Chalfont St Peter A.F.C.

Chalfont St Peter

Full name	Chalfont St Peter Association Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Saints
Founded	1926
Ground	Mill Meadow Chalfont St Peter (Capacity: 1,500[1])
League	Southern League Division One Central
2010–11	Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, 1st (promoted)
Home colours

Chalfont St Peter A.F.C. are a football club based in Chalfont St Peter, near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.

History

The Club was formed in 1926 by a group of gentlemen including Fred Latham but had little appetite at the time for progress. In the early years the Club mostly competed in the homely confines of Bucks, Berks and Middlesex junior football and played on Gold Hill Common.

Fred was a former Centre Half with Woolwich Arsenal and on forming the club, brought his brother George to Chalfont. George was another Centre Half who had played for Charlton Athletic prior to the First World War. They formed a family tie with the club that exists to this day!

In 1948, the decision was made to step up to the more demanding rigours of the Great Western Combination.The Club’s first major piece of silverware came in 1952 in the shape of the Berks & Bucks FA Intermediate Cup, the product of a successful win over Wokingham Town. The Club were then awarded senior status, which it has retained ever since. The Saints seized the initiative to try and bring a higher standard of football to the area. With this in mind they joined the Parthenon League in 1958. Further progress was made with a move to the London League and then a further move to the Spartan League in 1962. During their period in the Spartan League, they went on to become the last winners of the Berks & Bucks FA Benevolent Cup before the competition was discontinued, beating Slough Town, at Slough’s Wexham Park ground, in front of a crowd of 2000 spectators.

The early 1970s saw poor support and financial difficulties cause the Club sink to an all-time low. However, due to the efforts of a few dedicated individuals, the Club survived and an unparalleled period of consistency followed, allowing the Club to climb the ladder further with a move to the Athenian League. An instant impact was made on the League when, as a Division Two club, the Saints won the League Cup in 1977, defeating Epsom & Ewell. The following year saw the Saints reach their first (and only) Berks & Bucks FA Senior Cup final losing by 2 goals to Wycombe Wanderers in front of 2000 spectators. The following season was to be their last in the Athenian League. The Club made a spirited bid for their first-ever senior title but were narrowly beaten by Redhill and had to settle for the runner’s up place. An election then took place, resulting in the movement of the Club to the Isthmian League. The first four seasons saw much success; the team finishing consistently in the top eight.

In 1984, the club achieved its Record Attendance when over 2,000 people attended the Jon Gordon Benefit Match with Watford The 1985/1986 season saw the Club achieve its best ever FA Cup run, storming through to the Third Qualifying Round before a disappointing exit at the hands of Braintree Town.

In season 1987/1988, a heart-stopping three-way battle saw the Saints come out top in the Division Two (South) title race and finally achieve the promotion they had been chasing. The same season saw the Saints achieve one of their most successful FA Vase run before losing out to Dorking in the Fourth Round.

The Saints held their position in Division One for six seasons, maintaining respectable places in the lower mid table. However, a disastrous 1993/1994 campaign saw the Club go through three managers, culminating in relegation to Division Two.

Due to the Club’s location on the picturesque Mill Meadow, located within the “green belt” around London, planning permission for ground improvements became all but impossible in season 1995/1996 and playing performances undoubtedly suffered. Things began to look bleak for the Club until, at the eleventh hour, patient lobbying paid off and the Club were given permission for the necessary improvements to enable them to remain in the Isthmian League. Season 1998/1999 saw the Club finish in 9th place in Division Two, having amassed 60 points in their 42 matches. However, the following season, the Saints suffered relegation to Division Three after a disastrous campaign where they finished last with just 14 points.

Season 2000/2001 ended in absolute disaster with the Club finishing rock bottom in Division Three. Relegation to the Combined Counties League seemed inevitable but the champions of the Spartan South Midlands League failed to apply for possible promotion to the League by the required date.

The start of season 2001/2002 saw the complete rebuilding of the team under Manager Martin Dean, assisted by ex-Manager Sean West. The season started so well that the Club were in fourth place for a period but inconsistent performances saw the Saints finally finish in a disappointing 14th place.

In 2002/2003, the very experienced Kevin Davies was added to the management team in Division Two (formerly Division Three). Early exits from the FA Cup, FA Vase and too many defeats by the odd goal left the team yet again in 14th place. This season saw an Under 18 team back in the Allied Counties Youth League, where they finished in a creditable 6th place in the East Division and the second Under 18 team won the South Bucks Youth League Intermediate Cup.

For season 2003/2004, Martin Dean appointed Kevin Hill as Assistant Manager but the team struggled throughout, despite using some good loan signings and finished second from bottom. The Under 18 team won the Berks & Bucks Under 18 Challenge Cup, defeating Buckingham Town at Didcot Town FC.

