The Warren Junior Football Club

For the last year or so my son George has been wanting to join a football team. Like many 11 year old boys he'd live with a ball at his feet if he could, and after several years of coaching through Balgowan School and playing with friends was desperate to start playing competitively. We'd previously been along to join in training at a couple of local clubs (no names!) and found them rather less than welcoming - not overtly, but no one really went out of their way to make him feel comfortable or make him want to go back. To his credit he wasn't put off, and last December we went along to training at The Warren in St Dunstan's Lane, off Wickham Way. After an initial slightly shakey start, which was more down to George getting used to proper (quite hard) training rather than any fault of the club, he now loves it, and it's become the highlight of his week.

The Club run teams at all ages from under 9 to under 17, and they play what could be best described as "competetive friendlies" in various divisions of the Tandridge League. I guess as they get older it gets more serious, but at George's age the emphasis is very much on taking part and having fun; that doesn't mean to say they don't love to win!

If you want to know more about this fantastic club with brilliant facilities and qualified FA coaches, click here and have at look at their web site. If you'd like your son or daughter to join in with the training, contact the relevant team manager listed in the Contacts page.

As a quick plug for the under 12s - with the start of the season just two weeks away, we're desperate for a goalkeeper. If you're in year 6/7 and fancy yourself as a budding Petr Cech, give our manager Alan a call - he'll be very pleased to hear from you!