Metropolitan Police

Metropolitan Police FC is a non-league football club based in East Molesey, Surrey around twelve miles south west of central London. The club was formed as a recreational department for officers and staff of the force in 1919 at their newly purchased base at Imber Court, playing friendly games before joining the Spartan League in 1928.

In the 1931-32 season the Police reached round one of the FA Cup, but were swept aside 9-0 by Northampton Town at the County Ground. In 1960 ‘The Met’ switched to the Metropolitan League before joining the Southern League for the 1971-72 campaign.

The club moved across to the Isthmian League for 1977-78, ending as Division Two runners up and winning promotion. Round one of the FA Cup was reached again in 1984-85 where Dartford won through at Imber Court. The team were relegated the following season.

Two years later The Blues went up once again with John Cottam at the helm before suffering relegation in 1991. In 1993-94 Crawley Town defeated Police 2-0 at Imber Court in the FA Cup first round. 

The Isthmian League was restructured for the 2002-03 campaign, with the Met being placed in Division One South as players gradually joined the club from outside the force as Jim Cooper took over as team manager.

The club reached the end of season play offs in 2005-06 and 2008-09 but were defeated at the semi final stage by Dover Athletic and then Fleet Town. Not to be denied The Met won the Division One South title in 2010-11 and promotion to the Premier Division with it.

Crawley Town returned to East Molesey in 2012-13, this time as a Football League club, for another FA Cup first round clash. Again The Red Devils conquered, this time 2-1. The 2014-15 saw the Met reach the end of season play-offs, where they lost in the semi-final away to Hendon.

An eighteenth place finish in 2016-17 was sandwiched by two mid table endings. The club was transferred in the summer of 2018 from the Isthmian League to the Southern League, leading to Cooper's resignation. Gavin MacPherson was appointed as the new manager.

MacPherson brought in several new players, which saw the Blues go on a run in the FA Cup which saw a home victory against National League side Havant & Waterlooville to set up a first round clash at Imber Court against Newport County; in which the Welshmen won 2-0.

Met reached the play-offs in 2018-19 defeating Salisbury and then Poole Town in the final. However, owing to non-league restructuring the team then had to face Tonbridge Angels in a Super Final to win promotion in which they were defeated 3-2 at Imber Court.

Metropolitan Police FC will play in the Southern League Premier Division South in the 2021-22 season.

My visits

Tuesday 6^th September 2006

With a day off work I decided to go exploring with my new digital camera and visit some new venues. After calling in at nearby Hampton & Richmond Borough I took a bus near to Imber Court.

I had actually been inside the complex a few months previously when I went to a Bank Holiday’s racing at Sandown Park. Old workmate Alan Baxter had driven another colleague and pal Jeff Cards and as a former officer, he took us inside the plush social club for libation before selecting our losers!

On my revisit the lady on reception was a little reticent to let me through, but after a little bit of explanation and the production of the staff card from my job at London Underground I was in. She kindly gave me directions on how to get to the main gate.

Imber Court was a fine smart venue. It had been upgraded in the 1980’s through funding from a work lottery scheme. It now held various prestigious games as a neutral venue. The gate was open and a groundsman was working on the billiard table like playing surface.

A neat raised seated stand was on the far side of the pitch straddling the half way line. The rest of the ground had a few steps of terracing all around it. The near end was covered but the rest of the ground open. Everything was immaculate and well tended.

Once I finished I said my thank you on leaving and rather than hanging around for a bus, I cut up Orchard Lane and across the River Mole to Neilson Recreation Ground and through to Molesey Park Road towards Walton Lane and the home of Molesey FC.

My hobby was educational and a great way of staying fit!

Metropolitan Police 0 Harrow Borough 3 (Tuesday 14^th January 2014) Isthmian League Cup Round Four (Att: 44)

It was a wet a windy evening after my early shift at work. Many fixtures fell foul of the weather, but Metropolitan Police conformed by Twitter that there were no problems with the Imber Court surface. 

