MORE than a thousand fans celebrated the biggest day in Chippenham Town Football Club’s recent history, as the team took to the field earlier today as champions of the Southern League Premier Division.

The Bluebirds were handed the title with three games of the season remaining before today after second-placed Leamington were unable to win their game yesterday.

Chairman at Chippenham FC, Neil Blackmore, said: “I’m on top of the word, it’s been five hard years and it’s been tough I won’t lie about that but the good times like this really outweigh all of that.

“I’m so pleased, it’s a fantastic day for the club, a fantastic day for the people of Chippenham and fantastic day for the businesses of Chippenham.

“I hope that the people and businesses of Chippenham embrace this going forward because we will need more support.

“I can appreciate it would have been nice to win it today but been a little bit selfish it’s nice to know we have won it.”

A season record crowd of 1,146 people packed into Hardenhuish Park this afternoon as Chippenham FC took on St Neots Town.

Local fan Terry Matthews said: “They have won the league over the whole season.

“The last few weeks they have done really well, we’ve had a few injuries but we’ve always come back with results.

“I suppose just before Christmas I thought we might have a chance of the title, they’d played really well in November.

“They were losing the odd game but they made a couple of signings and they have just gone on from that.”

Despite losing 2-1 today, that didn’t fail to dampen the spirits of supporters who joined the players on the pitch at the final whistle to join in the celebrations.

Doug Webb, a former chairman of the club, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement it’s just absolutely wonderful.

“We have been in this league 11 or 12 years and it’s just a marvellous achievement.

“I just think it’s a relief, its 36 years since Chippenham have won a league and that was the First Division Western League.”

Fans young and old were at the game, including new generations of fans.

Gary Nokes took his two daughters, three-year-old Alice and six-year-old Sophie to the game.

He said: "It's maybe understandable they lost, with Leamington losing yesterday it might have been a bit different if they had won.

This is the best team we have had and this is the biggest day for the club.