The Market Towns of Ramsey and Chatteris along with the villages of Warboys and Somersham are all within a close distance to each other in Cambridgeshire and all have football teams who have played at higher level in the non-league football pyramid than they currently occupy.
Ramsey Town, formed in 1880, played in the United Counties League from 1985 to 1997 and won Division One in the 88/89 season scoring 103 goals in just 36 league games. They finished second in 90/91 scoring 119 goals in the same amount of league games with only Daventry Town having a better playing record who won the league. The Rams were denied promotion to the Premier Division as their Cricketfield Lane ground was deemed inadequate for that higher level of football.
Chatteris Town, formed in 1920, joined the Eastern Counties League in 1966 and played in the top division until relegation in 94/95 season. In 1988 a crowd of 2,000 was present at their West Street home to see their game against local rival's March Town United who needed to win to clinch the league title. The Lillies continued to play in the ECL until 2001 when despite a fifth placed finish they dropped out of the league for financial reasons and moved back to The Peterborough & District League transferring over to the Cambridgeshire County League in 2008.
2021/22 - Currently 7th in the Cambridgeshire County Senior A (Step 8)
Warboys Town, formed in 1885, played in the United Counties League Division Two in the 1950s and then in 1988 joined the Eastern Counties League from the Peterborough & District League. The early to mid 90s were highly successful spell for The Witches as they finished 3rd, 3rd and then 2nd in the Division One table to achieve promotion to the Premier Division in 1996. In 99/00 they got through to the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup beating Bury Town and Great Yarmouth Town before losing to Witney Town. In 2001 they were relegated back to Division One and struggled suffering from player shortages eventually withdrawing from the league in November 2003.
For the 2021/22 season Warboys Town and Ramsey Town find themselves in the same league being the Peterborough & District League Division One which is at Step Eight of the non-league ladder. The Witches won 2-3 at The Rams earlier in the season - A big crowd is expected in the return game scheduled for Saturday 9th April.
Things are looking up for Warboys Town, who I visited on Saturday, as they are currently top of the table and looking at return to the Premier Division for the 22/23 campaign. They have been playing at their Forge Way home since they were formed 137 years ago and what a lovely ground and club house it is with a main stand and floodlights in place - I would say it's probably one of the best at this level of football in the country.
The visitors had made the trip down from Wisbech and have had a up and down season so far losing three, winning six and drawing two of their league games played. Wisbech Town Reserves had won their previous game 5-2 at home to Pinchbeck United Reserves with Dan Hempson scoring 4 goals so would of been full of confidence going into the game. Hempson was missing from the squad for this game.
Warboys Town didn't give up and scored two more goal to make the final score 3-2 which was somewhat harsh on the visitors who grafted throughout the game and were unlucky not to take a point. They can take lots of confidence into their cup game at Premier Division side Wittering Premiair next weekend.
Wisbech manager Jonny Pearce said after the game "So proud of the lads who pushed the league leaders all the way today and is a big step forward to where we want to be. For such a young squad the boys held their own today, the only way is up"
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