Balham FC is a thriving football club with 23 teams - from Under 7’s right through to Senior First Team semi professional football at Step 5 in the football league ladder. 

Founded as Balham Blazers FC by Greg Cruttwell in 2001, the club started with one Under 10 team in 2001/02 playing in the London County Saturday Youth Football League and with their triumphs, more age group teams have gradually been added.

Following a playing ethos of trying to bring a bit of Barcelona to Balham, the age group section of the club has been extremely successful to date, winning or being runners up in over 300 League and Cup Competitions.

Nicknamed “The Blazers”, the club has also been an unprecedented three- time winner of both the London FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year Award and Wandsworth Sports Club of the Year Award. Following the launch of the Under 18 Youth team in 2010 the First team was founded as Balham FC in 2011.

Having won back-to-back promotions in 2011/12 and 2012/13, Balham did the league and cup double in the Surrey South Eastern Combination in 2013/14. In 2014/15 Balham finished in a promotion position again, in the Surrey Elite Intermediate Football League, however promotion was denied due to Combined Counties League facility requirements not being met. 

Having moved to ground share with Cobham FC, in order to meet the facility requirements, Balham finished as runners up in the SEIFL in 2015/16 and as a result were promoted to Division One of the Combined Counties League for the 2016/17 season. The club had an exceptional first league campaign at Step 6, finishing in a promotion position for the sixth consecutive season and winning the London Senior Trophy. 

In 2017/18 the club had an equally exceptional season, finishing 5th at Step 5 in the Premier Division of the CCL and winning the London Senior Cup, beating AFC Wimbledon and Dulwich Hamlet on the way. Earlier in the current 2018/19 season the club made it’s first appearance in the FA Cup, with a 2-0 away win at East Preston in Sussex.

In addition to offering a direct pathway for boys teams the club has a senior women’s team and last season launched its first age group girls team with great success. Another team has been added this season with the long term goal being to have a direct pathway into women’s football for girls of a young age too.

Balham also runs a thriving full time College Programme for 16-18 year olds in conjunction with St Francis Xavier College in Wandsworth.

The club, run by a Board of Directors, is tightly knit and unique in promoting very heavily from within, with most in the current senior squad having come through the age group system. The aim is to continue climbing the league ladder and expanding younger age groups in what has been a fast ascent and growth to date and also an incredibly exciting journey for all those involved.

To find out more about Balham FC and how you can get involved (either as a player, spectator, volunteer or sponsor!), visit their website and follow them on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!