Chertsey

1890–1963: Formation and early origins

Evidence of organised football in Chertsey goes back to the 19th century, although county affiliation did not immediately occur. Chertsey Football Club was officially registered in September 1890 and played its early matches in the West Surrey League. The club's first success came in the Surrey Junior Cup in 1897, and after a one-year postponement, the competition became the East and West Surrey League. A second halt in action followed during World War I, and Chertsey Town subsequently joined the Surrey Intermediate League in 1919. The club rejected an invitation to become founder members of the Surrey Senior League in 1923, and they remained in the league for two decades before World War II forced another break.

In 1946, the Curfews attained senior status and finally joined the Surrey Senior League. The club later became known as Chertsey Town Football Club in 1951. After a few seasons of adapting to their new level, the club enjoyed a halcyon period and lifted their first league title during the 1569–60 season. They repeated their league success twice in the following three years, while also lifting the League Cup three times.

1963–1986: Turning professional and returning to local football

Due to the static nature of amateur football, the club could not progress to the preferred Corinthian League, and opted to turn professional to join the Metropolitan League in 1963. The league consisted of several 'A' teams of professional clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. However, after three seasons, the club decided the cost was too much to bear and temporarily joined the lower levels of the Greater London League for a single season. In 1967, the club joined the Spartan League and spent several seasons in the bottom half of the table.

The Curfews enjoyed brief success as league and cup runners-up in the 1974–75 season, and became founder members of the London Spartan League the following year due to a merger with the Metropolitan-London League. However, they finished bottom of the league in the first season and consequently joined the Athenian League Division Two. After another bottom placed finish, the Athenian League Divisions One and Two merged and Chertsey Town faced an uninspiring seven-year spell, enduring two further bottom placed finishes and only a single top 10 finish. In 1984, the club joined the Isthmian League Division Two South but continued to struggle on the pitch. Just two wins from 36 matches and a three-point deduction saw the club finish bottom of the league and relegated to the Combined Counties League. Nonetheless, success quickly returned to Alwyns Lane as the Curfews finished second and lifted the League Cup before returning to the Isthmian League.

1986–2006: Becoming Isthmian League regulars

Chertsey Town's return to the Isthmian League immediately proved more successful with consecutive sixth-placed finishes. The club endured several strong seasons in the coming years, but were forced to join the new Division Three after a divisional split in 1991. However, the Curfews ensured their spell was a brief one and scored 115 goals en route to a runner's up position and a promotion spot. Following a season of consolidation back in Division Two, the club enjoyed another high-scoring campaign and netted 121 times as they finished one point below the league champions, while also lifting the League Cup, League Charity Shield and Carlsberg Trophy. Chertsey's dominant performances continued with the step up to Division One, and the club once again finished as the league's highest scorers while securing a promotion in third place.

The Curfews enjoyed a respectable 15th-place finish in their maiden campaign in the Premier Division, but struggled in the following 1996–97 season. A late rally of results proved insufficient in taking Chertsey off the bottom of the table and the club suffered their performance-based relegation in over a decade. After two seasons of mid-table obscurity, the 1999–2000 season produced another relegation back down to Division Two. Respectable positions were attained for the next two seasons before an Isthmian League re-structuring saw Chertsey Town allocated to the Division One South. However, the step up immediately proved too much for the club, and 139 goals conceded in 46 matches led to a return to Division Two. The Curfews found their footing in the division with top six finishes in all three seasons, but the dissolution of the division meant the club were allocated back to the Combined Counties League in 2006.