I got to the ground a couple of minutes into the game thanks to the packed late running South West Trains service to Esher out of Waterloo. I even managed to get lost finding the pitch from the entrance as there were no signs helping out.

The club website stated that it was a ten minute walk from there? Maybe by squad car perhaps, but not on my trotters! It cost a steep £10 to get in. I also purchased a programme, which had an updated four page insert from the originally postponed game which had been scheduled before Christmas. 

I purchased a golden goal ticket for £1 and inadvertently picked up two. They were for the third & forth minutes. I gave myself no hope, yet I had a near miss as the visitors took the lead on seven minutes through Shaun Lucien.

I took a seat in the impressive stand as Harrow Boro, cheered on by a few hardy vocal souls behind the goal rattled in another couple of goals courtesy of Simeon Akinola before the break past the sixteen year old Police academy keeper. Akinola looked impressive with his power and pace all evening.

I got chatting to a nice bloke who turned out to be the Police kit manager. On seeing my Scarborough jacket he told me of his son’s adventures up there as a Barnet player in their debut Football League season. His lad was Gavin Macpherson the assistant boss at Imber Court who had joined the force after an ankle injury curtailed his full time playing career. 

He also told me that around half the first team were missing for the match, and a similar percentage of serving officers make up the squad. Lack of recruitment over the last few years has meant that the Met have had to look elsewhere for players.

I treated myself to a Bovril for £1 at the snack bar along with a snickers for a further 80p. There was the welcome sight of a pepper pot for my drink. All clubs should provide it, especially in the cold winter months.

The home skipper was helped off just before the break with what looked like a chest injury. He collapsed in the tunnel meaning players had to go off round the stand at the interval. An ambulance arrived during the second half. Fortunately the player was sat up coughing on the stretcher as he was taken away.

The Met gave it a good go after the interval, but could not score. A couple of decent chances were spurned. I departed a couple of minutes before full time so that I could make the 9.51 back into town from Esher. 

It was cold and wet and the game was done. An enjoyable revisit to a ground where I'd previously called in to take photos on a good old ramble eight years previously.

As a footnote, I enjoyed the use of The Clash and I Fought the Law over the PA to greet the teams as they came back out after their half time oranges. Not enough clubs use imagination in this department.

Metropolitan Police 1 Hendon 0 (Tuesday 16^th October 2018) Southern League Cup Round One (att: 65)

Autumn was well and truly kicking in as I finished my set of night shifts and headed to Waterloo after a nap. There was time for a swift pint in the Waterloo Tap before meeting up with Jeff Cards who was going to the match with me.

The busy train deposited us at Thames Ditton station. Dons youth player Cheyce Grant was also on the train but heading straight to Imber Court. We, however, had refreshments in mind. Poor planning on my part soon showed we’d got out a station early.

The good walk of a mile or so took us over the Thames to the rather smart Mute Swan pub for a couple of pints before an Uber cab arrived to take us to the match. There was still time for a rather rapid pint of Speckled Hen in the clubhouse before we headed to the turnstiles.

Admission was a tenner, with the programme a further couple of quid. It was soon apparent that the match had not attracted a huge crowd as we walked round to the stand side; where I purchased a decent cheeseburger for £3.50.

Both sides were fielding very youthful experimental sides. Met had an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie at home a few days later, while Dons boss Jimmy Gray decided to run the rule over players on the fringe of the first team and squad members.

The first half saw precious little opportunity for either side to score. Met came the closest as Antonios Kozakis saw his shot saved by Dan Purdue, before the hosts also had a goal chalked off for offside. Alexandros Kozakis in the home net made a good stop from Cole Brown.

At the interval we dashed round for another pint and got chatting to an old Kingstonian fan who regaled us with travelling tales. A couple of Hampton & Richmond fans chatted and gave us an update on how the former Dons players were settling in their new surroundings.

