AFC Whyteleafe Official Annual Brochure 2022 - 2023

AFC Whyteleafe & Ludis would like to thank all of the businesses that appear in this publication for their support and wish them continued commercial success. The content of this brochure is believed to be correct at the time of printing but we cannot endorse individual statements and readers should not rely solely upon the continued accuracy of any individual claims contained herein without consultation with the service provider. Designed and Printed by Ludis 2022.

Photography by Andy Crayford - Crayfordmedia.

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which is why we wasted little time in getting the club up and running following the unfortunate demise of Whyteleafe FC in 2021. The passion, enthusiasm and loyalty of the local supporters deserved a local nonleague club to get behind, and that is exactly what we are delivering.

Based at the spiritual home of football in Whyteleafe, we are delighted to welcome supporters travelling from near and far in their hundreds each week, and to give them

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somewhere to enjoy football, to make friends and to feel a sense of belonging. Promoted two levels after the 2021/22 season into the Southern Counties East Football

League (Step 6/Tier 10), we’ll be tested weekly as we look to continue our growth both on and off the pitch. We’re all incredibly excited about what the future holds for football in Whyteleafe, but right now we’re well worth a watch too!

Our vision is to get football in Whyteleafe played at the same level as the previous club as soon as possible, which is currently two promotions away. After that, we aim to go as high. To do that, we need your help. Support

your local club; whether that’s turning up on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and cheering the teams on, volunteering, sponsorship or anything else – it means the absolute world to us. Church Road is served by three (yes, three!) train stations (Whyteleafe, Whyteleafe South and Upper Warlingham) as well as having excellent bus links. Choose live local football and enjoy a drink with your friends as you watch from the terraces!

we are delighted t O welc O me supp O rters travelling fr O m near and far in their hundreds each week, and t O give them s O mewhere t O enj O y f OO t B all,

make friends and t O feel a sense O f B el O nging.

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AFC Whyteleafe was formed in 2021 by Kelly Waters, replacing another club, Whyteleafe FC, which had existed immediately before. Waters had hoped to purchase the Church Road premises before it was sold to Irama Sports in February 2021, but he discovered the auction a week too late, and the sale to Irama went through. Following the withdrawal of Whyteleafe FC from the Isthmian League, and inspired by the story of AFC Wimbledon in 2002, AFC Whyteleafe was born.

The new club was granted a position in the Surrey South Eastern Combination League for the 2021/22 season, having formed a merge of registration with Balham FC B Team. This still left the club with less than one month to build a squad from scratch, ready for their debut match on 4th September 2021 at home to Earlsfield FC.

A crucial part of the successful formation of the club was securing a ground. Church

Road was the preferred choice, and a four-year deal was reached with Irama to play at what is considered the spiritual home of football in Whyteleafe.

Following a successful first season, AFC Whyteleafe merged with Whyteleafe youth FC and Whyteleafe Women ahead of the 2022/23 season to form one AFC Whyteleafe club comprising a men’s first team, U23s, women’s team and 28 youth teams from U7 to U18.

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The site of Church Road was formerly farmland, and the farm’s existing buildings were converted into the clubhouse and dressing rooms. Whyteleafe FC originally planned to add a running track and cricket

pitch to the complex, but these plans were abandoned. Floodlights were added in the early 1980s and a new main stand added in 1999 for the club’s first round FA Cup match against Chester City, which saw a record attendance of 2,164. Some of the turnstiles added at the ground were purchased from Stoke City’s Victoria Ground after they moved to the Britannia Stadium in 1997.

In June 2021, following the purchase of the ground by Singaporean-based company

Irama, Whyteleafe FC left Church Road due to no agreement being reached with Irama for a new lease with the club.

Mars got a clean sweep of club awards last season after several dazzling displays where he routinely dribbled past four or five players before scoring or assisting. ‘The Holy Headband’ will be one to watch now we’ve moved up two levels – can he keep it going?

With 22 goals and 10 assists in 26 games last season, Joe was our top scorer and someone we are delighted to retain for this season. A physical presence, able to hold the ball up as well as great finishing and even a bit of tekkers. He’s not known for his extravagant celebrations but rumour has it he once smiled after scoring from the halfway line in a league game last season.

the squad

Having spent many successful years with Hashtag United, Daniel holds the permanent honour of being AFC Whyteleafe’s first ever goalscorer with his second half effort on 4th September 2021 against Earlsfield FC in a 1-0 victory. At the time of writing he’s the only squad member with more Instagram followers than the club and has the strength and pace to give fullbacks nightmares.

Sam joined us in the summer having played for South Park and Worthing previously. He left Charlton Athletic only a couple of years ago having come through the youth ranks there and into the U23s. He captained their U18s side and now commands the back line for the ‘Leafe!

Mars Marciniak - central Midfield

Daniel aD jei - Forward

j oe c on D on – Forward

s a M k ee F e – centre Back

Voted by the club’s supporters as our most improved player last season playing at centre back, Nick has returned to play for us at a higher level and has started the season superbly deputising in midfield. His versatility and willingness to work hard for the team make him a very important member of the squad.

We’ve asked him a few times about his football background but he’s so fast we weren’t able to get a response! Having stepped up three levels to join us in the summer, Temi was brought in initially as a member of our U23 squad but after impressing in pre-season he’s played every game for the first team and after five games is our top scorer with three goals.

After 16 goals in 14 games last season we’re looking forward to seeing what Gus can do. After coming through the Kinetic Academy he went to play in the US for a while before coming back to the UK and signing up for AFC Whyteleafe. Lethal in attack and not embarrassed to sing his own song (“Gus, Gus, baby” in case you’re wondering), he has no mercy and no shame.

Another Kinetic graduate, George has been part of the AFC Whyteleafe story from the beginning having had a spell in the US previously. Another fantastic leader and fansfavourite. Thoroughly unafraid of throwing his body on the line, George has been everpresent so far this season and will forever be remembered for his halfway line goal against Wimbledon Casuals last season!

Buruk, Buruk, Buruk is on fire! Another Kinetic graduate, Buruk is one of two players sat on top of our all-time appearance list and for good reason. You’ll struggle to find a more consistent performer than him as he quietly goes about his business in the middle of the pitch. Excellent range of passing and great vision, we’re proud to have him.

Yes – another Kinetic graduate! Nile joined us in the summer from Edgware & Kingsbury FC where he had a very successful season in Step 5. An exciting player who can play centrally as well as wide, he’ll be responsible for leaving many defenders on their backsides over the course of the season!

n ick i nwugwu centre Back/Defensive Midfield

g eorge w ilkshire – centre Back

Te M i a laka – Forward

Buruk Te D ros – central Midfield

g us w ar D – Forward

n ile w ai T e – Forward

Club captain - David has been with us since the start having followed manager Kelly Waters from Balham B. A great vocal presence as well as a reliable stopper, you can also find him between the sticks for Selhurst on a Sunday. So far it’s one penalty faced, one penalty saved for the season.

Arguably the hardest working player in the team. ‘The Archer’ joined AFC Whyteleafe initially as a forward before making the transition to full back late last season. Works tirelessly on and off the ball and if you get a chance to watch our highlights, you’ll always see him perform for the camera regardless of whether he had any involvement in our goal. Likes a speech.

U23s captain as well as a very reliable backup for the first team, Jimmy returned to Church Road having played for the previous Whyteleafe FC at youth level, breaking into the first team before taking a break from football. Like David, Jimmy has also faced and saved one penalty for the first team this season.

Dani is our newest graduate of Kinetic Academy having joined us in the summer from Holland Sports. Possessing great technical ability as well as being able to read the game superbly, he gives us an attacking threat as well as defensive soundness.

Davi D Boorer – goalkeeper

j i MM y Pen F ol D – goalkeeper

k ane o rle B ar – right Back

Dani w ilson – left Back

Following 24 appearances last season, we’re looking forward to welcoming Yuyi back to the squad following an injury picked up in pre-season. One of the most consistent performers in the squad, he’s able to dictate tempo and control the midfield with his no-nonsense approach. Makes everything look easy and extremely comfortable!

