Let’s start at the very beginning; a very good place to start. When you read, you begin with “A-B-C”. And, when you’re Boro’, you begin with “O-N-C” – or ON Chenecks, to be exact. Four years after emerging from the ashes of the fallen Athletic, the Chens are the team against whom it all began for us; our first-ever opponents after stepping up to senior football in 1980. Maybe we should invite ’em to a pre-season friendly on our 50th birthday or anniversary of joining the United Counties League? The Chens were still in the UCL until summer 2022.
Of course, few have the honour of saying “we were there” for what was a Big Bang moment for Boro’. And one team wrote themselves into history as our first senior opposition too…
ON Chenecks: The Facts
Old Northamptonians Sports Ground
Billing Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 5RX
That particular team is, was and forever shall be ON Chenecks; club no. 2 in our database (after ourselves) and the opposition in match no.1. You see, everything that has followed stems from that balmy August afternoon back in 1980. We presume it was balmy, by the way. It was August, so it had to be. Anyway, we know how Boro’ came to be on the pitch that day. The Chens, however? Their tale is a little longer. Not by much, mind; formed in 1946 as Chenecks FC to let boys at “the rugby-playing Northampton Grammar School to play football”.
The name is an acronym, drawing on the names of four school houses. The ON part of the name came into the equation in 1960, meanwhile; the Old Northamptonians inviting the club to become one of their ‘sections’. It’s also what took them to their current Billing Road home. In 1969, senior football beckoned as the Chens joined the United Counties League for the first time. The club have been there ever since, twice winning the Division One title (1978 and 1980) and finishing second on another two occasions (1979 and 2016).
ON Chenecks: Record vs Boro'
Pl
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts*
WR%
Overall
3
2
1
0
10
6
4
4
67%
Home
2
2
0
0
8
4
4
3
100%
Away
1
0
1
0
2
2
0
1
0%
League
2
1
1
0
5
3
2
4
50%
Cup
1
1
0
0
5
3
2
n/a
100%
* league points only
ON Chenecks: Result-by-Result (Boro' Scoring First)
How to get to ON Chenecks – Travel Information – Distance: 47 miles
By Road
You’re heading towards Northampton for this one, so take the M1 north until Junction 15. Here, exit for the A45 and continue for 3.6 miles. At the exit for the A428, leave the A45 and take the second exit from the roundabout for the A5095 Rushmere Road.
After nearly a mile, turn left onto Billing Road and the ground is up here.
Now, we believe the ground to be on the right hand side of the road but do make sure of this. In any case, the various sports pitches around this area do have parking spaces that should be capable of meeting demand.
By Rail
Station: NORTHAMPTON
Services to: LONDON EUSTON
It’s a 1.8-mile walk to the ground. Come out of the station and turn left onto Black Lion Hill; cutting across to Mare Fair straight on after this. Go past the cinema and onto Gold Street. Then it’s straight on for George Row. And straight on again for St Giles’ Square. Next, turn left-ish for St Giles’ Street.
It’s then straight on (again) for Spencer Parade and, oh, straight on again for Billing Road.
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