Westfield

Westfield FC 

Ground: Woking Park

Capacity: 1,500

Club Founded: 1953

League: Isthmian League South Central - Step 4/8th Tier (current level)

Westfield FC has grown over the years from a club playing local football in Woking into a valuable community asset and established non-league outfit.

Club History

The club was formed in 1953 as Westfield Boys Club, playing local league football, moving to 

play their home games at Woking Park in Kingfield, just a short stroll from Woking FC at the beginning of the new decade. In 1964, the 'Field' or the 'Yellas', as they are nicknamed, met the ground requirements and joined the Surrey Senior League.

The club gained a reputation for attracting the best local youngsters to play for them. In 1978, the Surrey Senior League was disbanded to join the new Combined Counties League (CCL). Westfield were a founder member, with floodlights being added to their home twenty years later.

Former Woking player John Cassidy became manager at the turn of the millennium, before being replaced by Paul Donaghy. The team dropped down a division after failing to meet the ground grading criteria, after Westfield intended to become a tenant at Kingfield, but the deal fell through.

Former club player Martin Powell, with the assistance of ex-Tottenham star David Howells, took over team affairs for the 2007-08 campaign, lasting just a season. Other managers came and went before the appointment of joint bosses Craig Moore and John Comer as new facilities were constructed at Woking Park.

In May 2011, a new pitch was laid, while the old clubhouse was demolished. The new building with much-improved facilities replaced it, meaning ground-grading issues would be a thing of the past. The new facilities inspired the side to win promotion to the Premier Division of the CCL at the end of the 2012-13 season. 

Martin Beard had a spell as manager before being replaced by Dan Snare, who remained in the position until Tony Read was appointed for the 2016-17 campaign. His side finished league runners-up and then champions, winning promotion to Division One South Central of the Isthmian League. 

The side went on to reach the semi-finals of the play-offs before Reid departed after five years at the helm to be replaced by Simon Lane, who remained in charge until February 2023. Ian Selley was his replacement, taking the team to the playoffs in 2023-24, where Westfield lost in the semi-final to Marlow. 

Andrew Crossley was appointed as manager, leading his side to the playoff final a couple of years later, where they were defeated by Hanwell Villa.

My visits

Wednesday 20th June 2012

I was out and about on a very pleasant afternoon on my rest day from work. I had already visited a few grounds in the vicinity, and after a nice walk downhill from the town centre, I'd just been inside Kingfield, Woking FC's home.

I really should have visited Westfield before. I mean, I'd been to Woking a few times, but I always seemed otherwise detained! I had read on various forums about the new and improved Woking Park ground, and I'd seen some images as it was being developed. It looked very promising.

After checking the bus times back to the railway station, I realised I had fifteen minutes to have a look. I crossed the road, walked around the banking of the new flood defences and found myself right behind one of the goals at the ground. 

The perimeter fence was green-painted hard mesh, but it offered a free view inside. Surely some sheeting would be put over it when games were on? All around the pitch was a narrow path with grass banks behind. The far side had a large two-floor building along the full length of the pitch, which seemed to cater to many groups. 

I saw signs for the Woking Scouts. Further along was a first-floor balcony offering pitch views with club facilities inside. Below it was a section of seating for spectators. It was very impressive and offered great scope for further development if ever required.

I walked back over the road and took my bus back to Woking station for a drink and a sandwich before catching a fast train back to Waterloo. I said at the time that I would not hesitate to revisit the ground for a match in the future, having seen the facilities on offer.

Westfield 5 Ashford Town (Middlesex) 0

Isthmian League Division One South Central - Saturday 28th December 2018

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 119 🎟️ £8

It was high time that I tried to get to a game at Westfield. I’d received a reminder as I walked past the venue on the way to the Woking v Wealdstone play-off game at the end of the previous season. The venue was on my radar on a Tuesday a few weeks earlier, but the match against Tooting & Mitcham United had fallen foul of the weather. 

