Our Story
More than just a football club
1997 | Grassroots Beginnings
Waterloo Football Club was founded by local parents and coach Arnie Reynolds on the estates of SE1, giving young people access to football when few opportunities existed.
Arnie began working with 20 local young men and what started as a small community-led programme, quickly became a positive space for young people to excel in a competitive sport.
Over 4 seasons the team achieved amazing success, with back to back promotions, league and league cup honours.
A number of players were then developed as coaches, mentors and also sought careers in semi-professional and professional football.
2001 |
Becoming a Charity
Waterloo became a registered charitable company, supported by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, Single Regeneration Budget, and Waterloo Community Regeneration Trust (WCRT).
These funds transformed local passion into a sustainable community initiative by enabling an increase in capacity, expansion across Southwark and Lambeth, development of coaches and referees through FA Courses and more.
2003 | StreetGames
In partnership with Southwark Council, and the Sports Action Zone, Waterloo delivered structured football coaching to over 450 young people across ten estates.
The project culminated in the Southwark Community Games Finals, igniting estate-based football across the borough and helping inspire the national StreetGames Doorstep Sport movement.
2004–2014 | Team Development
Through the success of Streetganes, Waterloo FC began to open up structured pathways for young players to progress from estate-based football to regional and professional opportunities.
After ten competitive youth teams, Waterloo FC can confidently say we dominated the London grassroots football scene, lifting 11 Tandridge League Trophies, 9 Tandridge Youth Cups, 3 London Youth FA Cups and represented South London in the all England Cup.
Over 70% of youth participants went on to make appearances for pro and/or semi professional teams in the UK and Europe.
Mid-2000s | Recognition of Excellence
Waterloo achieved FA Charter Standard Club status in 2004, a major milestone recognising the club’s commitment to high-quality coaching, child welfare, and community leadership.
The club also received the London Football Association's Most Disciplined Club, London Club of the Year and Regional Club of the Year awards in 2005 & 2007, showcasing excellence both on and off the pitch.
2010 |
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm, with its London Headquarters based in the borough of Southwark. The Norton Rose Fulbright Fund has been set up to support local organisations serving the communities of Southwark.
Since 2010, Norton Rose Fulbright has made key contributions to Waterloo’s work by funding projects such as teams, holiday sports programmes, as well as offering valuable pro-bono support and work experience for the young people.
They continue to do so up to this day.
2015 - Present | Continued Growth & Impact
With support from multiple organisations including; Southwark Council, Coin Street, Colombo Centre, Jubilee Hall Trust, Norton Rose,
the London Eye Foundation and more, Waterloo strengthened inner-city estate-based football competitions in SE1.
The Club has supported thousands to take positive steps in life. Guided by coach mentors with lived experience and community spirit, Waterloo continues to give every young person a sporting chance and a sense of belonging.
Our Impact
Facility Development and
Community Impact
Waterloo Sports & Football Club has played an active role in shaping access to high-quality football facilities across the SE1 area. Over the years, we have worked closely with local authorities, community partners, and national organisations to improve and create safe, inclusive spaces for sport. From repairing floodlights to advising on full-scale pitch redevelopments, our involvement has always centred on one goal: ensuring young people and local residents have the opportunity to play, learn, and grow through football.