NORTHAMPTON ON CHENECKS FC

The club was founded as Chenecks FC in 1946 under the guidance of well-known Coroner Sergeant of the Borough Police, George Lloyd. The club was formed to enable boys at the rugby playing Northampton Grammar School to play football. The club’s unusual name is derived from the School Houses, Chipsey, Spencer, Beckett and St Crispins. The club became members of the Northampton Minor League playing at Under 17 level, and when the team were too old for youth football the club joined the Northampton Town League in 1950, playing at Abington Park. In 1960 the Old Northamptonians Association invited the club to become one of their sports sections, thus Chenecks became ON Chenecks and relocated to the Billing Road sports ground. They joined the United Counties Football League in 1969, and have had continuous membership ever since, albeit for most of the early years in the lower divisions of the league. The club has twice won the Division One Championship in 1977-78 and 1979–80, but were denied promotion to the Premier Division due to ground grading criteria as the club were restricted to develop their shared facilities. ON Chenecks beat Tam O’Shanter from Coventry to win the 1985 Daventry Charity Cup final and in 1994 they were Northants Junior Cup runners-up, losing 1-0 to Vanaid. In 1996 they lost 4-0 to Cogenhoe in the Daventry Charity Cup final having beaten Southern League Rothwell Town 1-0 away en route to the final. In the 2009–10 season the club won its first major honour under the guidance of Andy Marks when they picked up the Northants Junior Cup with a 1-0 victory over local rivals N’ton Silbey Rangers at Nene Park. The 2010–11 season saw rookie manager Graham Cottle accept the vacant position. Under his guidance the club had considerable success, winning the Northants Junior Cup in 2013/14 and 2014/15 and gaining promotion to the top UCL flight for the first time in the club’s history after finishing runners up in 2015/16. The club also participated in a national competition for the first time, defeating Sun Sports 2-1 in the FA Vase. Under the guidance of Chairman Mr E Slinn, developments have also progressed of the field, with the erection of floodlights, extra seating, pitch barriers etc over the last couple of years which has enabled the club to secure the sufficient ground grading criteria. In 2016/17 as well as participating in UCL Premier Division topflight, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time, losing to Harefield United in a replay. After finishing a highly respectable 12^th position in their first topflight season, Chenecks had a change in management with highly respected UCL prolific goal scorer Ben Foster taking over the managers hot seat, with a 17^th place finish in the 2017-18 season and 15^th spot secured in 2018-19. Club Secretary Bryan Lewin picked up the UCL Administrator of the Year Award in 2019. As with all other clubs and leagues, the last two seasons have been affected by the Covid pandemic, which has seen both campaigns unfinished, although both the First and Reserves did reach the UCL Supplementary Cup finals in 2020-21, with the Reserves defeating Harborough 4-3 after penalty kicks to secure the trophy. In the close season Ben Foster stepped down for personal reasons and has been replaced internally with two of his backroom staff; Lee Burdett and Wayne Richardson promoted as Joint Managers. After two seasons with Covid restrictions the 2021-22 season saw Chenecks finish second from bottom, despite a strong end to the campaign. As part of the FA’s National League System restructuring, Chenecks relegation saw them placed in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One along with a host of ex-UCL clubs. Last season the club had a new management team, headed by Jamie Forester. The new look side had an excellent campaign finishing just nine points shy of runaway champions Real Bedford but lost out in the final play-off promotion match to Rugby Borough.

Admission Prices: Adults £4 Concessions £3

Refreshments: We have pitch side refreshments available of hot & cold drinks, soups, Bovril, steak pies, hot sausage rolls, crisps, sweets and chocolates

Directions: Leave the A45 at the exit marked Bedford A428 and Town Centre. At the roundabout, take the exit onto Rushmere Road which is marked Abington, Kingsthorpe and County Cricket. At the first set of lights, turn left into Billing Road; the sports ground is about 250 yards on the right.

Parking: On-site parking is available FOC

Nearest Train Station: Northampton Town Centre

Northampton O.N. Chenecks F.C. League Playing Record

1969-70   Joined United Counties League

1972-73   UCL Division Three renamed Division Two, Runner-up (Lost title on goal average)

1977-78   United Counties League Division One Champions

1978-79   United Counties League Division One Runner-up

1979-80   United Counties League Division One Champions

2015-16    United Counties League Division One Runner-up (Promoted to Premier Division)

2021-22    Relegated to Division One and moved to the Spartan South Midlands League

2022-23    SSML Division One Runners-Up, lost play-off final against Rugby Borough

