County of Surrey
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Gold and Blue, Surrey, International Surrey
AssociationInternational Surrey Football
ConfederationWorld Unity Football Alliance
Head coachMatthew Nash
FIFA codeSRY
First colours
Second colours
First international
Surrey Surrey 3 – 1 Barawa Barawa
(Rotherhithe, Southwark; 6 May, 2018)
Biggest win
Surrey Surrey 5 - 0 Hampshire 
(Woking, Surrey; 15 May, 2022)
Biggest defeat
United Kingdom Army FA 6 – 0 Surrey Surrey
(Aldershot, Hampshire; 13 March, 2019)
WebsiteInternational Surrey Football

The Surrey Men's County Football Team, is a football team that represents the English county of Surrey. They are affiliated with WUFA, and therefore compete in the WUFA Men's World Unity Cup and WUFA Men's European Unity Cup. They are not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA, and therefore cannot compete for the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championships. International Surrey Football is not affiliated with ConIFA and therefore cannot compete in ConIFA World Football Cup or ConIFA European Football Cup.[1]

Surrey does not have an official home stadium and plays at various venues throughout the region, and their training headquarters is at Merrist Wood College, Worplesdon near Guildford. The team's current manager is Matthew Nash. Surrey's first match, a 3-1 win over Barawa, was played on 6 May 2018 at the St. Paul's Sports Ground, in Rotherhithe, Southwark. International Surrey Football covers the county of Surrey before 1888 which includes much of modern-day South West London.

History

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Formed in 2014, the County of Surrey representative football team was created by the then called Surrey Independent Football Association (SIFA), later renamed in 2015 as International Surrey Football (ISF) in order to provide predominantly non-league footballers with the opportunity to compete in non-FIFA football. As opposed to the Surrey team that competes in the FA Inter-League Cup that only comprises of players from the Surrey Elite Intermediate Football League. The team was initially founded as a single senior men's team with International Surrey Football outlining ambitions to expand into youth and women's teams in the future.

International Surrey Football debuted against Barawa on 6 May 2018, almost 4 years after the team was originally founded, winning the game 3-1 with goals from Malachi Thomas, Leavan Sullivan and Jarvis Nutt.[2] Surrey initially announced in late 2018 their first game of 2019 would be a home against the Chagos Islands national football team at Merstham Football Club, this was later changed with the announcement of an away game on 13th March 2019 against the Army Football Association representative team at the Aldershot Military Stadium in neighbouring Hampshire, the first time Surrey would have played a Football Association affiliated County FA.[3] The game saw Surrey suffer their first loss and their largest so far in the team's history as the organised military side forcing a 6-0 victory over the Blue and Gold.[4]

In March 2019, ahead of their fixture against the Army Football Association, International Surrey Football reached an agreement with the AFA which would see Army FA registered match officials being assigned to Surrey fixtures for the first time, the deal is expected to be introduced for the first time in Surrey's home opener against the Chagos Islands at Merstham Football Club on 28 April, this move was done to tackle issues relating to the appointment of Surrey County FA affiliated match officials. However, it later transpired that due to Surrey's unaffiliated status, the Army FA were not able to supply match officials due to the regulations in the AFA's handbook.

In April 2019, ahead of Surrey's game against the Chagos Islands, the ISF announced the creation of the International Surrey Referee Association to create a pool of qualified referees that could officiate Surrey men's and women's games. Surrey suffered an unfortunate loss against the Chagos Islands, with both Surrey manager, Liam Parrington, and player/assistance manager, Ben Ewing, unavailable, the coachless Surrey involving many players playing their second game in as many days following the end of the club league season the day before and limited substitutions, mean Surrey struggled to find the energy to challenge Chagos in the second half despite a strong performance and debut goals from Nathanial Williams, assisted from Jay Jones, and a first touch volley outside the Chagos penalty area by Liam Roberts.[5] On 29 April 2019, the day following the Chagos loss, International Surrey Football announced Liam, who was unavailable to coach, would be stepping down as Surrey manager but remaining as a coach, and that they would begin searching for a new manager.[6]

