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.
Postcode: SO50 9HT
Address: The Silverlake Stadium, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire
Public Transport: The nearest train station is Southampton Airport (Parkway).
Beware, rail replacement services operate, often meaning a journey of 3 legs, including a bus. Regular departures from Waterloo, via Woking and Winchester, including 10:20, 10:40 and 11:40 and in total the journey time is a little under 2 and a half hours. Fares around £51 return. Some services available from Paddington via Reading.
The best option seems to be 11:20 Waterloo and 17:42 / 18:42 (all change at Southampton Central). Exit Parkway to the left and follow the A335 road through the rural area and you'll see the ground in front of you.
Road: From the M3, exit J13 and turn right into Leigh Road. Continue to crossroads and turn right at lights into Passfield Avenue. Go past Flemming Park Sports Centre on right and continue to the end of Passfield Avenue. At the roundabout, take 2nd exit and at next roundabout 1st exit past Concorde Club. Take the first turning right into Stoneham Lane Ground 100 yards on left hand side.
Notes: Advance tickets are £5 cheaper than those bought on the day.
Postcode: CM7 3DE
Address: Cressing Road (aka Rare Breed Meat Co. Stadium), off Clockhouse Way, Braintree
Public Transport: The ground is about one mile from Braintree and Braintree Freeport stations (due east of Braintree and north east of Braintree Freeport). Trains depart 48 minutes past the hour from Liverpool Street and take one hour. Returns leave at one minute to the hour. Cost around £33 return. From Braintree Station, exit the station and turn right along the Station Approach, cross Rose Hill at the pedestrian crossing into Railway Street. Turn right at the traffic lights into Trinovantian Way which becomes Manor Street and then Lakes Road. After the 'Sportsmans' Snooker Club turn left into Chapel Hill, at the triangular junction turn right into Clockhouse Way. Turn left at the bend at the end of the road and then the entrance to the ground is on the right. There is a distinct lack of signage in the area. It takes around 20 minutes to walk from most parts of the town centre.
Road: Leave the M11 at J8 and take the A120 towards Colchester. Follow the A120 for 16 miles until you reach the 'Galley's Corner' roundabout (with McDonalds on your right). It is the first roundabout after the M11. Take the first exit into Cressing Road. After three quarters of a mile turn left into Clockhouse Way (signposted Braintree Town FC, and Braintree Tennis Club) and then first left again for the ground.
Postcode: BA22 8YF
Address: Huish Park Stadium, Lufton Way, Yeovil, Somerset
Public Transport: Hourly / direct service from Waterloo (to Yeovil Junction), departing 18 minutes past the hour, journey time 2 hours and 20 minutes. Returns are hourly at 30 minutes past the hour and take 2 and a half hours. Cost around £75 reurn. The station is in the south east of the town, the ground is in the north west of the town, about 4 km away. Note, no trains from Paddington.
Road: From London and the Home Counties. Take the M3 and the A303 until the Cartgate roundabout, junction with A3088 sign-posted for Yeovil. At first roundabout take the first exit along Bunford Lane, go straight over the next roundabout and take the first exit – again the Western Avenue roundabout into Lufton Way. From the South via A30. Take the A30 into Yeovil until the Kingston roundabout, and then follow signs for Taunton (A358) along Preston Road to roundabout at Western Avenue. Brown directional signs are provided from all the major routes for both home and away fans. Away fans (including coaches) via Lufton Way to the stadium. Parking at the ground for £3.
Address: York Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire
Public Transport: The Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) with 4 trains an hour offers a fast, regular and direct service from Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and Paddington (40 minutes) to Maidenhead. A trundler train from Paddington to Maidenhead is available. Arriving from London, you’ll see the ground on the right. 10 minute walk.
Road: M4: From the M4, exit junction 8/9 A404. Take the A308(M) exit and then first exit onto the A308. Follow the road for about 2km. Immediately after the railway underpass, the road turns sharp left. At this point (approximately 200m from the ground), carry straight on here into Queen Street and quickly right into York Street. It is a town centre ground, so parking might be limited.
