Chasetown F.C.

Chasetown Football Club is an English football club based in the Chasetown area of Burntwood, Staffordshire. The club plays in the Northern Premier League Division One South East and is nicknamed The Scholars, having been formed by affiliates of nearby Chase Terrace High School in the Chase Terrace area of Burntwood.

Chasetown
Full nameChasetown Football Club
Nickname(s)The Scholars, The Chase
Founded1954 (as Chase Terrace Old Scholars)
GroundThe Scholars Ground,
Church Street, Chasetown
Burntwood WS7 3QL
Capacity2,000
ChairmanMick Joiner
ManagerMark Swann
LeagueNorthern Premier League Division One South East
2019–20Northern Premier League Division One East (season abandoned)
WebsiteClub website

Chasetown gained national recognition in November 2005 when the BBC televised the club's FA Cup first round home tie with Oldham Athletic, in which the team held their Football League opponents to a 1–1 draw. They went on to finish the 2005–06 season as Midland Alliance champions and thereby gain promotion to the Southern League. In the 2007–08 F.A Cup they made the third round for the first time in their history after holding Port Vale to a 1–1 draw and winning the replay 1–0. They lost the third round match 3–1 to eventual finalists Cardiff City. In doing so, they became the lowest ever ranked club to reach as far as the third round proper of the FA Cup.[1]

History

The club was formed in 1954 as Chase Terrace Old Scholars Youth Club and initially played in the Cannock Youth League. At the start of the 1958–59 season the club joined the Lichfield and District League, where the club spent three seasons, finishing as runners-up in the league and Challenge Cup.

For the 1961–62 season the club stepped up to the Staffordshire County League before moving to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One and adopting the new name of Chasetown F.C. in 1972.

In eleven seasons in this division Chasetown never finished outside the top four, winning the championship in 1977–78, but were prevented from gaining promotion because they were playing on a park pitch at Burntwood Recreation Centre. In 1983 the club moved to a new ground, The Scholars Ground, and gained entry to the Premier Division. Although the Scholars initially struggled to finish outside the lower reaches of the table, the team won their first trophy in 1989–90, defeating Oldbury United to win the League Cup, soon followed by winning the Walsall Senior Cup. Chasetown beat Blakenall at the Bescot Stadium and retained the trophy in 1992–93, beating Pelsall Villa 3–1.

In the early 1990s, Chasetown won the West Midlands League Cup twice and finishing as runners-up in the twice. The Scholars were among the founder members of the newly formed Midland Football Alliance in 1994 but failed to make an impression in the early seasons.

In 2000–01 the club in a transitional period after the departure of long-serving manager Mervyn Rowe, and only escaped relegation due to the fact that no clubs were promoted from the lower division. Present manager Charlie Blakemore returned to the club in partnership with Michael Rowe, son of previous manager Mervyn, and the club's fortunes began to turn around, with two top-half finishes. In Blakemore's first full season in complete control of the first team, 2004–05, Chasetown won the Walsall Senior Cup for the third time and finished second to Rushall Olympic in the Midland Alliance.

Chasetown were placed the national spotlight in November 2005 when the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. After defeating Blyth Spartans the team took on Oldham Athletic in a match broadcast live on television. A peak audience of 3.2 million people watched the game live.[2] In front of 1,997 supporters, Chasetown took the lead through Nicky Harrison, only for veteran David Eyres to level the scores and send the game into a replay. Chasetown took 2,436 supporters to the replay but succumbed to a 0–4 defeat. As a result of this cup run the club was able to secure a shirt sponsorship deal with Richard Branson's Virgin Holidays for the 2006–07 season. Meanwhile, in the league, Chasetown rallied from 14th place at Christmas, 20 points behind leaders Malvern Town, to win the Midland Alliance championship and gain promotion to the Southern League Division One Midlands.

Chasetown playing Cardiff City at the inauguration of the Cardiff City Stadium

In 2007–08, Chasetown beat Team Bath 2–0 to reach the second round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. This set up an away tie against Staffordshire rivals Port Vale, which they drew 1–1 before winning the replay 1–0 to set up a Third Round match at home to Championship side Cardiff City and making Chasetown the lowest ranked club ever to make the third round of the competition. While Chasetown lost the third round match to Cardiff City 3–1, they went ahead because of a Kevin McNaughton own goal, and held the lead until just before half-time.[3]

During the 2008–09 season, Chasetown's dreams of repeating their FA Cup heroics were cut short in the 3rd qualifying round by Southern League Premier Division team Evesham United, losing 2–0 after two late goals from substitute Danny Lennon and Mark Owen.

In November 2008, Chasetown submitted plans for a new 500 seater stand to Lichfield District Council, which would increase the capacity to 3,100. The new facility would include the 500 person seated grandstand, sauna & mini gym, offices & club shop, disabled spectators area, directors' and sponsors' boxes and conference & function room to name a few. It is also planned that the upper floor of the new stand would include a 200 seated restaurant facility that will be available for private hire functions and outside the ground an increase in capacity of the main car park from 70 to 150.[4]

As a result of playing the F.A Cup tie in 2008, Cardiff City invited Chasetown to be the first official opponent at the Cardiff City Stadium, played on Friday 10 July, resulting in a 4–0 win for the Welsh side.[5]

On 1 May 2010, Chasetown won the Northern Premier League Division One South play-offs, beating Glapwell 1–0 in front of a crowd of 1,265 to gain promotion to level 7 of the English football league system for the first time in their history.