Purdue made another good save from the outside playing Kozakis before Mathias Bakare saw an effort come back off the foot of the Blues post. On fifty seven minutes Hendon missed one of the chances of the season, in almost comedy style.

Gianni Crichlow’s shot from twenty five yards came back down off the crossbar. Keeper Kozakis was prostrate on the floor as the ball came back down to Tyriq Hunte who somehow managed to hit the custodian from four yards with the goal gaping.

Crichlow was about to be rested until that moment. The visiting bench changed the number board and gave Hunte the hook. Sub William Murphy looked to have scored but the officials conferred and decided the ball found him via the touch from a player in an offside position.

With about fifteen minutes remaining, Met took the lead when a low John Gilbert seemed to catch Purdue unsighted as it went into the net. Crichlow had two golden opportunities to equalise but put both of his efforts wide of the post.

Matty Newman also came close before Purdue made another decent stop in the closing stages to keep out a Bayley Mummery shot. We headed off at the final whistle. The two Hampton fans questioned how on earth Hendon had lost? They were decent judges.

We made the 10:50 service back to Waterloo where we headed across the road to the overpriced but vibrant Wellington. I had the following day off work and insisted we took the bus for one last hurrah in The Shakespeare’s Head at Holborn.

Jeff headed off, but I remained for an extra nightcap. I believe I made my journey back via the tube? I even managed to wake up in time to get out at Kingsbury!

Metropolitan Police 3 Hendon 0 (Saturday 12th January 2019) Southern League Premier Division South (att: 145)

I’d returned from a wonderful few days extended break in Andalusia the previous afternoon ready to cheer on the Dons once again, hoping to see them end their run of seven consecutive defeats.

As I was due to attend a gathering near Vauxhall on Saturday night to commemorate the passing of friend and Chiang Mai cricket colleague Terry Skillett, I was mindful of not going to too many pubs before the game. Fortunately, Steve Barnes had a plan.

We headed by tube and then train to Surbiton where he had a couple of establishments marked down. The Antelope was also the home of the Big Smoke Brewery where we enjoyed a fine ale before wandering round to The Lamb.

This quirky pub dispensed fine pints of Runmore Bitter and Summer Lighting among others and was so nice that I had a Eureka moment. We really only had time for a pint, but I looked up our location and realised that it wasn’t too far to the ground as the crow flew.

Rather than walk nearly ten minutes back to the station and then fifteen from Thames Ditton I suggested we requisitioned an Uber cab. My drinking pal didn’t offer much of an argument! It only cost £6 and took ten minutes. It was a master stroke.

We went straight into the ground where I enjoyed a nice hot dog and a Bovril. I was most impressed that a pepper pot was provided to spice up my drink on a cold afternoon. We got too seats with excellent views on the back row of the stand to take in proceedings.

Hendon went with three at the back once again and looked a reasonably solid unit. However, they weren’t offering much of a forward threat to the Police defence. The hosts were in fine form and in the play-off berths.

Danny Boness probably the busier of the two keepers, despite Luke Tingey having a half chance from a Brendan Murphy-McVey corner, but it would take until the eighteenth minute until the Met went ahead.

A fine quick passing movement down the right hand side found Max Blackmore, whose low cross was neatly put away by top scorer Jack Mazzone. Gianni Crichlow broke the offside trap for the Dons as half time approached, but his run sent him too wide and any chance was lost.

Jimmy Gray rang the changes at half time to change the formation and to take off Connor Calcutt whose mobility was severely restricted with a back injury. Crichlow overran the ball again just after the restart, allowing Bertie Schotterl to collect the ball easily in the Met goal.

The keeper was to deny substitute Shaq Hippolyte-Patrick shortly after, with a brave block following Crichlow’s pull back. However, that was to be as good as it got for the Dons. Not for the first time in the campaign an attacking short corner was to end in calamity.

Murphy-McVey’s set piece was poor. The ball was lost with the hosts passing and moving at pace up the field. Mazzone played his part once again before the ball found Blackmore in acres of space who finished with aplomb.

