Football Focus Issue 81 | Page 64

Chertsey Town FOLLOW US ONLINE TWITTER.COM/FOOTYFOCUSMAG Chertsey Town FOOTBALL CLUB By David Rayner Past Chairman/Current Director of Football Following a year on the Board at Hillingdon Borough FC in the 1977/78 season (the local league club to my business) I joined Newbury Town FC as Chairman in 1982 through to 1986, taking them from the Athenian League to the Ryman’s League. However during the course of the 1987/88 season I was asked to sponsor the match for the last 16 of the FA Vase at Chertsey which ended in a 0-0 draw and the following week attended the replay at Falmouth, which they won, subsequent to which I became Chairman. It was evident that the ground was in need of repair if success was to occur and the necessary ground gradings obtained if promotion was to come about. After five seasons the ground was complete and in 1992/93 promotion was achieved to Division 2 of the Isthmian League. This was followed by the greatest season in the club’s history. 64 Issue 81 With 102 points, a runner’s up promotion to Division 1 was nailed. The League Cup was also secured beating five premier sides on the way and beating Enfield 3-0 in the final. The Carlsberg Trophy was won in the same season along with the Charity Shield, beating Stevenage in the final 5-0. The Isthmian League also awarded Chertsey Town F.C. the Team of the Season Trophy. Further promotion to the Premier Division followed which saw consolidation in the first season but relegation after that. I stood down as Chairman in 1997 after nine years. Following my departure Chertsey struggled in the seasons to come but had a revival in the middle 2000’s only to return to the Combined Counties’ Premier Division in the 2013/14 season where they consistently struggled to avoid relegation. Having always followed Chertsey from my first involvement in 1987/88 and recently retired, the desire to return in the 25th Anniversary of the club’s greatest season was too great, with many committee members still at the club and long standing secretary of 43 years Chris Gay, the current Chairman Steve Powers and committee of 21 welcomed me back as a committee member giving