Banstead Athletic F.C.

Banstead Athletic Football Club is a football club based in Tadworth, near Epsom in Surrey, England. The club plays its home games at Merland Rise.

History

The club was established during the Second World War as Banstead Juniors before the 1944-45 season. They participated in the Epsom & Ewell League, and played their home games at Tattenham Way Recreational Ground. The first season saw them pick up their first honours, winning the League Cup and finishing a very respectable second in the league. Joining the more competitive Sutton & District League the following season, they clinched promotion to the Surrey Intermediate League.

They changed to their present name in 1947. In their first season of intermediate football the "A's" won the Surrey Intermediate Cup, and the following two seasons brought two League titles. Banstead Athletic were granted senior status in 1949 joining the Surrey Senior League.

They joined the Spartan League for season 1965-66, during the mid 1970s Banstead sustained a period of success within the Spartan League setup, winning cups and league titles due to an influx of higher standard players from nearby rivals Leatherhead joining during the 1974-75 season, most notably Jimmy Rochester and John Beck. Banstead then joined the Athenian League in 1979. The demise of this league saw Banstead join the Isthmian League in 1984. In the 2005-06 season they played in the Isthmian League Division One. However in May 2006 they resigned from this league and joined the Combined Counties League from the 2006-07 season.

In the 1996-97 season, they managed to reach the semi-final of the FA Vase beating Bracknell Town, Truro City, Reading Town, Herne Bay, and Northwood before losing 1-2 on aggregate over two legs to Whitby Town.

External links

• Official website