City In London (and The South East)
Originally intended to document City's appearances in London, with promotion back to the National League in 2022, this page has been extended to give brief travel guides for our games in London and the South East.
For City's return to the National League in 2022, with 12 teams based in the South East plus Torquay and Yeovil in the South West, City had plenty of long distance adventures.
For 2023/4, travel wise we didn't miss the long trips south west to Torquay and Yeovil, but gained Ebbsfleet and Oxford City, making 13, or 15 if you count Kidderminster and Solihull Moors as south east.
For 2024/5, travel wise, long trips to Forest Green Rovers, Sutton, Yeovil and Braintree are added whilst we lose Bromley, Boreham Wood, Dorking and Oxford City. That makes 13, or 15 if you count Solihull Moors and Tamworth as south east. How long before the Conference is rebranded Football League Division 3 (South)?
The definition of both London and the South East are open to interpretation, so don't shoot the messenger.
General
A few pointers for City supporters, hopefully equally useful to both fans based around London and fans travelling down for games.
2024/5
Please always check closer to the time for changes (both match and travel).
There are no new opponents or grounds in the 2024/5 season for City.
Hopefully, the below guide will be useful to City fans based in the London area and fans travelling down for games. Health Warning: Always check nearer the day for disruption / strikes etc.
2022-4 Travel Guide - Retained For Reference
With City's National 2023/4 Conference status being assured, the fixture list will have a similar look to last season, albeit with an increased south east focus (13 clubs (up from 12) bounded by Eastleigh, Oxford City and Southend). We lose the 2 long south west journeys to Torquay and Yeovil.
City's Playing History In London
City's first ever trip to play in London was in 1937. Our first league trip didn't come until the end of regionalised football in 1958. Here we recall all the London grounds we've played on.
How many grounds have City played at in London?
Until 1958, when regionalised lower league football ended, we never played league matches further south than Walsall. We visited Southend and Swansea during our 1936/7 cup run, but last time I looked, neither was in London. A season later, we went 2 rounds better, reaching Round 6. In Round 2, we finally got to London and a tie at Clapton (Now Leyton) Orient, enjoying their first season at their new Osborne Road ground, now known as Brisbane Road. Incidentally, a few seasons earlier, they'd played their home league games at Wembley Stadium, until 2017 and Spurs, the only club to do so.
We waited until 1958/9 for our next forays into London with trips to Millwall and Crystal Palace (#3) in the new Division 4.
Promotion that season opened up a whole new vista in West London, QPR and Brentford (#5). Although our first trip to QPR, it was their 16th different ground our hosts have called home. Incidentally, in former days, Griffin Park was an orchard owned by Fuller’s Brewery whose logo included a griffin.
Whilst existing in the lower divisions it wasn’t until 1972 that we visited another new ground in London, Charlton's, The Valley. 5,378 saw us lose 1-0 in a stadium that had seen much better days and 75,000 attendances.
1974 saw us in Division 2, playing many teams for the first time, surprisingly only one new London ground, Fulham's Craven Cottage (#7). Watch Chris Jones' brace as we win 2-0. A little later in that 1974/5 season we drew Arsenal (#8) in Round 3 of The FA Cup. Jones’ strike partner, Jimmy Seal scored with a stunning long range effort to give us the lead in a game we drew 1-1. Recent evidence suggests that that was not the first time we'd visited Highbury as Jimmy Crangle recalled playing on the ground for City's reserve side a couple of seasons earlier.
A season later, we visited newly relegated Chelsea (#9) and held them to a rather drab 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge in October 1975.
Successive relegations saw us back into the basement. November 1977 saw us make our first trip to Plough Lane (#10), Wimbledon and a 2-1 defeat against a team enjoying their first season in The Football League.
It was nearly 16 years later before we visited a new London ground. March 1993, with Paul Barnes having very recently departed, we won 5-1 at Barnet’s Underhill (#11), largely due to a Paul Barnes hat trick, as both teams strove for promotion. Watch Barnes' Hat Trick. Despite the setback on the day, our hosts, in only their second league season, won automatic promotion consigning us to the play offs. I’m sure many of you reading this will have been at Wembley (#12) on May 29 and recall our extra time and penalties win over Crewe on our first visit to Wembley. Watch Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 - Penalties
April 1997 saw us visit Millwall (#13) and their new ground, The New Den, a Neil Tolson goal giving us a 1-1 draw.
