The History of Cheltenham Town FC: The Rise of the Robins

May 1, 2011
Steve Rogerson

Whaddon Road, home of Cheltenham Town FC - Photo by Steve Rogerson

English League Two side Cheltenham Town are enjoying their early years as a Football League club after rising through the ranks of non-league football.

Cheltenham Town, known as the Robins, are a small League Two club in Gloucestershire and play their football from a friendly stadium on Whaddon Road. There is though a bit of doubt as to how old this club is with evidence suggesting both 1892 and 1887 as possible formation dates.

The club’s rise from non-league obscurity to Football League status is more easy to trace, going back to 1997 when Steve Cotterill became manager and in one season took them from the Southern League to the Conference and then two years later to the Football League.

The Early Days of Cheltenham Town

Many histories list the club as being formed in 1892 and until not long ago the club themselves had that as their formation date. However, the club are now claiming that 1887 is the correct date after discovering evidence that this was the year local man Albert Close White returned to the town as a teacher and brought with him the game of football, holding trials to start the team on the Earls Glos Cricket Ground. However, football was not totally new to the town as there is a record of a game being played there in 1849, noted for being the first time three referees were used in a match.

Early games were played at Agg-Gardener’s Recreation Ground and Carter’s Field and some on another pitch on Whaddon Road close to site of the current stadium. In those days, the club colours were ruby red and they were known as the Rubies. They changed to the current bright red in 1932 and the nickname switched to the Robins as a result. This was also the year they set up residence at the current ground on Whaddon Road.

In 1933, the club turned professional and joined the Birmingham Combination league. There was early success that year as they knocked league club Carlisle United out of the FA Cup and had 10,000 spectators for their third round tie against Blackpool, which they lost.

In 1935, Cheltenham Town joined the Southern League, where they struggled until 1956 when they finished runners-up to Guildford City. Two years later, they lifted the Southern League Cup. However, in 1962 they were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division to the First Division but came back up again two years later. In 1969, they were relegated again but reached the Southern League Cup final, losing 1-0 to Cambridge United. They had to wait until 1977 for their next promotion.

By the time they won their first league title in 1983, the league was called the Southern League Midland Division. They won the Southern League proper in 1985 and were promoted to the Conference. They lasted seven years at this level before relegation back to the Southern League followed in 1992.

The Steve Cotterill Era

The 1996-97 season saw the club in a three-horse race for the Southern League championship with Gresley Rovers and Halesowen Town. Steve Cotterill took over as manager part way through that season and, though they only finished runners up, they were allowed promotion to the Conference as Gresley Rovers’ ground was not up to scratch.

In their first season in the Conference, they finished runners-up and the club reached the third round of the FA Cup and were at one point ahead against Reading before the bigger club rallied and won. The following season they won the Conference and promotion to the Football League.

Their first year in the Football League saw them narrowly miss out on reaching the play-offs. In 2001, they reached the fifth round of the FA Cup with wins over Oldham Athletic and Burnley and in the league they did reach the play-offs and earned promotion to the third tier after beating Rushden & Diamonds in the final.

This success attracted the attention of bigger clubs and at the end of the season Steve Cotterill left to become manager of Stoke City.

Cheltenham Town Today

Without Cotterill at the helm, the club were relegated straight back to the fourth tier. More play-off success though was not long away and a win over Grimsby Town took them bock to the third tier in 2006. This time they stayed there for three season before being relegated back to League Two, where they still are today.