Rayners Lane

Rayners Lane FC is a non-league football club based in North West London in the Borough of Harrow. The club was formed in 1933 and entered local league football. The Tithe Farm Social Club was formed, with the football club being absorbed into it.

In 1951, 'Lane' became Middlesex League champions before moving into the Spartan League in 1957. Unfortunately, they failed to be re-elected in 1971 and returned to the Middlesex League. Lane soon returned to the higher status, but when the league amalgamated, it meant another step back.

A new challenge was sought, and Lane joined the Hellenic League in 1978. They were successful and remained there until the ground graders came in and enforced higher standards for Premier League clubs. The club was demoted a division and remained there for a couple of seasons before dropping back down to the Middlesex League to regroup.

Lane applied to join the Chiltonian League on a couple of occasions before that league amalgamated with the Hellenic League to become the new Division One East, with Lane becoming a founder member in 2000.  

After several aborted attempts, Lane was given planning permission to erect floodlights in May 2011. Lane won the Division One East title in the 2012-13 season, but the club was denied promotion owing to ground grading issues at Tithe Farm.

Floodlights were erected in 2013, with a Watford side playing in the official match to commemorate the occasion. Lane continued playing their trade in Division One East of the Hellenic League until the FA moved them to the Spartan South Midlands League from the 2017-18 season.

Lane ended their debut season in new surroundings in thirteenth position, which was improved upon by one place in the 2018-19 campaign with Dave Fox as team manager. By then, a new 3G pitch had been installed with a new clubhouse and facilities opening in June 2019.

Ben Hanley and Warren Gaddy were appointed as joint managers in October 2021 after the club had been transferred to Division One of the Combined Counties League. The side reached the playoffs in 2021-2,2, going down to Wallingford Town in the semifinals.

Scott Patmore came in as manager as the Lane started making signings that made other clubs sit up and notice. Playoff victories over London Samurai Rovers and then Langley resulted in promotion to Premier Division North of the competition before Patmore was replaced by Gary Meakin in July 2023. 

Further signings were made as the team reached the playoffs for a third consecutive season. This time, Holyport and then Bedfont Sports were seen off as Rayners Lane were promoted to the Isthmian League South Central Division.

The playing budget was cut back in 2024-25, leading to Meakin departing and being replaced by Mark Dacey just into the new year. Lawasere moved laterally to the Central Division One of the Southern League for the 2025-26 campaign with a returning Patmore as manager. 

He was replaced by Gary Pitt in April 2026 as the side was relegated to the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division or the Combined Counties League Premier Division North.

Rayners Lane FC will compete in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division or the Combined Counties League Premier Division North in the 2026-27 season.

My visits

I travelled on the tube to have a look at the Tithe Farm ground one day after working on the underground in 2006 and to take some snaps. I was impressed by the neatness of the arena with the tall trees surrounding the pitch on three of the sides, with the social club and facilities down the other touchline.

Rayners Lane 3 Thame United 3 (after extra time). Thame won 5-4 on penalties (Saturday 29th January 2011) Hellenic League Supplementary Cup Round Two (att: 34)

I was on night shift for the week at work, so I looked for somewhere quite local where I hadn't previously watched a game. After I made enquiries as to kick-off time, I got the good news that the game would start at 1.45pm, to allow for the possibility of extra time and the lack of floodlights. 

I reasoned that this would allow me to get to the second half of Harrow Borough v Margate, which was only a fifteen-minute walk away.

I took the train, and clumsily took the wrong Metropolitan line service heading to Watford rather than the Uxbridge one I needed. Not to worry, as it turned out, because when I alighted at Pinner, I found out the H12 bus passed at the bottom of the road and stopped right outside Tithe Farm.

I soon arrived at the ground and found my way into the clubhouse, which was normally for members only. A very welcoming barman told me that I'd get the programmes outside, and I'd be hunted down as it also acted as the ground admission. 

I watched some of the Everton v Chelsea FA Cup tie in the excellent room with a very reasonable pint of Reverend James as company.

I went outside before kick off and was liberated of £3 for admission and an excellent programme. The gentlemen were very hospitable and were delighted I'd chosen their game after initially having me down as a Thame supporter. 

The last time I had seen Thame in action was in a pre-season friendly against Brentford around the turn of the millennium at their impressive old ground, when Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher was serving behind the bar.

The match was in the Supplementary Cup, which I was told was for teams knocked out in the first round of the League Cup.

The ground hadn't changed much from my previous call, save for two small stands on the far side. The near side had picnic tables and benches, which I guess would be perfect on a warmer day. It really was cold. So bad, in fact, that I turned down the invitation to take a beer out with me.

I had a walk around to the far side and sat for a few minutes in one of the stands, but the weather necessitated constant movement. The game was an absolute cracker. Play flowed from end-to-end on a decent surface and a very wide pitch. I went back around to the clubhouse side in time to see Lane go ahead too much from players and supporters alike. 

