AFC Whyteleafe

Last updated

AFC Whyteleafe
Full nameAFC Whyteleafe
Nickname(s)'Leafe
Founded2021
Ground Church Road, Whyteleafe
Capacity2,000
ChairmanKelly Waters
Co-ManagersKelly Waters & Ennio Gonnella
League Combined Counties League Premier Division South
2023–24 Southern Counties East League Division One, 1st of 16 (promoted)
Website http://www.afcwhyteleafe.com

AFC Whyteleafe is an English football club based in Whyteleafe, Surrey. The club was established in 2021 and plays at the Whyteleafe Stadium in Church Road, Whyteleafe following the demise of Whyteleafe FC and are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South.

Contents

History

AFC Whyteleafe was formed in 2021 by Kelly Waters, replacing another club, Whyteleafe FC, which had existed immediately before. Waters had hoped to purchase the Church Road premises before it was sold to Irama Sports in February 2021, [1] but he discovered the auction a week too late, and the sale to Irama went through. Following the withdrawal of Whyteleafe FC from the Isthmian League, and inspired by the story of AFC Wimbledon in 2002, [2] AFC Whyteleafe was born.

The new club was granted a position in the Surrey South Eastern Combination League [3] for the 2021/22 season, having formed a merge of registration with Balham FC B Team. [4] This still left the club with less than one month to build a squad from scratch, ready for their debut match on 4 September 2021 at home to Earlsfield 2018. [5]

A crucial part of the successful formation of the club was securing a ground. Church Road was the preferred choice and a four-year deal was reached with Irama to play there. [6]

Following a successful first season, AFC Whyteleafe merged with Whyteleafe Youth FC and Whyteleafe Women ahead of the 2022/23 season to form one AFC Whyteleafe club comprising a men's first team, U23's, women's team and 28 Youth teams from U7 to U18.

In May 2022, the club was admitted into the Southern Counties East League Division One which sits at Step 6 in the National League System. [7] The club achieved a respectable 8th-place finish [8] in their debut season at Step 6. The following season saw Whyteleafe promoted as champions. [9]

Ground

Church Road, the club's home ground Whyteleafe fc church road.jpg
Church Road, the club's home ground

AFC Whyteleafe play their home games at Church Road, Whyteleafe, Surrey, CR3 0AR.

The site of Church Road was formerly farmland, and the farm's existing buildings were converted into the clubhouse and dressing rooms. Whyteleafe FC originally planned to add a running track and cricket pitch to the complex, but these plans were abandoned. Floodlights were added in the early 1980s and a new main stand added in 1999 for the club's first round FA Cup match against Chester City, which saw a record attendance of 2,164. Some of the turnstiles added at the ground were purchased from Stoke City's Victoria Ground after they moved to the Britannia Stadium in 1997.

In June 2021, following the purchase of the ground by Singaporean-based company Irama, Whyteleafe FC left Church Road due to no agreement being reached with Irama for a new lease with the club. [10]

In August 2021 the new club, AFC Whyteleafe, was formed under new management and a 4-year agreement was reached to play at Church Road.

Off the pitch

NameRole
Kelly WatersChairman
Felix BakerSupporters Association
Kieron HornAFC Whyteleafe Youth
Nicola AdamsAFC Whyteleafe Youth
Lisa PaceyWelfare Officer

Team Management

ManagerTeam
Kelly WatersMen's First Team Co-Manager
Ennio GonnellaMen's First Team Co-Manager
Junior JamesMen's First Team Head Coach
Corey HolderMen's First Team Player/Coach
Danny RoseMen's Goalkeeping Coach
Jessicer TshibanguMen's First Team Physio
Sam EyarhonoMen's First Team Physio

Men's First Team Squad

As of 11 November 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG James Shaw
2FBFlag of England.svg  ENG Scott Jarvis
3FBFlag of England.svg  ENG James Teodorescu
4CMFlag of England.svg  ENG Daniel Bennett
5CBFlag of England.svg  ENG Antone Douglas
6CMFlag of England.svg  ENG Helge Orome (captain)
7FWDFlag of Spain.svg  ESP Gaspar Mico
8CMFlag of England.svg  ENG Eric De Melo Calheiros
9FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Aaron Watson
10FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Omari Delgado-Hibbert
11FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Sirak Negassi
12FBFlag of England.svg  ENG Suwaibu Ceesay
13FBFlag of England.svg  ENG Alton Leeward
14FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Gus Ward
No.Pos.NationPlayer
15CBFlag of Scotland.svg  SCO Jamie McGeoghegan
16CMFlag of England.svg  ENG George Mace
17FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Josh Sargent
18CMFlag of England.svg  ENG Essey Tedros
19FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Jay Andrews
20FBFlag of England.svg  ENG Tyrone Gondoh
21 GK Flag of England.svg  ENG George Hill
22FBFlag of Montserrat.svg  MSR Craig Braham-Barrett
23FWDFlag of England.svg  ENG Ryan Gondoh
24CBFlag of England.svg  ENG Alexander-William Nwadike
25CBFlag of England.svg  ENG Corey Holder
26CBFlag of England.svg  ENG Aaron Goode
30CMFlag of England.svg  ENG Jordan Johnson-Palmer

