Leatherhead. It sounds like it could be a band name. To be fair, stick any old word in front of ‘head’ and you’ve got yourself a bona fide band name. Radio. Portis. Machine. We *could* go on. What we know about the place is that it’s right next to the M25. That’s about it. Sorry, not sorry really. Thanks to getSurrey, though, we know now there are nine amazing reasons to live in the town. That said, the first reason alone is enough for us…
In terms of football, the Tanners were a league opponent of ours during our Vauxhall Opel League Division One time. But, as of 2022, we’ve not met since. One of the main reasons is the speed at which Boro’ went up the divisions. And they couldn’t keep pace; only getting to the Isthmian League Premier Division for the first time since in 2011.
Leatherhead: The Facts
Fetcham Grove
Guildford Road, Leatherhead, KT22 9AS
Not in that list of nine reasons to move everything you own (and the things you borrowed but won’t give back) to Leatherhead right now is the town’s football club. Formed in 1946, the modern Tanners are who came about from the merger of Leatherhead Rose and Leatherhead United. Yet, the word on the street is that you can join the dots of the current club back to formation of ‘Rose’ in 1907. So, it’s from that point their story starts.
Life for the merged club started in the Surrey Senior League in 1946, before they switched to the Metropolitan & District League in 1950 having won four titles on the spin. It was a one-season stay; moving on to help found the Delphian League in 1951 and then onto the Corinthian League in 1958. The Corinthian League disbanded in 1963, however, but not before Leatherhead took the honour of being its last ever champions. Which is nice.
Into the Athenian League the Tanners went, like most others left homeless after the Corinthian League met its end. Nine seasons later, and the club were on the move again; this time, to the Isthmian League. At this point in time, Leatherhead were buoyant. The 1974-5 season is “famous” for their best ever FA Cup showing. It could’ve been even better too, had they not let slip a two-goal lead against top flight Leicester City in Round Four.
How to get to Leatherhead – Travel Information – Distance: 59 miles
By Road
Head on around the counter-clockwise M25 until you reach Junction 9, leaving the for the A243; the third exit at the roundabout as you come off the M25. This takes you under the M25 and to another roundabout, where you’ll need the third exit for the bypass that takes you around the town.
At the next roundabout, it’s the first exit for the A245 for half-a-mile. Stay on Bull Hill; this involves following it around to the right, before turning left for the B2122 Waterway Road. Turn left for the ground.
The car park at the ground should be more than big enough.
We think.
By Rail
Station: LEATHERHEAD
Services to: LONDON VICTORIA
It’s preferable to leave the station on the side where you’ll find a cab office and turning circle because you’re heading straight across Randalls Road from the approach road.
This means going against traffic on the one-way system, coming around left under the railway, facing a Lidl straight ahead. Turn right for Waterway Road and cross the river.
Before the next railway bridge, turn left and the ground is down here.