actually through a door in the front of the stand.

Chippenham were in the Great Mills league, so so the sign said, and today's opponents were Tiverton Town. Well I had heard of them, they were a big non league outfit, with visits to wembley,and a supporters coach. Tiverton were top of the league just five games into the season, they had scored over 20 goals and conceded maybe 3. I'm not sure were Chippenham were, but with the attendance around 90, I'm guessing it was mid table. Chippenham looked a decent lot, but Tivvy looked the more professional outfit, and wasted no time in putting five past Chippenham. Robbie Lardner grabbed the Bluebirds single goal - which I missed, as I was helping my daughter identify players in the program. Lardner was Chippenhams big player at the time, and captain I think. Always chivvying the team along. There were two brothers if I remember correctly, the Messengers, some of the supporters seemed keen to get one of them off the bench and onto the wing - the crowd may have been small, but that served only to amplify the presence of the complainants. Both teams were roundly applauded off the pitch, and a great sunny afternoons entertainment was over. It was the first game in a few seasons of intermittent visits by myself, who could have forecast what would happen in the next couple of years?

[bluebirds2006]

Great Idea CP and loved you tale - hopefully others will follow your lead

[sm1]

1969 my first match: The Rising Sun V BBC All stars. many people turned up to see the Celebrities like Rufus from Compact and the son of the legendary cmmentator Kenneth Wolsteholme. I think most of the bifg celebrities dindt turn up, cant remember the score as we were to busy swinging from the rafters in the old stand, we were also very good at throwning tennis balls into the old tannoy speakers, and when they announcer spoke down the microphone the tennis balls would shoot out at an alarming rate.

Always used to go and watch the Westinghouse games, back then every summer westingouse would hold 11 a side tournaments and the final would always have a few hundred watching.

can you remember the white picket fence infront of the stand, and the 3 bar iron fence that virtally went around the whole pitch

[matt0755]

My Fist Away Trip Was Beddlington Terriers Away Gee What a journey non expected us to go and win! but we took the game to them! and thumperd urm 2-0,

After the game two dogs were humping each other on the pitch!

And on the way back non stop singing on the coach and got caught up by the police at a service station @ Sheffield told to quiten down abit!

What a good day that was not getting back to chippenham till 2 am!

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

Great Idea CP and loved you tale - hopefully others will follow your lead

Not actually my idea, but its a great one, and i'm sure we can run with it. I'd love some players and managers past and present to get involved, and if you don't want to blow your cover on here, the just email your stories or willingness to contribute to nospam_george.alty@yahoo.co.uk
It goes without saying that if you have ' a player once did...' type story, that names will be withheld to protect the guilty parties!

Remove the nospam_ bit from the address - thats just to stop the spambots from getting the address!

Go on, have a good think and write a few down on notepad... If yo can't be arsed to write (and lets face it, when your a non league star why should you have to write anything) then let me know, we can share a beer maybe and tape your memories.
Same goes for fans, i'd be happy to tape and transcribe.

Lets get talking!!

Perhaps you're an opposition supporter/player with a 'Chippenham' experience to share? - Then get involved too - we'd love to hear your story.

[We hate Team Bat...]

This is a great idea, it's always nice to reminisce the times we've had - and the past ten years has never had a dull moment so it should be very interesting reading.

The first game I went to was against Bridport in October 1998 and we won 3-1 with a certain Charlie Griffin scoring a hat-trick. I think that may have been the last game he played before he went to Swindon (if it wasn't it was one of the last - I definitely remember him leaving soon after I started going).

I'll have a think of my many memories of the past ten years, try to write it down and make some sense and send it in.

[bluebirds2006]

Not actually my idea, but its a great one, and i'm sure we can run with it. I'd love some players and managers past and present to get involved, and if you don't want to blow your cover on here, the just email your stories or willingness to contribute to nospam_george.alty@yahoo.co.uk
It goes without saying that if you have ' a player once did...' type story, that names will be withheld to protect the guilty parties!

Remove the nospam_ bit from the address - thats just to stop the spambots from getting the address!

Go on, have a good think and write a few down on notepad... If yo can't be arsed to write (and lets face it, when your a non league star why should you have to write anything) then let me know, we can share a beer maybe and tape your memories.
Same goes for fans, i'd be happy to tape and transcribe.

Lets get talking!!

Perhaps you're an opposition supporter/player with a 'Chippenham' experience to share? - Then get involved too - we'd love to hear your story.