For season 2004/2005, Martin Dean stood down due to commitments with Brentford Juniors and Kevin Hill moved on to become Coach at Hayes. The successful Manager of the Under 18 team, Danny Edwards, was appointed First Team Manager and drew in Ted Buxton as his Assistant, who in the past had been involved with the England set-up under Terry Venables. Shayne Chandler, signed from Beaconsfield SYCOB, was appointed Player/Assistant Manager.

Into the 2005/2006 season Shayne resigned, Gary Rogers was appointed as Danny’s assistant, Paul Thomas took over the role of Reserve Team Manager, Terry Franklin was put in charge of the Youth Team and Graham Hamilton appointed as Child Protection Officer. The club did quite well on the playing side only to find success and promotion to the reorganized Step 4 set up of Isthmian 1st Division football denied when the FA Restructured the leagues. With the disbanding of the Isthmian 2nd Division, Chalfont moved sideways back into the League they used to play in, in the 1960s and 70’s, the Spartan League. Now renamed and sponsored by Molten Sports, the Spartan South Midlands Premier League.

In the 2006-07 season, they made a productive return to the Spartan League and finished in the top half of the table and won the Wycombe Senior Cup for the first time, beating Downley Albion 7-0 at Wycombe Wanderers ground.

The 2007-08 season proved to be a fantastic success for the club, both on and off the pitch. On the pitch, Danny Edwards had developed a good squad and this bore fruit as they equaled their record in the FA Cup by reaching the 2nd Qualifying round before losing to Dulwich Hamlet. In the FA Vase they were knocked out in the 2nd Round Proper by Harefield United. In the Other Cups, they reached the Final of the League’s Premier Division Cup and won the Challenge Trophy. We had a productive season in the Spartan League and led the Division on several occasions. In the end it was a 3 horse race that Beaconsfield SYCOB won, with us finishing as Runners Up. Whilst off the pitch the ground underwent numerous improvements to increase its grading with the Football League. In 2006, Turnstiles were erected, a new kitchen was built, New fencing was erected and in 2008 the fantastic new stand was erected behind the goal at the Playing Fields end of the ground. The club did not stop there as a covered stand was erected at the other end of the ground and new toilet blocks were erected. There are current plans in progress to install additional seating at the ground. The seats are at the club and now just need to be installed.

2008-09 Season saw the club finish 3rd in the Spartan league and beat their record in the FA Vase by reaching the Semi Finals for the first time as well as the Final of the League’s Challenge Trophy and see Brian Connor become the first player to represent the club at international level ( Anguilla). In the 2008/09 season Chalfont St Peter reached the Semi-finals of the FA Vase, losing on Penalties to Glossop North End.

The Club coaches a Ladies Team, managed by Chairman Denis Mair, and has 7 junior teams aged from 8 to 17 in the Wycombe & South Bucks Minor League, all of which are run by a dedicated band of enthu siasts. They are a true community club!

Honours

League Honours

Isthmian Division Two Winners: 1987/88

Middlesex Border League Champions: 1984/85

Spartan League Division 2 Champions: 1975/76

Athenian League Runners Up: 1983/84

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Champions 2010/11

Spartan South Midlands Premier Division Runners Up: 2007/08, 2009/10

Cup Competition Honours

Berks & Bucks Benevolent Cup Winners: 1964/65

Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Winners: 1952/53 & 1984/85

Athenian League Cup Winners: 1976/77 & 1982-83

Spartan South Midlands League Challenge Trophy Winners: 2007/08, 2010/11, Finalists: 2008/09

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Cup Finalists: 2007/08

Wycombe Senior Cup Winners: 2006/07

Berks and Bucks Senior Cup Finalists: 1977-78

FA Cup: 3rd Qualifying Round: 1998/99

FA Trophy: 3rd Qualifying Round: 1989/90; 1991–92

FA Vase: Semi Final: 2008/09

Reserves Honours

Suburban Football League North Runners Up: 2007/08

Youth Honours

Berks & Bucks Under 18 Challenge Cup Winners: 2004/05

Allied Counties Youth Division East Winners: 2004/05

Ladies Honours

Thames Valley Ladies Football League Division 3 Champions: 2007/08

Club Records

Record Victory: 10 – 1 v Kentish Town (Away) Spartan Prem Div 23rd Dec 2008

Record Defeat: 0 – 13 v Lewes (Away) Ryman Lge Div 3 7th Nov 2000

Notable players

• Josh Lennie

Bradley Bubb

Gary Lester

References

1. ^ "Mill Meadow, Chalfont St Peter". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. http://www.soccerway.com/venues/england/mill-meadow-chalfont-st-peter/. Retrieved 20 August 2011. 

• Chalfont St Peter at the Football Club History Database

External links

• Official site