On 16 November 2010 Chasetown won a £10,000 Makeover Competition from the Northern Premier League, winning a £10,000 voucher from Travis Perkins builders' merchants to improve facilities at the Scholars Ground.

On 14 December 2010 Chasetown beat Kettering Town 2–1 in an FA Trophy replay, another cup upset as two divisions separated the sides and Kettering were at home. On 15 January 2011 Chasetown produced another upset by defeating Conference National side Grimsby Town to reach the last sixteen of the competition. In the last sixteen they defeated Eastleigh of Conference South to gain a place in the quarter finals.

Crest

Chasetown's crest features a deer, in reference to nearby Cannock Chase, and a Stafford Knot.

Ground and supporters
The Scholars Ground

The Scholars Ground has been Chasetown's home since 1983. The ten highest official attendances recorded at the ground for competitive fixtures are as follows:

Attendance Opponents Match Date
2,420 Cardiff City FA Cup 3rd Round Proper January 2008
2,134 Blyth Spartans FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round October 2005
2,000 Mansfield Town FA Trophy 4th Round Proper March 2011
1,997 Oldham Athletic FA Cup 1st Round Proper November 2005
1,986 Port Vale FA Cup 2nd Round Proper, Replay December 2007
1,408 Nuneaton Borough FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round October 2007
1,265 Glapwell Northern Premier League Division One South Promotion Play-off Final May 2010
1,089 FC United of Manchester Northern Premier League Premier Division April 2011
1,012 Grimsby Town FA Trophy 2nd Round January 2011
839 Romulus Midland Football Alliance April 2006

Significant crowds in pre-season friendly games:


Attendance levels in recent years have been as follows:

2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
Average home league attendance 108 243 305 434 423 366 436 337 189 208*
Highest home league attendance 839 482 781 741 580 1,089 731 235 252*
Lowest home league attendance 77 207 271 327 316 254 201 104 164*
Total home attendance
(League and Cup)		 11,706 10,422 16,754 12,404 10,861 14,402 8,569 5,527 639*
Number of Games 33 35 30 31 28 30 28 29 3*
Average Home Attendance 355 298 558 400 388 480 306 191 213*

Note: 4,134 of the 2005–06 total attendance represents the games against Blyth Spartans and Oldham Athletic. 4,406 of the 2007–08 total attendance represents the games against Port Vale and Cardiff City.

Attendance figures correct as 22:00 8 September 2013

Players
  • Curtis Pond
  • Lewis Bullock
  • Harry Goode
  • Josh Allen
  • Ryan Wynter
  • Callum Cockerill-Mollett (on loan from Walsall)
  • James O’Neill
  • Richard Smith
  • Joe Thomas
  • Tom Hill
  • Spencer Gunnell
  • Callum Lovatt
  • Tom Urwin
  • Oliver Hayward
  • Jack Langston
  • William Whieldon
  • George Cater
  • Daniel Cocks
  • Muzzy Nduna
  • Jake Lovatt

Team management
As of 26 January 2016[6]
  • Mark Swann - Manager
  • Jamie Hawkins - Assistant Manager
  • John Birt - Goalkeeping coach
  • Emma Archer - Sports Therapist
  • Dave Harrison - Kit Manager

Honours and records

National cup record
  • Best FA Cup performance : Third Round Proper – 2007/08
  • Best FA Trophy performance : Fourth round proper – 2010/2011
  • Best FA Vase performance : Fifth Round Proper – 1999/2000

Team records

(1972–73 onwards)

  • Most league goals (season) : 94 (West Mids Div 1 ; 1975/76)
  • Most points scored :
    • Two points for a win : 64 (West Mids Div 1, 40 Games, 1975/76)
    • Three points for a win : 94 (Midland Alliance, 42 Games, 2005/06)

Individual records
  • Most goals scored (career) : Tony Dixon – 197 goals (1987–94, 1995–98)
  • Most goals scored (season) : Mick Ward – 39 goals (1987–88)
  • Most goals scored (match) : Keith Birch – 11 versus Lichfield Laundry (21–1)
  • Highest transfer fee received : "undisclosed" amounts for Chris Slater and Kyle Perry (both Port Vale)
  • Karl Edwards once scored in 10 consecutive league games – a club record
  • Danny Smith was Chasetown's youngest modern day goalscorer aged 17 years and 143 days
  • Chasetown became the first club from the eighth tier of the English football pyramid to reach the 3rd Round of the FA Cup in the 2007–08 season.
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References
  1. "Chasetown dream on after Cup win". BBC official website. 12 December 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  2. The FA
  3. "Chasetown 1–3 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
  4. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/09/14/chasetown-fc-set-for-2m-makeover/ Express and Star.com
  5. http://www.cardiffcity-mad.co.uk/news/tmnw/cardiff_city_4__0_chasetown_453337/index.shtml Cardiff's Stadium curtain opener
  6. "1st team " The Team". Chasetown FC. Pitch Hero. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
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