Welcome

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Colston Avenue for this Isthmian Premier fixture. I would especially like to welcome the officials, players, and fans of Cray Valley PM FC

Please can I remind you:

• We serve a selection of draft beers and real ale in our clubhouse.
• We serve a wide range of food from our matchday kitchens from midday.

I would like to wish both teams the best of luck in this important fixture.

Paul Dipre – Chairman

Match Officials

Team Officials

	Carshalton Athletic FC Peter Adeniyi
	Cray Valley PM FC Steve McKimm

Recent Clashes

09/08/2025		0-2
01/01/2025		1-2
26/08/2024		1-0

History

Carshalton Athletic FC 1906

Cray Valley PM

Records held by Kent FA show that Cray Valley Paper Mills FC (CVPM) was founded in 1919 – the team originally playing in green and white, matching the livery of the paper mills vehicles and company banner – and was supported by the Nash family who owned the paper mills until its closure in 1981

Playing in the newly formed Sidcup and Kent League Division 2, the Club’s first match was a 1-0 victory against Hamilton House FC on September 20th 1919, followed by a 7-0 victory in our first away match at Sidcup Invicta. CVPM went on to win the division in their first season – gaining promotion to the Bromley & District League Division 1. The following season they were again champions – also winning the Kent County Junior Cup, defeating Sittingbourne Paper Mills 3-0 in the Final.

Records between the late-fifties and the early-seventies are scarce, until 1975 when CVPM joined the South London Alliance League, winning Division 1 in 1979/80 and the Premier Division in 1980/81 – their final season playing at the sports ground of the mills at St Pauls Cray in Kent. Following a “nomadic existence” CVPM arrived at their present home at Badgers Sports Ground in Middle Park Avenue, Eltham for the season 1998/99, by which time “Paper Mills” had been abbreviated to “(PM)” in the Club’s name.

The Club continued to enjoy success in the South London Alliance, Spatan League and Spartan Midland League before becoming founder members of the London Intermediate League. Season 2001/02 under the management of Mark Edwards, saw them elected to Division One of the Kent County League.

During Edwards’ reign, CVPM enjoyed regular success – winning Division 1 West in 2002/03 before winning the Premier Division by 11 points in 2004/05. They were also victorious in the London Intermediate Cup in 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2011. Willie O’Sullivan became manager in season 2009/10, before leaving in January of the following season 2011/12, at the end of which the Club effectively gained two “promotions”– moving from the “Step 7” Kent County League to the “Step 5” Kent League. With Steve Chapman then taking over at the helm, their first season at that level saw them finish in a highly creditable 11th position while the following two seasons saw further progress, with 8th and 7th placed finishes.

2012/13 saw their debut in the FA Vase, followed by a first appearance in the FA Cup the following season. After Paul Gross took over from Chapman for the 2014/15 season, The Millers finished 7th in the newly named Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) – a late season slump resulting in a disappointing 10th place finish the following season.

Under James Collins, the 2016/17 campaign saw the Club finish in a very creditable 4th place in the league, and reach the Final of the Kent Senior Trophy – losing 2-1 to League Champions Ashford Town. They also became the lowest ranked team ever to win the London Senior Cup when, on a memorable night at Dulwich Hamlet, The Millers beat Ryman Premier Division opponents Metropolitan Police 2-1.

Kevin Watson was appointed as manager early in the 2017/18 campaign, guiding The Millers to 6th place, while again reaching the final of the London Senior Cup – on this occasion being beaten by Balham. The centenary season 2018/19 saw the Club again scale new heights – winning the SCEFL title by a single point, accruing 91 points from 38 matches while scoring 108 goals with a goal difference of +72, and securing promotion to the Isthmian League. The Club also made their first appearance at Wembley – Combined Counties League side Chertsey Town beating Valley 3-1 after extra time in the FA Vase Final in front of a crowd of 42,962.

Their first season in the Isthmian League South East Division (Step 4) came to a premature end due to the Covid-19 outbreak, when they were in 3rd position and looking set to challenge for further promotion. While the 2020/21 season was also curtailed in December 2020 due to Covid-19, there was still time for The Millers to embark on a record breaking run in the FA Cup, eaching the First Round Proper for the first time. Season 2021/22 finally saw The Millers complete a full season at step 4, achieving their highest ever finish in 5th place to secure a play off spot – a 1-0 defeat in the semi-final at Ashford United ending any promotion hopes. Following Kevin Watson’s departure in November 2022, his assistant Tommy Osborne took over the reigns but narrowly missed out on a play off spot, finishing in 6th place.

A new era now beckoned with a complete managerial change in preparation for the 2023/24 season with the appointment of Steve McKimm. What followed led to a truly remarkable season. Isthmian South East Champions and with it promotion to step 3 for the first time, 97 points, 103 goals scored with just 32 conceded. Reached the FA Cup First Round Proper taking Charlton Athletic to a replay at the Artic Stadium in front of a capacity crowd of 1,550 along with a FA Trophy Second Round Proper appearance for the first time. Forward momemtum continued last season both on and off the field – achieving step 3 ground grading and a 4th place finish in the Isthmian Premier Division before agonisingly losing 4-3 in extra time of their play off semi-final at Dartford.

