Where Are They Now? (Part One)

A look at where former Southern Football League clubs are currently.

Currently mid-table in the Southern Counties East League are Fisher FC.

The team competed in various district leagues before moving to the Parthenon League where they stayed until 1965.

At this point the club folded and re-formed, this time based in Mitcham, joining the Western Section of the Kent Amateur League for the 1966/67 season.

Fisher were elected to the Spartan League in 1974 and won back-to-back championships in 1980/81 and 1981/82. The latter season coincided with a move to the purpose-built Surrey Docks Stadium.

Fisher were elected to the Southern League Southern Division for the 1982/83 season and won the championship at the first attempt, earning promotion to the Southern Premier Division.

Season 1984/85 saw Fisher reach the First Round of the FA Cup, losing 1-0 to Bristol City.

In 1986/87 they won the Southern League title and were promoted to the Conference.

Fisher’s success came to an end in 1990/91 when they finished bottom of the Conference and dropped back to the Southern Premier Division.

The following season brought a second successive relegation, to the Southern Southern Division, where they remained until the turn of the millennium, generally finishing in mid-table.

The 1999/00 season saw the club win the Southern Eastern Division. However, Fisher’s success was short-lived, as after just one season in the Southern Premier Division they were relegated back into the Eastern Division, where in the following season they finished sixth.

The following two seasons saw mid-table finishes, with Wayne Burnett taking over the managerial hotseat in February 2004.

The club was moved to groundshare with Dulwich Hamlet while planning permission was granted for a new stadium and development at the Surrey Docks Stadium.

A raft of top signings followed and the club were successful in 2004/05, winning the Southern Division One East title and the London Senior Cup.

The Fish were promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division for the 2005/06 season.

Wayne Burnett resigned as manager for personal reasons in November 2005 with the late former Tottenham Hotspur defender Justin Edinburgh taking the reins.

Fisher finished third in the Isthmian Premier Division that season, also winning the Isthmian League Cup and London Senior Cup, and beating Hampton & Richmond Borough 3-0 in the play-off final to win promotion to Conference South.

The 2006/07 season saw the club finish in tenth place in the Conference South under Edinburgh.

Burnett returned to the club in the off season, and assembled a supremely talented squad.

The Fish ended up finishing fourth, and losing to Hampton & Richmond in the play-offs - the side they’d beaten to win promotion two years before.

The close season saw a player exodus, with six of the previous season’s squad moving to Football League clubs.

The club’s financial difficulties also came to a head, as massive debts were found to be piling up.

The club hadn’t been paying players since November 2008, while a winding-up order for unpaid income tax issued by the High Court was, on March 13th, adjourned for 49 days until 22nd April, and then adjourned for a further 21 days to 13th May 2009.

A run of sixteen consecutive league defeats between 19th November and 9th March saw the club eventually relegated.

At the High Court on May 13th 2009, Fisher Athletic were wound up.

Following a meeting in Bermondsey on the evening of 28th May 2009, a supporters trust was formed to take control of all forthcoming club matters, with 42 founding members.

Re-named as Fisher FC and continuing to play at Dulwich Hamlet, but no longer the owners of the Surrey Docks Stadium, Fisher appointed Gary Lisney as manager and finished 13th from 16 in their first season in the Kent League, embarking upon a fine run in the London Senior Cup.

The 2010/11 season was a disappointing campaign for the Fish, and though it started well with a brief run in the FA Vase, a last-placed finish in the Kent Premier League was confirmed on the final day of the season.

For the 2011/12 season, former Greenwich Borough manager Steve Firkins was appointed, bringing a coaching staff of Billy Walton and Adam Lawrence.

An exhaustive overhaul of the squad ensued and a fine pre-season had hopes high for a good season. However, a faltering start and misfortune with injuries saw the Fish struggle to match this early promise.

Nevertheless, with a strong second half of the season, Fisher managed their best league placing since re-forming, finishing tenth in the Kent League.

Steve Firkins returned with new assistant Gary Davies by his side for the 2012/13 season, but in January 2013 Firkins stepped down from his post for family reasons.

Former assistant Billy Walton re-joined the club, and accompanied by joint manager Martin Ford, led the Fish to a final placing of 14th of 17.

The summer of 2013 saw the Board taking huge strides in their work to return the club to its spiritual home of Bermondsey.

At its AGM, the club unveiled proposals for a new community football facility at the St Paul’s playing fields site, just over the road from the old Surrey Docks Stadium, working with new SDS freehold owners Fairview Homes on a scheme to redevelop both sites together, and bring Fisher home.

Back on the pitch, the 2013/14 season saw Billy Walton in sole charge as Ford departed to join the management team at promoted Erith & Belvedere.

Familiar struggles saw Fisher once again come in 14th at the final reckoning in the re-named Southern Counties East League, but a run in the Macron Challenge Cup came to a dramatic end in a thrilling semi-final.