In November 1998, with the early rounds of The FA Cup being de-regionalised City visited Enfield (#14) in Round 1. A top non league side over the previous 30 years, they were already in decline and were forced to sell their ground a year later beginning a nomadic existence. City drew 1-1 and won the replay.
Our relegation to the conference saw us buy a new road map. In our first season, we made our first visit to Dagenham & Redbridge (#15). Other clubs in the south east included Stevenage, Canvey Island, Woking, Crawley and Gravesend & Northfleet (later Ebbsfleet), but for the purposes of this article, all are considered to be outside London, as are Grays who we first visited a season later.
May 2009 saw us make the first of 4 visits to the new Wembley (#16). Watch It
In August 2009, City played Hayes & Yeading (#17) for the first time visiting their Church Road ground. By our 3rd trip to play them, their ground was a Barratt Homes building site and they’d moved outside London to ground share with Woking, a game best remembered for a stunning Jason Walker free kick. Later ground shares with Maidenhead and Beaconsfield followed before they permanently returned to Hayes and a new ground in 2017.
In October 2015, Barnet’s new The Hive (#18) became the next, the only new London ground in our 4 season return to The Football League.
I’ve missed one out, West Ham. The only time we’ve played them was March 1999 in the last 16 of the FA Youth Cup. After a 1-1 draw a Bootham Crescent, we lost the replay 5-0 at Upton Park, maybe not too unsurprisingly when you consider The Hammers had Michael Carrick and Joe Cole in their line up. That makes 19.
I’ve allowed myself a bit of latitude on defining London. Generally, zone 1 - 5 tube stations are included ((AFC) Wimbledon at Plough Lane, Brentford, Dagenham & Redbridge and Wealdstone are amongst those in) but excluded are non London postcodes (Watford, AFC Wimbledon at Kingsmeadow and Boreham Wood are out), being the rule of thumb.
Promotion to the National League in 2022 saw Wealdstone added to the list. That makes 20 different London grounds we’re played on.
Roll on, first trips to Arsenal’s Emirates, The Olympic Stadium, Spurs' new stadium, Brentford and of course AFC Wimbledon’s return to Wimbledon. A little further down, Chelsea.
Travel Guide - 2018 & Earlier
2017/8
National League North doesn't offer too many local games for the southern based fans, even counting the likes of Leamington and Brackley (Northamptonshire). So, we’re indebted to Robin Bowes and his public Google calendar containing all City’s 2017/8 fixtures, including the address of the home grounds from which Google automatically generates a map link. Whilst Robin will endeavour to keep it updated in the event of any fixture changes, you should always check official sources before setting off anywhere as Robin can't be held responsible for inaccurate content. Try
HTML or
ICS format.
WEMBLEY (Macclesfield) (Sunday May 21 2017)
Ground: Wembley Stadium HA9 0TU
Tube: Wembley Park Regular Metropolitan Line tubes from Kings Cross take about 25 minutes. A leisurely walk up Wembley Way takes 10 minutes. Alternatively take the Bakerloo Line to Wembley Central or Chiltern Railways from Marylebone to Wembley Stadium and enter Wembley via the back door.
Road: Don't follow the motorway signs which seem to take you half way around the M25. Drive on, park near a tube station and take the tube. There is a 2 mile parking exclusion zone around Wembley. Continue down the A1(M) beyond the M25 and at the 2nd roundabout, turn right onto the A41 and then A410 towards Stanmore (Jubilee Line) or continue towards Pinner, Rayners Lane or North Harrow and catch the Metropolitan Line. If on the M1, come off at J4. You'll always find supporters from northern clubs parked up around these stations when their team is at Wembley. If I see any City supporters parked near my house, I'll sell you a York City Quiz Book or 2 at a special price!
Pubs:
Woking (April 22 2017)
Ground: The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, GU22 9AA
Train: Woking Direct regular trains (about every 10 minutes) take about 25 minutes from London Waterloo. The ground is due south of the station and takes about 15 minutes to walk. From the station, exit the station onto Station Approach, turn left on Guildford Road and continue onto Claremont Road. At the end, turn left onto Kingfield Road and the ground is just in front of you.