Season    Division  P     W    D    L     F     A    Pts     Position

1970-71   UCL-3     36   18     9    9    88    56   45       6/19

1971-72   UCL-3     36   20     7    9    89    58   47       5/19

1972-73   UCL-2     34   26     7    1  104    37   59       2/18

1973-74   UCL-1     38   18     8   12   81    58   44       7/20

1974-75   UCL-1     32     9     5   18   42    67   23     14/17

1975-76   UCL-1     34   14     6   14   50    50   34     11/18

1976-77   UCL-1     34   16   10    8    54    35   42       6/18

1977-78   UCL-1     38   30     5    3    86    36   65       1/20

1978-79   UCL-1     38   29     4    5    94    35   62       2/20

1979-80   UCL-1     34   24     8    2    85    31   56       1/18

1980-81   UCL-1     32   15   10    7    51    44   40       4/17

1981-82   UCL-1     28     7     6   15   31    54   20     11/15

1982-83   UCL-1     30     6     5   19   29    70   17     14/16

1983-84   UCL-1     30     9     5   16   43    64   23     11/16

1984-85   UCL-1     30   11     7   12   37    43   29       9/16

1985-86   UCL-1     36   10     8   18   39    77   28     15/19

1986-87   UCL-1     36     8     9   19   40    75   25     17/19

1987-88   UCL-1     38     9     5   24   42    72   32     15/20

1988-89   UCL-1     36     7   10   19   32    70   31     16/19

1989-90   UCL-1     36     9     5   22   39    52   32     15/19

1990-91   UCL-1     36   13     8   15   48    53   47     10/19

1991-92   UCL-1     34   16     9    9    61    47   57       8/18

1992-93   UCL-1     34   10   11   13   69    61   41     13/18

1993-94   UCL-1     32   18     6    8    67    32   60       4/17

1994-95   UCL-1     36   15     9   12   76    57   54       9/19

1995-96   UCL-1     36     6     7   23   38    72   25     18/19

1996-97   UCL-1     34   10     5   19   46    54   35     14/18

1997-98   UCL-1     34   10     8   16   54    61   38     15/18

1998-99   UCL-1     34   13     6   15   52    61   45     11/18

1999-00   UCL-1     34     8     5   21   47    88   29     15/18

2000-01   UCL-1     34   11     8   15   65    71   41     10/18

2001-02   UCL-1     32   10     7   15   62    76   37     12/17

2002-03   UCL-1     30     9     7   14   54    74   34     11/16

2003-04   UCL-1     34   15     5   14   72    82   50       8/18

2004-05   UCL-1     34     9     7   18   46    67   34     15/18

2005-06   UCL-1     34   19     5   10   66    43   62       5/18

2006-07   UCL-1     30     5     7   18   49    80   22     15/16

2007-08   UCL-1     30   15     3   12   56    56   48       6/16

2008-09   UCL-1     30   16     3   11   63    52   51       4/16

2009-10   UCL-1     30   19     3    8    66    40   60       4/16

2010-11   UCL-1     32   11     3   18   45    75   36     14/17

2011-12   UCL-1     32   11     5   16   44    66   38     12/17

2012-13   UCL-1     36   10     8   18   54    75   38     11/19

2013-14   UCL-1     42   21   10   11   90    64   73       6/22

2014-15   UCL-1     38   23     6    9    93    49   75       6/20

2015-16   UCL-1     36   24     6    6    89    40   78       2/19

2016-17   UCL-P     42  16     7   19   72    89    55     12/22

2017-18   UCL-P     42  11     5   26   66  108    38     17/22

2018-19   UCL-P     38  12     4   22   49    75    40     15/20

2019-20   UCL-P     28    6     9   13   33    57    27     Season not completed due to Covid

2020-21   UCL-P     13    5     2     6   28    24    17     Season not completed due to Covid

2021/22   UCLP      38    5     5   28   33    83    23     17/18

2022/23   SSM1      38  28     6    4   102   3      90      2/18

 

Northampton O.N. Chenecks F.C. Cup Record

F.A. CUP

2016-17   EP    Harefield United                A    1-1

EPr   Harefield United                 H    1-1    @ Cogenhoe Utd. Harefield Utd won 9-8 pens

2017-18   EP    Histon                                A    1-0

PRE Holbeach United                 A    1-6

2018-19   EP    Biggleswade                     A    0-2

2019-20   EP    Godmanchester Rovers     H    2-3

2020-21   EP    Long Melford                     A    2-3

2021-22   EP    Godmanchester Rovers    A    1-1

EPR  Godmanchester Rovers    H   1-0

1Q    Kirkley & Pakefield            A    0-1

F.A. VASE

2015-16   1Q    Sun Sports                         H    2-1

2Q    Berkhamsted                      A    1-2

2016-17   1Q    Raunds Town                     A    4-1

2Q    Leighton Town                  H    1-0

1     Ely City                              H    1-3”

2017-18   2Q    Irchester United                  H    2-1

1     Blaby & Whetstone Ath      A    1-3

2018-19   1Q     Spelthorne Sports             A    3-5

2019-20   1Q     Ardley United                    A    3-1

2Q    N’ton Siley Rangers           H    3-1

1     Kirkley & Pakefield             H    2-3

2020-21   1Q    London Tigers                    A    5-0    @ Amersham Town

2Q    Burton Park Wanderers     A    2-2    Burton Park Wanderers won 6-5 on penalties

2021-22    2Q    Egham                             A    2-3

2022-23    1Q    Buckingham Ath                H    7-0    @ Buckingham Ath

2Q    Harpenden Town              A    0-1

2023/24    1Q    Oxhey Jets                       H    3-1

2Q    Amersham Town               A    0-7