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From strength to strength

A brief History

After playing friendly matches, the club joined the Central Village League,and were Division Two champions in 1951–52. However, they folded in the late 1950s or early 1960s, before being re-established in 1967, when they joined Division Two of the Central Northamptonshire Combination. They were promoted to Division One in the early 1970s, and a fourth-place finish in Division One in 1977–78 saw them promoted to the Premier Division. A period of success in the early 1980s saw them win the Premier Division title in 1980–81 and finish as runners-up the following season. They went on to win back-to-back titles in 1982–83 and 1983–84.

After finishing third in the Premier Division in 1984–85, Cogenhoe joined Division One of the United Counties League. After finishing second-from-bottom in their first season in the league and being forced to apply for re-election, the 1986–87 season saw them finish second in Division One, earning promotion to the Premier Division. They won the Premier Division Knock-Out Cup in 1995–96 and 1999–2000, and finished as Premier Division runners-up in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. In 2004–05 the club won the Premier Division.

Compton Park

The Ground

The club played on several pitches around the village before settling at the Playing Fields in 1950, with the first match played against Northampton Yeomanry. However, in order to gain promotion to the United Counties League, the club were required to build a new ground. A site was leased from the Marquis of Northampton, on which Compton Park was established. The first competitive match played at Compton Park was the club's final match in the Northamptonshire Central Combination before moving up to the United Counties League, with Cogenhoe beating Bugbrooke St. Michaels 1–0. An official opening match was arranged with Manchester United.

Floodlights were installed in 1992. The ground currently has a capacity of 5,000, of which 100 is seated and 200 covered.

Ground LocationClub Honours
Cogenhoe Football ground
Performance & Achievements

Honours

1950-92

The early days of Cogenhoe were not documented and are now obscured by the mist of time. Inter village friendlies gradually led to membership of the now extinct Central Village League. As typical with village football, a variety of pitches were ‘home’ until in 1950 the first game, against Northampton Yeomanry, was played on the then new playing field.

New purpose built facilities were developed together with a new spectator stand which gained us promotion into the UCFL, for the season 1985/86. The first competitive match at Compton Park was our final match in the Central Combination, when The Cooks defeated Bugbrooke St.Michaels, 1-0 with Jason Moore scoring the historic first goal. Compton Park was officially opened when Ron Atkinson, then manager of Manchester United brought a team to play in the inaugural game.

The Cooks entered the F.A. Vase for the first time in 1988/89 and at the end of the season, Brian Foley stepped down as Chairman after 21 years loyal service. This achievement was recognised and Brian was elected Vice President of the United Counties Football League.

Cogenhoe United Under-18’s side was elected to the Northamptonshire Senior Youth League in 1991/92 and won the Championship at the first attempt. This was followed with the excellent news that further land was obtained for youth pitches to be developed.

1992-05

The first team entered the F.A. Cup for the first time in 1994/95. In the subsequent three seasons Steve and Dino guided the team to further success culminating in the most successful season campaign in The Cooks history. Runners-Up in the UCFL Premier Division, Winners of the UCFL Knock Out Cup and Buckingham Charity Cup plus Runners-Up in the Daventry Charity Cup. In the Northants Senior Youth League, the club’s Under-18’s were not to be outdone by winning the League Knockout Cup and finishing Runners-Up in the League.

Another former Northampton Town midfielder was appointed as First Team Manager. Adam Sandy took the hotseat and linked up with former Cooks legend Dino Cirelli to become his assistant. They finished the 2003/04 season in sixth place and Runners-Up in the Daventry Charity Cup. Dino Cirelli retired at the end of the season.

In the following season, 2004/05, Dave Jones stepped up from Reserve Team Coach to assist Adam and the season became a very successful affair. The last game of the UCFL season finished with The Cooks playing Potton (1st vs 2nd) in a winner takes all game. Cogenhoe only required a draw to clinch our first UCFL title and the game ended 2-2 making sure the trophy came to Compton Park.

