Sutton Squash Club
From Foundations to The Stronghold
The story of Sutton Squash Club began on Monday, February 7, 1977, with the opening of the Sutton Recreation Centre—bringing dedicated courts and a vibrant new sports hub to the local community. Starting out as Sutton Centre Squash Club, a passionate group of local players formed our first two teams, establishing a solid presence in Nottinghamshire squash.
In 2003, the club took a huge step forward by officially formalising its structure under the leadership of Malc Cross as Chairman and Andy Hay as Secretary. That same 2003/04 season marked the launch of our very first junior sessions, laying the groundwork for generations of local players to come. By 2006, the club became an officially England Squash affiliated club based at Sutton Community Academy.
With official affiliation came rapid expansion. The club grew into a thriving community of over 75 members—including 40 passionate juniors and 35 adults—and fielded three competitive league teams.
When the original Sutton Centre closed its doors, the club entered a brief hiatus from league play between 2008 and 2014. As the brand-new Lammas Leisure Centre opened, Sutton Squash Club made a triumphant return to the Nottinghamshire League in 2014. The hard work paid off in 2019, when our First Team achieved a landmark milestone by earning promotion to the Premier Division to compete against the top talent in the county.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, courts across the country went silent. Returning to action post-lockdown brought tough challenges: long-time coach and administrator Andy Hay stepped down after years of invaluable service and dedication to growing the club. Active membership contracted to just 20 adults and 5 juniors, and our representation dropped to two league teams.
Rather than letting the club fade, our committee and members rallied together to rebuild brick by brick. In 2025, Andy Hay made a welcome return as Head Coach and Junior Lead. We re-established structured junior coaching, introduced brand-new dedicated Women's Coaching sessions, and expanded our competitive setup to four squash teams as well as introducing a dedicated Squash 57 / Racketball team to welcome even more racket sports players.
The revival bore immediate fruit in 2026, when Sutton Squash Club proudly brought home silverware by winning the Nottinghamshire County Cup (B Grade).
To top off this remarkable recovery, in 2026, Sutton Squash Club officially returned to its ancestral home at Sutton Community Academy—affectionately known to players and visiting opponents alike as The Stronghold.
At Sutton Squash Club, the action off the court has always been as important as the competition on it. Long-time member Andy Freeman fondly remembers the early days:
My team was Sunday nights in the bar and we all bought food—one of the highlights was home-made trifle!
While the post-match venues have evolved over the decades—from team spreads in the old centre bar, to drinks at The Snipe, and now gathering for post-match meals at The Nag's Head or Wetherspoons—the spirit of camaraderie remains unchanged. Between festive Christmas socials and end-of-season celebrations, our welcoming community is built on great sport and even better company.
As we settle back into The Stronghold, our goals for the next chapter are clear:
New and returning players are always welcome.