Over June, a number of new appointments were made, initially the appointment of Cameron Bishop to the role of Director of Men's Football[7], and later the appointment of new, senior men's manager Matt Dilger.[8] Surrey played their first game since Matt Dilger's appointment at an end of year friendly against the Chagos Islands, played at Crawley, Sussex, the team saw a number of previously capped players return, as well as a number of uncapped players. Surrey enjoyed a largely comfortable 4-1 win against the Chagossians to avenge their tight loss earlier in the year. Surrey's 2020 fixture plans fell into disarray due to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, resulting in Surrey to postpone all men and women's fixtures as well as the 2020 Southern Frontier Cup. [9] In September Surrey manager Matt Dilger resigned from the role citing personal circumstances after managing only one Surrey fixture due to the canceled fixtures and was swiftly replaced by Matthew Nash in early October 2020.[10][11]

On 2 April 2021, International Surrey Football announced that the team would be preparing to returning to play with a 2-week training camp held at Merrist Wood College before playing a series of games at the time unannounced.[12] This was followed by Surrey hosting the first game since the formation of the World Unity Football Alliance in a friendly against the Chagos Islands.[13] This was followed by ISF hosting its first mini-tournament, a 2 round knockout, the WUFA World Series: Surrey Stage along with Barawa, the Chagos Islands and non-WUFA team Maghreb. [14][15]

International Surrey Football finished 3rd in the tournament, losing the semi-final against the Chagos Islands, before beating non-WUFA side, Maghreb in the third place playoff.

Team Image

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Kit and Crest

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Surrey plays in a yellow and blue kit, home with a two-toned yellow chequered shirt, and a full navy blue away kit. Colours and style are taken from the flag of Surrey. The Surrey badge, updated ahead of 2019, features a red deer, an iconic animal in Surrey replacing a less representative spiral pattern.

In January 2019 Surrey adopted a blue and yellow striped "tiger" kit inspired by the recently unveiled UANL Tigres third kit, this was noticed by local Mexican media and attracted local media attention for the connection Surrey and Liga MX sides. [16] In April 2020 during the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic International Surrey Football released a limited edition blackout shirt in support of the Campaign Against Living Miserably, with a portion of revenue from each shirt sale being donated to the suicide prevention charity.[17]

On 24 July 2020, Surrey announced Hope & Glory Sportswear as the supplier of their 2021 Men's kit.[18] On 1 January, 2021, Surrey revealed their first shirt under their #NotBlueandGold campaign, launching 3 separate shirts to raise money for charitable causes over 2021, their first shirt was a blackout shirt as an updated version of their 2020 blackout shirt, again in support of mental health charity CALM.[19]

Supplier and Sponsors

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Period Kit supplier Shirt sponsor Sleeve Sponsor 1 Sleeve Sponsor 2 Back of shirt Notes
2018   EV2 Sportswear DE Photo JMA Programmes None Home Kit Only
2019–2020   Godzown Sports Pilgrim Brewery Follow the Trawler Podcast CW Sport Radio Footballkitbox.com
2021-2022   Hope & Glory Sportswear None
2023- The Steakhouse None

Home Stadium

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The Surrey County Football Association own and operate the Meadowbank Stadium in Dorking, Mole Valley, which is home to Dorking Wanderers Football Club and serves as a venue for the Surrey FA's various county cup finals as well as being available to the local community to hire as well, effectively serving as Surrey's de jure home venue. Prior to the completion of the Meadowbank Stadium, Surrey County Cups were held at various across the county with the Surrey Senior Cup being played most recently at grounds such as Gander Green Lane, Imber Court, Kingsmeadow and Kingfield.[20]

On April 2nd, International Surrey Football announced that Merrist Wood College would host a 2-week training camp for both men's and women's teams, facilitated due to the college's sponsorship of Surrey's women's team, and would host several games for both teams.[21] The decision to base both teams at the further education college as part of their return to play, would allow the college to serve as ISF's base, comparable to The Football Association's St George's Park National Football Centre, for the purpose of training and preparing for tournaments, but other sites in Surrey may still be used.

