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24/2/2015 10:26 PM  #1


Wiltshire Wanderer

TwitterFacebookMore Go Back to NewsA Bit of Extra Help 23 FEBRUARY 2015Latest Wiltshire Wanderer blog
For this week’s wander I decided to attend the highest level of football in Wiltshire outside the professional game with a visit to Southern League Premier side Chippenham Town and their venue of dreams Hardenhuish Park.
The journey wasn’t a long one to get to Chippenham itself but subsequent road works and possibly the longest wait of my life at a temporary traffic light system (nearly 8 minutes!) meant I arrived at the ground slightly annoyed.
The day hadn’t started well and having eventually found someone down the way to park, I then got soaked walking to the ground as a flash downpour arrived!
Not the best start to the day but I was eagerly welcomed at the front gate and proceeded to make my way around the stadium.
It was an impressive setup with an “eye in the sky“ stand for a bar area and boardroom.
Although I chose not to take up the option you could quite easily have watched the game director’s box style from that upstairs bar and I am sure many do.
Next door to the stadium is a special indoor dome for all manner of sports including football.
It was clearly evident how much hard work was being done around the ground in preparation for the game.
Not a stone was left unturned and the place had a real “busy busy” buzzing feel to it.
All of this of course was only possible due to the legion of helpers and volunteers from the turnstiles to the bar area onwards to the match day stewards and the food concourse.
It was quite an operation with at least 30 people helping out by my count (and the chips were nice too!)
Club Football & Community Development Coordinator Barry Stephens explained to me that the club had been busy over the last few years building up a strong youth and community link with various youth sides, all with the aim at looking to build a natural progression into the first team of local players.
All of this is very important and critical aspects for a club at this level to continue to be successful.
This community feel was evident from kick off as a guard of honour made up of Chippenham children who play for one of these junior teams came out with the two teams.
Slough had brought a couple of coaches of supporters and with them the crowd was a healthy 300 strong and for the first time in my wanders I heard the crowd singing at a game.
The Rebels as they are known are part sponsored by MyFootballClub – an initiative that had originally came to fruition at Ebbsfleet United which they part owned with the aim of picking the team.
Eventually the numbers dwindled and their part of the club was sold on. Now they offer a couple of thousand pounds in shirt sponsorship which I believe is on the verge of being renewed.
I still think the internet owned football club is an idea worth pursuing but would only be achievable at a much lower level where fans picking the team wouldn’t be as much as an issue as it was at the Kent club.
The game itself had a mid-table feel about it with both sides finding it a trudge on the heavy surface hindered further by a stiff breeze. Slough hit the post very early on when they should have scored through Ed Smith but little action was forthcoming in the first period.
It wasn’t until visiting keeper Luke Williams (ex of the now defunct Hereford) nearly miskicked it back towards his own goal that proceedings livened up but he recovered just in time to save embarrassment.
Slough had been the more likely particularly through lively winger Josh Parsons but hopefully the fare would improve in the second half.
Sadly the game was starting to follow the same vein upon the resumption before the turning point of the game arrived on 55 minutes.
Parsons broke through again for Slough, only to be denied by an outstanding save from Bluebirds keeper Kent Kauppinen. Chippenham gained confidence from this and within 5 minutes had taken the lead with their first attack.
A long ball was knocked down and fell back into the path of Jordan Roberts who finished emphatically into the corner.
Slough tried to respond but the hosts made it 2 nil with 20 minutes left on their second real attack.
Midfielder Alex Ferguson played a nice one-two with Roberts before finishing in style.
The Bluebirds saw out the rest of the game easily, Kauppinen made another good stop but the Chippenham backline superbly marshalled by man of the match Greg Tindle and skipper Mark Preece never looked like being breached.
The young female referee from Birmingham Lisa Rashid had an excellent game getting all the key decisions right - once again her job made easier by good spirit being shown by the players on the pitch.
I was particularly impressed with her keenness to let the game flow. As a spectator there is nothing worse than constant whistling every few seconds.
The hosts leapfrogged their visitors in the table with the win but at the end of the day as proceedings wound down I was left once more with the feeling that the volunteers, who were once again busily motoring around the outskirts of the pitch in their florescent jackets like a group of worker bees, were far more important than the team on it to their continuing success.
A little help it seems can go a long way and the future looks bright at Chippenham with this fine band of helpers

 

25/2/2015 1:46 PM  #2


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

Some very odd observations and comments by this gentleman in his report in my opinion. Particularly in the last paragragh, quote 'The hosts leapfrogged their visitors in the table with the win but at the end of the day as proceedings wound down I was left once more with the feeling that the volunteers, who were once again busily motoring around the outskirts of the pitch in their florescent jackets like a group of worker bees, were far more important than the team on it to their continuing success' 
I'm not sure what the guy means by stating the volunteers seem more important than the players. As one of those willing volunteers, we all pull together as a team to ensure the stadium is presented in a professional manner so home fans and visiting fans can enjoy their visit to Hardenhuish Park. Equally the players do their best to get the right result for CTFC, which means we all work as one for the club. Our day starts at 7.30am latest on Saturday's for first team games and Park games, and this is our way of demonstrating our desire and passion for the club and its continuing success on and off the pitch.

 

25/2/2015 2:19 PM  #3


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

I think what he ment was that no matter how good the team is, a club at our level is nothing without its trusty band of volunteers - in short without them the clubs would cease to exist.  If this was his intention then I think he got it spot on. Where would any of the teams in the lower leagues be without the volunteers - many of whom beaver away behind the scenes doing things like kit washing, litter picking etc. Well done to all who put their time, effort and no doubt cash sometimes into non league football. I am not one of this band so this isn't a case of self congratulation but more of a small show of appreciation for those who are at whatever club they assist.

 

25/2/2015 3:56 PM  #4


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

Thank you very much for your very kind thoughts Bluebirds2006, and I can see your interpretation of this guy's comments, and yes reading it again you are probably right. As a further point to consider, a lot of supporters probably do not realise that once the season is finished, that is when the volunteers continue to labour and keep the club running. We have the never ending painting/weeding/general tidying to contend with, as well as the monthly quiz's and bingo nights and other social events that continue throughout the close season, that generates funds when revenue through the gate is zero. Why do we do it ? Because we love the club and what it can provide for the community. We as a club get so many compliments on how professional the club is run now, and we would like to push the club forward, hopefully to a higher level. It will happen one day.

 

25/2/2015 6:34 PM  #5


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

misterblowy wrote:

Why do we do it ?....

It's not so you can get a free ticket to the game then......  I'll get my coat. 
 

 

25/2/2015 10:27 PM  #6


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

Just spat my cheese and onion pasty out. Priceless

 

02/3/2015 11:49 AM  #7


Re: Wiltshire Wanderer

Well Done George - spoken like a true Yorkshireman - a chip on both shoulders !!!!!!!

 

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