Honours

Records

Men's first team:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AFC Wimbledon</span> Association football club in London, England

AFC Wimbledon is an English professional association football club based in Wimbledon, London Borough of Merton, London. The team compete in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingstonian F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

Kingstonian Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, south west London which currently plays in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croydon F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Croydon Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Croydon, London. Until 2006, they played in the Isthmian League, but lost their place in that league as part of the 2006 re-structuring of non-league football, and now play in the Southern Counties East League Division One. They play at Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood. The club was founded in 1953 as Croydon Amateurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bromley F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

Bromley Football Club is a professional association football club based in Bromley, Greater London, England. They are currently members of EFL League Two. Bromley play their home matches at Hayes Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutton United F.C.</span> Association football club in London, England

Sutton United Football Club is a professional association football club from Sutton, South London, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whyteleafe F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Whyteleafe Football Club was an English football club based in Whyteleafe, Surrey. The club was established in 1946 and joined the Athenian League in 1981. The club is an FA Chartered Standard club affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutton Common Rovers F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Sutton Common Rovers Football Club is a semi-professional football club currently competing in the Isthmian League South Central Division. Originally based in Carshalton, the club moved southwest to Leatherhead, Surrey, in 2007 upon joining the Combined Counties League. At the start of the 2009–10 season the club moved into a groundshare with Cobham at the Reg Madgwick Stadium, and further away from Carshalton. At the end of the 2014–15 season the club announced that it would be groundsharing with Sutton United for the 2015–16 season. For the 2022–23 season, the club announced a move to Church Road now privately owned by a company called IRama. The club are now equal tenants with newly reformed AFC Whyteleafe. In 2024 - 2025 season the club announced they would move back to London Borough of Sutton to Carshalton Athletic's ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colliers Wood United F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Colliers Wood United Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in West Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association. The club are currently members of the Combined Counties League Division One and play at the Wibbandune Sports Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farnham Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Farnham Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Farnham, Surrey, England. They are currently members of the Isthmian League South Central Division and play at the Memorial Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raynes Park Vale F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Raynes Park Vale Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Raynes Park in the London Borough of Merton, England. The club is affiliated to the Surrey County Football Association and is a FA Charter Standard Club. They play in the Isthmian League - South Central Division and play their home games at Prince George's Playing Fields, Grand Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warlingham F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Warlingham Football Club is a football club based in Warlingham, Surrey, England. The club are members of the Mid-Sussex League Division One and play at the Verdayne Sports Ground. Church Lane in Warlingham

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Palace F.C. (Women)</span> Womens association football club based in southeast London

Crystal Palace Football Club Women is a women's association football club based in South London, England, which competes in the Women's Super League, the highest level of English women's football. The team, known as the "Eagles", is affiliated to the men's equivalent Crystal Palace F.C..

AFC Wimbledon Women are a women's football team from London. The team currently competes in the FA Women's National League South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gander Green Lane</span> Football stadium in Sutton, south London

Gander Green Lane, currently known as the VBS Community Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a football stadium in Sutton, South London, and is the home ground of Sutton United Football Club and Crystal Palace Women. The record attendance for Gander Green Lane is 14,000 when Sutton United lost 6–0 to Leeds United in the fourth round of the 1969–70 FA Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Midson</span> English footballer

Jack William Midson is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a forward for Southern Counties East League Premier Division club Lordswood.

Daniel Trevor Kedwell is an English former footballer who played as a forward. He has spent most of his career playing non-League football, but played in League One and Two during a four-year spell with Gillingham, his hometown club. He is currently manager of Ashford United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brendan Kiernan</span> English footballer

Brendan Jason Kiernan is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

Jack Anthony Turner is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League South club Farnborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balham F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Balham Football Club is a football club based in Balham, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South and play at Imperial Fields in Mitcham.

The 2023–24 Southern Counties East Football League season was the 58th in the history of the Southern Counties East Football League, and the eighth year the competition will have two divisions, the Premier Division and Division One, at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system.

References

  1. ↑ "Singapore-based firm buys up Whyteleafe's football ground". Inside Croydon. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "The story of AFC Wimbledon". AFC Wimbledon. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Intermediate Division 1: League Table". Surrey South Eastern Combination League (Football.Mitoo). 25 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "B TEAM". Balham FC. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "AFC Whyteleafe kick-off thinking 'the impossible could happen'". Inside Croydon. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Phoenix club AFC Whyteleafe secure four-year deal to play at Church Road". SurreyLive. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "National League System club allocations – steps 5/6, season 2022–23" (.pdf). The Football Association. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Southern Counties East Football League Division One Table 2022/23". The FA. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "AFC Whyteleafe confirmed as First Division Champions!". www.scefl.com. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "WFC withdrawn from league". Whyteleafe FC. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021.

51°18′16.98″N0°4′46.62″W / 51.3047167°N 0.0796167°W / 51.3047167; -0.0796167

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.