On Sunday, the women’s first team travel to AFC Whyteleafe, in a village set in the leafy hills of East Surrey.
The game was due to take place last weekend, but was postponed after the FA called off all football following the death of the Queen. We’ll try again this Sunday.
Please note that kick-off has changed and is now 1.15pm.
Whyteleafe the village is not mentioned in the delightful “Buildings of England: Surrey” by Ian Nairn and Nikolaus Pevsner in 1962, unfortunately.
We can only hope Whyteleafe’s modern iteration – notable for its three train stations – makes a case for inclusion in a future revised edition.
Having been relegated last season by just a point, AFC Whyteleafe Women’s first team have had a tough start to the new season. It’s early days and it sounds like it’s a completely new squad, so these rebuilds take time.
The Leafe lost 0-3 to Brentford FC, 2-6 to Dulwich Hamlet Reserves, and 1-3 to Sport London E Benfica. They’ll be hoping to make a statement on Sunday to shift the mood of their season.
AFC Whyteleafe as a club made its debut in 2021, hoping to fill the void and temper the bad taste left by the loss of Whyteleafe FC which folded as a result of an Ian Rush-related property scheme. Read more about that story of football-heartbreak and loss here.
We’ve never played AFC Whyteleafe Women, but we have encountered their current head coach: in a very Surrey remake of Freaky Friday, Sutton United’s 21/22 head coach is now at AFC Whyteleafe, and Whyteleafe’s 21/22 head coach is now at Sutton.
As a reminder, we beat two Sutton teams (firsts and reserves) on our way to the final of the 21/22 Capital Cup, Intermediate, both on penalties, so they will want revenge.
Did we mention kick off is now 1.15pm?
Match Information
AFC Whyteleafe Women vs Clapton Community FC kicks off at 1.15pm on Sunday September 18 2022. The game will take place at Church Road, Whyteleafe CR3 0AR
Admission is free – enter through the turnstiles. The bar will be open and food on sale too.
AFC Whyteleafe’s Church Road ground lies alongside the A22 between Purley and Junction 6 of the M25.
By rail, the ground is within a 9 and 11 minute walk of Whyteleafe* and Upper Warlingham stations, respectively, and is in TfL Oyster card zone 6.
(*Step-free access on all platforms)