Walton & Hersham

Walton & Hersham FC is a non-league football club from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, around sixteen miles to the south west of central London. The football club were formed in 1945 when they became founder members of the Corinthian League.

The formation of the club came about after World War Two following the merger of Hersham FC and Walton FC, who had been established in 1895. The new club quickly made an impact lifting the Surrey Senior Cup as well as the Metropolitan League title on three consecutive occasions between 1946-47 and 1948-49.

This led to ‘The Swans’ joining the Athenian League for 1950-51, finishing as runners up in their debut season. In 1951-52 and then 1952-53 the team reached the FA Amateur Cup semi finals, but lost out first to Walthamstow Avenue and then Harwich & Parkston. A crowd of 10,000 had flocked to home tie with Crook Town in 1952.

In 1957-58 Walton & Hersham reached the first round of the FA Cup but went down 6-1 at Stompond Lane in front of a crowd of 6,000. The late 60’s and early 70s led to halcyon days for the club with Allen Batsford as team manager. 

The Athenian League title was secured in 1969-70, followed by two runners up finishes. The FA Cup first round was reached in 1969-70 and once again in 1970-71 but both home games ended in defeat to Barnet and Telford United.

In 1971-72 Walton & Hersham joined the Isthmian League, before embarking on the most successful campaign in the clubs history the season afterwards. Football League Exeter City were beaten in the FA Cup, but Margate ended the run in round two. 

The Surrey Senior Cup was lifted for the sixth time with the team ending the league season in second position. However, the pinnacle came in April 1973. After defeating Highgate United 4-0 in the semi final at Selhurst Park, Walton & Hersham lifted the FA Amateur Cup at Wembley with a 1-0 win at Wembley, as a Roger Connell goal defeated Slough Town.

The 1973-74 season saw The Swans pull off an amazing result in the FA Cup. After drawing 0-0 at home to Brian Clough’s Brighton & Hove Albion side at home, Walton & Hersham won the replay 4-0 with Clive Foskett netting a hat trick. The team bowed out in round two 3-0 away to Hereford United.

Unfortunately Batsford moved on to Wimbledon along with much of his squad, including future top flight manager Dave Bassett. Crowds dropped as Walton & Hersham were relegated in 1974-75. Surprisingly the FA Cup first round was reached the following season. Crystal Palace won the tie 1-0 at Selhurst Park on their way to the semi final of the competition.

In 1993-94 the club were promoted back to the Premier Division as well as reaching the first round of the FA Cup once more, before bowing out 2-0 to Swansea City at Stompond Lane. Relegation followed in 1996, although The Swans regained their place following a successful 1996-97 campaign. However, their seat at the Isthmian League top table only lasted three seasons.

The old Main Stand at Stompond Lane

Long serving player Alan Dowson was appointed as team manager, going on to take his side to promotion in 2004-05. Dowson departed in 2006 before Walton & Hersham were relegated once more. Former Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis joined the clubs board of directors as the club strived for success under several different managers.

The local council announced plans to develop a new Sports Hub including the Waterside Stadium home of neighbours Walton Casuals and the adjacent Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Centre around the same time. The word was that Walton & Hersham could be invited as tenants as Stompond Lane started to show signs of decay.

Steve Baker was appointed as team manager for the 2013-14 season as floodlight problems led to early kick offs or the moving of a fixture. Baker resigned as problems showed no sign of clearing in October 2013.

The next manager, James Cameron resigned ‘for various reasons, not all football related’. In March 2014, Former Swans player Tony Reid took over and remained in charge before departing during the 2015-16 season with Mark Hams replacing him for a short spell.

The season ended in relegation to the Combined Counties League with players Gary MacDonald and Mark Corbett looking after the team until the demotion was confirmed. Simon Haughney was charged with the task of restoring the clubs Isthmian League status.

The club left Stompond Lane and oved into the newly built Elmbridge Sports Hub to share the facilities with Walton Casuals from August 2017. Haughney lasted the 2017-18 season before being replaced by Gary Taylor who only lasted a few months.

Perry Gough was team manager as Walton ended 2018-19 bottom of the table and relegated to Division One of the competition. A new broom swept through the club in the summer of 2019 as a new consortium took over.

Previous owner Alan Smith and his son Toby were given honorary places at the club while seven nineteen year old students sealed ownership; unveiling a new badge and replacing Gough with George Busumbru and installing a new under 18 team.

The consortium consisted of Thomas Bradbury, Reme Edetanlen, Jack Newton, Sartej Tucker, Ben Madelin, Calogero Scannella and Stephan Karidis who set about looking to improve things on and off the pitch and rebuild its profile in the community.

The Swans ended the aborted 2019-20 campaign in third place and set for promotion when the Coronavirus pandemic took hold as Basumbru stood down as manager to be replaced by Scott Harris.

Walton & Hersham FC will play in the Combined Counties Division One in the 2020-21 season.

