Cheltenham has a long history of football prior to The Robins. In 1849, the first use of three official referees in a match, two in field and one in tribune was recorded in the town. However, the modern club was founded in 1887 by Albert Close White. Cheltenham joined the Southern League in 1935 and won promotion to the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference National) in 1985, but were relegated seven years later. They were promoted back to the Conference in 1997 and two years later gained promotion to the Football League. After two mid-table finishes in Division Three (now League Two) they won via the playoffs and were promoted to Division Two.
The appointment of Steve Cotterill as manager during the 1996-97 was the start of a revolution at the club. He is Cheltenham Town's most successful manager. Four months after taking charge he guided the club to runners-up spot in the Dr Martens Premier League (Southern Football League Premier Division), but they won promotion to the Conference because Dr Martens Premier League champions Gresley Rovers were unable to meet the required ground capacity for Conference membership. In 1997-98, Cheltenham surprised all the observers by finishing runners-up in the Conference and giving champions Halifax Town a run for their money right up until the end of April, and securing a place at Wembley in the FA Trophy final, beating Southport 1-0 in front of a crowd of some 27,000 of which 19,000 were from Cheltenham. In 1998-99 Cheltenham went one better and secured the Conference title - their passport to the football league.
After two mid-table finishes in Division Three, Cheltenham finally won promotion to Division Two (via the Division Three playoffs) at the end of the 2001-02 season. Shortly after winning promotion, Steve Cotterill left Cheltenham to pursue his career by joining Stoke City as manager.
Meanwhile, Cheltenham replaced Cotterill with first-team coach Graham Allner who had won the Conference championship with Kidderminster Harriers in 1994. Allner and assistant manager Mike Davis, who was originally assistant to Cotterill, were sacked in January 2003, after just six months in the job, with Cheltenham hovering near the foot of Division Two. Cheltenham turned to Bobby Gould, one of the most experienced managers in English football whose exploits include an FA Cup victory with Wimbledon in 1988. Cheltenham continued to struggle and defeat in their final game of the season condemned the club to relegation back to Division Three after just one season.
Gould resigned as Cheltenham Town manager in November 2003 and was replaced by the experienced John Ward, who has been an assistant manager with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Watford, and a manager with Bristol City, Bristol Rovers and York City.
During the 2005-06 season, a new stand for visiting fans was added (The Carlsberg Stand) and a small electronic scoreboard was installed. The club punched above its weight and finished the season in 5th, earning a place in the play-offs. In the semi-final Cheltenham beat Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 away and drew 0-0 in the second leg at Whaddon Road. In the play-off final, Cheltenham beat Grimsby Town 1-0, securing a place in League One for 2006-07. The match at the Millennium Stadium on 28 May 2006 was attended by 29,196 people, making it the club's largest ever stadium audience. However despite promotion, attendances have not increased as the club hoped, though they increased to 4359. The club were knocked out of the various cup competitions in early stages and were finding it difficult to muster up the funds to invest in additional players. However, with the prudent guidance of chairman Paul Baker and the rest of the board of directors the club is in a stable financial position, preferring not to risk this stability by taking gambles on expensive signings.
Cheltenham opened up the 2007-08 season with a 1-0 win against Gillingham, but suffered an early exit to Southend United 4-1 from the Carling Cup. By the beginning of October, Cheltenham had failed to win at home since the opening day of the season. Results took a turn for the worst with the club going four games without a win. Following Cheltenham's 3-0 defeat to Port Vale, John Ward announced he had agreed a four year contract with League One side Carlisle United and would begin his tenure the following day on 3 October 2007. Ward said he couldn't turn down the possibility of managing a team who could soon be playing in the English Championship. He left the club lying 23rd in the league, above only one team and are now expected to struggle to avoid relegation.
Keith Downing was appointed caretaker manager until the position could be filled. Martin Allen was linked with the club, as many fans believed that Downing was the wrong choice due to his close links to Ward. Cheltenham's results after Downing took charge were mixed, which left many fans disgruntled with Downings tactics, which appeared as one dimensional as Wards were.
On 25 November 2007, a sell-out Whaddon Road enjoyed a brave performance against Leeds United, which, after riding their luck, the Robins won 1-0 thanks to an 86th minute winner by in-form striker Steven Gillespie. The result is now one of the most famous in the clubs recent history.
In January 2008, Cheltenham won four games in a row, the first time the club had achieved this feat since joining the Football League in 1999. During these games they didn't even concede. After the 1-0 loss to Millwall at the end of January, manager Keith Downing was pipped to the Manager of the Month award by Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez. Steven Gillespie was nominated for Player of the Month, but he too was pipped to the post by Edrissa Sonko of Walsall.
After a run of bad results, Cheltenham had a five match unbeaten run from March to April - starting with a stunning 2-1 victory over Leeds at Elland Road, as Cheltenham became the only team to complete the double over them that season.
Cheltenham's survival was secured on the final day of the season as they beat Doncaster Rovers 2-1 at Whaddon Road, denying their opposition automatic promotion.
Early in the 2008–09 season Keith Downing parted company with Cheltenham Town who replaced him with Martin Allen. Allen's team started poorly with a club record seven defeats in a row, part part of a 15 game run without a victory. The club narrowly avoided administration, and the 10-point penalty which would go with it, before Allen revealed that all the players at the club were up for sale.
Cheltenham were relegated back to League Two after three seasons in League One after a 1-1 draw against Carlisle United on the 25th April 2009.
1932-33 - Joined Birmingham Combination
1935-36 - Joined Southern League, Western Section. Also played in Central Section
1955-56 - Southern League runner-up
1963-64 - Promoted to Premier Division
1968-69 - Relegated to Division One
1976-77 - Southern League Division One North runner-up; promoted to Premier Division
1979-80 - League re-organised to Southern & Midland Divisions (No Premier); placed in Midland Division
1982-83 - Southern League Midland Division Champions; promoted to Premier Division
1984-85 - Southern League Champions
1985-86 - Joined Alliance Premier League
1986-87 - Alliance Premier League renamed Conference
1988-89 - Involved in highest scoring game ever to be played on a Sunday v Kettering Town, the game ending 7-4.
1991-92 - Relegated to Southern League Premier Division
1992-93 - Southern League runner-up
1993-94 - Southern League runner-up
1994-95 - Southern League runner-up
1996-97 - Southern League runner-up, Promoted to Conference due to Gresley Rovers ground failing the requirements
1997-98 - Rejoined Conference. Conference runner-up. FA Trophy Winners
1998-99 - Conference Champions; Promoted to Football League Third Division; FA Trophy semi-finalists
2001-02 - Promoted to Football League Second Division after play-offs
2002-03 - Relegated to Football League Third Division
2004-05 - Football League Third Division became known as League 2
2005-06 - Promoted to League One through end-of-season play-offs
2006-07 - Survived the threat of relegation from League One
2007-08 - Survived the threat of relegation from League One for the second successive season
2008-09 - Relegated back to League Two |