Banstead Athletic

 

Banstead Athletic FC are a non league club based in Surrey near to the downs and Epsom Racecourse. The club were formed in 1945 as Banstead Juniors FC, before taking on their present title in 1947. 

"The A's" played local league football for many years before making the step up to the Spartan league in 1965. Banstead also competed in the Athenian and Isthmian Leagues before resigning and dropping down to the Combined Counties League in 2006.

The clubs greatest achievement was reaching the semi final of the FA Vase in 1997, before being knocked out by Whitby Town. From the early 1990's their Merland Rise home also played hosts to Epsom & Ewell FC, who sold their West Street home. However, In 2010 they moved on to share at Merstham FC.

In 2011-12 Athletic finished bottom of the Premier Division table and were relegated under manager Dave Tidy. Andrew Tucker took over the role, remaining until February 2013 when Danny Lee was appointed. Jack Johnson replaced him within a few months.

James Cameron arrived to run the side in May 2015 leading the side to the Division One title in 2015-16 as Marton Smith put away the goals. Rod Davis became the next Athletic manager until he was replaced by Carl Taylor in August 2019. Following the lost seasons to the pandemic, the club was placed in Premier Division South.

Paul Meredith became manager in July 2023 after the side was relegated and then placed in Division One of the Southern Combination. Keith Ward came in as manager in January 2024 before owner Terry Molloy passed away unexpectedly which came close to putting the future of the club in doubt.

Banstead were forced out of their Merland Rise home to decamp at Chalky Lane, as tenants of Chessington & Hook United while negotiations over their tenure were held with Reigate and Banstead Council.

Banstead Athletic FC will be playing in the Southern Combination Division One in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

December 2006

I set out for Merland Rise by reaching Tadworth where the club is based, with a train ride to Tattenham Corner station. I had done this twice previously for visits to Epsom races but on this occasion I narrowly missed the hourly train, putting my plans backward somewhat.

 

I eventually arrived and took the bracing walk up the Downs listening to the breaking news that Marcus Trescothic had pulled out of the Ashes Tour. I tried to convince myself that this wouldn't hamper the England team or spoil my forthcoming trip to Australia.

I was most impressed by the set up at Merland Rise. It was a very neat ground. The entrance was in one corner, where the facilities were also based. A small cover was erected behind the goal at this end. A seated stand was on the far side, with more cover opposite. The rest of the ground was open and consisted of a few steps of terracing.

Kingstonian 2 Eastbourne Borough 0 (Monday 5th September 2011) FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round (att: approx 50)

I had packed plenty in to my long weekend off work, but I didn't want to waste a night off. The Non League Paper didn't draw up much inspiration, although the Tony Kempster messageboard has a section asking where fans are going to watch games. This flagged up that there were many FA Youth Cup games to be played. After visiting the FA website, I drew a list of possibilities.

After visiting members of Hampstead CC's victorious 3rd XI who were still pretty much under the weather, but possibly looking for a 'livener', I made my excuses and made a move. I was still undecided where to go. 

The match between Staines Town and Harrow Borough was tempting, but ideally I wanted to get to a game on a ground I'd already featured on this blog without watching a match on it. Added to this, I wanted to go somewhere that was a bit further afield and awkward when working the next day. 

I plumped for Kingstonians match against Eastbourne Borough, which was to be played at The K's youth venue of Merland Rise. They used Banstead's home because their shared Kingsmeadow home was already under pressure of usage from both K's and AFC Wimbledon games.

I took the tube to London Bridge and just as luck would have it, I had time for a couple of fine Harveys ales in the Market Porter, which was always a pleasure. It took some real discipline to go back to the station and get aboard a packed train to Tattenham Corner. The ride took just over an hour and then required a brisk walk which I managed in a far shorter time than I'd estimated. I was there in just twelve minutes.

All was looking good. The clubhouse was open, and a basic eight page programme had been produced which was included in the admission price of £5. I paid in advance and made my way inside for a Newcastle Brown and to catch up with Sky Sports News. The club was busy with local residents as well as matchday fans, which was obviously a good sign.

Quite a few fans had travelled up on the coach from Eastbourne. They were not impressed with the admission fee! The teams warmed up on the well appointed practise pitch next door to the main ground before returning to the changing rooms.

This was my first FA Youth Cup match since the first leg of the 2000 final at Highbury, so I was interested to see what the standard would be like. Boro started out the stronger of the sides. The players were of a bigger build and had a more direct approach. However, once the K's got into the game, their fine football simply shone. I was sat in the Main Stand to try and keep out the wind and rain, where a collection of assorted bucket seats that could well of seen action previously at disused arenas offered some comfort.

The referee gave a debatable penalty to the K's, which the keeper came up and converted. That was a first for me. I did like the way that the players generally accepted the decisions in the proper manner. I even heard an aplogy for a mistimed tackle on one occasion.

I went to keep warm with a bovril in the clubhouse at half time. I thought £1.50 was a bit steep, but I was very cold! I had a walk around the fine ground. I liked the way all the litter bins were the triangular type found outside newsagents in my youth. They all displayed adverts for R Whites soft drinks.

The K's came out the far better side in the second half. Some of their free flowing football and individual skill was brilliant. They had the best player on the pitch in skipper Ben Cheklit.        The keeper Joe White also added confidence and a physicality which aided the side. I noted that I would surprised if neither player didn't play at a high standard of non league football in the future.

A second goal came from another good move and an assured finish. Eastbourne tried to get back into the game, but to be honest their only looked likely to be one side going to score.

I left a couple of minutes before full time to walk down the hill to the station, using a short cut I'd earlier seen commuters take. I alighted from the train at East Croydon and jumped aboard a fast service to London Bridge, where some Charlton fans were waiting for a train home after their home match with Sheffield Wednesday. That game had been another option for me, but given the value for money between the two, I knew I'd made the right choice.

I returned home tired, but delighted I'd made the effort. I'd seen an excellent game of football and some great skills on display, plus Merland Rise was off my list of grounds to see a match at!