Fetcham Grove

**Fetcham Grove: A Local Institution**

Nestled on Guildford Road in Leatherhead, Surrey, Fetcham Grove is a football ground that has never sought to be anything other than what it is: a local haunt for **The Tanners**, Leatherhead F.C. The site was not built from scratch in the post-war years but rather adopted by the newly formed club in 1946, following a merger of two older local sides. It has remained in the same location ever since, maintaining its identity as Fetcham Grove, though the main stand bears the name of a former chairman, Bernard Edwards.

The ground is defined by its simplicity. A mix of covered seating and terracing lines one side, while open banks flank the pitch. There is no undersoil heating, just natural grass and floodlights. The atmosphere is straightforward, shaped more by the community than by spectacle.

History here is measured in cup runs rather than records. The most famous chapter unfolded in 1974–75, when the club reached the Fourth Round proper of the FA Cup, drawing Leicester City at home before a replay at Filbert Street where they took a two-goal lead before falling short. That era produced a crowd figure of 5,500 for a match against Wimbledon in 1976.

In 2000, the club faced extinction due to financial difficulties but was saved by supporters who secured a new long-term lease, establishing the club as fan-owned. This spirit continues today. In 2023, the ground became a stop for former England international Peter Crouch, bringing a new kind of attention to the old terraces.