Road: Exit the M25 at J11. Follow the A320 Woking / Chertsey. Continue on it through Woking town centre at take a left onto the A247 (Kingfield Road). Ground on the right.
Fact: The Style Council recorded the video for their 1983 hit, "A Solid Bond in Your Heart" at Woking's ground.
Dagenham & Redbridge (March 25 2017)
Ground: Chigwell Construction Stadium, Victoria Road, Dagenham, RM10 7XL
Tube: Dagenham East Regular tubes from central to east London. Eastbound (Circle, Hammersmith & City or Metropolitan) from Kings Cross, change at Aldgate East or Tower Hill onto the District Line towards Upminster. Exit left at Dagenham East station, walk along the main road and take the 5th left turning. The ground is in front of you. Approx 15 minutes walk.
Road: If coming from the North, exit the M25 at J27 and take the M11 towards London, at the end of the motorway follow the signs for A406 South & A13. Beware speed cameras from here onwards !!!! After 5 miles, take the slip road on the left signposted A13 Dagenham, Tilbury and Southend. Go under the underpass and over the flyover and with the leisure complex on your left bear left onto the A1306 signposted Dagenham East. At the fifth set of lights with McDonalds in front of you, tern left onto the A1112, Ballards Road. At the Bull Roundabout bear left and go past Dagenham East Tube Station. Victoria Road is the fifth turning on the left. Tube is more convenient for anyone in London.
Sutton (March 11 2017)
Ground: The Borough Sports Ground, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 2EY
Train: West Sutton 2 direct trains per hour (18 and 48 minutes past the hour) from London St Pancras International and 2 more (04 and 34 minutes past the hour with a change at Sutton). All take just under one hour. The ground is right outside West Sutton station. From Sutton station, its about a mile in a north west direction (exit right from the station, carry on up the high Street, at the top turn left into Crown Road).
Road: From the M25 exit at Junction 8 onto the A217. Carry on for about 8 miles, after crossing the A232, in about 500 yards, take the first right into Alberta Avenue and continue into Frederick Road and you'll see the ground in front of you. From central London, head south west and find your own way to the A24 and A217.
Borehamwood (February 18 2017)
Ground: Meadow Park, Broughinge Road, Boreham Wood WD6 5AL
Train: Elstree & Borehamwood 4 trains per hour (10, 24, 40, 54 minutes past the hour) from London St Pancras International (ex Sutton and South London and stopping at Kentish Town, West Hampstead, Cricklewood, Hendon & Mill Hill Broadway). Journey time is 24 minutes. From the station, exit right onto the main road, walk straight along High Street / Shenley Road (B5378), turn left into Eldon Avenue and you should see the ground in front of you when it meets Brook Road. About a 15 minute walk.
Road: From the A1 Northbound, stay on the A1, over Stirling Corner, exit slip road into Borehamwood, join A5135 (about 2 miles south of the M25), at the 3rd roundabout take the 2nd exit on the left into Brook Road, Broughinge Road is first turning on the right, after big car park. Its about one mile from the A1.
Pub: The Hart And Spool, a Wetherspoon pub, at 148, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Herts, WD6 1EQ. [020 8953 1883] is half way between station and ground. The choice is yours film studio or beer.
Aldershot Town (January 28 2017)
Ground: The EBB Stadium (better known as The Recreation Ground) High Street, Aldershot, GU11 1TW
Train: Aldershot 2 trains per hour (on the hour and half hour) from London Waterloo, change at Woking and it takes about 56 minutes.
Road: From the train, you should see the ground on your right, its about a 10 minute walk from the station.
By road, head down the M3, at J4 take the A331 exit to Guildford / Farnham / Camberley / Farnborough / Aldershot. In 5 miles, take the A323 towards Aldershot / Woking, then at the roundabout, take the 4th exit onto Ash Rd / A323. Continue to follow A323, Go about a mile and through 2 roundabouts and you should see the ground on your right.
