Cheltenham Town can trace their history back to 1892 when in their first recorded match, the Rubies, as they were known in those days, lost a friendly to a school side. It didn't get much better than that for a long while with the club competing in local leagues until 1932 when at last they decided to take themselves seriously; firstly by moving into their current home at Whaddon Road, secondly by turning semi-pro and joining the Birmingham Senior League, and thirdly by acquiring a new nickname: The Robins. A year later and Cheltenham became giant-killers when they beat Carlisle United in the FA Cup - strangely enough the only time in their entire non-league history they ever beat a Football League side in the FA Cup.

The UCAS Main Stand - mainly seating but with standing areas down at the front. Photo © 2003-04 Ciderspace

In 1935 the club joined the Southern League, where they were to remain for the next 50 years. For the vast majority of that time Cheltenham were - let's be honest - stunningly mediocre, good spells (as in the 50's) being followed by relegation before bouncing back up to the Premier League again. The Robins were at a low ebb when the Conference (or the Alliance Premier as it was known then) was formed in 1979, languishing two divisions below in the Midland Division of the Southern League. Their fortunes began to improve when the Midland Division was won in 82-83, the first championship title win of any note by the club, and two years later the Southern League Premier Division title came to Whaddon Road for the first time, along with Conference football.

In2Print Stand with 1,885 seats, opened in 2001. Part is given to away fans if needed. Photo © 2003-04 Ciderspace

It was something of a false dawn for the club however, and after seven seasons in non-league football's top flight Cheltenham were relegated back down to the Southern Beazer Homes League, their best finish in those years a miserly 11th. The Beazer Homes League proved more to their liking, the Robins finishing runners-up for three years in a row, just failing to bounce back to the Conference. The 1996-97 season proved to be one of the most important in the club's history: For much of the season the club were competing in the title race with local rivals Gloucester City and Gresley Rovers. Gradually Gresley stretched away from the other two sides into a commanding lead in the title race, but it was always clear that Rovers ground would not be suitable for Conference football and the club finishing 2nd in the league would in fact be promoted. The Robins appointed former player Steve Cotterill as manager halfway through the season after Cotterill had previously been turned down by Yeovil after applying for the manager's job there, and the rest, as they say, was history.

Prestbury Road End, the home terrace, which holds 1,980. Photo © 2003-04 Ciderspace

It was an inspired appointment. Cotterill took the Robins to second place ahead of what at the time was the bigger club, Gloucester City. Cheltenham were subsequently promoted, and the following season finished second in the Conference, as well as beating Southport 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Trophy. 1998-99 was to be their last season as a non-league club, the Robins sealing the Conference Championship with a 3-2 win over the Glovers at Whaddon Road.

There have been improvements since our last visit. This half of the away end has gone........ Photo © 2003-04 Ciderspace

Cheltenham started quietly in Divison Three, their first two seasons yielding decent mid-table finishes but pulling up no trees. It was a case of third time lucky however, Cotterill taking the club to promotion via a 3-1 win over Rushden in the play-offs at the Millennium Stadium in 2002. In a 5 year period Steve Cotterill had transformed Cheltenham and taken them from the Midland Division of the Southern League to Division Two of the Football League, a quite remarkable achievement. By now Cotterill had outgrown the club however and had recognised that he had taken them as far as he was likely to be able to and after the Millennium Stadium triumph he left to take over at First Division Stoke City (not that that lasted), former Kidderminster boss Graham Allner getting the Cheltenham job. Division Two proved a tough nut to crack for the Robins however - especially for a squad consisting of more than a few players who had been with the club in their non-league days. After struggling around the relegation zone for most of the season Allner departed to be replaced by the experienced former WBA, Bristol Rovers, Wales and Cardiff City manager Bobby Gould. Results did improve under Gould, but it was a case of just too little, just too late, and the Robins were relegated back down to Division 3 on goal difference on the final day of the 2002-03 season.

.........as has this half. Replaced by an all-seater stand. Photo © 2003-04 Ciderspace

Gould created a tedious team playing dull football and the fans were soon on his back. Oddly though the Board only lost patience hours after one of their better results of the season, a 3-1 victory against er, Yeovil Town at the beginning of October. John Ward took up the reins, and by the time they arrived for the return leg at Huish Park in April they were........a tedious team playing dull football. We subsequently left them behind the following season as Yeovil went up as Champions, but the Robins returned to League One a year later, seeing off a Grimsby side managed by a certain Russell Slade, meaning that there was only a year's gap until rivalries were resumed.