Media Coverage

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From 2019 selected games had audio commentary coverage provided by sponsors CW Sport Radio. Plans for video recording of Surrey's debut game by sponsor DE Photo was prevented due to unsuitable infrastructure at the ground to accommodate the necessary equipment, an alternative plan to launch an online-based channel providing live and pre-recorded match coverage, producing highlight clips as well as exclusive training and trials content, was launched in the start of 2020, called Surrey Football TV (SFTV), later rebranded as WatchISF, the channel planned to provide exclusive coverage of International Surrey Football. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the full footage from Surrey's 4-1 win over the Chagos Islands was initially the only footage available.[22]

Personnel

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Current Technical Staff

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Position Name
President   Matthew Nash
Vice-President Honorary Role
General Secretary   [ Witheld ]
Manager   Matthew Nash

Coaches Record

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Manager Nat Span G W D L GF GA Win % Honours
Liam Parrington   2017 – 2019 1 1 0 0 3 1 100%
Ben Ewing (Interm†)   2019 1 0 0 1 0 6 0%
Jay Jones (Interm†)   2019 1 0 0 1 2 3 0%
Matt Dilger   2019 – 2020 1 1 0 0 4 1 100%
Matthew Nash   2020 – Present 8 4 1 3 22 16 50%
* Results against club sides excluded from record † Ben Ewing and Jay Jones stood in when manager Liam Parrington was unavailable

Fixtures and Results

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  Win   Draw   Loss

2018

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6 May Friendly Surrey   3–1   Barawa Rotherhithe, Southwark
16:30 BST Thomas  
Sullivan  
Nutt  
Eshun   Stadium: St. Paul's Sports Ground
Attendance: ~20 (Appoximate)

2019

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13 March Friendly Army FA   6-0   Surrey Aldershot, Hampshire
19:30 GMT Report Stadium: Aldershot Military Stadium
Attendance: 22
28 April Friendly Surrey   2-3   Chagos Islands Merstham, Reigate and Banstead
15:00 GMT Williams   34'
Roberts   74'
???   23'   64'   76' Stadium: Specsavers Stadium
Attendance: 50
22 December Friendly Chagos Islands   1-4   Surrey Crawley, Sussex
15:30 GMT Harcombe  
OG  
TBC  
Williams  
Stadium: Broadfield 3G

2020

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17 May Charity Match Surrey   Cancelled   Hampshire XI Farnham, Waverley
BST Stadium: Memorial Ground
Note: The match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
23 May 2021 Southern Frontier Cup Surrey   Cancelled TBC Whyteleafe, Tandridge
BST Stadium: Church Road
Note: The match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.
24 May 2021 Southern Frontier Cup Surrey   Cancelled TBC Whyteleafe, Tandridge
BST Stadium: Church Road
Note: The match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

2021

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9 May Friendly Surrey   2 - 3   Chagos Islands Worplesdon, Guildford
13:00 BST Tayo Ajayi   Stadium: Merrist Wood College
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors
16 May 2021 WUFA World Series - Surrey Stage Surrey   1 - 3   Chagos Islands Worplesdon, Guildford
12:00 BST Tiago Andrade   Stadium: Merrist Wood College
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors
23 May 2021 WUFA World Series - Surrey Stage Surrey   2 - 1   Maghreb Worplesdon, Guildford
12:00 BST Tayo Ajayi  Stadium: Merrist Wood College
Attendance: Behind Closed Doors

2022

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26 April Club Friendly AFC Whyteleafe   4 - 1   Surrey Whyteleafe, Tandridge
20:15 BST   9' Tiago Andrade Stadium: Church Road
Attendance: 45
8 May Friendly Surrey   5 - 2   Matabeleland Merstham, Reigate and Banstead
15:00 BST Tiago Andrade   29'  74'  84'
Chad Goulter   34'
Ricardo Fernandes   76'
  51' Mathwasa
  90' Nduna
Stadium: Moatside
Attendance: 57
15 May Charity Match Surrey   5 - 0   Hampshire Old Woking, Woking
15:00 BST Tiago Andrade   
Jordan Brooks  
Ricardo Fernandes  
Nyam McLeod  
Stadium: Woking College
Attendance: 17
22 May Friendly Surrey   2 - 2   Chagos Islands Dorking, Mole Valley
15:30 BST Tayo Ajayi    Stadium: Meadowbank
Attendance: 25