My visits

Stompond Lane

Tuesday 6^th September 2006

I was out and about in Surrey on a free day from work trying out my new digital camera in a quest of visiting football clubs and getting in some exercise. It was a fine day and idea for walking. I arrived at Stompond Lane after walking from Metropolitan Police to Molesey and then onto Walton Casuals along the Thames Path before cutting through the streets of Walton-on-Thames.

The charismatic arena was thankfully open. I’m no fan of venues with running tracks surrounding the pitch, but the cinders at Stompond Lane only had six lanes and the spectator facilities were right up to the track. 

The Main Stand was a raised seating deck across the half way line. Opposite was a good sized full length covered terrace. There were a few steps of open terracing around the curves at the ends. Tennis courts were behind the Hersham Road goal at the council owned municipal facility which was also used by Walton Athletic Club.

Having finished taking my photos I headed to Walton-on-Thames station to catch a train to my next point of call; Alwyns Lane, the home of Chertsey Town.

Walton & Hersham 2 Worthing 1 (Saturday 19^th April 2014) Isthmian League Division One South (att: 135)

For the first time in several years I found myself in the UK over Easter owing to its lateness in 2014. I had returned ten days earlier from Thailand, where I usually found myself around the Chiang Mai and Phuket International Cricket Sixes tournaments. I intended to take full advantage of the extensive bank Holiday period, despite finding myself on night shifts.

Seeing a match at Stompond Lane was high on my agenda. Rumours were circulating that Walton & Hersham may have not had much more time left at their venue of ninety years. A fault earlier in the season meaning switched venues and early kick offs owing to problems with the floodlights, heightened my urgency.

It was a pleasant afternoon when the train from Waterloo arrived at Walton-on-Thames. The walk to the ground took just over ten minutes along pretty roads with expensive commuter belt housing on either side.

It was a most unlikely approach to a football ground. One can only imagine how the residents took it when large crowds trooped along during the clubs’ glory days?

A pleasant pair took my £8 admission fee along with another quid for a golden gamble ticket. The programme from a cheerful chap in the programme hut set me back a further £2. My initial impressions were most favourable.

Sadly the old covered terrace on the far side had been boarded up for much of the season and remained so. However, I could still get round to the that side and stand in front of the boards to take some photos.

I passed yet another cheerful chap who retrieved wayward shots from the subs as they warmed up while lamenting about their stray shooting. He also threw back some tennis balls to players on court over the fence with similar abilities.

After a few minutes I wandered back round and had a chat with a fellow ‘hopper’ John AKA Kewps from the excellent and most helpful Non League Forum He hadn’t done too many games of late and had concentrated on QPR games instead, so it was nice to catch up. I continued round where the mature ball boy was stood.

Tony turned out to be yet another real gent. He told me how the club were reluctant to move from their home, but how the council were most keen that they moved from their rented facility and shared with rivals Walton Casuals, so housing could replace the ground; even though the local residents didn’t want this. 

He had the impression that Casuals were keen on a merger, but Walton & Hersham were against it, with their proud history. Apparently the cover was boarded up as the council declared it a fire hazard. Presumably they thought the same of the wooden fence that blew down during the storms, but they had failed to repair? The floodlights had been repaired.

It was good to hear that Tony had selected a visit to York and Scarborough for his previous birthday with his wife. The man had good taste! It was also good to hear about the glory days at Stompond Lane.

Scarborough had won the FA Trophy a few weeks before The Swans had triumphed in the penultimate Amateur Cup Final back in 1973, so we had plenty to talk about. 

Sadly most of Tony’s favourites departed with boss Allen Batsford to Wimbledon soon after, with other joining Leatherhead. He was keen to point out that the mayor and councillors were keen to be seen back then, hence the disappointment with their modern stance.

On the pitch Walton & Hersham showed promising signs. Tony Reid had recently taken over as manager and installed himself back in the side to try and secure the vital points to avoid relegation. There were opportunities at both ends in an open and entertaining encounter on a difficult bumpy playing surface.

I stood near the most vocal of the home fans on the slope near to the stand for the last ten minutes of the half. I wasn’t let down for entertainment with their feedback towards the referee.

Referees have a difficult job, and generally I will support them. They all make mistakes and the lower you went down the pyramid, they will make more. Players are the same. It’s why they plied their trade at such a level. However, Mr Georgiou was making a rod for his own back.

He made Worthing kick off three times to begin the game as he wasn’t satisfied with one thing or another. Gigolo George, as I heard him being referred to, had the look of a sun tanned Andrew Sachs, which was quite apt as he officiated in a style Manuel from Fawlty Towers would have been delighted with. 

His exaggerated signals left us in no doubt as to his interpretations. His linesmen did not help massively with some random flagging for offside.

On the stroke of half time the visitors went ahead following a debatable award of a free kick. Brannon O’Neill swung the ball into the box where it deflected off home defender Louis Clark and into the net.

I visited the clubhouse at half time where the service was again friendly and polite. It was the same from the ladies serving my hot dog on the way back to see the action. Little touches like “enjoy the game” added to the excellent match day experience at this most friendly of clubs.