Notes (1): Don't expect it to be as hot as our last visit.
Notes (2): Don’t confuse the club with any other club in Maidenhead.
Postcode: HA8 6AG
Address: The Hive, Camrose Ave, London
Public Transport: Jubilee Line towards Stanmore. Alight at Canons Park (you’ll see the ground on the right just before the station). Turn left out of the station and in 70m turn right in to the sports ground / playing fields. 5 minute walk. The previous stop, Queensbury is a little further away and Edgware (Northern Line) is about one mile away. No planned closures / disruptions.
Road: From Marble Arch, travel up the Edgware Road (A5) and continue northwards. After you pass the A406 (North Circular flyover), in a further 6 km, turn left into Camrose Avueue, you’ll see the ground in front of you in about 2km. Ground parking is £8. Alternatively, don’t go down Camrose Avenue, carry on straight ahead and in about 1.5 km turn left into the B461 which takes you to Canons Park tube station (see public transport above) and probably more on street parking options.
From the M1, exit at J4, head south (towards London) down the A41, in 2km at the roundabout exit on the A410 and then left on to the A5. In about 3 or 4km, turn right into the B461 or Camrose Avenue. From the A1, after passing the M25, at the 2nd roundabout, 3rd exit onto the A41, continue straight ahead and at the roundabout on the A410 and at the next roundabout, first exit onto the A5. Turn right as above.
Notes:
The ground is in a residential area, so for pre match refreshments, try Baker St, Wembley or stay on the tube one stop extra for Stanmore. Edgware Road offers a variety of Irish (and other) pubs but is a good walk from the tube and to the ground.
Postcode: DA11 9GN
Address: The Kuflink Stadium (new name, same old ground), Stonebridge Road, Northfleet, Kent
Public Transport: Distance wise Northfleet is the closest station (5 minutes walk) but Ebbsfleet International (10 minutes walk) is possibly the more convenient given a normal train service.
Road: Exit M25 (J2) and take the A2 signposted Canterbury. Leave the A2 at the Northfleet/Gravesend West junction. At roundabout, follow signs to Ebbsfleet International Station/A226 which will take you on to Thamesway and past Ebbsfleet International. The stadium is at the end of the road.
Notes: Last time we were there, the ground was in an industrial estate, so pre match either stay in London or go into Gravesend / Northfleet town centre and then catch a bus to the ground.
Postcode: GL6 0FG
Address: The New Lawn, Another Way, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Public Transport: Trains from London Paddington to Stroud (Gloucestershire) are hourly (17 or 19 minutes past the hour) and take about one hour and 40 minutes. Post match, last trains back to London are 20:34, 21:36 and 22:02. Price is about £47 return. From Stroud station, the ground is about 5 miles due south, serviced by bus 63 or taxi. The bus takes about 15 minutes from / to Nailsworth Bus Station (anout 1.5km from the ground), post match, there is one bus at 20:50. PS It is Cheltenham race day, so expect busy trains.
Road: From the M4, at J18, turn north onto the A46 (towards Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Stroud), continue for about 30km through Nailsworth, after the B4104 turn off, turn almost immediately left onto Spring Hill and continue for about 1.5km. The ground is on the left. A Park and Ride scheme operates from Renishaw on Stroud Road (GL5 5EY) on a first come, first served basis.
Notes: FGR are strong on green, so expect vegan burgers and very little parking around the ground. Bike racks available at the ground.
Postcode: HP12 4HJ
Address: Adams Park, Hillbottom Road, High Wycombe
Public Transport: Trains from London Marylebone. 4 trains per hour (2 fast, 2 slow) , taking between 25 and 55 minutes. £26 return. The ground is about 4 km west of the station. The ‘Wycombe Wanderer 1’ shuttle bus service operates between High Wycombe railway station and the stadium for home and away fans for league (and presumably FA Cup) matches. £4 return.