CAFC People

Chairman: Paul Dipre
Directors: Clare Dipre, Paul Williams, Kelly Riddel, Vicky Mannooch

Club Secretary: Bonnie Hare
General Manager: David Geddes
Match Day Tannoy: Gary Hollick, Tony Guest, & Christian Kemble
Admissions: Andy Rickman
Matchday Sec: Christian Kemble
Safety Officer: Clare Dipre
Programme: Christian Kemble
Media: Tom Higgs & Lin Bartley

Club Vice Presidents:
Phillip Payne, Steve Friend, Alan Walker, Kay Maynard, John Kistner, David Reilly, Martin Reilly, Peter Clews, Alec Griffin, Gary Smith, Alan Clarke, Peter Lebihan, Peter Robins, Marc Haskins, John Hillarby, Graham Skipp, Matt Hillarby

Matchday:
1st Team Manager: Peter Adeniyi
Coaches: Charlie Acres, Joe Vine, Sanchez Ming
Physio: Dave Feasey
Kit Manager: David Geddes
Matchday Safeguarding Officer: Andy Rickman

The Club is owned by Paul Dipre & Family by way of controlling interest

CAFC Snapshot

Surrey County FA
London FA
Pitching-In Isthmian League Premier Division
Isthmian Development League
The National League U19 Alliance
Isthmian Youth League
Surrey Youth League
Surrey County Women’s & Girl’s League
Epsom and Ewell League
Registration Number: 05316320

Contact details
War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue.
Carshalton. Surrey SM5 2PW
Tel: 020 8642 2551
Email: enquiries@carshaltonathletic.com
Web: www.carshaltonathletic.co.uk
TV: www.robins.tv
Twitter: @CarshaltonA_FC
Instagram: (Link to your Instagram profile)

The Robins Choir

Ground Rules

Colston Avenue Ground Rules

Carshalton Athletic is a FA Charter Standard Community Club.
We do our best to make every matchday or event as safe and enjoyable as we can for players, fans, customers and officials. We also respect the amenity of our neighbours.

To those ends we have ground rules that we respectfully ask visitors to the ground to abide by.

Approaching and leaving the ground and stadium

Please respect the amenity of neighbours surrounding the ground when arriving and leaving the ground. If driving please drive very slowly and carefully in the access road approaching the ground and in the car parks inside the ground. Please avoid making unnecessary noise in the surrounding roads on your journey to the ground, please save it all up in support of your team!

Dogs

Dogs are not permitted in the stadium, regardless of size and nature. (Except guide dogs)

No Drums or clappers

Our operating licence prohibits the use of drums, clappers or musical instruments, they cannot be brought into the ground

Flags and Banners

There are plenty of places to hang flags and banners around the ground, but pleased don’t hang them over the pitch-side barriers where they cover advertising hoardings.

Bring Photo ID

Please bring photo ID. You may need it for purchasing alcohol. Seniors, U18s and all season ticket holders will need to show it at the turnstiles, no exceptions.

Challenge 25

If you are lucky enough to look under the age of 25, then you will need to show a driving license, passport or an id card bearing the PASS hologram. Staff will lose their jobs if they don’t adhere to the challenge 25 guidelines.

Video Filming

Any filming within the ground that is intended for publishing online must seek written permission before filming – except for the official videographers of opposition clubs who may film at the ground for the period beginning 2 hours before kickoff and ending two hours after kickoff. Other private or third party videographers must seek the clubs written permission prior to filming within the ground if the footage it to be published online.

Commercial Photography

Any filming within the ground that is intended for publishing online must seek written permission before filming – except for the official videographers of opposition clubs who may film at the ground for the period beginning 2 hours before kickoff and ending two hours after kickoff. Other private or third party videographers must seek the clubs written permission prior to filming within the ground if the footage it to be published online.

No foul language please

As a community club, many fans and customers are families with young children. Please help us to provide an environment suitable for the whole family.

Hospitality

Football on TV

Partners with Sky Sports & TNT Sports.

Every evening, every matchday, all the big games are showing on our big screens

Two viewing rooms – both with 75 inch LED screens, Dolby sound and fully stocked bars.

Matchday food

Gourmet Steak Burgers

Our steak burgers are fresh and from local sustainable suppliers – Scotts the Butchers.
Our Burgers are fresh, never frozen. Made with English Steak and cooked to perfection.
Our Buns are fresh, never frozen. Soft and squidgy.
Our Onions and fresh, never frozen. Slow-cooked for 4 hours and caramelised

WE DONT RIP YOU OFF – 1/4 POUNDER IS UNDER A FIVER

Chips

You wont find tastier chips anywhere.

Pies

We serve a range of meat and vegetable pies

Matchday food

Bean to Cup Coffee

Our coffee is freshly ground and brewed. Choose a cappuccino, latte, americano or flat white

Fully stocked free-house Bar

Choose from our wide selection of real ales, craft beers and a vast range of liquors.

Respect statement

“The Isthmian Football League strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action by that Association.” (The FA 0800 085 0508 / Kick it Out 020 7253 0162). The Isthmian League and all Member Clubs in the League are committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”

League sponsors