Night shift between Christmas and New Year fitted the bill perfectly, with the game not requiring any pitch inspection. Despite continued strike action on South West Trains, a satisfactory service took me to Woking. It was relatively quiet on the tube to Waterloo, where I had time to renew my Network Railcard, which saved me valuable cash each year.

After alighting, I took the familiar walk downhill and through Woking Park, going left at the skate park and coming out behind the football ground. The recently built facilities had provisions for other groups, including the local boxing club. I paid my entry fee and purchased a good-quality programme for a quid and a raffle ticket for a further pound from the friendly gents at the gate. 

I headed upstairs to the clubhouse and viewing balcony to see what was on offer. Not really fancying any alcohol, I opted for a tea and a cheeseburger, which came to £3.50. The meat came in a tiger roll and was delicious. Just what the doctor ordered. Before I knew it, it was time for the teams to come out.

I’d tweeted about the value of my experience and why I thought more and more people were being attracted to non-league football. It received many positive responses, and this was before the action had kicked off. I was not to be let down.

The pitch was certainly taking a stud, and had signs of drainage coming through. I think it helped with the entertainment. I’d seen a shocker on a 3G between Hendon and Harrow Borough on Boxing Day. I wanted to see some mud on the kits. The endeavours of all the players meant I got that and more. 

From the off, Westfield played some fast attacking football, with Eli Simpson dragging a couple of decent opportunities wide of keeper Sam Mason’s post. The hosts were very nearly made to pay for their profligacy after thirteen minutes when good work from Ashford’s flowing-haired Warren Tom provided a ball for Dan Brown, who cut inside and sent a curling shot past Gary Ross, which cannoned back off the angle of post and bar.

Brown went close again shortly after when a low cross came in, but with a bit too much pace for the striker to control and get a shot away. The Yellas went back on the offensive and took the lead in seventeen minutes. Mason saved well from Simpson, but Max Blackmore was on hand to tap home the rebound.

The lead was doubled seven minutes later. Again, an exposed Mason made a stop but was powerless to prevent Simpson from scoring. All too often, the Tangerines' defence was being exposed by intelligent passes and clever runs. Within a minute, Westfield and Simpson thought it was 3-0, but the effort was ruled out for offside. 

I chuckled shortly after as the linesman’s flag stopped another break. He was met with ironic cheers from the away support. I’ve little doubt that some of the running must have been close to being offside, but the defence was creaking like a rusty gate. Perhaps there was a hint of disappointment in their own side’s abilities from those offering feedback?

The visitors were giving it their best and contributing to a most entertaining half, though they were gradually being outmuscled in vital areas. Arsen Ujkaj was having a fine game in the Westfield midfield engine room. Throughout, I kept an eye on the small number of games being played elsewhere as I’d put a four-team accumulator together. 

Kingstonian and Watford were doing me well, but I could have done with a Hampton & Richmond goal. After the restart, the game followed a similar pattern. The home side extended their lead in the sixty-second minute when Simpson wasn’t picked up from a corner and planted his header into the net.

The winning raffle numbers were read out, and I was one number away from the first prize. Aaron Watson made it 4-0 with ten minutes remaining before Mason made a top stop with his legs to prevent another from going in.

However, neither he nor his defence could do anything to prevent the quick and tricky Watson turning his man inside out before finishing off the pick of the goals as the clock neared the ninety-minute mark.

It had been a most accomplished performance from Westfield. Without wishing to put the kiss of death on them, I thought at the time that they’d take some stopping for the title on that form. Ashford were no fools, but were eventually blown away.

My walk was repeated through the well-lit park to the station, where there was time for a warming cuppa before the train. I got home to see the final scores of the tea-time game. Leicester had done the business on my coupon.

However, Hampton had been held to a 0-0 draw by Bath City. So close to £125 profit but so far. No problem. I’d had a cracking afternoon of football, refreshment, fresh air, and exercise. There was even time for a siesta before work. Long live non-league football.