Colliers Wood United

Colliers Wood United FC are a non league side based in the London Borough of Merton in the south west of the city. Their history goes back a long way having being formed in 1874, originally being called Vandyke FC.

For many years they played in local league football before progressing to the Surrey Intermediate League. They moved to the Surrey County League but the lack of facilities at the the local recreation ground, where they played home games, prevented them moving into a higher league.

In 1991 facilities were found at Wibbandune Sports Ground on the Kingston By Pass and the club gradually upgraded them further. In 2002-03 'The Wood' were founder members of the Combined Counties League Division Division One. In their first season they finished runners up and were promoted into the Premier Division.

United arranged to play a sizeable amount of home games elsewhere during the 2011-12 season as a grant was sourced to relay the Wibbandune pitch and install a new drainage system. Unfortunately the pitch hit major problems the following December with the team having to play at Cobham once again.

Colliers Wood United FC will compete in the Combined Counties League Premier Division in the 2013-14 season.

My visits

Friday 3rd November 2003

Wibbandune was the final call of a long days groundhop around Surrey and South West London. I was really in the mood as the following day I was going on the train to Droylsden v Scarborough and after this call I was meeting my mate Jeff in The Star at St Johns Wood to refuel. I had previously called at the disappointing Raynes Park Vale FC and returned to the railway station to take the 275 bus along the Kingston By Pass.

From the top deck of the bus I could see the ground on my right in an area dominated by some housing, open land and golf courses. I crossed the road by the passenger bridge and climbed over the small gate which you'd normally associate with guarding a farmers field.

The ground was neat and tidy. The gate was in the corner and down the near touchline was a car park and then the changing rooms, clubhouse and a small cover at the front for standing spectators. A small seated stand was on the opposite touchline with the rest of the ground composing of flat open grass standing with a path around the pitch. There was a second pitch behind the seated stand with the whole arena being surrounded by trees. It was a pleasant if remote setting.

I took the bus towards Putney Bridge which gave me a tour of several housing estates and let me enjoy the antics of the kids leaving school, which severely enhanced my thirst. I reached the pub for an enjoyable couple of hours but those in my company gave me the thousand yards stare when I wanted to show them photos of the likes of Colliers Wood, Corinthian Casuals and Dorking. Education required. They didn't know what they were missing.

I was scheduled to make a visit to Wibbandune for a Surrey Senior Cup clash with AFC Wimbledon in the winter of 2011 when it fitted in well with my sifts at work. Unfortunately the game was postponed more than once owing to the pitch being waterlogged.