Not got a lot to tell other than like you I started watching so as to introduce my elder son to the the noble game a couple years before Wembley. Funniest moment I remember ( and every cloud has a silver lining) was the game immediately following the 7/11 tragedy. Following the 2 mins silence we all became aware of the opposition player who bore an uncanny likeness to Mr Bin Laden - complete with beard!! I well remember that those around me cast an eye to the sky with each passing plane. My earlier football watching had been Wealdstone in NW London and what a collection of greats they attracted when they went pro and got into the southern league. These included the former spurs double winner Terry Dyson and then his colleague and Welsh international Cliff Jones. Even the legend Johnny Haynes played a couple of times - another player to grace lower mead was the England and Middlesex spin bowler Peter Parfitt. They were also quite a breeding ground producing both Stuart Pearce and Vinnie Jones. Saw some good opposition players as well such as Ian (Storey) Moore after injury forced his Man U career to be cut short.
Another moment that made me smile was seeing Grantley Dicks remove the pommel off the top of one of the flag poles on the bowling green side of the ground with one of his "subtle" clearances.

[sm1]

Funniest moment I remember ( and every cloud has a silver lining) was the game immediately following the 7/11 tragedy. Following the 2 mins silence we all became aware of the opposition player who bore an uncanny likeness to Mr Bin Laden -

We had a cup game following 9/11 and at the time the clubs Sponsors COE was in the UK from the US. we had a 1 minutes silence and he stood in the middle with the players and exec, think it was Chris Blake who got 90 minutes of, Whats offside ?, Whats a penalty ? Why dont they have padding ? why are the fans having a go at the refeee ?.

[Shaun CTFC]

Following the 2 mins silence we all became aware of the opposition player who bore an uncanny likeness to Mr Bin Laden - complete with beard!! I well remember that those around me cast an eye to the sky with each passing plane.

Ah yes - Kirk Masters that was, a beard to remember. Wasn't that the game we were totally outplayed but took our four chances and won 4 - 0?

First game I would have seen that I seem to remember was Swindon bringing the League Cup winning team for a pre-season friendly and putting 13 past us. Also saw some Hellenic League games against the likes of Newbury, Clanfield and Morris Motors around the same time.

A bad memory was away to Salisbury the night Dave Ferris broke his leg in a Wiltshire Shield game - must have been 1980.

[bluebirds2006]

Ah yes - Kirk Masters that was, a beard to remember. Wasn't that the game we were totally outplayed but took our four chances and won 4 - 0?

First game I would have seen that I seem to remember was Swindon bringing the League Cup winning team for a pre-season friendly and putting 13 past us. Also saw some Hellenic League games against the likes of Newbury, Clanfield and Morris Motors around the same time.

A bad memory was away to Salisbury the night Dave Ferris broke his leg in a Wiltshire Shield game - must have been 1980.

Spot on that was him - a good player as I recall but I recommend he keeps well from military bases etc!

[sm1]

Kirk Masters threatened to quit the game due to constant taunts.

http://www.kickitout.org/news.php/news_id/2361

Luckily he carried on playing and the last I heard he was playing for Oadby Town, not sure if he is still playing.

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

From the Club website;
This is for a book due out next year to coincide with the 10th anniversary of our trip to Wembely but it will also be celebrating 137 years of CTFC so all memories are welcome. Each contributor will have his/her memories in print with acknowledgement to them.

can send them to me at sanddwebb@aol.com. Post them to 30 Hardenhuish Lane SN14 6HN or give them in at the club when they attend a home game

[We hate Team Bat...]

I'm confused, are you making the book CP or is the club making it?

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

Club - did say it wasn't my idea...

[We hate Team Bat...]

So are you involved in making the book or is it just the club that are running it? (i.e. who is the best person to email contributions to?)

[Guest_Cepen Park_*]

In the first instance the club, specifically Sandie.

[Oaklander76]

Where do I even begin during my days following Chippenham up & down the place?!

Had great times watching games at HP over the Years but enjoyed the away days especially. Always fascinating to see other towns & cities in England & Wales you would'nt have ever visited otherwise. Glossop, Bedlington, Barking, Atherstone, Shepshed, Bedworth, Aylesbury to name but a few. Without sounding horrible, visiting many of these places made me feel very fortunate to be a Chippenham lad.

Loved helping out the Club any way I could, financially & practically. Head shave, sponsored a seat etc. Remembered shedding half a stone wheelbarrowing breeze blocks back & forth for the ground improvments around 2001-02.

Going north or south on the M5 with Iggy was always tops, he'd play cracking tunes (have occasional road rage lol) & drive 100+mph!! Forged some great friendships with a fair few fans & players alike over the Years, most of whom are great. I may not go to matches as often as I would like to, but my love for Chippenham Town is still as strong now, as it was when I went to nearly every match 6-12 Years ago.