A Grand Old Team to play for.

MODERN DAY

We a FA Accredited Club, and members of the Hampshire Football Association.  We play in the Hampshire Premier League and have done since it’s inception during the season of 2007.   We also have a Development Team; and as of season 2023-24 we have 23 Youth teams and our first ever Girls' Team.

Having spent all of our past years playing in our own village, we had to 'up sticks' midway during the 2018-19 season and set up home at Oakwood Park Recreation Ground, Otterbourne (near Winchester, Hampshire, England).  The ground grading regulations for the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division required a hard standing along one side of the pitch as well as a handrail which our local council were not willing to support.  Sadly the club had to leave the village after 63 years of continuous football.  

So we made the decision to set up home in our neighbouring village of Otterbourne, where we have been made to feel very welcome!  And after all, our new pitch is only 0.96 of a mile as the crow flies from our old pitch at Main Road in Colden Common.

The move to our new ground has coincided with our revamped presence online.  Our accelerated activity on social media continues to generate interest and has brought about a new adopted nickname 'The Stallions' in addition to our existing nickname 'The Commoners'. 

NEW FACILITIES

Saturday 2nd March 2019 was a huge day in the history of this Grand Old Team.  It brought about our first game at our new home - Oakwood Park (formerly the home of our great local rivals Otterbourne FC who vacated the ground and ceased to be a football club in 2016).  We have a little bit of improvement to make to the pitch as it has been neglected, and we are about to renew the existing kitchen.  Our license for a private club bar was successful and we now have a wide selection of beers and ciders at attractive prices. 

The new venue at Oakwood Park has some issues with parking but we are working hard to resolve this.  The pavilion sports a bar/lounge selling refreshments throughout the game to include tea & coffee, snacks and reasonably priced alcoholic beverages.

HISTORY

The club was founded in 1898 and re-formed in 1956 as a Saturday side in the Eastleigh League.  However, Common had cause to thank their Sunday ‘wing’ for developing the foundations laid by Cliff & Jack Banford and instigating a staggering rise through the Saturday leagues during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

Originally competing within the Eastleigh and Southampton Football Leagues, honours were sparse with just the Eastleigh Benevolent Cup and Southampton Junior Division 4 title jostling for space in the ‘trophy cabinet’.  However, the decision to field a Sunday League side ~ 1973 to 1983 ~ preceded an incredible haul of 24 league and cup honours (under the managerial guidance of Ron Shaw, Steve Clarke, Mick Geddes and Clive Jenvey) and the impetus for our Saturday sides to also make rapid strides forward.

Our journey from Southampton Junior Division 2 to Hampshire League Division 1 took just six years and included nurturing the likes of England internationals GRAHAM ROBERTS and STEVE GUPPY as we further progressed to the Sydenhams League before settling in our current competition - the Hampshire Premier Football League, of which we won the Senior Division title consecutively in 2008-09 and 2009-10; and then again more recently in the season on 2021-22.

We historically support both young and old - with a newly incorporated Under 16 squad and our Veterans to provide football throughout an ‘adult’ career – and they too have provided many successes over the years.

The Banfords?  Yes, still represented as both Angie and Cliff are major contributors.  Any small club like ourselves needs a strong backroom ‘staff’ and we have been extremely fortunate to have some long-serving loyal servants and committed sponsors who combine to make Colden Common FC a hugely respected institution which has been labelled ‘the friendly club’ and it is widely acknowledged that we are a 'Grand Old Team' to play for.

Notable Former Players

Share by: