Leatherhead Football Club, nicknamed “The Tanners,” is a non-league football club based in Fetcham, Surrey.
Established in 1907, they currently compete in the Pitching In Isthmian League South Central Division, which is part of the eighth tier of English football. The team calls Fetcham Grove their home ground.
The club’s origins lie in the merger of two local sides, Leatherhead Rose and Leatherhead United, in 1946. Before the merger, both clubs had achieved notable success in local leagues, with Rose winning titles in the Dorking & District and Kingston & District Leagues, while United triumphed in the Sutton & District League and Surrey Junior League. The newly-formed Leatherhead FC adopted United’s Fetcham Grove ground as their home and quickly established themselves, winning four consecutive Surrey Senior League titles before progressing through the Metropolitan, Delphian, and Corinthian Leagues. Leatherhead’s prominence grew in the 1960s with their Corinthian League title win in 1963 and their rise through the Athenian League, highlighted by the installation of floodlights and a celebrated match against Fulham. The club achieved national fame in the 1974-75 FA Cup, reaching the Fourth Round and defeating League clubs such as Colchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion before narrowly losing to Leicester City.
The late 20th century brought mixed fortunes. After twice reaching the FA Amateur Cup semi-finals in the early 1970s, Leatherhead made it to Wembley in 1978 but lost the FA Trophy Final. Financial challenges and relegations marked the 1980s and 1990s, culminating in a near-collapse in 2000, only averted by a supporter takeover. Despite setbacks, the club had moments of revival, including a memorable FA Cup run in 2006-07, where they were the lowest-ranked side to reach the First Round Proper, and Mick Sullivan’s tenure as manager in 2009-10, which saw Leatherhead win the Isthmian League Cup and achieve promotion back to the Premier Division. Subsequent seasons brought further play-off victories and returns to higher divisions, including a dramatic promotion in 2013-14 after winning a penalty shootout.
In recent years, managerial changes have defined Leatherhead’s fortunes. Sammy Moore’s appointment in 2017 brought a strong FA Cup run and a top-eight finish before his departure. His successor, Nikki Bull, achieved similar league success despite rebuilding the squad. However, after a poor start to the 2021-22 season, Luke Tuffs took charge but narrowly failed to save the club from relegation on a points-per-game basis. Tuffs departed early in the following campaign, with Hayden Bird taking over and leading a significant turnaround. Under Bird, Leatherhead climbed from 17th to 7th in the table during the 2022-23 season, narrowly missing out on a play-off spot by a single point.