Tanasheh Abrahams was having a bit of a shocker for Hendon at full back, either fouling, complaining in frustration or being found out of position. Blackmore took advantage of this once more but was denied by a decent stop by Boness.

Elliott Charles was doing his best up front but was continually caught offside. The Police made it 3-0 eleven minutes from time when the ball was given away cheaply for the umpteenth time by the men in green. The ball found its way to an unmarked Jonathan Hippolyte who made no mistake.

Lewis Toomey had a good chance for a consolation goal but headed over when well placed before the hosts had a further couple of decent opportunities as the game entered stoppage time. Boness made a save from one of them.

At full time we trudged disconsolately back to Thames Ditton station where a small gathering of Hendon fans were in subdued form and starting to worry about potential relegation troubles.

We left them to get out at Surbiton, where we enjoyed a couple of fine ales in the superb Coronation Hall Wetherspoons pub. We would certainly be back to this fine suburb for drinking; hopefully for a league game the following season!

Steve jumped out early on the way to London while I stayed on to speak at Terry’s drinks do at The Cock on Kennington Road. An interesting couple of hours flew by as friends old and new were united. It was a fitting occasion.

I met up with my mate once again at the Waterloo Tap before we headed back to Kingsbury. I was concerned, and a bit fed up with the football, but the evening reminded me that it was only a game and there were more important things in life.

Metropolitan Police 1 Poole Town 0 (Monday 6^th May 2019) Southern League Premier Division South Play-Off Final (att: 1,025)

It looked unlikely that I was going to make a game on Bank Holiday Monday, but kind work colleagues were to play a helping hand. I was a spare man and business was extremely quiet. My regular travelling pal Tony Foster texted me at lunchtime.

After a little negotiation it was arranged for him to pick me up at Eastcote station at 1.30. The journey across the suburbs was far easier than anticipated and we were parking up on Embercourt Road not long after two o’clock.

Another mutual mate Mark Turner was already at the clubhouse. He’d kindly sorted our programmes out in advance. There was even time to have a fine pint of Twickenham Brewery ale from the bar bulging with Poole fans.

The ground was busy when we entered ten minutes before kick-off. John, another friend from the cricket went to queue for a burger. I had a quick lap of the ground before taking up a position on the open side terrace for the first time on my visits.

The visiting Dolphins had a good following, some with musical instruments. It wasn’t the same as the final I’d visited the season before when Dulwich Hamlet defeated Hendon in front of over 3,000 fans at Tooting, but there was still a big game feel about it.

The game was extremely tight from the off with plenty at stake. Midfields and defences were on top. It wasn’t until the seventeenth minute when the first goalmouth action occurred. Poole’s Marvin Brooks shot from a Jex Bedford cross, forcing Bertie Schotterl to save with his feet.

Early Met substitute John Gilbert went close of thirty four minutes but he failed to steer his volley on target. Ethan Chislett then put in a cross from a set piece with Jack Mazzone got on target, but the visiting keeper Luke Cairney saved easily.

The score was blank at the break. John re-appeared just after the restart having finally got his food! A long Josh Leslie-Smith throw fell to Bedford who failed to test Schotterl. At the other end Cairney pulled off a superb save to deny Gilbert.

Around the seventy minute mark Poole forced some pressure. Jake Smeeton saw his header put behind for a corner, which Corby Moore delivered. Marvin Brooks header looked like it was going in before the Met defence scrambled it clear.

However, the hosts went ahead a couple of minutes later in slightly controversial fashion. A ball was lofted into the area. Cairney came out but was beaten by the head of Mazzone. The ball was cleared by Jack Dickson, but the linesman on the far side signalled that the ball had crossed the line.

The jury was out among our congregation. I was pretty uncertain, but the goal counted. The Poole players and bench including manager Tom Killick were apoplectic with rage. They continued to harangue the officials over every decision thereafter.