The Fish came from 3-0 down to win 4-3 in the first leg before finally succumbing to the competition’s eventual winners, Beckenham Town, 6-4 on aggregate.

In the summer of 2014, Southwark Council’s Planning Committee unanimously approved plans for the new developments at the sites on Salter Road, bringing a return to Rotherhithe within reach a decade after Fisher Athletic’s former owners uprooted the club to East Dulwich.

As the 2015/16 season drew to a close Fisher played out their final game at Champion Hill, ready to complete the club’s re-birth by moving back to Rotherhithe.

St Paul's Sports Ground was a success but the team could not produce the goods on the field.

Season 2016/17 saw Fisher finish second-from-bottom and were relegated to the SCEL First Division.

The 2017/18 season saw Fisher end in third place in the First Division and luck was on the side of the club though as a re-structuring further up the Pyramid meant that it would be a surprise promotion and a quick return to the Premier Division.

They then shocked many in the 2018/19 season by finishing in a surprising third place, whilst having the best defensive record in the league.

With 2019/20 made null and void due to Coronavirus and the 2020/21 campaign ending in similar fashion, 2021/22 season saw Fisher finish a disappointing 13th.

Erith & Belvedere were promoted to the Southern League as Kent League champions in 1981/82.

The club was established in 1922 as part of a restructure of Belvedere & District, which had been formed in 1918.

Belvedere & District had joined Division Two West of the Kent League in 1919, but left the league at the end of the 1920/21 season.

The new club joined the Kent League for the 1922/23 season and were placed in Division One.

In 1923/24 they reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup, losing 3–0 to Clapton at the Den. However, the season also saw them win the Kent Amateur Cup.

After finishing third in 1928/29, Erith & Belvedere joined the Premier Division of the London League, the club's reserves having played in Division One of the league since 1923. However, both teams left the league at the end of the 1929/30 season, with the first team returning to Division One of the Kent League.

In 1937/38 they reached the FA Amateur Cup Final again, losing 1–0 to Bromley at The Den.

During World War II they played in the South-East Combination, winning the league and League Cup `double` and the Kent Senior Cup in 1941/42.

After the war, Erith & Belvedere won the London Senior Cup in 1945 and were founder members of the Corinthian League for the 1945/46 season.

They won the league's Memorial Shield three times in row between 1947 and 1950 and were league runners-up in 1962/63 but the league disbanded at the end of the season and together with most other teams in the league, they became members of the new Division One of the Athenian League.

They were Division One runners-up in 1970/71, missing out on the title on goal average, and were promoted to the Premier Division. They went on to win the League Cup in 1973/74.

After finishing second-from-bottom of the (now single division) Athenian League in 1977/78, the club returned to the Kent League.

Erith & Belvedere were Division One champions in 1981/82, earning promotion to the Southern League Division One South.

They remained in the division until being moved to the Eastern Division in 1999.

After several seasons of struggling, the club dropped back into to the Kent League in 2005.

In 2012/13 they were league champions; going into the final match they needed to win and better VCD Athletic's result by a margin of five goals.

A 7–1 win secured the title and promotion to Division One North of the Isthmian League.

However, the following season saw them finish bottom of the division, resulting in relegation back to the Kent League, now re-named the Southern Counties East League.

In 2016/17 they finished bottom of the league's Premier Division and were relegated to Division One.

Season 2017/18 saw the club come runners-up in the London FA Senior Cup and end in fourth place in a league table which saw the top three promoted.

In 2018/19 the Deres finished as runners-up in the SCEL second tier under Owen Jones, winning the London Senior Trophy, setting a 17-match club record unbeaten run and with Harry Harding scoring a club record 45 goals in the season.

Their first season back in the SCEL top flight, 2019/20, was patchy and got worse in the opening weeks of 2020 when Jones and most of his team left and the club’s future was in doubt due to resignations from the Board.

A group of former players, led by Paul Springett, took over as directors virtually on the eve of the coronavirus pandemic, which left the Deres at the bottom of the incomplete table.

Season 2020/21 saw improved results and encouraging cup runs as Del Oldfield started to build a team, but the second lockdown ended the season in November.

Danny Murphy, a former player with Queens Park Rangers, Motherwell and Cork City, took over for 2021/22.

Murphy, who was also in charge of Welling United’s women’s team, took the Deres to sixth - their highest placing in seven seasons - and has now returned to Cork City to manage their women’s team.

His successor Tony Beckingham had a stellar start to 2022/23 before leaving Andy Constable in charge.

Erith & Belvedere are currently top of the SCEL in their Centenary season.

Another former Southern League club currently in the Southern Counties East League are Canterbury City.

