When people think about Sutton United, they usually think about the first team.
The goals. The promotions. The FA Cup runs. Wembley.
But every football club has another side that many supporters never see.
Originally released in March 2023, this conversation with Bobby Childs lifts the lid on that world.
Having joined Sutton United during Paul Doswell’s first season in charge, Bobby has seen the club evolve from life in the Isthmian League to the Football League. Over the years he’s worn countless hats, from physio and sports therapist to looking after the famous 3G pitch, before taking on the role of leading the Sutton United Foundation.
It’s a conversation that explains just how much happens away from the spotlight.
We discuss the impact the 3G pitch had on the club and why its importance stretched far beyond the first team. It wasn’t just a playing surface. It was home to the academy, girls’ football, disability football, walking football, community coaching and countless local groups who found a place at Sutton United every week.
When promotion to the EFL meant that pitch had to be replaced, Bobby explains the challenges of keeping those community programmes together and making sure people still felt part of the club.
The conversation also explores what life was really like during the COVID season. Empty stadiums, new regulations, constant uncertainty and the extraordinary amount of work required behind the scenes to keep football going while the first team continued their remarkable promotion push.
As Sutton entered the Football League, Bobby found himself navigating a whole new world of regulations, medical protocols, stadium requirements and operational changes. It’s a fascinating insight into how much a club has to adapt when it takes that next step.
Perhaps the biggest focus of the episode, though, is the Sutton United Foundation itself.
We talk about why the Foundation exists, how it has grown and the work it does every day that many supporters never hear about. From disability football and girls’ development to walking football, literacy programmes, school visits and projects supporting young people across the borough, it’s a reminder that Sutton United’s impact extends well beyond ninety minutes on a Saturday.
Bobby also explains the challenge of securing funding, writing grant applications and developing new community initiatives. It’s often unseen work, but without it many of these programmes simply wouldn’t exist.
One of the themes running throughout the conversation is that football can be a force for good.
Whether it’s helping children discover a love of reading, creating opportunities for young people, supporting players with disabilities or simply providing a warm, welcoming place for people to meet, the Foundation’s work is built around improving lives through the badge of Sutton United.
Listening back today, some of the projects discussed were still in their early stages. Others have since grown, evolved or reached completion.
But the message remains exactly the same.
A football club isn’t defined only by what happens on the pitch.
It’s defined by what it gives back to its community.
If you’ve ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at Sutton United, or why the Foundation plays such an important role in the club’s future, this remains one of the most informative conversations in the Sutton Podcast archive.
It’s a reminder that while trophies and promotions create memories, it’s the people quietly working in the background who help build something that lasts.
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