Pitching In to the Isthmian League: Chatham Town

1. Tell us how you became a fan? What attracted you to the club initially?

I’m relatively new to the club, having moved to Medway in December 2020. Once football restarted following the pandemic, I decided to follow the local club and stumbled across the Chats, which was a 15-minute walk from my front door! After a couple of pre-season friendlies, I was hooked, and bought a season ticket for the 2021 / 2022 season.

2. And what is it about the club that has kept you there since?

Chatham Town is rooted in the local community. The club was recently awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. There is a strong community feel at the club, both on and off a matchday.

In addition, the Bauvill is a great little venue to watch football, especially with the team’s attacking style of football.

3. What does a typical home matchday look like for you?

My typical matchday will start at The George in Rochester for a couple of beers before the game. I will then normally get to the ground for around 2:30 with whoever I can convince to come along (either my Dad or my mate Kev). We will normally stick around in Bobby’s bar until about 6ish after the game to discuss the result before heading off!

4. Is there a moment in the history of your club that supporters always talk about? What would it be- and why is it important to you all?

I feel like a bit of a fraud trying to answer this question given that I have only had a season ticket for one year. However, the 2021/2022 season was great. The Chats finished on 100 points, narrowly finishing second to Sheppey. Honestly, who doesn’t win the league with 100 points! Although I saw the Chats score 10 on two occasions last season, my personal highlights were the late 1-0 away win at Tunbridge Wells (limbs!) and coming from 2-0 down to beat Punjab United in the last 20 minutes. It was a fun season though.

On a side note, Chatham actually has a bit of FA Cup heritage. The Chats actually once reached the FA Cup quarter-final (ok it was back in 1889), beating Nottingham Forest on the way. The Royal Engineers, also based in Chatham, beat Old Etonians to win the 1875 FA Cup at the Oval.

5. For the benefit of those who haven’t visited before, describe your ground.

The Bauvill has three stands, including a seated stand alongside the pitch, and a new terraced stand behind the goal. The ground includes Bobby’s Bar which has a good selection of reasonably priced drinks. It is worth getting to the ground early, to catch the early kick off on a Saturday. After the game, the bar usually has a happy hour and often there is live music. There is a food hut too, which serves burgers, chips and hot drinks.

6. If an away fan was travelling to your ground for the first time, how would you recommend they got there? Tell us about parking and public transport.

Chatham station is just under a mile from the ground, so it is a fairly short walk. It is uphill the whole way though! You can catch the 101 bus up the hill which takes only a few minutes.

The Bauvill has a fairly well-sized car park, however, this usually is full well before kick off. There are residential roads around the stadium to park, if you choose to drive.

7. Are there any local sights or amenities you’d recommend they visit? Tourist attractions, pubs etc?

Chatham and the wider Medway area has a rich history that makes it a great day trip for visiting fans. Chatham was the original home of the Royal Navy, and was where Lord Nelson’s ship HMS Victory, was built. Although the dockyard closed in 1984, this has been re-developed, with pubs, shops and restaurants. My personal favourite is the Ship & Trades, but if you are a fan of gin or whiskey, the Copper Rivet Distillery is a must-visit.

However, there are some great pubs much nearer to the ground. If you like real ale and craft beer, The Dead Pigeon and 12 Degrees micropub are around a 10-minute walk from Chatham station. If you want something right by Chatham station, we have Thomas Waghorn (the local Wetherspoons) which is a 2-minute walk, or The Alexandra (right outside), which I must confess that I have never visited.

If you plan to stay in Chatham for food after the match, there are some really nice options too. The Fire Station has really good food and has live acoustic music. Café Nucleus also offers a good range of food.

If you plan to stay in the area for the night, Rochester is great for an evening out. Rochester was the homeplace of Charles Dickens, inspiring many of his books. However, in the evening it has many great places to drink, including Three Sheets to the Wind (an Austrian pub with a great beer garden), Oliver’s (for a drink & dance) and The Cheese Rooms (for food, wine and good beer).

8. Finally, pie, burger or pint? What would you recommend, and why?

An afternoon at the football isn’t complete for me without a burger, complete with onions and burger sauce. Normally topped off with a couple of Moretti’s from Bobby’s.

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