Denied

Chelmsford City  2  Concord Rangers  2

National League South

A few years ago I bought a brilliant book written by football historian Dave Twydell called ‘Denied FC’.

The book is essentially the story of all the clubs who tried to gain admission to the Football League prior to automatic promotion and relegation being introduced. It’s a fascinating read, not only to understand the tales of the clubs and why they felt they would be a good addition to the ranks, but also to see the outcomes of the votes at the League AGM’s.

Clubs who’ve applied over the years include some clubs you might not expect such as Annfield Plain, Bridgend Town, Goole Town, Ashton United, Bangor City, Prescot Cables and Rhyl. Whereas there are also some names that leave you scratching your head, such as Argonauts, West Hartlepool, Wakefield City, Castleford Town and Wallasey United.

Of course, there is a list of the big names in non-league football, who year after year seemed to try in vain to make the promised land. Clubs like Boston United, Yeovil Town, Bedford Town and Kettering Town. Indeed, Yeovil Town had the record for the most unsuccessful applications, 28 in total, while in second place, albeit jointly, was Chelmsford City.

Chelmsford City, between 1967 and 1976 applied every season barring one, but the door remained firmly closed on them. In that period Cambridge United and Hereford United, both of whom competed alongside Chelmsford in the Southern League, were admitted at the expense of Bradford Park Avenue and Barrow respectively.

Main Stand

So why did Chelmsford, with the ground and support, and indeed a couple of league titles not get the nod? The voting was not favourable, the best return being eight votes in 1974 (Workington got 21 and remained), and that appeared to be largely down to a lack of consistency on the field. Hereford, Cambridge, and both Wimbledon and Wigan after them, had that consistency which gave the voting members confidence that they were adding strength, Chelmsford did not instill the same levels. Then chuck in the old pals out that abounded as well, and once we got to 1976, City simply gave up trying.

So, and this is the strange thing about it. City were a huge name in the non-league game, but from a timing perspective, a downturn in fortunes couldn’t’ have come at a worse time. The club were struggling somewhat in the late Seventies around the time the Alliance Premier League was formed, and hence they were not in the right league to be considered for election to the new elite division.

Nearly forty years down the line, and Chelmsford City have still never set foot in the top flight of non-league football, and back in the early to mid-Seventies, that would have been unthinkable.

Opposite Side (Sports Centre)

Ok, let’s get it into some perspective. The fantastic stadium at New Writtle Street was sold to developers in 1997, and the club embarked on a spell sharing at both Maldon Town and Billericay Town.  They finally moved back to Chelmsford in 2006 when they took up residence at the Melbourne Stadium.

The period after moving out of Chelmsford saw them playing in the lower divisions of the Southern League for a period, before returning to the Premier Division in 2001. They were transferred laterally to the Isthmian League in 2004, where they remained until 2008 when they were crowned champions.

Since then they’ve been in the Conference / National South, and in the period since arriving, they’ve got an unenviable record of having lost out in the play-offs a staggering five times!

This season, they sit in the play-off places once again and look a good bet to at least be competing in them, whatever happens after that is anyone’s guess, but surely luck would have to change at some point?

Clubhouse In The Distance

I decided to go and have a look. With neighbours and play-off outsiders Concord Rangers in town, it seemed as good a time as any to pay Chelmsford City a visit.

The Melbourne Stadium sits on the North West side of the City, and my access came via Stansted and Great Dunmow, avoiding the busy centre of Chelmsford. The stadium is located in a large housing estate, and forms part of a sports complex that was in situ well before the football club arrived.

It’s an athletics stadium, but the Clarets have worked hard to make it feel like a football ground, in fairness to them. A large car park greets you on arrival, and then once through the turnstiles that sit behind the East goal, the various sheds selling wares are to the right, before the snap wagon and a very smart clubhouse that was busy with punters watching the North London derby on TV.

The Football Ground Feel

The ground is dominated by a large main stand that offers excellent views of proceedings, while opposite is a much smaller seated structure fastened to the side of the sports centre. To give it the feel of a football ground, City have created walkways to areas behind both goals, where terraces have been erected right up to the back of the goals. One is covered, the other is open to the elements.  They might be temporary structures in terms of the build, but they do allow fans to group together and create some atmosphere.

I liked it, it did feel like a football ground, probably also helped by the fact just short of 1,200 spectators had pitched up on a lovely Spring day to watch the game.

The game was very engaging. Rod Stringer’s side may be on a charge at the moment, but ex-Leatherhead boss Sammy Moore is doing a great job at Concord, who with their small crowds are definitely punching above their weight.

Packed Clarets

Scott Fenwick gave the hosts and 18^th minute lead with a low drive from the edge of the box, but Concord were back in the game in the 36^th minute when Alex Wall saw his low shot creep in at the far post.

Concord took the lead early in the second half when the experienced Jack Midson dispatched a penalty following a hand ball, but the goal of the game came in the 79^th minute when Chris Whelpdale produced a mazy run akin to Ricky Villa in the 1981 Cup Final, and just like Villa, he found the back of the net!

With six minutes added on at the end, City threw everything at it, but it was to no avail and they had to settle for a point. Results were in their favour though with teams around them dropping points, so the charge to the play-offs continues.

After being denied so many times in their efforts to join the professional ranks, all they want to do now is sit at non-league’s top table. With football back in Chelmsford, a fantastic support base, and being so near yet so far over the past few seasons, maybe the time is now.

No neutral would surely deny them that?

Action