With nine minutes left on the clock another Leslie-Smith was flicked on by Brooks to AFC Bournemouth loanee Jake Scrimshaw who put a golden opportunity to equalise over the bar. It would be Town’s last chance to get back into the game.

Gavin MacPherson’s side saw out the game with relative ease. They really were a well set up outfit. Their reward was a Super Play-Off Final the following Saturday at home to Tonbridge Angels to try and win a place in the National League South.

I must admit to having a wry smile. Killick’s behaviour in defeat to Hendon at Silver Jubilee Park earlier in the season wasn’t befitting of a man of his status. Met were classy in both their victories over the Dons. They were indeed a well run club and team.

Metropolitan Police 1 Hendon 0 (Tuesday 3^rd November 2020) Southern League Premier Division South (Att: 159)

The next set of regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic were imminent as the league was about to be suspended. Just as bad was the news that pubs were about to be shut for a spell.

Steve Barnes again joined me for the journey towards Surbiton, just four days after our previous visit for the FA Trophy tie which saw Hendon go down 5-4 in a thriller away to Corinthian-Casuals. We were determined to make the most of our relative freedom.

Our first point of call in Surbiton was The Black Lion, a tremendous old Young’s pub with friendly table service. We headed to the busy Antelope where we enjoyed the half priced Big Smoke ales which were brewed on the premises.

As the pub was busy, we opted to stand outside rather than waiting for a table. We lamented the madness of the rules. The pub would be forced to close, even to those standing outdoors while the convenience store next door could sell alcohol at will.

From there we headed round to meet Lee Cousins at The Coronation hall, with Bob joining us later. We initially had to queue for ten minutes with the staff doing a sterling job. A gent apologised for giving us a poor table, yet we thought it perfect near the loos and bar.

Once again, the JDW establishment was desperate to get rid of its stock. We were drinking Oakham Citra for 99p a pint. It seemed a terrible shame when it was time to order our Uber cabs to the match. If only we’d have known…

Admission to Imber Court was £11. The programmes had sold out by the time we’d arrived. If I say that the highlight of my time in the ground was the excellent cheeseburger, it probably sums up the match and my thoughts on Hendon’s performance.

It was a match of endeavour rather than flowing football which was abysmally refereed by a veteran official. I did wonder if he had won a competition to do the game. I know it's not an easy job, but blimey.

He should enter Britain's Got Talent playing the National Anthem on his whistle. The pea must have felt battered and bruised by full time. He was poor for both sides I must add, spoiling any chance of fluidity and adding much frustration to all present.

Shaun Lucien caused a few problems early on for the Dons before the defence quickly worked him out before Ollie Knight saw his shot come back off the angle of the post and bar after being set up by the consistent Jack Mazzone with keeper Jonathan North well beaten.

Knight had a further good chance but shot straight at North before Oshodi missed a great chance to open the scoring as the ball dropped to him from a set piece. At the break we headed back to the bar for a swift half. It was nice to see friendly faces, as we didn’t know when we’d meet again.

The Met took the lead on forty-nine minutes when Sam De St Croix crossed for Mazzone to fire home. I thought Hendon a bit one paced and predictable though they forced Rhys Forster into a good save a few minutes from time before sub, Matt Ball fired over a great chance.

I had to tip my cap to Blues boss Gavin Macpherson. They might not be the most attractive on the eye, but they were continually difficult to beat. You had to feel a little for him and his side. Imber Court is a smashing venue but always feels a little soulless with minimal home support.

Lots of stoppages throughout the game and a late kick-off meant we would have had to run for the train at Thames Ditton. I lost Steve on the way out with the others ahead of us. Tom Stockman saved the day offering us a lift back to Kingsbury as we masked up for the ride.

I realise football is a game of opinions and a manager will generally defend his side, but I think I’d gone to a different game to Lee Allinson on hearing his post-match interview. The break would probably good timing for Hendon, but I'd definitely miss my pals!