Ivan joined us in the summer having previously played in his native Bulgaria. His fearless and energetic style of play have made him a bit of a cult hero at Church Road already. Thoroughly unafraid of a tackle, and willing to chase down absolutely everything – he’s everything you want to see from someone playing in the middle of the pitch!

The winner of the end of season squad race in 2021-22; Ibra is your classic tricky winger. Whether it’s running onto a through ball or playing one himself, he has the ability to entertain and to be a match winner. On his way back from an injury sustained in pre-season, the Church Road faithful haven’t yet been able to show off their ‘Ibra Kadabra’ chants – but once he gets going he can give a defender real problems.

The very versatile Alton Leeward has been given the nickname ‘pillow foot’ for his ability to control the ball at almost any pace. He also possesses an extraordinary range of passing. Usually in a defensive midfield role but also found at full back, Alton is a player who can change a game with one pass.

A young player who has already amassed a lot of experience at AFC Croydon Athletic, Sutton Common Rovers and Lingfield, Reece came in over the summer to provide some healthy competition at right back. He’s done just that with excellent performances in both the U23s and the first team! Quick, strong and a great crosser of the ball, we’re excited to see what the future holds for Reece in this team.

Your classic dogged central midfielder, Matthias is a player who won’t let an opponent settle. If you give him a splitsecond he’ll be in your face and breaking up play. An injury-plagued 2021-22 season reduced him to only 10 appearances but in that time he played against sides at our current level and had a big impact on those games.

y uyi k a B anje – Defensive Midfield

a l T on l eewar D – Defensive Midfield

i van k araivanov – central Midfield

r eece Pay T on – right Back

iB rahi M a k alil Diawara – Forward

Ma TT hias l ouis – central Midfield

At AFC Whyteleafe we are very proud of our youth programme. We have over 20 different youth teams that compete in all three youth leagues in Surrey including Epsom & Ewell League, Surrey Youth League and The Kent Youth League. All managers are CRB and first aid checked and hold at least a Level 1 Coaching badge. AFC Whyteleafe Youth is an FA Charter Standard club.

Pension & Retirement Planning

■ How much should I save to meet my retirement goals?

■ Can I retire early and if so, when?

■ How can I withdraw my pension benefits tax efficiently to ensure that I get the most out of them?

■ Are my existing pensions competitive and do they offer the flexibility that I need?

Savings & Investments

■ What is the best way to save tax efficiently and where should I invest to grow my savings?

■ How can I offset the effects of inflation over the long-term?

■ Are my existing savings working hard for me and are they likely to meet my long-term goals?

Financial Protection

■ How can I ensure that my family will be protected financially if I die?

■ How can I protect myself financially if I am no longer able to work due to accident or illness?

■ How can I cover my liabilities so that they are paid off should the worst happen?

Inheritance Tax Planning & Mitigation

■ How can I ensure that my estate goes to my loved ones on death rather than to HMRC?

■ How I can I reduce my IHT liability?

■ What is the best way to gift funds to my loved ones and how does IHT apply to this?

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:922494).

Investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the original capital invested

We work with you to build a plan to ensure that you have the best chance possible of achieving your long-term goals. Helping you to answer important questions including:

Helping to give you the peace of mind that your financial needs are looked after so you can focus on the things you enjoy in life.

AFC Whyteleafe women’s team play in the London & South East Regional League at Tier 6 of the women’s league pyramid. The women’s team are always interested in hearing from new players.