2023

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23 April Friendly Surrey   6 - 2   Wanderers F.C. Farleigh, Tandridge
15:00 BST Stadium: Parsonage Field
30 April Friendly Surrey   4 - 2   London Japanese Farleigh, Tandridge
15:00 BST Stadium: Parsonage Field
7 May Friendly Surrey   11 - 1   London Thai Dorking, Mole Valley
15:30 BST Stadium: Meadowbank
20 May Friendly Surrey   1 - 3   Matabeleland Dorking, Mole Valley
15:00 BST Stadium: Meadowbank
Attendance: 31
29 May Friendly Surrey   9 - 0   Bangladeshi Select XI Dorking, Mole Valley
15:00 BST Stadium: Meadowbank
4 June Friendly Surrey   3 - 2   Sport London E Benfica Rotherhithe, Southwark
13:30 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground
10 June Friendly Surrey   2 - 1   Alexandra Knights Rotherhithe, Southwark
15:30 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground

2024

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12 May Friendly Surrey   2 - 0   Wanderers F.C. Rotherhithe, Southwark
16:00 BST   7' Ajayi
  80' Best
Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground
19 May Friendly Surrey   6 - 2   London Japanese Rotherhithe, Southwark
13:15 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground
26 May Friendly Surrey   6 - 0   London Thai Rotherhithe, Southwark
13:15 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground
2 June Friendly One Nation   Unknown   Surrey Dorking, Mole Valley
15:30 BST Stadium: Meadowbank
9 June Friendly Surrey   4 - 2   Chagos BIOT Dorking, Mole Valley
15:30 BST Stadium: Meadowbank
22 June Friendly Surrey   1 - 4   Equinoccial FC Rotherhithe, Southwark
12:00 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground
29 June Friendly Surrey   7 - 1   Athenians Rotherhithe, Southwark
12:00 BST Stadium: St Paul's Sports Ground

Selected International Opponents

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Opponents Matches Win Draw Loss GF GA
  Army FA 1 0 0 1 0 6
  Barawa 1 1 0 0 3 1
  Chagos BIOT 1 1 0 0 4 2
  Chagos Islands 5 1 1 3 11 12
  Hampshire 1 1 0 0 5 0
  Maghreb 1 1 0 0 2 1
  Matabeleland 2 1 0 1 6 5

Competitive record

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WUFA World Series

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WUFA World Series
Year Position P W D L GF GC
  2021 3rd 2 1 0 1 3 4
Total 1/1 2 1 0 1 3 4

See also

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References

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  1. ^ https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/440486/surrey-boys-are-flying-the-flag/
  2. ^ http://www.tlfg.uk/2018/04/tlfg-30-april-7-may-2018.html
  3. ^ http://www.tlfg.uk/2019/03/tlfg-11-17-march-2019.html
  4. ^ https://theterracetraveller.wordpress.com/2019/03/13/returning-to-british-army/
  5. ^ https://theterracetraveller.wordpress.com/2019/04/28/travelling-to-international-surrey-football/
  6. ^ https://www.intsurreyfootball.co.uk/post/liam-parrington-to-step-down-as-surrey-manager
  7. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/post/cameron-bishop-joins-surrey-as-director-of-men-s-football
  8. ^ https://www.intsurreyfootball.co.uk/post/surrey-appoints-matt-dilger-as-men-s-manager
  9. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2020/03/20/statement-covid-19-20-03-2020/
  10. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2020/09/17/matt-dilger-steps-down-as-surrey-mens-manager/
  11. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2020/10/06/matthew-nash-appointed-surrey-mens-manager/
  12. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/04/02/surrey-launches-training-camp-ahead-of-return-to-play/
  13. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/04/05/continue-where-you-left-off-surrey-to-host-chagos-islands-in-first-ever-wufa-game/
  14. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/04/06/wufa-world-series-coming-to-surrey/
  15. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/04/07/2021-wufa-world-series-surry-participating-teams/
  16. ^ http://www.elhorizonte.mx/deportes/amor-a-primera-vista-tercer-jersey-de-tigres-impacta-en-inglaterra/2409442
  17. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2020/04/20/surrey-teams-up-with-hope-&-glory-in-support-of-calm/
  18. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2020/07/24/surrey-partners-with-hope-glory-sportswear-for-2021-mens-kit/
  19. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/01/01/surrey-launches-second-blackout-shirt-in-aid-of-calm/
  20. ^ https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/dorking-wanderers-meadowbank-stadium-finally-14876179
  21. ^ https://intsurreyfootball.co.uk/2021/04/02/surrey-launches-training-camp-ahead-of-return-to-play/
  22. ^ https://www.youtube.com/@watchisf
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