With one week to go before the new Combined Counties League Premier Division North campaign gets underway, Northwood played their final friendly fixture on Saturrday, and Colney Heath were 3-1 winners at The Skyline Roofing Stadium.

This was the fourth occasion that the clubs have met in pre-season encounters – and we recall that we actually played each other twice within a few days in 2024; details and photos are here.

26 July 2026

For the 2026-27 campaign, the club are again offering our incredible season ticket deal – which enables you to watch all home Combined Counties League games at Northwood for just £75 for the whole season!! And we are extending our extra discount offer so that if we receive your order by 25 July 2026, it will cost you only £65!!!

Not only that, but a year’s social membership to the excellent clubhouse is included, as well as admission to all home Isthmian Youth League fixtures. The fee is applicable to all groups – adults, concessions and juniors.

Click here for details of how to order and pay for your Woods Super Season Ticket.

Also back again for the new season is our Club 1926 package. This premium membership, costing only £179 a year – the same as last season – includes the following benefits:

• One Club 1926 membership card incorporating season ticket
• One Player or Management Sponsorship (you can choose once the starting squad is known)
• One Sponsored Match (you can choose once the fixtures are known) - to include up to four people for Boardroom Hospitality on the day (if required) - OR your choice of a new club shirt (home or away)
• An announcement over the PA system

Click here for details of how to order and pay for your Club 1926 membership for 2026-27.

Whichever option you choose, we thank you for your continuing support of the Woods!!

22 July 2026

As we are now celebrating the Centenary of Northwood FC, having looked at previous clubs which had represented the town, we will now consider over coming weeks the 100 years of history of our club. Our photo above shows Rickmansworth Road and the surrounding area in the 1920s.

After two seasons from 1924-1926 in which just Holy Trinity represented the town on the football field, a few people who had been involved with the two failed set-ups (Northwood and Emmanuel, Northwood) decided to form a new club, and Northwood United was launched for the 1926-27 campaign, with Leslie Faint, secretary of the previous Northwood FC, holding the same post for United. (Northwood United would drop the suffix in 1946)

The Rev. L. Gordon M. Sheldon from Emmanuel Church arranged with Ruislip-Northwood Council for the use on alternate weeks (St John's Old Boys FC also played there) of the pitch at Northwood Recreation Ground, at a cost of 2s 6d per match. For the first two seasons, just friendly matches were played, apart from entering the Northwood Hospital Charity Cup, but after the second campaign, in which sixteen of the twenty-three games had been won with three draws and three defeats, it was decided to join a league.

Northwood United were elected to Division Two of the Harrow & District League for 1928-29, playing at the new Northwood Playing Fields, Dane End, which were adjacent to Haste Hill golf course, at the end of The Drive, Northwood. The pitch rent was £4 for the season; playing subs were 5s 6d per season – and players had to supply their own kit, costing about £2. Initially, Northwood United had just 15 playing members, but within weeks had formed a second eleven, which would play friendlies. The club officers appointed at the A.G.M. on 18th May 1928 were F.C. Smith of 96 Hallowell Road as hon. secretary with the assistant secretary being Leslie Faint.

The club’s first-ever league match was at Pinner Green versus Pinner Gas Works in the Harrow and District League Division 2 on Saturday 8th September 1928, and United collected their first two points with a 2-0 victory, Dick Allen scoring both goals. The first ever team to represent Northwood United in a league game was: T. Waring, F. Smith, W. Pearce; C. Ford, H. Empson, Joe Gill; J. Smith, F. Young, Dick Allen, F. Gutteridge, H. Gutteridge.

United enjoyed a good start to life, winning their first five league games; the highest defeat was 1-7 at Courtfield Athletic, the eventual divisional champions, in December. 12-0 was the club’s biggest win of the campaign, away to bottom club Harrow Wesleyan, and United finished their first-ever season in fifth place in the table with 16 wins from the 26 outings.

The 1929-30 season saw Northwood United get off to a flyer, winning their opening four games, including 10-3 away to Wembley Corinthians (hat-tricks for Dick Allen and Billy Bunce) and 11-2 at Wealdstone YMCA, where Bunce scored five goals. United then lost three games out of four – however, after that, they won ten games and drew one, to end as runners-up to Harrow Liberal and gain promotion in their second term.

Promotion was clinched with three games to play by defeating Shaftesbury Athletic 8-1 at Dane End. Billy Bunce 3, Joe Gill 3 and Fred Taylor 2 scored, and United’s team was: Alan Friend, Mott, Rackshaw, Dick Waring, Tom Bell, B. Prince, J. Smith, Joe Gill, Billy Bunce, Fred Taylor, H. Gutteridge. United also had a good run in the League Junior Cup before losing 1-3 to Pinner St Johns in the semi-final played at Harrow Weald United’s ground.

