diff --git a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
index 5fedecbd56..778d33871c 100644
--- a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
+++ b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.C
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ void Foam::sampledSurfaces::read(const dictionary& dict)
     if (surfacesFound)
     {
         dict.lookup("fields") >> fieldSelection_;
-        clearFieldGroups();
 
         dict.lookup("interpolationScheme") >> interpolationScheme_;
         const word writeType(dict.lookup("surfaceFormat"));
diff --git a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.H b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.H
index ff676d1f99..ebff3bd94d 100644
--- a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.H
+++ b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/sampledSurfaces/sampledSurfaces.H
@@ -127,13 +127,8 @@ class sampledSurfaces
 
     // Private Member Functions
 
-        //- Clear old field groups
-        void clearFieldGroups();
 
-        //- Append fieldName to the appropriate group
-        label appendFieldGroup(const word& fieldName, const word& fieldType);
-
-        //- Classify field types, returns the number of fields
+        //- Return number of fields
         label classifyFields();
 
         //- Write geometry only