The 2006-07 season saw Cheltenham do what they hadn't managed to do before - stay in League One. A 17th placed finish may be regarded as failure by some clubs, but to Cheltenham it was their finest league achievement, made all the more rosey by the fact that every bookie in the land had them as nailed on relegation favourites (along with some other West Country club!)

Unfortunately for the Robins, such achievements rarely go unnoticed, and on October 2nd 2007, Cheltenham agreed a severance deal with fellow League One side Carlisle United for John Ward to head up to Cumbria and take charge. Assistant boss Keith Downing has taken over the job on a caretaker basis and despite Cheltenham sliding into the relegation zone over the month that has passed, they seem content to allow Downing to continue that role on an ongoing basis. Watch this space ...

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RECENT RESULTS

29/03/2008	Northampton Town	Home	CCL1	D	1-1	4024		Gillespie 39
05/04/2008	Nottingham Forest	Away	CCL1	L	1-3	19860		Gillespie 20
12/04/2008	Walsall	Home	CCL1	L	1-2	4861		Connor 74
19/04/2008	Crewe Alexandra	Away	CCL1	L	1-3	5279		Gillespie 62
26/04/2008	Oldham Athletic	Away	CCL1	L	1-2	6400		Gillespie 50
03/05/2008	Doncaster Rovers	Home	CCL1	W	2-1	6787		Gillespie 24, Connor 85

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name	LGE	FAC	FAT	LGC	CC	Total
Steven Gillespie	14	0	0	0	0	14
Steve Brooker	5	0	0	0	0	5
Paul Connor	4	0	0	0	0	4
David Bird	4	0	0	0	0	4
Damian Spencer	3	0	0	0	0	3
Alex Russell	2	0	0	0	0	2
Gavin Caines	2	0	0	0	0	2
Andy Lindegaard	2	0	0	0	0	2
Ashley Vickers	1	0	0	0	0	1
John Finnigan	1	0	0	0	0	1
Dean Sinclair	1	0	0	0	0	1
Alan Wright	1	0	0	0	0	1
Ashley Vincent	1	0	0	0	0	1
Michael Townsend	1	0	0	0	0	1

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 7043, vs Leeds United, 25/11/2007
Lowest League Attendance: 3169, vs Yeovil Town, 06/11/2007
Average League Attendance: 4310

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	4		Games Without Defeat:	1
Games Without A Home Defeat:	1		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	5		Games Without A Score Draw:	5
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	18		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:	DWWDLW
Away Results Sequence:	LWDLLL		Overall Results Sequence:	DLLLLW

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If you get lost on the way into town, follow signs to town centre. From there, follow signs for Evesham, Broadway or The Racecourse. Then pick up signs to CTFC.



By Road

From M5 South:

Leave M5 at Junction 11.
Third exit at roundabout onto A40 (signposted Cheltenham),
Continue along A40, straight over roundabout (Cheltenham),
At next roundabout, take second exit into Gloucester Road (town centre),
After approx 1 mile, turn left at traffic lights to stay on Gloucester Road (station),
Stay on Gloucester Road, going straight over roundabout (first exit) and straight ahead at next two traffic lights,
At following traffic lights (by Tesco), turn right into High Street (Evesham),
Follow road as it bends left (becoming Poole Way) then right, going through two more traffic lights (Evesham),
Straight ahead at next three traffic lights (now St Margarets Road),
At next traffic lights (Cotswold Inn opposite), turn left into Portland Street (Evesham),
Straight over traffic lights into Evesham Road,
Right at next traffic lights into Wellington Road,
Second exit at roundabout into Prestbury Road,
First right into Whaddon Road.

From M5 North:

Leave M5 at Junction 9,
First exit at roundabout onto A46 (signposted Evesham),
Follow A46 for approx 2 miles, turning right at third traffic lights (Cheltenham),
At T-junction, turn right onto A435 (Cheltenham),
Continue along A435, passing through Bishop's Cleeve and following signs for Cheltenham,
Enter Cheltenham with racecourse on left. Straight over roundabout (third exit) into Evesham Road,
At traffic lights, turn left into Wellington Road,
Second exit at roundabout into Prestbury Road,
First right into Whaddon Road.

