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A Potted History of Fenton Chess
Club.
1994-2004. |
The club was originally based at the Angel Inn in
Fenton and took the pub's name for the first few years of its
existence. The Angel first dipped its toe tentatively in the
waters of league chess in season 1994/95 and promptly sank
straight to the bottom with just four points from twenty games.
The following season in a re-structured league the club found
itself in Division 4 where they again gained four points from 12
games finishing joint bottom with Pavilion D. So a slight
improvement there!
With an influx of players, two teams were fielded in 1996.
Despite the dismal performances in the previous two seasons, the
powers that be decided to "promote" the A team to a higher
division, with predictable consequences...they lost every game.
The B team to their credit did manage to win five games. The
following year only one team was entered and success was finally
achieved, when they finished runners-up to an all conquering
Cheddleton D side, gaining promotion to the third division. Alas
they were unable to maintain the momentum and were again
relegated after losing every game. The next three seasons saw the
club achieve little apart from the odd win here and there as they
slummed their way around the lower reaches of the league. |
In the summer of 2002/03 it was decided to move
half a mile down the road to the Foley Arms pub. With a new venue
came a new name and Foley Chess Club was born. However the change
did nothing to improve performances over the board as Foley A and
B finished sixth and seventh respectively with only the Blind
S.C. side finishing below them.
It was the season 2003/04 that Foley finally got things right.
With the teams re-organised and the stronger players able to play
on a more regular basis, the A team gained the club's first
silverware by winning the third division title. a double was
nearly achieved when the club reached the under-110 cup final
before losing to a strong Cheddleton side. |
In 2004 the club was on the move again, this time
to the New Penny pub, with a change of name to Fenton Chess club
to reflect the club's geographical area.
Despite more downs than ups, and where bigger and more successful
clubs have fallen by the wayside, the club has managed to keep
going and hopefully will continue pushing pawns, pressing clock
buttons and scribbling down moves for many years to come. |
Written by the Peter Tideswell.
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