History
Cheshunt FC was the oldest amateur team in Hertfordshire back in 1931. Then the club disbanded, only to reform the year after the Second World War ended.
A gentlemen’s amateur side of the same name preceded the current club. They were formed in 1880 and competed in the Athenian league, having future Spurs Manager Arthur Rowe amongst their numbers, before folding in 1931.
A new Club was formed in 1946, making national headlines only four years later when they knocked holders Bromley out of the Amateur Cup in front of a still-record 5,000 spectators at their newly opened Cheshunt Stadium on Theobalds Lane. Over the next twenty years the Club switched various leagues before finally emulating their old namesakes and joining the Athenian league in 1964, gaining promotion to the top division under former Spurs and Wales winger Terry Medwin a few years later.
The 1970’s saw the arrival of John Drabwell as Manager and during his spells in charge, the London Charity Cup, the Athenian league and Cup double and entry into the Isthmian league were all achieved. In 1978 the Ambers also reached the FA Cup 4th qualifying round for the fourth time, an achievement they have yet to equal or better.
Four years later they were knocked out of the last eight of the FA Vase, the furthest they’ve gone in any national competition, and also saw the beginning of a young Iain Dowie’s career who would go onto great success both as a top flight player, a Northern Ireland international and eventually as a premier league manager.
Takeovers and withdrawals saw the near collapse of the club in the mid-80’s causing them to tumble down into the Spartan league before returning to the Isthmian league six years later.
New Manager Andy Leese took over in 2002 and guided his side to two successive promotions and the top of the Isthmian premier league before his sudden departure and near relegation in 2005 when the club was switched across to the Southern premier league.
Relegation back to the lower Isthmian divisions came after three nail-biting seasons and another frustrating ten years would follow as the Club’s new Chairman and owner, Dean Williamson, went through several managers before appointing Craig Edwards in January 2018.
Initially steering his side away from relegation, everything then clicked for Edwards and his team halfway through the following campaign and promotion to the Isthmian Premier league was achieved with victory in the play-off final against Bracknell Town.
With level-three football finally regained and major plans for redevelopment of the ground in hand, things were looking good for the Ambers. However, two seasons of limited opportunities frustrated players & staff alike as the Covid pandemic saw the 19/20 and 20/21 curtailed. Working behind closed doors within health guidelines the club retained most of the squad built for step three, and made a flying start to life in the Isthmian Premiership in the club’s 75th Anniversary year.
A fantastic FA trophy run saw the club advance further than ever before finally going out to Vanarama National League champions Stockport County 1-0 in the 5th round. The Trophy run coincided with a slump in league form and a backlog of fixtures, the Ambers recovered in the latter stages of the season securing a play off place with one game in hand, and winning the Herts FA Senior Cup for the first time. Play off wins, away from home, over Bishop’s Stortford & Hornchurch see Cheshunt FC start the 22/23 season at the highest point of the football pyramid achieved in their 75 year history.
Life at step 2 of the pyramid was short-lived after the team didn’t recover from a poor start to the season & spent most of the year in and around the relegation places, relegation aside, it was a great experience with the club learning a lot from it on and off the pitch, and having had a taste of National League Football the objective is to do it again. With the fan base growing the stadium has had additional seven step terracing added to both ends of the ground and another 250 seats added to the Sports Bar Stand. The club continues to grow with Walking Football, Inclusive teams, A Women’s Team and an ever expanding Youth section all seeing success over recent seasons.
