Warren Farm Sports Centre has been identified as a possible suitable site for Southall Football Club to secure a home in the near future, as the rejuvenation of the sports facility is vital for all in the community.

A public online consultation has now been opened by Ealing Council on the future of Warren Farm Sports Centre. Ealing Council has expressed their commitment on providing quality facilities for outdoor sports while supporting rewilding of the site to nurture biodiversity.

The public consultation link can be found here: https://www.givemyview.com/warrenfarm

We at Southall FC, have been in discussions with Ealing Council for a number of years, to “Bring Southall Home”, to the community after moving away from the old Western Road ground in Southall Green, in 1992. During our 150th Anniversary season (2021-2022), we have made great strides to ensure the return of the club back to the community after positive dialogue with Ealing Council. This has been in parallel with the fantastic season we are currently having on the pitch, which we will look to continue for the remainder of the season.

Warren Farm Sports Centre once was the beating heart of football in London, with 1000s of players at all levels having played there in the past. However, for a number of years the Sports Centre has been run down and forgotten, leaving the diverse community for which Southall is known for, to be without the facilities our community is calling for.

We as a community can all come together to provide Southall and Hanwell the sports facilites it desperately needs for our diverse community, as well as a supporting the rewilding of the site to provide a truly important hub for all in Southall and Hanwell.

We ask for your support in seeing sports facilites return to Southall.

A Brief History of Southall Football Club

Southall FC was founded in 1871; we are one of the oldest club in the country and celebrating our 150th anniversary for the 2021-2022 Season. The first recorded game was played at Southall Park on October 21st, 1871 vs Uxbridge FC.

Many of our Southall FC players have gone on to become full-time professional players and win England International Caps, including Les Ferdinand MBE (QPR, Spurs, Newcastle and England), Gordon Hill (Manchester United and England), Justin Fashanu (Norwich City and England U21) and Alan Devonshire (West Ham United and England). The aspiration of the Club is to return to Southall, with the club celebrating its 150th year anniversary. The club looks to continue to make progress within the Non-League system.

The Western Road ground lives long in the memories of fans, supporters, players and the community but was unfortunately taken down for social housing in 1992. We have not played a game at HOME since, but are confident the future is a bright one.

The club is founded upon fairness, team building, equality, perseverance, respect and good values that we believe should help develop and promote an area like Southall. We look to continue to support and represent the community we love as best as possible.

The Vision

Southall Football Club looks to return to Southall, whilst being part of a bigger picture for Southall with outdoor facilities that meet the demand and necessity for all in the community. As well as a home ground, the rejuvenation of the grass pitches is vital, as this will provide the platform of opportunity for the diverse community that is Southall to live a healthy and active lifestyle whilst surrounded by nature.

On the current Warren Farm Sports Centre site currently exists changing rooms and pavilions that have been dilapidated and a large section of existing hard-standing ground. The potential to deliver a project that truly combines sports and nature for our physical and mental well being will be one of the first of it’s kind. A place for everyone to enjoy.

Southall, a diverse and predominantly South Asian community completely lacks the sports facilities to meet demand, which is reflected by the “Professional Footballers Association data that has revealed there are 115 players from British South Asian background out of almost 15,000 players in academy and professional football” (Sky Sports News). These barriers we believe will never be truly broken without the facilities and opportunity in communities like our own, here in Southall. We can make a fundamental difference to tackle racism, prejudice and discrimination, in a multicultural community, one of the most diverse in the UK.

The club looks to incorporate a womens team and an academy system for children (Boys and Girls) of all ages to get involved in sports, and to provide a meaningful pathway in football and other sports. Today’s younger generation in Southall are completely without sports facilities in the community that meet regulation or demand, with many having to travel out of the town to enjoy the sports they love. Warren Farm Sports Centre will provide a pathway for the next generation of Southallians to fulfil their dreams and aspirations.

Women’s football, we believe is an important and positive step for the club in promoting equality and opportunity for all to excel in what they love. There has been an increased demand in womens football in recent years, which we are proud to be in full support of and hope to provide the infrastructure and foundations needed for women to continue to excel in football.

We also look to support the promotion of disability football and walking football for the older generations to fully uphold the ethos of a healthy and active lifestyle, equally for all.

Alongside this, we as a club look to support the rewilding of Warren Farm Sports Centre and the contact with nature that many in the community miss out on. The importance of climate change has also never been greater, so we must ensure a facility can be delivered that promotes a healthy planet and a healthy life. We are in full support of nurturing biodiversity and to protect wildlife, we believe this will ensure the promotion of a healthy lifestyle that exists in harmony with the world around us.

Sports and the great outdoors have both been of great importance to our physical and mental well being in our toughest of times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Southall, a diverse and predominantly South Asian community was hit the hardest of all, without the adequate infrastructure in place to ensure our communities physical and mental health. We are happy to see Ealing Council share this view.

Tackling Community Issues

Southall faces a number of important community issues that we believe sports can help tackle. Some of these issues are listed below:

• Racism and Discrimination
• Institutional and Structural Racism
• Drug Abuse
• Alcohol Abuse
• Gambling
• Gun and Knife crime
• Crime
• Poor Health and Well-Being
• And so on…

Moving Forward

We ask for your support in the returning the forgotten sports facilities at Warren Farm Sports Centre back to it’s former glory, please take a few minutes to take part in Ealing Council’s public consultation for what you would like to see in the future of Warren Farm Sports Centre. The link can be found here: https://www.givemyview.com/warrenfarm

We at Southall Football Club, would like to use this opportunity to reach out to all community groups, organisations and members of the public to work together to deliver a all-encompassing future for Warren Farm Sports Centre and for the people of Southall.

Finally, thank you to all the players, coaching staff, volunteers and most importantly fans and supporters from Southall and around the world who have been on this 150 year journey with us, and have supported us in this historic year on and off the pitch. Here’s to a bright and prosperous future for all in our community.

Thank you.
Southall Football Club
#BringSouthallHome

Social Media

Twitter - @FCSouthall
Instagram - @SouthallFC
Facebook - @OfficialSouthallFC
LinkedIn - @Southall-FC
Website – www.southallfc.com