History

BARNES EAGLES was formed in 1971, when Rod Tilley, the Club's former coaching coordinator was approached by the Barnes Community Association to provide coaching for local boys between the ages of 6 and 9 years old. In the early 70's there were no facilities for boys of that age. There were already a dozen boys from local primary schools training on Saturday mornings at Suffolk Road Recreation Ground. Through Rod's instruction and enthusiasm the boys improved their skills and recruited a number of friends and younger brothers to swell the original number to about 30 by the mid 1970's.

With the growing numbers of boys and the participation of many of the Dads the training school was looking to form a team. In the beginning the first Barnes team played a number of friendlies against some of the other local clubs, such as Putney St Mary, Sheen Tigers and Richmond Mohawks. By 1977 it was decided that Barnes Eagles should become a properly affiliated Club, and joined the Apollo League, based in South West London.

The Club's very first side, set the standard for all those that followed. The Under 11's won the Apollo League and League Cup at their first attempt. The same team continued their winning ways through the age groups. In 1980/81 the Club had added two younger teams and had entered the West Middlesex League. While members of West Middlesex, Barnes Eagles teams were champions at every age group and collectively won their respective Championships 16 times. In the same period the League Cups were won on 15 occasions.

The 1984/85 season saw a Barnes Team win their first Middlesex County Cup at the Under 17s age group, only to win it again, as Under 18s the following season. The team had already won the Ealing Youth League and Cup. In total we have won the Middlesex County Cup four times, and the Surrey County Cup twice, competitions that represent the pinnacle of youth football. By the late 1980's the Club was looking for stronger leagues to play in and subsequently joined the Hayes & District League, winning the Cup in 1988/89, and the League Championship in 1993/94. A newly formed Under 10s team gave Barnes Eagles their fourth Middlesex County Cup win in 1994/95.

In 1996 a decision was taken that the Club should move all its teams into Surrey County FA and join the West Surrey Boys (now Youth) League, which is widely acknowledged as one of the strongest Leagues in the south of England. All our teams have responded to the challenge having enjoyed League championship success at various age groups in the ensuing years.

Since 1998 the Club have extended their teams to encompass 7-a-side football, which is becoming very popular with Primary school children and is a natural extension to our Saturday Morning Coaching Centre, which still continues 35 years on. A rich history indeed but one that is still being rewritten annually.