Next up, we will look at Northwood United at the start of the 1930s....

21 July 2026

After over twenty years of capturing Northwood matches and events for posterity and being a huge part of our recent history, Club Photographer James Brown has decided to hang up his cameras and lenses before we commence life in the Combined Counties League.

James took over capturing the action at the Woods when Paul Evans stepped down from the role after a similarly long spell in 2005 so between them, they have been able to document close to half of Northwood FC’s 100-year footballing history!

The Club take this opportunity to thank James for his outstanding service to the club during this period and for the great photos he has shared with us on the website, social media and our award-winning programmes over such a long time.

James remains a staunch Northwood FC supporter and valued part of our volunteer group. Below, we share just a few of his photos from past years:

It does mean that we are now looking for a new volunteer that thinks they may be able to replace James for the new season and no, that commitment doesn’t have to be for the full twenty or so years; though it would be nice!

It would suit someone local with a love of football who can make most games, home and away, between August and the end of April. Perhaps a current supporter who loves photography or just someone who would like to practice sports photography? Please let us know by calling John Joyce on 07766 135243 or email nfc.commercial@gmail.com.

20 July 2026

Northwood's pre-season friendly today saw Waltham Abbey win 3-2 The Skyline Roofing Stadium.

Waltham Abbey, as expected, provided a very tough test for the Woods, having reached the step 4 play offs last season, whilst Northwood went into the game under new manager Manny Williams with a brand new side ahead of the step 5 campaign which starts on 1st August.

The visitors led by a single goal at half-time, but the Woods hit back with two penalties before then conceding twice late in the game.

The match brought back memories of an FA Trophy meeting between the clubs in Octover 2014, with the Woods running out 3-1 winners - report and photos of that encounter are here.

18 July 2026

The Combined League Premier Division North fixtures for 2026-27 have been released, and Northwood start at home to Holyport on Saturday 1st August, then we play at Hilltop on Wednesday 5th August, before our FA Cup campaign starts when we entertain Hutton on Saturday 8th August.

Check out the full fixture list.

13 July 2026

As we are now celebrating the Centenary of Northwood FC, the club having been founded in 1926 as Northwood United, we are also looking back at the earlier football clubs which represented the town in their day. Our photo above shows the Northwood War Memorial Charity Cup and the memorial in Green Lane.

The war ended on 11 November 1918, so the first season afterwards for local football was 1919-20, and following demise of Northwood Rovers, a new Northwood Football Club were formed in just five weeks from early August, and they were able to enter two teams into the Harrow & District League. The club “tendered most hearty thanks to the residents of Northwood for their monetary assistance, and good wishes, which enabled them to form a brand new club in the short space of time”. Mr W. Weller was club president, Mr Fountain, chairman and Mr L Faint secretary. However, in their first game, on 13 September 1919, they lost 1-7 away to No. 4 Stores Depot. Harrow St Peter’s were beaten 4-2 in the first game at Northwood Recreation Ground a week later, but then followed a series of reverses. The season saw the new Northwood FC finish eighth of 12 clubs, whilst the second team were also eighth, of ten teams.

At the same time, another club was formed in the town, named Northwood United, and they competed in Division 2 of the Harrow League, alongside Northwood Reserves. Mr E. H. Parramore was United’s secretary. However, they struggled all season, finishing in last place in the table – and then agreed to merge the club into Northwood FC at the annual meeting.

Northwood had a fine start to the 1920-21 season, winning 12 of their first 13 league games, including a 5-1 defeat of Ruislip Manor at the Rec, J. Milton scoring four and S. Tilbury getting the other; the team was: L. Faint, C. West, R. Allen, P. Osbourne, F. Arnold, W. Allen, S. Tilbury, P. Barr, W. Barr, J. Milton, G. Beckford. Northwood slipped to only their second defeat of the season on 26th March, to Alperton, but that was the first of six successive losses that saw the side slip from top to fifth in the final table.

1920-21 saw the launch of another team in the town, the church side Emmanuel Northwood, who acquired a pitch on Moor Park Road, Northwood, and entered into Division 2 of the Harrow & District League. They finished the season 9th of 13 clubs – four places and 13 points behind Northwood’s second team.

Northwood had prospects of not having a pitch to play on when in the summer of 1921 the Council decided to close the Recreation Ground to football teams. Fortunately, they reversed that decision in mid-August and players and officials worked rapidly to bring the area into order; the club made their headquarters and dressing room at the Northwood Men’s Club – something of a trek to the pitch! The club also said that “the old warrior, W. Allen, has again signed, this being his twenty-first year of football”. Three of the Northwood men – Beckford, H. Parramore and G. Green – had trials with Queen’s Park Rangers during the summer.

