South Kilburn

South Kilburn FC are a non league football club based in North West London. The club were formed in 2005 and immediately gained membership of the Middlesex League.

Initially they found the league a steep learning curve but soon found their feet and enjoyed some decent cup runs, and eventually elevation into the premier division.

The team played its home games at Broadfields Country Club at Headstone Lane. In season 2009-10, South Kilburn finished runners up in the league and gained promotion into the Hellenic League. To meet league requirements, South Kilburn moved to Vale Farm at Wembley where they implemented ground improvements.

At the end of the 2010-11 season South Kilburn applied to move sideways in the league structure to minimise travelling to join the Combined Counties League.

South Kilburn FC will compete in the Combined Counties League Division One during the 2011-12 season.

My visit

Saturday 1st January 2011

I am always intrigued by the introduction of new clubs into the senior pyramid system. I was even more so by South Kilburn. I had spent many a happy evening socialising on Kilburn High Road, but never thought they'd have a football club.

I did some research and found out early in the season that they were playing at Vale Farm, but that raised more questions than answers as the football ground there was the home of Wembley FC who were tenants to Hendon FC. I delved further into the world of the internet and found out that South Kilburn played by the sports centre in the main arena. I intended going to Hendon v Harrow Borough on New Years Day as I'd yet to see Hendon since they sadly lost their Claremont Road home. I could kill two birds with one stone and have a look at a new ground at the same time.

I had a walk and then took the 245 bus to Vale Farm and was soon finding my way inside the arena. The main sports centre block housed the changing rooms. The pitch was surrounded by an old overgrown shale running track which was once home to Middlesex Ladies Athletic Club. This had a rail fence round it and some raised banks. The actual pitch had a new fence around it, complete with dug outs and hard standing around the majority of the playing area. The whole arena was enclosed by a high mesh fence which would mean anyone could watch for free if they wished. There were four floodlight pylons but I wasn't sure if they were satisfactory for night matches.

There was scope for some covered accommodation which would be required if promotion was gained. The club had done tremendously well to reach the status they had in just five years.

I went across the site and to Wembley's ground for the afternoon game with thoughts of maybe a return for a midweek end of season match to watch South Kilburn in action.