2005-17

During the 2005/06 season, Cogenhoe acheived their best ever run in the FA Cup. The Cook’s eventually lost in extra time, in a replay, to Chasetown 4-3.

In 2006/07, The Cooks equaled their best run in the FA Vase by going out to Causeway United, after extra time, in the fourth round. At the end of the season, the club announced the appointment of Darren Collins as 1st Team Manager as Adam Sandy resigned.

Chapman started the 2017/18 season with former Cooks Neil Champlovier (assistant) and Jamie Wright (player-coach) to help him out but things didn’t totally go to plan. Wright was injured very early on and wasn’t seen again, while injuries and too many players making themselves unavailable for games meant the side was changed every week and piled the pressure on the Cooks gaffer. After a home defeat to Harborough Town in October 2017, Tom resigned out of the blue with the Cooks fourth from bottom, but still in the F.A Vase. Jake Stone stepped up from the reserves as caretaker-manager as was eventually persuaded to take the role on full-time with the Vase run continuing and an eight-game winning run helping us to finish as the UCL’s highest Northamptonshire club in 8th spot. The F.A Vase ended at home to Wolverhampton Community Sporting 2-3 in the 3rd Round proper, but those wins at Histon and Great Wakering Rovers will go down as some of the best results in the club’s history as they equalled their best ever run.

2017-Present

2020/21 started later than usual as football was allowed to return as we saw a dip in Covid cases, but it was on everybody’s minds that this may be another season that failed to reach its natural conclusion. A Tuesday night start saw us make the long trip to play Kirkley & Pakefield in the F.A Cup and two extremely late goals gave us a 2-1 win in Lowestoft. League form was improved on the previous year with Nat Ansu on fire in front of goal and the F.A Vase had seen us progress through three rounds before we headed into another national lockdown in early November. On 12th of December we were allowed back into action, but only in the F.A competitions and on a wet afternoon in Norfolk we crashed out 0-5 to a better prepared Mulbarton Wanderers team and following a sad period after Christmas that saw 10,000s of people lose their life to this deadly desease, the F.A brought all football at level to an early finish once again at the end of February.

1951-52

Central Northants Central Combination Division Two

1980-81

Central Northants Central Combination Premier Division

1982-83

Central Northants Central Combination Premier Division

1983-84

Central Northants Central Combination Premier Division

2004-05

United Counties League Premier Division

1979-80

Central Northants Central Combination Division Two Knock-Out Cup

1981-82

Central Northants Central Combination Knock-Out Cup

1991-92

Daventry Charity Cup

1995-96

United Counties Premier Division Knock-Out Cup

1995-96

Daventry Charity Cup

1999-00

United Counties Premier Division Knock-Out Cup

1999-00

Buckingham Charity Cup

2010-11

Buckingham Charity Cup

1988-89

United Counties Reserves Division Two

2000-01

United Counties Reserves Division One

2006-07

United Counties Reserves Division One

2010-11

United Counties Reserves Division One

2012-13

United Counties Reserves Division One

2013-14

United Counties Reserves Division One

1994-95

United Counties Reserves Division Knock-Out Cup

2006-07

United Counties Reserves Division Knock-Out Cup

2018-19

United Counties Reserves Division Knock-Out Cup

1991-92

Northants Senior Youth League

2001-02

Northants Senior Youth League

2004-05

Northants Senior Youth League

2005-06

Northants Senior Youth League

2009-10

Northants Senior Youth League

1992-93

Northants Senior Youth League Knock-Out Cup

1999-00

Northants Senior Youth League Knock-Out Cup

2005-06

Northants Senior Youth League Knock-Out Cup

2006-07

Northants Senior Youth League Knock-Out Cup

2018-19

Northants Senior Youth League Knock-Out Cup

Performance & Achievements

Meet the board

Derek

Derek Wright

Commercial Director

Jon

Jon Wright

Club Secretary/Director

Waggy

Nigel Wagstaff

Chairman/Managing Director

Gary

Gary Deer

Finance Director

Tony

Tony Draper

Youth Football Director

ozz blayney

Ozz Blayney

Commercial/Creative Director