From M4 East:

Leave M4 at Junction 15 for Swindon,
Follow A419/A417 until approaching Cheltenham,
At roundabout by Air Balloon pub, take second exit for A436 (signposted Cheltenham East),
Turn left after 100 yards onto B4070 (Leckhampton),
Continue for 2-3 miles. After entering 30 mph zone, turn right into Old Bath Road (Charlton Kings),
Proceed along Old Bath Road, taking first exit at first two roundabouts and second exit at next two roundabouts (signposted Oxford),
Straight over at traffic lights into Hales Road (Broadway),
After approx 0.75 miles, turn left into Whaddon Road,
Continue straight ahead.

From A40 East:

Enter Cheltenham on A40 (London Road),
Straight ahead at first traffic lights (signposted town centre),
At next lights, turn right into Hales Road (Broadway),
After approx 0.75 miles, turn left into Whaddon Road,
Continue straight ahead.

Parking

There is no car parking available for away fans at the ground on match days. On-street parking in the vicinity is also restricted. There is a Park and Ride Shuttle Service from parking at the Cheltenham Racecourse, and this is free. Otherwise it's the town centre car parks at commercial rates or as near as you can get on-street.

By Rail

The stadium is between 2 and 2.5 miles from station.
Buses depart from the station entrance to the town centre every 10 minutes (30 minutes in evening). Journey time approximately 10 minutes. The stadium is about another 10 minutes walk north-east on from the town centre .

If you're walking from the station, turn right out of station car park and follow Queens Road for 0.5 miles.
At end of Queens Road, turn left and follow Lansdown Road for 0.25 miles until reaching Montpellier roundabout.
At roundabout, take first exit into Montpellier Walk (later becoming the Promenade) and continue ahead for 0.5 miles.
At end of Promenade, turn right into High Street.
Go along High Street for 100 yards, then turn left into Winchcombe Street (by C&G Building Society).
Continue straight ahead, as Winchcombe Street becomes Prestbury Road.
At roundabout, continue straight over (third exit, still Prestbury Road).
Take first right into Whaddon Road.

By Bus

The 'A' service runs from the town centre along Whaddon Road. The 'N' and 'W' buses go along Prestbury Road.

By Taxi

A selection of Cheltenham taxi companies can be found here.

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Local Pubs :

Odd place Cheltenham (Spa). Parts of it are very VERY posh indeed; other areas pretty grim. Suppose the cleaners and gardeners of the rich folks have to live somewhere. Whaddon Road is in one of the less er, refined areas of town. The pubs tend to reflect their locations.

The town centre is rather dominated by those "The &" pubs. You know the sort: the Slug & Lettuce chain was one of the early manifestations - and there's one of them. There's also The Fish & Fiddle, The Rattle & Hum (previously The Dog & Donut, previously The Rat & Carrot), The Pump & Optic, It's A Scream (O.K. the word '&' doesn't appear, but it used to be The Festival & Ferkin), and on and on..... These types of pubs are usually renamed and refurbished every five years because their customer base is mainly hordes of 17 to 23 year-olds who won't be seen in the 'same' pub the previous tranche of 17-23 year-olds were frequenting five years before. Plus there will be some sad older hangers-on from that last 'generation', always male, who have failed to get a steady girlfriend, or indeed any sort of girlfriend, as they are social inadequates. They generally serve utter crap, and charge ludicrous prices because...... well they have to pay for that last refurbishment.

Adam and Eve: Most useful for any fans travelling down the M5 from the North and entering Cheltenham off Junction 10 along the A4019. Small quiet terrace local with a bar and lounge, close by the Tesco store, run by the same landlady for close on three decades. Serious skittles venue. Arkell's beers. Doesn't do meals. Opening is 10.00 a.m - 2.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. weekdays, but all day from 10.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. on Saturdays. Adam and Eve, 8 Townsend Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 9HD. Tel: 01242 690030. Map: Click Here.

Closest pub to the stadium © Hugh Gleave Cat & Fiddle Inn: Nearest pub to the ground, in Whaddon Road itself, about a minute or so walk. Obviously very busy with home fans. Fair size with open-plan lounge, pool, and a small garden for good weather. The real ale is Arkell's and there are various ciders. Stella and Calsberg are the lagers. Doesn't do food. Cat & Fiddle Inn, 63, Whaddon Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 5NE. Tel: 01242 525450. Map: Click Here.

