STUART TREE: 1979 - 2026

It is with deep sadness that we bring you the news that Stuart Tree passed away suddenly this morning, at the age of 46.

Stuart was, to many, the soul of Corinthian-Casuals Football Club in the modern era. His passion, energy and stunningly talented creative mind transformed the club’s image and his friendly nature meant that all newcomers were made to feel welcome by him.

His photography brought the world of non-league football vividly to life, capturing its very essence, and his dedication to Casuals has ensured that our story is known the world over thanks to his pioneering use of social media in its early days.

More than anything, he was a friend to everyone at the club and so many in Tolworth, Surbiton and the surrounding area. A true gentle giant, he stood 6ft 8in tall but was entirely unintimidating, a warm-hearted figure who brought people together and came to be a pillar of our club and community. This place will quite simply not be the same without him.

Stuart first encountered Corinthian-Casuals in 1999, by chance, as he was working nearby.
“I didn’t even know there was a football club here until I started working up at Tolworth Tower,” he explained in an interview in 2023. “So I said to a work colleague, ‘Let’s go down there and see what it’s like’, and we just fell in love with the place immediately. There were only about 40 or 50 people there, and it was really quiet but very welcoming and I just loved it.”

In the years that followed, his support deepened and evolved as he combined it with his passion for photography, taking pictures for the matchday programme, and eventually for the club’s online offering.
In due course, he took over the editorship of the programme and won awards for his beautifully designed and lovingly written publication, featuring his own photography. At the same time, he was growing the club’s online media presence from nothing, his punchy designs making our channels the pride of non-league and levels above that too.
​
More than that, he became a celebrated figure across the non-league scene in this region. Countless were the times we would arrive at an away ground to see Stuart being greeted by the local fans and committee. He was a cheerful presence, always smiling and chuckling, his sense of humour on point and his empathetic nature meant you could always rely on him to lend an ear in times of trouble.

He was loved by all of us at King George’s Field, to the point where the sight of him approaching with his camera would be met with a familiar chorus from behind the goal: “Super Stuart Tree, take a picture of me!”

He would get wrapped up in the highs and lows, but such was his character that he also had the level-headedness to put things in their proper perspective and offered us all a lesson in that regard.

“Enjoy it,” he said of his approach to supporting Casuals, “but don’t get too swept up in it. It’s easier said than done. There’s been times I’ve sat pitchside watching us lose a two-goal lead and thought, ‘Why am I doing this?! Why am I putting myself through this?’

“But I’ve taken a step back and realised whether it’s step 3 or step 4, level 7 or level 8, people don’t care. They just want to come along, have a good time and cheer on their local football team, and it won’t matter an iota that we’re suddenly playing in a slightly different league. So take that breather, take a step back.”

Stuart’s love for Corinthian-Casuals spread throughout his family. His late parents, Ian and Janice, and brother, Keith, have been regulars in the stands over the years. In recent years, he met his girlfriend and soul mate, Katja – an accomplished photographer herself – and had a son, Ethan, who he doted on.
​
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this extremely difficult time, as we all come to terms with the loss of our Stuey.