The Round Up is the brainchild of Bob Chivington, who was a vice-chairman, committee member, and dedicated volunteer of a local football club, Deal Town F.C., who played in the Kent League (now the Southern Counties East League). Above all, though, he has been a supporter of local ‘grass roots’ football since he was a schoolboy, when he used to support his home town club, Walthamstow Avenue.
Bob Chivington. The Roundup Editor
He produced the first edition of the ‘Fanzine’ (and then ‘Town Talk’) booklet in October 2000 to raise much-needed funds for Deal Town. Bob left that club in 2010 but continued his involvement with ‘grass roots’ football, forming another club in the area. He kept the booklet going, changing the name to the Round Up and producing it in full colour. The Round Up is approaching its twentieth anniversary in 2020. It has raised thousands of pounds for ‘grass roots’ football during this time.
Bob says: “I discovered from an early age, (I was nine when I joined the supporters club of Walthamstow Avenue), that ‘amateur’ football clubs need volunteers and donations from their supporters to keep afloat, because everything costs money, from goal nets to footballs. With regards to my love of ‘grass roots’ football, I have always done things for the right reasons, not for building little empires and I totally hate the internal politics in football, which run right through the sport – right to the top (just look at the Bobby Moore documentary to understand what I mean). I am very proud of what I have done with my little publication and have enjoyed every bit of it and I will continue to produce it for as long as I can. You can now enjoy it, online, as a Flipbook. I would like to thank everyone that has supported it, and me, over the years. Thank you”.
Dennis Stewart
In the Round Up you will find Dennis’s Brainbasher, which has been going longer than the Round Up and is circulated around the town with it. This was a fundraiser devised by Dennis Stewart, who was a very good friend of Bob;s and supported him through a particularly unpleasant time football-wise eight or nine years ago. Dennis was a perfect gentleman, and another supporter of ‘grass roots’ football.
Sadly, Dennis passed away a few years ago but Bob wanted to keep the quiz going in his memory. There is a special Bonus Quiz to commemorate the twentieth anniversary. Enjoy.