The aging stand offered a great view over the six lane track as I enjoyed my food as The Swans drew level. Reid justified his own selection when his header from a cross from the excellent Andy Lomas went in off the post. Reid had been a constant threat throughout and his young side responded to his influence.

My day was getting better. I’d done two football bets. The six team accumulator was gradually going under but my treble of Crystal Palace, Millwall and Hearts was heading the right way.

I returned to the bank to speak to John and fill him in on what I had learned. We had a good laugh at some of the decisions on the pitch, which is considerably easier as a neutral and it doesn’t affect your own club. If it had been a Scarborough Athletic game I would have been getting a bit tetchy.

With just two minutes of normal time remaining Reid scored with a fine shot from the edge of the box to secure the spoils. They probably deserved the three points, but it would have been all so different if Ben Pope hadn’t fired over for Worthing a few minutes earlier with just the keeper to beat.

The man on the mic and PA had been good all day. He played T Rex and then Hersham Boys by Sham 69 as the teams came out. At full time he plumped for That’s Entertainment by The Jam. It was apt. It had indeed been great entertainment.

After saying my farewell I was half way down the pristine lane to the station when I received the news that my bet had come in, thus retrieving most of my stake money for the season! I was one happy man!

If I had lived closer, I’d definitely give Walton & Hersham more attention. Many clubs offer warm welcomes but everyone I met at Stompond Lane were absolutely top class. I left hoping that they’d find an amicable solution regarding their traditional home to match such a proud football club.

Elmbridge Sports Hub

Walton & Hersham 3 Peacehaven & Telescombe 0 (Friday 30^th October 2020) FA Vase Round One (Att: 250)

I decided on this trip out before night shift with regular travel pal Tony Foster for what turned into a straightforward victory following a huge turning point five minutes before half time.

I’d contemplated giving the game a miss. Works on the roof on the house next door, about six feet from my bed had not given me a proper sleep, but I was only too conscious of the possibility of another impending COVID lockdown and wanted to grab opportunities while they still arose.

The journey round the M25 was OK though it was noticeable that traffic was gradually building on our most recent adventures. Given that we were travelling at a peak time on a Friday probably added to the vehicles on the road.

We were still down at the Elmbridge Hub in good time with our flasks in tow as a precaution as there had been no refreshments available on my recent visit with Hendon. Admission was £7 with the programme a very steep £3 for this level of football.

To start with, a negative. We took up a position in the stand to get a better view of the game, in which every other row was taped off and certain seats labelled not to sit in to follow all social distance protocols.

Just before kick-off a fella with two women decided they’d sit in the row directly behind us. Neither of us were particularly amused with Tony pointing out that the row was dollied off, they responded with “well he’s not adhering to it over there”. Ignorant or entitled?

Anyway, they moved about four seats along only to be joined by someone else who ended up right behind me. We moved and watched at the railings by the pitch. I’m not a fussy or killjoy sort of person, but the ignorance of the situation we all found ourselves in exasperated me at times.

On the pitch both sides tried to play football on the deck. The visitors from a higher level looked the better side for the first thirty minutes. Walton’s eagerness to play from the back had to be applauded, but they overdid it and often misplaced passes.

One of the central defenders lost possession in his own box as the Peacehaven players pushed up. He got away with it as the shot on goal was weak. It looked a matter of time before the tactic would end in disaster.

Then the Swans took initiative with a good ten minute spell which culminated when a visiting defender was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity when he brought down Dominic Ogun outside the box. Referee Neil Keirs showed the offender a straight red.

The free kick was deflected wide by the wall when arrowing for goal but from the resulting corner Stuart Baldwin rose at the near post to head home as he got a free jump. I had a wander round the pitch to grab some snaps in the last few minutes of the half.

The match was over as a contest within seven minutes of the restart. A fierce arrowed right wing cross was headed in by Harry Mills before Skipper Joe Hicks scored with a bullet header from a corner on the right.

The visitors marking for all three goals was lamentable, like they had some sort of affliction to challenging in the air. They weren’t the tallest side I’d ever seen, but even so. After that Walton passed the ball around the pitch at will.

Peacehaven tried to the last, but it’s a long time since I saw a sending off of an outfield player make such a difference. Their smattering of fans with an impressive display of banners could have no complaints.

In the last knockings referee Keir showed a second red card. This time it was to Max Hustwick of the hosts who appeared to win the ball, albeit with a strong raised boot. I had a feeling the card was going to be shown when Mr Keir blew hard twice on his whistle.

I like his officiating. He doesn’t get every decision correct, but he controlled the game and players know that they are wise not to get involved with dialogue. The sort of man you wouldn’t want marking you, if he was a player.

Both his sending offs on this occasion could easily have been just yellow cards but he didn’t come across as the sort of ref who handed out cards just for fun on the evidence of the previous two matches I’d seen him at earlier in the season.

We were straight out at full time and with the traffic eerily quiet, I was back at Eastcote ready to help the travelling public by 10.20.

To read an account of matches featuring Walton Casuals also offering an account of the Elmbridge Sports Hub with additional images, click here.