There weren't many there, but those who did attend really got behind their sides, even if the majority of the away support remained in their cars looking out towards the pitch and using their horns to salute something they enjoyed.

United levelled before half time when I bid a retreat for a small malt for medicinal reasons! I saw the visitors take the lead with a free kick through the clubhouse windows. The game ebbed and flowed with Lane dominating for long spells despite being a division below United.

They drew level but then lost momentum. An old Lane stalwart resplendent in his club woolly hat came for another chat. We agreed that what a good choice I'd made. He then insisted on getting me the previous week's programme so I could read all the league statistics. 

He was a smashing chap who patrolled the touch line, yelling encouragement and acting as a ballboy. I really liked the way he welcomed and had a word for everyone, regardless of age. It's something officials of certain other clubs would do well to follow.

The game went to extra time, much to the amusement of fellow fans who had heard of my Harrow Borough plans. I thought about it for all of a second before deciding to stay put. It really was too good to leave. Lane went ahead, and it looked like a giant killing of sorts was in store. 

However, Thame equalised and sent the game to penalties. Just like the previous hundred and twenty minutes, the shootout went from one team to the other. Lane had the fifth kick to go through, but the visiting keeper remained in form as he pulled off a great save. He had a brilliant game all the way through. If it hadn't been for him, I'd have definitely seen the second half down the road.

Lane's sixth penalty was missed, but the visitor made no mistake, winning the game in sudden death. It had been a superb exhibition from both sides and amazing value for money.

The club was to attempt to overturn a previous refusal for the erection of floodlights in February 2011 at the council hearing, so that they could be promoted to the Premier Division of the Hellenic League. They can guarantee they'll be seeing me again if they succeed.

Oh, and Harrow Borough against Margate ended scoreless!

Rayners Lane 0 Enfield Borough 2 (Saturday 12th August 2017) Spartan South Midlands League Division One (att: 41)

It had been too long since my previous visit to Tithe Barn. Being located at Ruislip Manor on the early shift meant that I would struggle to get to many venues. This fitted the bill nicely, especially after my relief didn’t turn up until 2.40pm.

From the tube station, I caught a bus a bit too far down Alexandra Avenue. It should only have been one stop, but I went to the second one, meaning a walk through the rural Newton Farm Ecology Park, around to the ground.

The teams were out on the pitch as I peered through the gaps in the trees. The match was just underway after I paid my £5 admission, along with another quid for a decent enough programme.

The ground had been slightly upgraded since my last visit. Floodlights were now installed, and the two small covers on the far side had been joined up in the centre to give it a continuous feel. The trees on three sides looked as stunning as ever and no doubt benefited from the recent rain.

The match was Lane’s first ever in the SSML. They had expressed surprise in the programme at being moved from the Hellenic League by the FA, as they hadn’t applied on this occasion. Borough had been promoted after a third-place finish in Division Three in 2016-17.

It was Dave Fox’s first competitive game in charge of the home side, as his team took a step into the unknown. The match quickly developed into an intriguing contrast of styles. Lane was the more direct of the two, while Enfield was generally calm on the ball and preferred a passing game.

The hosts missed a glorious chance in the first goalmouth, but the free header at the back post was squandered. They looked to play centre forward Bruno Tavares whenever possible, and he caused a bit of panic on occasions.

At the other end, the visitors came close on several occasions. Home keeper George Hall had to deal with a series of crosses, while the flag of the linesman saved Rayners Lane. Surely there were going to be goals in this one?

The Borough centre-backs soon gained control before their side went ahead with a quality goal. Forward Thomas Opoku picked up the ball in the left-hand channel and turned on the afterburners to outpace two defenders and slot home past Hall.

It was a pleasant afternoon sitting in front of the clubhouse on the picnic benches, especially so when news of Chelsea’s capitulation was coming through. At the interval, I bought a decent pint of Robinson’s Trooper for £3.

The second half followed a pretty similar pattern. Referee Lee Randall had warned players several times for indiscretions before brandishing the yellow card on several occasions, mainly for pulling back opponents or their shirts.

Tavares continued to try his best to break through, but he didn’t have the pace to get past the excellent Reiss Gabriel and Richard Emin. Borough doubled the lead with around twenty minutes to go through  Issac Stevens.

Borough never looked like relinquishing their lead. I’d been impressed by the way that all of their players looked to play football, and didn’t panic in possession. It had been a reasonable game throughout, and it would be interesting to see how the season panned out.

I walked back to the station and took the train home to watch the majority of the Brighton v Manchester City game, chuckling my head off at the Billericay result. There was a football supporting God after all!

Broadfields Utd 0 Oxhey Jets 3 (Thursday 20th February 2020) Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (att: 68)

Click here to read about the game when Tithe Farm had been redeveloped and was used by Broadfields United before they became permanent tenants.