Leatherhead F.C.
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Leatherhead F.C. is a football club based in Leatherhead, Surrey, England. The club is nicknamed The Tanners and play their home games at Fetcham Grove.
History
Football in Leatherhead can be traced back to at least the start of the 1900s but the current Leatherhead Football Club was formed in May 1946 when Leatherhead Rose and Leatherhead United merged.1974/75: See Best Moments
By the time the Tanners reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup 1980-81 former Crystal Palace player Martin Hinshelwood had replaced the stalwart Billy Miller. The Tanners lost 5-1 at Exeter City and have yet to reach this stage of the FA Cup again.
Serious financial problems emerged at Fetcham Grove just before Christmas 1999. The Club survived that immediate crisis but it seemed that they were doomed in the summer of 2000 when a last ditch appeal to the local business community for sponsorship failed. It was then that the supporters of the Tanners stepped in to save their Club.
This group of fans secured a new long-term lease on Fetcham Grove, helping to secure the Tanners future. Chris Kelly (the "Leatherhead Lip"), a former player in the 1970's team is currently the Commercial Manager.
The long-term lease on Fetcham Grove has helped secure the Tanners future. Sponsorship by Milners, who back the Ryman League team, and Toshiba Carrier, who assist the youth team, has been of great benefit in the Leatherhead recovery.
Best Moments
They won the Surrey Senior League four times in a row and are the founding members of the Delphian League in 1951.
In the 1974-75 season, The Tanners were drawn against Leicester City F.C. at home in the FA Cup Fourth Round Proper, the highest they have ever got, but the game was switched to Filbert Street. The BBC's Match of the Day cameras and over 32,000 people saw a dramatic match, in which the Tanners went two goals up, and then saw a goalbound shot that would have made it 3-0 cleared off the line. Leicester City's fitness and class eventually told as the top-flight team fought back to win 3-2 in the second half. Leicester City went on to play Arsenal F.C.
Today
In 2004, they joined the Isthmian League First Division.External links
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