Harlow Town (January 14 2017)
Ground: The Harlow Arena Elizabeth Way, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5BE
Train: Harlow Town With engineering works, it’s a train from Liverpool St (12 and 42 minutes past the hour) or Seven Sisters to Cheshunt and rail replacement bus to Harlow Town. Total time is about 75 minutes. From Harlow Town station, its in the south west direction. Find the A1169, keep walking down the road and its one mile (roughly speaking).
Road: From the M1, take the A414 at J4 and follow it for about 10 miles into Harlow and then take the A1169 (ground on the right). OR: From the M11, take the A414 at J7, then A1025 and A1169 (ground on the left). The ground is about 5 miles from the M11.
Dover Athletic (January 7 2017)
Ground: Crabble Athletic Ground Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent, CT17 0JB
Train: Dover Priory (or Kearsney) From St Pancras, 37 minutes past the hour and it takes just over one hour to Dover Priory. The tain at about 10 past the hour involves a change at Ashford International and takes about one hour 20 minutes. Or take a train from Charing Cross which takes nearly 2 hours. Dover Priory is about 2 miles from the ground, alternatively, take the train back up the line to Kearsney, 10 minutes' walk from the ground.
Exit left out of the main entrance, walk along High Street, right into Westmoreland Road, left into Hayes Road (B2212) and it leads into Hayes Lane, the ground (BR2 9EF) is a little less than one mile from the station.
Road: M25, then M2/A2 (following the signs to Canterbury, then to Dover) to the Whitfield roundabout McDonald's Drive-Thru on the left). Take the fourth exit, down Whitfield Hill. At the bottom of the hill turn left at the roundabout and follow this road until the first set of traffic lights. At the lights turn right (180 degrees down the hill) and follow the road under the railway bridge, the ground is a little further up the road on the left. No supporter parking in the ground, use the rugby ground.
Bromley (November 25 2016)
Train: Bromley South 45 minutes from St Pancras (2 trains an hour) or 16 - 27 minutes from Victoria (8 trains an hour). Exit left out of the main entrance, walk along High Street, right into Westmoreland Road, left into Hayes Road (B2212) and it leads into Hayes Lane, the ground (BR2 9EF) is a little less than one mile from the station.
Road: By car, its about 10 miles from J4 on the M25, take the A21, after 5 miles left onto the A232, at the 2nd lights, right
onto B265 (Hayes Lane), after about a mile and passing through Hayes, you should see the ground and a fitness centre on the south of Bromley on your right.
Braintree
Maidstone (August 6 2016) Remember 12:15 kick off. Trains from St Pancras or London Victoria to either Maidstone East or Maidstone Barracks. Both stations are about 500 metres from the ground. There are direct trains, every 30 minutes, from Victoria to Maidstone East taking about one hour, from either London station there are one or 2 change trains taking up to 90 minutes. By road, its the M2 (J3) / M20 (J6) and the A229 but parking is very limited near the ground. PS Not to be confused with the old Maidstone United who we played in Division 4 between 1989 and 1992. They played in Dartford.
Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1LQ.
Wimbledon (March 19 2016) Replacement bus. Allow extra time.
Dagenham (March 5 2016) Normal tube service. Get to Dagenham East (District Line). Take the Circle or Hammersmith or Met line from Kings Cross and change where it connects with the District Line (Aldgate East or Tower Hill). At Dagenham East, left out of the station, fifth left and you're there. About 15 minutes' walk.
AFC Wimbledon (March 7 2015) Frequent fast trains run from Waterloo to Norbiton, every fifteen minutes taking 25 minutes, take the slow one and its 50 minutes. 20 minutes' walk from the station to the ground, just follow the crowds.
Woody Pub: The Willoughby Arms at 47 Willoughby Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 6LN. Described as a gracious Victorian 'pile' situated in North Kingston; it features 3 bars, a function room, big screen HD & 3D TV, a range of real ales, garden with pond (and the famous turtles) and a covered smoking area at the rear which also includes an HD plasma TV screen.
The Cherry Red Records Stadium, Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 3PB
Barnet (August 2012) Straight up the Northern Line from Kings Cross to Barnet and a 2 minute walk from the tube station. Alternatively the main line out of Kings Cross involves a 15 minute walk. Talk the tube on the way back and get out at Mornington Crescent and join York City South's social and quiz night in The Sheephaven Bay.
