Match Pack: Fulham (H)

Sutton kick-off their 2025/26 National League Cup campaign with the visit of Premier League 2 side Fulham.

Read below for everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Match Info

• Fixture: Sutton United vs Fulham
• Competition: National League Cup
• Venue: VBS Community Stadium
• Date: Tuesday, 12th August; 7pm
• Strip: Amber home kit
• Television: National League TV

Officials

• Referee: Kirsty Dowle. A FIFA referee who officiates in the WSL and the National League. She refereed the 2022 Women’s FA Cup final and the 2023 Women’s League Cup final, and was in charge of our EFL Trophy game at home to Crawley two seasons ago.
• Assistant Referees: Ciaran Fidler (red/yellow); David Pilling (yellow)
• Fourth Official: Ryan Whitaker

How to Follow

Video

The first batch of National League Cup matches will be available to watch for free over on the League’s YouTube Channel, with future games to take place on www.thenationalleague.org.uk/. All fixtures will be streamed by the National League free of charge.

Audio

Supporters will be able to listen to all the action, with a Mixlr audio commentary being available and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.

Social Media

You can also follow the game through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture.

X: @suttonunited

Facebook: @suttonunited

Instagram: @suttonunited

In Person

Tickets are available to purchase here.

For enquiries, supporters can contact the club over the phone at 02086444440 or via email at tickets@suttonunited.net.

Ticket Prices

Getting to the Ground

Stadium Address:

VBS Community Stadium

Gander Green Ln

Sutton

SM1 2EY

By Car

Travel along the M25, exiting at Junction 8. Then travel north on the A217 for about 15-20 minutes. Ignoring signs for Sutton itself, stay on the A217 to the traffic lights by the Gander Inn (on the left), turn right into Gander Green Lane. The Borough Sports Ground is about 200 yards up this road on the left hand side. If you reach West Sutton Station you have gone too far.

On matchdays, the club car park in Gander Green Lane is for parking permit holders only. Away fans should park in Gibson Road, the local municipal car-park. It takes no more than 15 minutes to walk from Gibson Road to the stadium. Click here for more information regarding parking, while a map of Gibson Road can be found here.

By Rail

It is recommended that visiting supporters use Sutton station, which is on the main lines out of Victoria and London Bridge and is at the top end of Sutton High Street, about 20 minutes’ walk from the ground. Two buses between Morden and Sutton stations run conveniently close to our stadium: route 413 bus goes down Gander Green Lane, and number 80 runs along Collingwood Road. The ground can then be reached by taking the path through Collingwood Rec. London Buses are now cashless. Fares are a flat £1.50, and this includes multiple journeys within a one-hour period of the first “touch in” with a contactless payment card or Oyster card.

West Sutton railway station is adjacent to the ground. It is served by Thameslink trains via Wimbledon or Sutton. Come out of West Sutton station and turn right into Gander Green Lane and the ground is about 100 yards further along. Away fans should walk past the main entrance and after about 70 yards turn right into Collingwood Recreation Ground, where the away turnstiles 5-8 are situated.

By Bus

The 413 service runs past the ground down Gander Green Lane. The bus leaves Sutton town centre from outside the main post office. The 80 route from Hackbridge to Belmont runs down Collingwood Road. The ground can be reached by taking the path through Collingwood Rec. Both routes also connect with the Northern Line at Morden.

Accessibility

All accessible entrances will be open as detailed in the stadium map below:

We currently have spaces for ten wheelchair users (seven home, three away) and we would ask anyone who needs to use this facility to book in advance (contactus@suttonunited.net). If any wheelchair user needs to park at our stadium, please let us know in advance and we will make arrangements to welcome you. We have accessible toilets at both ends of the ground and in the main stand. Ambulant supporters will need to climb a handful of steps as there are currently no lifts.

For more information, supporters can access the club’s FAQs, which can be found here.

Full Fan Guides for both home and away fans can also be accessed here.

Footballing activities will be available in the fanzone, including table football, as well as the bar and club shop being open. Please note that the MBA Lounge will be shut all day due to a private function.

Please note that season tickets are once again available to collect prior to kick-off.

Supporters should enter through Gate A, where tickets collection will be located, and are encouraged to arrive early to avoid queues. Please bring valid ID or confirmation of your season ticket purchase when collecting.

Stat Attack

4 – Sutton has played four competitive matches on this date. Most recently they lost at Holker Street in 2023 in EFL L2 by 2-1 as Barrow took full advantage of Harry Smith’s dismissal to overcome Lee Angol’s 33^rd minute strike.

5 – Sutton have scored five goals in their first home game of the season, two seasons in a row (5-1 v Notts County; 23/24 and 5-0 v Altrincham; 24/25).

6 – Tuesday’s fixture is the first time that U’s have opened their home competitive season with a cup match (pre-season shield and one-off matches for a trophy aside) since 4^th September 1937 when they defeated Post Office Engineers in an FA Cup Extra-Preliminary Round tie by 6-0.

Flashback

Fulham 2-1 Sutton United (1958)

As London Senior Cup winners in 1958, Sutton’s first appearance in this competition was in October 1958.

The match was played at Craven Cottage and U’s gave a good account of themselves before going down 2-1. Mike Johnson and Alan Jones gave the hosts an early two goal advantage but Sutton missing four regulars came back with right back firing in from 20 yards and in the last minute Fulham ‘keeper, Hewkins, pushed a Ron Bloom corner onto the crossbar.

Fulham included former Sutton winger, Tony Barton in their XI.

Player In Focus

Seth Ridgeon

Position: Midfielder

Age: 16

Appearances 24/25: 10

Goals Scored 24/25: 3

Played for Both

Olly Sanderson

Fulham youngster Olly Sanderson spent a period on loan at Sutton during the 2023/24 campaign, becoming one of Steve Morion’s first signings following the Head Coach’s arrival at the VBS Community Stadium.

Having joined the Whites at Under-9 level, Sanderson rose through the ranks at Craven Cottage before experiencing first team football for the first time with two loan stints at Oxford City, scoring on his debut his first spell, before being recalled from his second in January 2024 in order to facilitate a move to then-League Two side Sutton.

Despite jumping up a division, Sanderson impressed in the U’s frontline, scoring four times with two braces, which came against Salford City and Crawley Town towards the backend of the campaign, and included a memorable late winner away at the former.

While Sutton ended the season in the bottom two, Sanderson was a bright spark in attack amongst the likes of Charlie Lakin, Josh Coley and Harry Smith, and remained in the Football League with a loan move to Bradford City for the 2024/25 campaign.

He remained at Valley Parade until January, notably scoring three goals in four games, before making the temporary switch to Harrogate Town for a short-lived loan spell during the second half of the campaign.

More recently, Sanderson dropped into the National League on loan, joining Woking until the end of the season.