In the early days it was Canterbury Waverley FC who competed in the Kent League between 1924 until 1939 but we were re-formed after the Second World War, as Canterbury City in 1947, playing at Bretts Sports Ground in Wincheap.

Matches were played in the Kent League, until 1959 when City had one season in the Metropolitan League at Kingsmead Stadium and gained promotion to the Southern League for 1960.

During the 1960s City twice reached the First Round of the FA Cup.

In 1964 City lost 6-0 at home to Torquay United before a club record of 3,001 and in 1968 were unlucky to lose 1-0 away to Swindon Town, who with goalscorer Don Rogers, later went on in the League Cup to beat Arsenal 3-1 in that memorable final at Wembley.

City struggled in the Southern League through the 1970s and 1980s and with financial pressure mounting in the 1990s and the sale of the Kingsmead Stadium by owners Canterbury City Council, the club became homeless.

They returned to the Kent League in 1994, but after two consecutive seasons of finishing bottom, the club folded in 2001.

In 2007 the club was revived and became the first club in the country to be formed as a CIC (Community Interest Company).

City won promotion from the Kent County League Division Two East in their first season and secured promotion to the Premier Division in 2011 after an unbeaten run and winning the Les Leckie Cup.

With no ground of their own, a nomadic life followed at different clubs.

Under the management of Ben Smith, Ade Gower and Darren Beale, City’s 2015/16 season produced their best finish of eighth since reforming.

In 2019 Canterbury had their longest run in the FA Vase, losing in the two-legged semi-final by one goal to Cray Valley PM and just one step away from a Wembley final.

Like many clubs, the covid pandemic took its toll on any progression the club was making and 2021/22 found the club in financial difficulties once more.

Rescued by a mystery donor and Keith Bird being appointed manager in January 2022, the club finished 16th in the Southern Counties East League and a decision was made to groundshare with Sittingbourne.

A new Board of Directors was appointed in June 2022 to face the uphill struggle of being further away from our support base and requiring alternative sponsorship funding.

Season 2021/22 saw City finish 16th and although they are currently second-from-bottom and facing relegation to the First Division, the club are still standing and look forward to returning to Canterbury one day in their own stadium.

Currently fourth in Division One of the Southern Combination League are Godalming Town.

The club has its origins as Godalming United FC, formed in 1950 by ex-pupils of Godalming Grammar School.

Between 1950 and 1971 the club played at the Recreation Ground. However, in 1970 Surrey Senior League side Farncombe collapsed, leaving their ground in Meadrow vacant. Godalming took over the debts and tenancy, changing their name to Godalming & Farncombe FC, and the ground to Wey Court in the process.

The club was accepted into the Combined Counties League for the start of the 1978 season, and a year later the name was changed again, to Godalming Town FC.

In 1985, another local club, Addlestone & Weybridge, was disbanded and, before their ground at Liberty Lane was demolished, Godalming purchased the stand and perimeter fence for £225 and £50 respectively. The stand was re-erected at Wey Court, with seating and fascia added.

The next development came in 1992 when the Guildford Football Appeal (formed in an attempt to return the town’s name to senior football, following the collapse of Guildford City in 1977) donated a sum of money towards floodlights, and in return the name of the club was changed again to Godalming & Guildford FC.

Further recycling followed in 1995, when a new turnstile building was erected incorporating a turnstile from Millwall’s old ground and in 1996 the clubhouse was refurbished.

During 2005 close season, the club changed its name for a fifth time, albeit back to one of its previous incarnations, that of Godalming Town.

A fantastic 2005/06 season saw the side take the Combined Counties League championship and League Cup by storm and Godalming were then accepted by Isthmian League officials following extensive ground improvements.

At the end of a tough season, Godalming found themselves at the bottom of a very competitive division. However, events elsewhere meant that Godalming were reprieved from relegation and were transferred into the Southern League South & West Division for the 2007/08 season.

In 2007/08, Chuck Martini replaced Roger Steer as manager in October 2007.

Godalming were moved back to the Isthmian League for the 2008/09 season and eventually finished in another record high position of ninth.

Godalming also progressed further than ever before in the FA Cup by reaching the Third Qualifying Round before losing 2-1 at Conference South side Havant & Waterlooville.

Season 2009/10 was arguably the best season in the history of the club.

Town finished a record high position fourth in the Isthmian South but were eventually beaten 2-1 in the play-off final at Folkestone Invicta.

The club progressed further than ever before in the FA Trophy and won the Surrey Senior Cup by beating Sutton United 2-1.

The season also saw local boy Shaun Elliott became the club’s record appearance holder after reaching 360 games in a Godalming shirt.

Chuck Martini was replaced by joint-managers Jon Underwood and Neil Baker (currently in charge at Beaconsfield Town) in October 2010 and the club finished an unpredictable season in mid-table.