Non-league football has been regarded for a long time as a cost-effective way of promoting local business. We have sponsorship and advertising opportunities to suit all budgets, so whatever your desired level of involvement or cost is, get in touch

and we’ll have something for you! AFC Whyteleafe is proud to offer excellent opportunities for you to promote your business whilst giving you the warm feeling of having supported a local football club. We’re only just over a year old, and we believe we can help you grow your business as much as your support can help us. From first team shirt sponsorship, to programme advertising, player sponsorship, video highlight sponsorship and anything in between, we’ll

have a package to suit you. If we don’t – we’ll put a bespoke package together for you! Whether you’re a keen supporter, a local sole trader or the CEO of a multi-national company, we want to hear from you and we want you to come on this journey with us.

p lease c O ntact us if y O u’d like t O discuss anything and

Our premier package and the best way to get matchday exposure and more is to become our Principal Sponsor! Your company logo will be proudly worn on the front of our home and away shirts for the entire season.

on top of that you get the following benefits:

■ Logo on official social media artwork

■ Four pitch-side advertising banners (visible at all matches at Church Road)

cOmmercial

■ Four tickets to every home game

■ Match day hospitality (drinks and food after the game)

■ Four match day sponsorships of your choice

■ Four player of the match awards

■ Full page ad in match day programme for the season

■ PA announcements at every home match

■ Article and logo on club website

■ Regular mentions and engagements on social media profiles

Our U23s play in the SCEFL Development league and get crowds of around 100 regularly which is exceptional for a Development League at this level. The future of our club needs your support and this presents a fantastic opportunity to be a part of our present AND future.

appearing on the front of home and away shirts, you also get the following benefits:

■ Logo on official social media artwork

■ Four pitch-side advertising banners (visible at all matches at Church Road)

■ Four match day sponsorships

■ Four player of the match awards

■ Article and logo on club website

■ Mention on social media profiles

Firs T Tea M k i T sP onsorshi P £P oa

u 23s k i T sP onsorshi P £P oa

sT an D sP onsor £P oa

A great way to advertise your company or brand is by sponsoring one of the Church Road stands! We can display your name or logo onto one of our three stands and given the fact that we have men’s, women’s and U23’s matches at the ground on top of regional cup finals, charity matches and we groundshare –there is plenty of exposure to be had. We’ll also add your company details to our website so that our supporters can easily access you.

v i D eo h ighligh T s sP onsor £P oa

With social media becoming increasingly popular in the sports world – what better way to get your company noticed than by sponsoring our video highlights? Seen by over 750 unique individuals each week (not to mention the additional traffic a simple retweet from you could generate), your logo will feature prominently at the start of the video as well as a link to your own social media page.

P er B oar D £300

Pitch-side advertising is a fantastic way to promote your company whilst having the satisfaction of supporting a non-league football club. You’ll be proudly displayed for all games at Church Road including our men’s, women’s, U23’s and youth teams, charity matches, as well as home games for our ‘housemates’ who play in Step 4 of the National League System. Our average attendance for the 2021/22 season was over 300 (reaching over 500).

Our prices include the cost of producing the banner and installation, using artwork provided by you. For a small fee of £30 we can even take care of the artwork! The banner is 8x3 feet – for more information on available positions around the ground please contact us at commercial@afcwhyteleafe.com

Pi T ch-si D e aD ver T ising Banner

FULLY MOBILE

FULLY INSURED

and interior products are all

less than a gallon of

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FULL INTERIOR

FULL EXTERIOR

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Ma T ch D ay Progra MM e aD ver T ising

Our recently enhanced matchday programme is included within the matchday admission and available to purchase on a weekly basis for season ticket holders. It’s also shared with opposition club officials and has a readership of c.100 each week.

Advertising here is a brilliant way to raise your profile locally and is affordable and effective.

our per-season prices are below but we’re also happy to discuss shorter term options as a bespoke package:

Half Page £150 Full Page £200

Ma T ch Ball sP onsor £50

Sponsoring the match ball is a unique way to support the club whilst promoting your business.

along with three additional guests, enjoy the game whilst getting’:

■ Free entry for four adults to the game being sponsored

■ Your/your company name announced over the PA system for the game

■ Acknowledgment in our matchday programme for the game

■ All four guests will receive a free matchday programme for the game

1 match £50 3 matches £125 5 matches £200

club

We’re delighted to have our club shop open before all home fixtures. Located right next to the turnstiles as you enter the ground and selling a range of club merchandise including mugs, hats, scarves, and much more (including replica kit in the very near future), please do come and say hello to Andy or Stu who will be delighted to help you.