Road: Use the M1 / M25 / M40. Approaching Wycombe, exit motorway onto A404 (High Wycombe / Marlow). Quickly, bear left onto A4010 / John Hall Way, continue straight ahead through 2 roundabouts, staying on A4010 for about one mile. Turn left onto Lane End Road and continue onto Hillbottom Road. Ground on the right.
Notes: Good for bird spotting
Notes First: Its Biggleswade FC, one of 3 clubs in Biggleswade and the one that plays in Bedford
Postcode: MK44 3LW
Address: The Eyrie, Meadow Lane, Cardington, Bedford, Bedfordshire
Public Transport: East Midlands and Thameslink trains depart St Pancras International very regularly and take between 40 minutes and one hour to Bedford. Note, the different companies have different pricing (about £13 or £9 respectively for a return ticket). The club web site states, "the ground is located around 4 miles from Bedford Train Station. The Bus Station is half a mile walk from the train station. If you get the 73 bus (one an hour) from there, it will stop on Meadow Lane right outside The Eyrie on its route to Biggleswade". Alternatively walk along the A603 towards the ground. PS Beford St Johns station is on a loop out of Bedford Train Station and about one mile closer to the ground
Road: From the M1, exit at junction 13 and take the A421 towards Bedford. Exit at the A603 junction (signposted Sandy, Bedford) and at the roundabout take the fourth exit heading towards Sandy A603. After half a mile, The Eyrie is on the left hand side signposted Meadow Lane (immediately before the HGV/Truck Stop Layby).
Postcode: GU22 9AA
Address: Kingfield Stadium (currently The Laithwaite Community Stadium), Kingfield Road, Woking
Public Transport: Fast trains depart Waterloo every 10 minutes and take about 25 minutes. In between, there are slow trains taking up to about 50 minutes. Equally as many trains after the game. Return fare from £15. Exit the station to your right onto Station Appraoch. It feeds into Guildford Road (A320). After about 1,200 metres, at the Wych Hill Lane junction, turn left and you'll see the ground in front of you. Alternatively, as you walk down Guildford Road, when it bends right, carry straight on into Constitution Hill and through the park (with Sports / Leisure Centre) and the ground is straight in front of you and you'll save a few yards walking.
Road: From the M25, at J11, take the A320 towards Addlestone, Woodman and Woking. Continue through the town centre, wave to the City fans walking to the ground, and at the Wych Hill Lane junction, turn left. The ground is on your right just in front of you.
Notes: Paul Weller's Style Council filmed the video for "Solid Bond In Your Heart" at the ground's social club.
Postcode: GU11 1TW
Address: The EBB Stadium, Aldershot Town FC, The High Street, Aldershot
Public Transport: Trains run from London Waterloo at 30 (change at Woking), 42 (direct) and 46 (change at Woking) minutes past the hour and take 50 - 65 minutes. Direct post match return services depart at 4 and 34 minutes past the hour. Returns from about £19. The ground is a 5 minute walk from the station. Leave the station by the main entrance, towards the bus station, and turn right into Windsor Way. Pass Holy Trinity Church on your left and follow the road as it bends left. Turn right at the junction with Victoria Road and the ground is in front of you. To reach the away turnstiles, turn right under the railway bridge and then left up Redan Road.
Road: Accessible from the M3 / M4 / M25. Take the A323 towards Aldershot town centre. Parking is available in the town centre multi-storey car park on Wellington Avenue, which is a five-minute walk from the ground.
Shirley Says: There is a pub right opposite the ground called The Crimea or the Queens Hotel on Victoria Rd, a 'Spoons'. Others might suggest there is nothing posh about Aldershot and to drink in The Goose (or drink before getting to Aldershot).
Notes: The ground is very close to the town centre.