May 2012 - Wembley No directions needed to our home ground.
Oxford (Wembley) - (May 16) After last year, not sure if we need to repeat the travel info, but just in case, here goes. Take The Metropolitan Line from Kings Cross or Baker Street to Wembley Park and walk down Wembley Way, it provides the most regular service. Trains every 5 minutes and allow 40 minutes from KX to Wembley Park. As an alternative, take the Bakerloo tube to Wembley Central or Chiltern Line train from Marylebone to Wembley.
Just outside Marylebone, towards Edgware Road, 5 minutes' walk from either, is the York City South preferred pub, "The Perserverance" at 11, Shorton St, Marylebone, NW1 6UG. Its open from 12, so you there. From Marylebone, you'll enter the stadium via the back door and miss out on the walk down Wembley Way.
Catch the Metropolitan line tube from Kings Cross or Baker Street to Wembley Stadium. Enjoy the walk up Wembley Way. The best pub is The Green Man on Dagmar Avenue (HA9 8DF). Take a right out of the tube station, fork left at the roundabout and follow the main road round as it becomes Empire Way. Pass McDonalds, The Quality Inn and new build flats and at the next roundabout take a right into Dagmar Avenue. Pub on the right at the top of the hill. Its a 10 minute walk. The beer garden serves burgers and even when England play, there is very little queuing.
For the early starters, open from 08:30 is a fine watering hole, Fox & Anchor, 115 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6AA (close to Smithfield Market). The pub is a proper free house, and carries 6 varying real ales. Food is of an exceptionally high quality, as the 70 or so City fans who were there pre-Trophy will attest to. Tables will be reserved for YCS at lunch ‘til 1.30pm, and we can drink beyond that. The other plus points are no problem in getting served, no plastic glasses, no opposition fans and its just a 5 minute walk to Farringdon or Barbican tube to pick up the Metropolitan line to Wembley.
Travel tips:
Ebbsfleet (February 13) They've had many names over the years. Their most recent, in the hope of getting sponsorship from Eurostar and its new Ebbsfleet International railway station. Catch the Eurostar from St Pancras, right next to Kings Cross. 4 trains an hour, taking under 20 minutes, and £3.30 for a return. The International Station is clearly visible from the ground. Alternatively, the scenic routes trundle out of London Bridge and Charing Cross (2 trains per hour from each station) arriving at Northfleet (Cooper Arms) just under one hour later. Exit the station and turn left onto the main road. Its down hill all the way. The station is barely 400 yards from the ground.
The YCS meet is at the "Rose and Crown", close to Northfleet station. For the thirsty amongst us, "The Plough" is bang next door to the ground. There's also a social club at the ground, but on big match days, its segregated or packed or both. Beware, don't ask a local for directions. He's as likely to be an Aussie, rather than a Kentish Man (or Man of Kent), paying his annual visit to his club and is probably more lost (and maybe more drunk) than you! PS Don't mention The Ashes.
AFC Wimbledon (November 21) AFC Wimbledon, like Hayes, is in a tube free London desert. Norbiton is the nearest railway station to the ground, its about a 10 minute walk away. The station is served by trains from London Waterloo via Clapham Junction and Wimbledon. AFC Wimbledon play at, deep breath, The Cherry Red Records Fans Stadium, aka Kingsmeadow. Its located at Jack Goodchild Way, 422a Kingston Road, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 3PB. By public transport from Kings Cross, take the Northern line to Waterloo and then the train from Waterloo to Waterloo (via Reading). It does a circuit and returns to London. Best look on the departure board for Norbiton. There are 4 trains an hour, departing at 12, 27, 42 and 57 minutes past the hour.
Alternatively, catch the Victoria Line from Kings Cross to Vauxhall and pick up the train from there. Assuming you don’t get lost, it should take about 50 minutes from KX to Norbiton.
Outside the station, take either Homersham Road or Norbiton Avenue, turn right into Gloucester Avenue, then left into Cambridge Road. You’ll see the ground on your right. Its about a 10 minute walk from the station.
By road turn off the M25 at junction 10 and head up the A3, London bound towards Kinston and Norbiton. Take the A2043 towards Kingston. Follow this to the next roundabout. Take the first exit into Kingston Road (A2043 still) and Kingsmeadow is one mile (roughly speaking) on the left.