We also have an enviable range of matchday programmes from years gone by covering a

huge range of clubs so if you wish to have a look through the collection then please do!

Business administration and advisory services

We specialize in a variety of services for small businesses and self employed people. Whether you are just starting out or already trading, we can offer support and advice tailored to your needs. Our service offering covers a breadth of core business administration and management needs.

fixtures results

Sat 6 Aug 3.00pm H Faversham Strike Force 1-1 D 216 SCEFL1

Sat 13 Aug 3.00pm H Greenways 1-1 D 222 SCEFL1

Sat 20 Aug 3.00pm A SC Thamesmead 3-1 W 40 SCEFL1

Sat 27 Aug 3.00pm A Wick 3-1 W 99 FAVase

Sat 3 Sep 3.00pm A Snodland Town 1-2 L 150 SCEFL1

Wed 14 Sep 7.45pm A Croydon 1-2 D 110 SCEFL1

Sat 17 Sep 3.00pm H Rochester Utd 3-0 W 303 SCEFL1

Sat 24 Sep 3.00pm A AFC Croydon Athletic 2-2 W 110 FAVase

Tue 27 Sep 7.45pm H Tooting Bec 2-3 L 236 SCEFL1

Sat 1 Oct 3.00pm A Lydd Town SCEFL1

Wed 12 Oct 7.45pm A Croydon FC LeagueCup

Sat 15 Oct 3.00pm H Forest Hill Park SCEFL1

Sat 22 Oct 3.00pm H Snodland Town FAVase

Sat 29 Oct 3.00pm A FC Elmstead SCEFL1

Sat 5 Nov 3.00pm H SC Thamesmead SCEFL1

Sat 12 Nov 3.00pm A Rochester Utd SCEFL1

Sat 19 Nov 3.00pm H Larkfield & New Hythe SCEFL1

Sat 26 Nov 3.00pm H Croydon SCEFL1

Sat 3 Dec 3.00pm A Forest Hill Park SCEFL1

Sat 10 Dec 3.00pm A Bermondsey Town SCEFL1

Sat 7 Jan 3.00pm A Lewisham Borough SCEFL1

Sat 14 Jan 3.00pm H Lydd Town SCEFL1

Sat 21 Jan 3.00pm A Bridon Ropes SCEFL1

Sat 4 Feb 3.00pm A Tooting Bec SCEFL1

Sat 11 Feb 3.00pm H Bermondsey Town SCEFL1

Sat 18 Feb 3.00pm A Greenways SCEFL1

Sat 25 Feb 3.00pm H FC Elmstead SCEFL1

Sat 11 Mar 3.00pm A Larkfield & New Hythe SCEFL1

Sat 18 Mar 3.00pm H Lewisham Borough SCEFL1

Sat 1 Apr 3.00pm A Faversham Strike Force SCEFL1

Sat 8 Apr 3.00pm H Staplehurst Monarchs SCEFL1

Mon 10 Apr TBC A Meridian VP SCEFL1

Sat 15 Apr 3.00pm H Snodland Town SCEFL1

TBC TBC H Meridian VP SCEFL1

TBC TBC H Bridon Ropes SCEFL1

c lu B oFF icials

chairman – Kelly Waters Director of Football – Adam Deadman social Media & commercial Director – Dan Thomas youth chairman – Kieron Horn club secretary – Kieron Horn

Men’s Firs T Tea M Manage M en T

Manager – Kelly Waters coaches – Wayne Bullen, Daniel Morgan-Blake, Rob Mintrim head Physio – Natalie French

Fixture secretary – Jane Holt youth Treasurer – Nicola Adams youth Development – Simon Wright safeguarding officer – Lisa Pacey supporters association chairman – Felix Baker

Pho T ogra P her andy crayford – Crayford Media

Progra MM e Tim Deadman - Editor

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