Upcoming Fixtures – The Academy’s season starts on Friday 15th August 2025
Friday 15th August
19:45 – Aldershot Town v Woking; Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Bottom Meadow, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst GU47 9BJ
Wednesday 20th August
19:30 – Chipstead U18 v Woking U18; Isthmian Youth Football League – Central Division
High Road, Chipstead, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 3SF
Thursday 21st August
19:30 – Woking v Sheerwater; Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Knaphill FC, Redding Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2AY
The Under 17s begin their National League Alliance – Division E fixtures on Wednesday 3rd September.
The Elite Development Squad (EDS) begin their National League Academy – South Division fixtures on Thursday 28th August.
For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy ‘X’ page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
The Academy website is wokingcitc.org
The first weekly Academy bulletin of the regular season will be available the week commencing 25th August.
Reports on the final two EDS pre-season friendlies from Holly Porter
Thursday 24th July
Pre-season matchday four: Woking EDS 2 – 2 Westfield FC, at Woking College
A fixture made in Woking saw neighbours Westfield take to the college as the final pre-season challenge on home turf for the young Cards. It was Westfield who opened the scoring in the 20th minute, with the ball being pulled back to the edge of the area, and their forward having picked their spot, slotting calmly past Verga to take the advantage. This lead was doubled just under 10 minutes later when former Woking academy player Lui Edwards was able to break into the box ahead of the recovering Woking defence, and fire into the net from close range.
The two-goal deficit at half-time left the EDS with an uphill second-half battle, but they did manage to fight their way back into the tie, alongside some excellent interventions from Cockwell in the Woking net. After some strong chances across both halves for the Cards, it was Boxall with the breakthrough in the 63rd minute. A very overcrowded penalty area saw several shots blocked before Boxall etched his name into the scoresheet once again, having forced the goal from close range. With 5 minutes to go, Hayati broke through and hit the post, which left the loose ball to be fired home by Trickett. Both teams searched for the winner, but when time ran out, a far better second-half performance from the home side earned them a draw.
Tuesday 29th July
Pre-season matchday five: Ascot United 1 – 3 Woking EDS, at Ascot Racecourse
The only pre-season fixture away from Woking College saw the EDS travel to take on Ascot United. Plenty of chances for both sides made for an exciting start to the game, with the deadlock being broken by Page in the 20th minute. A fantastic ball from Boxall split the defence and sent Page through on goal with a brilliant run. His shot back across the goal left the home keeper with no chance, and placed the visitors in the lead. Just two minutes later, that lead was doubled by Patterson, with an effort from outside the penalty area which drove itself into the bottom left corner. Despite pushing on for a third, and a number of strong chances from Ascot, the two goals in quick succession made up the half-time scoreline.
A familiar name on the scoresheet, Boxall netted once again in the opening stages of the second half. The 52nd minute saw a deep free-kick initially defended by the hosts, but the follow-up shot from Boxall took a deflection and powered into the bottom corner to make it three. With 15 minutes to go, the home side did slash their three-goal deficit to two. A quickly put together and clever string of passes allowed for an effort to be struck from inside the penalty area, with the shot working its way across goal and past Cockwell, who was equal to every other effort in the clash. Despite the home side getting one back, Woking remained on top in yet another strong pre-season showing.
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:
Saturday 2nd August
Luke Staight, Midfield, EDS – Broadbridge Heath: Played in the 1 – 3 defeat to Cobham in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.
Saturday 9th August
Luke Staight, Midfield, EDS – Broadbridge Heath: Played the full match in the 5 – 1 victory over Crowborough Athletic in the Isthmian League South East Division (Step 4), scoring the second goal.
Sunday 10th August
Joden Trickett, Forward, EDS – Ascot United: Played the first sixty minutes in the 1 – 0 defeat at Littlehampton in the Isthmian League South Central Division (Step 4).
Tuesday 12th August
Tom Dryer, Midfield, EDS – Westfield: Played the first sixty one minutes (going off when it was 2 – 1), in the 3 – 1 victory at Horndean in the Isthmian League South Central Division (Step 4).
Joden Trickett, Forward, EDS – Ascot United: Came on as a 76th minute substitute (with the score at 3 – 1), in the 3 – 1 victory over Binfield in the Isthmian League South Central Division (Step 4).
Mikey Verga, Goalkeeper, EDS, and Quincy Patterson, Midfield, EDS are both also with Westfield but have not yet made their debuts.
Other News
Sonny Parkes, the EDS left-back, continues to be involved with the First Team squad. Sonny played in the last three pre-season fixtures, playing the last five minutes against a Tottenham Hotspur XI, the first sixty minutes against a Fulham XI, and the last five minutes against a Bournemouth XI. He also came on as a 65th minute substitute in the National League Cup match against West Ham United under 21s. Sonny has acquitted himself well, both defensively and going forwards, rising to the challenge, in particular, of playing against West Ham’s Junior Robinson.
Mikey Verga, the EDS goalkeeper, played the final fifteen minutes against Bournemouth, and whilst he only had a couple of routine tasks to carry out, he was faultless in them.
League fixture plans for the 2025/26 season
The EDS will play in the National League Under 19 Academy South Division. These games are usually played on Wednesdays, with a daytime kick off. The venue for home games being either Westfield Football Club or Woking College.
Woking will continue to enter the Suburban Football League, playing in the Premier Division. Whilst there is not an age limit for this League most teams view it as a predominantly youth league, and Woking will field a team based on second years, with some first years, and some from the EDS. Home games are played at Knaphill Football Club at 19:30 on a Thursday.
The National League structure also offers Woking a place in Division E of their Alliance Leagues. This team will be a mix of first and second years, with home games usually played at Woking College on a Wednesday daytime.
Woking will continue in the West Division of the Isthmian League Youth system. The league is for under 18s, although in recent seasons Woking have fielded a team largely made up of first years. Home games are played at Knaphill Football Club at 19:30 on a Thursday.