Hayes. Its the back of beyond (post code UB3 2LE). Nearest station is Hayes & Harlington out of Paddington’s main line station. Even then, it is a mile (roughly speaking) walk from the ground. According to their website, "Turn right outside the station, walk through the shopping area to the end of the part pedestrianised section. Turn left into Botwell Lane. Just after the swimming pool, turn right at roundabout into Church Road, and the ground is 500 yards on the left". Don’t expect to see any evidence of the ground until you’re right on top of it. Not the greatest of areas for pubs etc. There’s variety of local buses from the station and from all around, including Heathrow, Harrow, Uxbridge, Wembley and even Euston , although from there its a long haul. The nearest we'll get to Wembley this season?
Travel Health Warning: Check the www.tfl.gov.uk LUL / TfL (London Underground Limited / Transport for London) website, its got a journey planner and also a page which tells you which services are suspended for weekend engineering works.
Meet & Greet
The Branch has launched a "Meet & Greet" initiative for the 2009/10 season. In old money, that's like a piss up, but only more refined, to you and me. Check our twitter feed on the home page for the next one.
You've already missed the first few, but don't be late for the next.
Stevenage (April 24) - Shirley Pilmore writes. York City South's final (ed - What about the play off? What about Wembley?) "Meet and Greet" of the season (in fact open to all YCFC fans by invitation of the Landlord) is "The Chequers" 164 The High Street. Stevenage. Turn left out of station and 5 mins walk. Drinks before the game and celebrations after. See you there ......."! Come on the York".
Ebbsfleet (February 13) - Shirley Pilmore writes. The next YCS Meet and Greet is at the "Rose and Crown", close to Northfleet station. For the thirsty amongst us, "The Plough" is bang next door to the ground. There's also a social club at the ground, but on big match days, its segregated or packed or both.
Stoke (January 2) - Shirley Pilmore writes. Next YCS Meet and Greet -"Trentham Lakes", a Harvester on Sir Stanley Matthews Way.
AFC Wimbledon (November 21) - Shirley Pilmore writes. Even though the club has two bars within the Phil Strank Stand which we will be open to us before the game, I'm going to the Willoughby Arms (47 Willoughby Rd). A pub with 3 bars, a garden, TV sports screen and 4 real ales on draft. Its 0.5 miles from Norbiton Station. Right into Manorgate Rd, right into Clifton Rd, left into Canbury Rd then right again into Willoughby Rd. PS All the time, you're walking away from the ground, that's when you're not walking around in circles. But if Shirley recommends it and you don't mind getting wet in the beer garden, then its an excellent choice. See you there ......."! Come on City"
Crawley (October 31) - Shirley Pilmore writes. The next YCS "Meet and Greet" will be at Crawley's social club (also know as the "Redz" Bar) both before and after the game. To get to the ground take the Fastway 10 bus from opposite the station (stops right outside the ground) or share a cab with the hundreds of York fans getting of the train at Crawley (obviously not all in the same one) See you there ......."! Come on City"
Salisbury (October 10) - Shirley Pilmore writes. Great place, one down side is the Old Sarum is way out of town. Their social club (which overlooks the pitch) does welcome away supporters though and there are 3 buses that run from the station to the ground at 1.30, 1.40 and 1.50 (they're expecting large numbers from York on the Jimmy Sangere former haunts trial) only thing is the buses take 45 minutes to get there. So, after much trawling the net hopefully we've found a decent town centre pub for a York City South "Meet and Greet". The Wig and Quill at 1 New Street, SP1 2PH. From the station, walk down Fisherton Street, turn left into High St and right into New St. They serve local ales from the wood, have a working cellar (which you can view) a restaurant and bar menus as well as an outside courtyard...Hoping to meet up with friends before hot footing it to their social club for a quick pint of Magna Carta.
August 22 and Hayes is the next meet and greet. We're meeting in their clubhouse before the game.
Or contact Shirley for more details or to suggest a meeting point for future away games.
When the weather gets cold and wet (I mean winter, not summer), Sophie has offered to come to a meet and greet on the weekend of one of City's trips down south.