Large pub within an easy walk © Hugh Gleave Fox & Hounds: Probably the second closest pub to the ground, and so obviously packed out with home fans. Yeovil fans who used it were positive about their welcome. Largish red brick establishment with two bars and a big games room with several pool tables. Lots of notices listing restrictions on children - though there seemed to be some about. Keg beer and cider dominated. There's a beer garden (well some threadbare grass and a few tables) out the back. Has Sky Sports. Fox & Hounds, 116, Prestbury Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 2DP. Tel: 01242 523095. Map: Click Here.

Hewlett Arms: One of the better pubs within a lengthy but easy stroll of the ground. Close to the racecourse it is popular, and can get very busy. Food is available lunchtimes and evenings, and on busy days there can be a long wait if you haven't booked. Regular beers are Black Sheep, Stanway Stanney and Tetley's. There is a small car park. Hewlett Arms, Harp Hill, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 6QG. Tel: 01242 228600. Map: Click Here.

Cracking little back street pub © Hugh Gleave Kemble Brewery Inn: Also relatively close to the ground (five minutes or so), but in the back streets between Whaddon Road and the town centre, and hard to locate through paths and twisting streets. A small single room pub with open fire that specialises in more obscure real ales - six on at any one time - and also sometimes does a cider. There was Guinness, and two lagers. A limited but good value home made menu of the fry up / chilli variety lunchtimes. Has a walled garden at the back and tables out the front. Open all day Saturday from 11.30 a.m. - 11.30 p.m., and 11.30 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. (3.00 p.m. Friday) and 5.30 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. (midnight Friday) weekdays. Busy with local fans on match days, but less visitors as they can't find it! Worth the effort though. Very friendly, with a real 'traditional local' feel. Kemble Brewery Inn, 27, Fairview Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 2JF. Tel: 01242 243446. Map: Click Here.

Cheltenham's J.D. Wetherspoon © Hugh Gleave Moon Under Water: As the name suggests, the Cheltenham Wetherspoon. Fairly typical of the genre - a large pub in the town centre, fifty yards off the pedestrianised area of the High Street. One slightly unusual aspect is that it looks to be a purpose built pub rather than the conversion of an older building one gets used to with the Wetherspoon chain. A more interesting range of guests when we visited than one often finds too. Opening is Sunday to Thursday 9.00 a.m. – midnight, Friday and Saturday 9.00 a.m. – 1.00 a.m. Moon Under Water, 16-28, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7HA. Tel: 01242 583945. Map: Click Here.

Sudeley Arms - top notch pub © Martin Baker Sudeley Arms: Along the Prestbury Road towards town from the stadium. Less than ten minutes walk from the ground. Range of good real ales, excellent cider, and even a perry. The only food when we were there in 2003 year was rolls. In 2004 even these seemed to have disappeared. However there is a Fish & Chip shop adjacent which was excellent - huge portions and good value for money. No problem with children before or after the game, and welcomes football fans, home and away. Opening is 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Sudeley Arms, 25, Prestbury Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 2PN. Tel: 01242 510697. Map: Click Here.

Town centre outlet © Hugh Gleave Tailors: Just off the High Street. In the new gastro-pub genre, and very popular for food. Tailors, 4, Cambray Place, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1JS. Tel: 01242 255453. Map: Click Here.

Not keen on the colour........ © Hugh Gleave The Fiery Angel: Large recently refurbished pub on the A435 between the centre of town and Whaddon Road. The Fiery Angel, 83, Hewlett Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 6AJ. Tel: 01242 582444. Map: Click Here.

Seven Springs Inn - out of town venue © Martin Baker The Seven Springs Inn: For those that prefer venues out of town this Hungry Horse pub on the junction of the A436 and A435 a few miles south of Cheltenham is a possibility. The Hungry Horse chain specialises in large portions of food at cheap prices. Beers are usually the standard Greene King trio of IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Abbot, though some branch out into a guest. The quality of beer wasn't great when we called in, with little choice as several were off, and what was on not kept particularly well. Nice venue, with a pond. Didn't open until 12.00 - which was a bit of a sod as we got there around 11.30. The Seven Springs Inn, Seven Springs, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 9NG. Tel: 01242 870219. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

No worries, they'm be almost neighbours moy dear! And we don't clash with the Cheltenham Festival, so no need to try out your cod Oirish.

Top-Tip :

Celebrate as much as you can should we win ... we don't normally win once in a row at Whaddon Road, let alone twice in a row!

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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