Season 2011/12 saw a lot of new faces join, but the team quickly gelled, reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup before bowing out to Maidenhead United in front of 700 at Wey Court.

The G’s finished fifth in the league, and travelled to Bognor Regis Town in the play-off semi-final, drawing 4-4 after extra-time but Godalming lost 5-3 on penalties.

For season 2012/13 the club were switched to the Southern League Division One Central and Underwood and Baker guided Godalming to their highest ever finish in the Pyramid, finishing in third place.

The G’s lost in the play-off semi-final for the second year running, this time losing 2-1 to Biggleswade Town at Wey Court.

The season finished on a high however, as Godalming lifted the Surrey Senior Cup for the second time in four years, beating Sutton United 1-0 at Gander Green Lane, thanks to a last minute goal from Scott Harris.

The close season saw Godalming moved to a third different league in as many years, this time to the Southern South & West Division.

With divisional change came a managerial change as Underwood and Baker left to join Slough Town, taking the majority of the squad with them.

Andy Hunt was appointed manager in June 2013, assisted by Neil Selby.

Season 2013/14 was probably one of the hardest the club has dealt with.

Hunt was given the task of putting together a squad that will compete in the league and secure Step 4 football and at Christmas 2013 the clubhouse, kitchen and changing rooms were ruined by flood water.

Godalming finished the season in 18th position and were then moved into another division again to the Southern Central Division for the 2014/15 season.

Season 2015/16 saw Godalming finish in 10th position in the league and reached the Surrey Senior Cup final for the third time but lost 4-0 to Merstham.

In 2016/17, the G’s were transferred back to the Isthmian Division One South and it also saw the inaugural Axtell Cup a match with local rivals Guildford City.

Godalming came out winners (7-6) on penalties, however, the remainder of the season proved more difficult.

Andy Hunt parted company with the club after a heavy defeat at Carshalton Athletic with Darren Wheeler stepping in as caretaker manager.

A further two managers followed and the club ended bottom of the league and relegated from Step 4 football.

Season 2017/18 started under a new management team and hope of success in the Combined Counties Premier League.

The season started well and an early highlight came in the FA Cup with an away trip to Hereford FC where the G’s played in front of a record crowd of over 1,700.

Unfortunately after that results did not go well and the team slipped slowly down the league.

Former G’s players Gavin Smith and Jon Palmer took over as managers and, despite changes to the team and all their best efforts results did not pick up and the team finished third-from-bottom.

Following a period of uncertainty it was confirmed that Godalming would be relegated for the second season in a row.

In June 2018, former goalkeeper Les Cleevely was appointed as manager, following a long and illustrious playing career and managerial roles at Carshalton Athletic and Walton & Hersham amongst others and as a goalkeeping coach at Spurs and Chelsea.

Under his leadership some stability was brought back to the club and the side finished a creditable 12th in Division One of the Combined Counties.

Cleevely brought a refreshing blend of tenacity and commitment to the club and concentrated on building a young side.

Season 2019/20 ended prematurely due to the pandemic but not before another year of turmoil saw the departure of Cleevley and also his replacement Paul Bonner.

The final games of the season were overseen by Phil Ruggles and his team as COVID-19 shut everything down.

After the two seasons abandoned due to the Pandemic, Godalming found themselves switched divisions by the FA once again, this time to the Southern Combination Division One and with Ruggles still in charge, G’s finished seventh and are currently fourth, 10 points adrift of leaders Shoreham but with only two league games remaining.

Oldbury United were formed in 1958 under the name of Queens Colts and played in the local Oldbury League.

Queens Colts won the Oldbury League Division Two title in 1961/62 and subsequently changed their name to Whiteheath United, playing in the Warwickshire & West Midlands Alliance from 1962 to 1965.

The club amalgamated with Oldbury Town in 1965; taking the name Oldbury United and joined the Worcestershire Combination (later Midland Combination) in 1966.

In 1973, the club acquired an old quarry off York Road and set about laying the pitch and building facilities. Floodlights were installed in 1982, commemorated with a visit by newly-crowned European champions Aston Villa.

The club were league runners-up twice in the late 1970s and in 1982, despite only finishing fifth in the league, stepped up to the Southern League Midland Division.

After finishing 6th, 14th and 16th, Oldbury ended the 1985/86 season bottom of the league and switched to the West Midlands (Regional) League where they enjoyed a number of successful seasons, including winning the championship in 1993.

Based on this, in 1994 they became founder members of the Midland Alliance, where they played until 2008/09, with a best finish of third place.

Due to an ongoing legal dispute, Oldbury United began the 2008/09 season sharing The Beeches, home ground of Tividale.

The legal dispute ended in the club folding at the end of the season.

In 2017 the club was re-formed, joining Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League.

The club resigned mid-season before being allowed to return to the WMRL for 2022/23 – they currently occupy 8th place.