They started with a 2-1 home win against Stanmore Athletic in mid-September, W. Barr and A. Wrights scoring for Northwood, whose team was: H. Parramore, H. Butler, G. Green, J Cook, C. West, F. Arnold (capt.), T. Saunderson, J. Elworthy, W. Barr, A. Wright, H. King. The best win of the season, 8-0, came a week later against Wembley Brigade Old Boys, W. Barr getting a hat-trick. Northwood enjoyed a steady campaign, finishing fifth in the table.

A highlight came in the inaugural Northwood War Memorial Charity Cup, in which Northwood defeated Harrow St Mary’s, Rickmansworth and Wealdstone Rangers to reach the final at Northwood Recreation Ground on Easter Monday. The Rec was closed by permission of the Council so that an admission of men 6d, boys 3d (no mention of females!) could be charged – and “fully 1,000 souls” paid to watch Northwood beat Hamilton’s Wealdstone 1-0! The Rickmansworth & District brass band “had kept the crowd entertained with several selections”. Northwood’s team in that match was: E.H. Parramore, C. West. G. Walden, J. Cook, J. Wright, F. Arnold, P. Barr, W. Barr, F. Nicholls, A. Wright, Ratcliffe.
The cup was in later years known as the Northwood & Pinner Hospital Cup, won a few times by the present club under the names of Northwood United and Northwood.

However, at the end of February 1922, Northwood had an important league fixture away to Wembley Institute, and after a hard-fought match with disputed decisions, Northwood lost 2-1 despite a goal from C. Green. At the final whistle there was mayhem and “abuse in the air” from the Northwood players. The club was charged by the Middlesex Football Association, the referee saying that he had been strongly sworn at by two players. C. West and G. Green. At the hearing both players denied swearing, and when asked if the referee was lying, they replied, “He must be.” Club secretary Leslie Faint was asked if he had heard any bad language, and he said: “No.” However the referee was believed, and the two players were suspended for the rest of the season. Additionally, the whole Northwood club was suspended for two weeks from 1st April 1922.

As a result of the suspension, Northwood were unable to play Roxeth & Harrow Old Boys on 1st April and lost the points. The club were annoyed at the Harrow League’s response, so much so that during the close season they pulled out of the league after the Annual General Meeting, and gained election to the Uxbridge & District League Premier Division for 1922-23. Amongst their opponents in the new league were Harefield, later to merge with Breakspear Rovers to form Harefield United. It wasn’t a good season – Northwood lost 2-7 at home to Botwell Mission in their first game, whilst in Uxbridge Division 1, the reserves opened by losing 0-9 to Tickler’s Works. The first team managed just two wins all season, versus Iver Unity and Steel Barrel Works, and finished second bottom, whilst the reserves won seven games for 14 points and were placed 7th.

1923-24 proved to be a disaster for Northwood FC; the reserves struggled for players from the start, and pulled out of their division in January. Meanwhile, the first team gained zero points all season, losing every fixture until they lost 0-7 away to Yiewsley reserves on 1 March, and they were unable to field a side for the remaining games – all of which were marked as a defeat but recorded nevertheless as 0-0 in the table. That was the end of the second-named Northwood FC, leaving Emmanuel Northwood and Holy Trinity Northwood in the Harrow & District League as the only teams to represent the town.

But in 1926 came the forming of a new club, named Northwood United, and one hundred years later we would be celebrating the Centenary - and we will be reviewing those 100 years in the coming weeks and months!

8 July 2026

Many thanks to all who came to enjoy WOODSFEST100 today, taking in live entertainment, family activities, community spirit, fun dogs show, vintage car rally and fundraising – as Northwood FC celebrates its centenary year while supporting Mount Vernon Cancer Centre Charity and the Lynda Jackson Centre!

There was a great day’s entertainment for all the family, and we hope that everyone had a great time with us!

 

Well done to the organisers Liz and John Joyce, who put in marvellous efforts to put the event on, along with their great team of volunteers – they were all rewarded by a great turnout – thank you!

Thanks also to event sponsors Darwin Wellness and 8Build, whose support was invaluable.

Enjoy the photos by JAMES BROWN!

5 July 2026

Our first pre-season game away to Everett Rovers this afternoon ended in a 2-1 victory for our hosts.

A goal in each half left the Woods trailing before pulling a goal back on 73 minutes – a trialist scoring.

James Brown’s photos are here.

4 July 2026

The draws for the early rounds of the Football Association competitions were released today – and in the Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round the Woods have been drawn at home to Hutton, of the Essex Senior League, to be played on Saturday 8th August. The winners will be at home to Hilltop or Grays Athletic in the Preliminary Round two weeks later.

Northwood will play in the FA Vase for the first time since 1999, and we have an away First Qualifying Round draw at Spartan South Midlands League Division One Rothwell Corinthians on Saturday 15th August, with a home tie for the winners against Maidenhead Town in the next round.

3 July 2026