Postcode: HA4 6JQ
Address: Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip, Middlesex
Public Transport: The ground is located near 4 tube stations. Ruislip and Ruislip Manor (Uxbridge branch of the Piccadilly and Metropolitan Lines) and Ruislip Gardens and West Ruislip (Central Line). Ruislip is just the nearest station to the ground, 500 metres away. From here, turn left immediately out of the exit, walk along the pathway, up the stairs and turn left onto West End Road. Follow the road and turn left on Grosvenor Vale. Ruislip Manor is about 600 metres from the ground (see below). On the Central Line, Ruislip Gardens (right out of the station, walk along West End Road and turn right into Grosvenor Vale) and West Ruislip (right out of the station, walk along High Road, at the roundabout turn right into Wood Lane and at the junction, right onto West End Road and then left into Grovsenor Vale) are both about 30 minutes walk away. Bus E7 stops at the ground and others (114, 278, 331, 398, H13, U1 and U10) stop at Ruislip station. On National Rail, Chiltern Railways serve the area with trains from London Marylebone (to High Wycombe). West Ruislip is the nearest station (directions above) but trains are quite infrequent and usually run only once per hour.
Road: Leave the M25 at Junction 16 and take the M40 towards London. At the end of the M40 the road becomes the A40. Take the first exit on the A40, onto the B467 towards Ruislip. At the roundabout at the top of the slip road take the first exit towards Harefield / Ruislip. Continue along the B467 going across two roundabouts. At the end of the B467 you will reach a T-junction that has a small bandstand located in front of you. Turn left here onto the High Road. Follow the High Road passing West Ruislip Station on your right and at the roundabout with the White Bear pub on the right hand corner, take the fourth exit into Wood Lane. Continue along Wood Lane crossing one small roundabout and at the next roundabout bear right onto West End Road. Then take the second left hand turn into Grosvenor Vale and the stadium is located at the bottom of this road. No parking at the ground, but it should be possible on the residential streets near the gound.
Travel Disruption: None expected.
Notes (1): The ground's social club hosts Ruislip's Tropic venue which features a regular Friday night tribute band, on the eve of City’s game, they host The Joneses, a Smiths tribute band
Notes (2): Don't catch the tube / train to Harrow and Wealdstone (unless you want to come to my house for a cup of tea), it is about 4 miles from the ground. If you do, catch the H9 bus outside the station, alight at Rayners Lane tube and catch the Metropolitan / Piccadilly Line as above.
Pub Watch: The on ground pub is as good as any. From Ruislip tube station, the high street is a short walk away and features the usual bland set of high street pubs.
Plug: Got off the tube at Ruislip Manor, turn left and at the roundabout, turn right (Cornwall Road). You’ll see The Sound of The Suburbs record shop. Well worth a visit. Then continue along the road and you’ll see the ground in about 10 minutes behind the houses (on the right) as the road bends left (unfortunately, there are no cut throughs).
Postcode: RM10 7XL
Address: Victoria Road, Dagenham, Essex
Public Transport: Nearest tube station is Dagenham East (District Line). Turn left out of the station and take the 5th left turn into Victoria Avenue. Approximately 10 minutes walk.
Road: Beware speed cameras and speed limits in the area. From the north and west: Exit the M25 (J27) and take the M11 towards London. When the M11 splits at the end of the motorway follow the signs for A406 South & A13. 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, turn 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. From the south & east (via the Dartford Crossing): Follow signs for A13 to Dagenham / Central London. Proceed along this road and take the turn off signposted Elm Park & Dagenham East and turn right at the roundabout at the bottom of the slip road. Proceed to the set of lights and turn left onto a dual carriageway. After about half a mile you will see a McDonalds on your right. Get into the right hand filter lane and turn right 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.
Travel Disruption: None expected.
Pub Watch: The only realistic choice is The Drum Major, opposite the tube station.
Notes: Give City's recent visits, you should be able to find the ground in your sleep.
Postcode: SM1 2EY
Address: Gander Green Lane, Sutton
Public Transport: Frequent trains depart London Victoria (about every 20 minutes taking 30 – 45 minutes) to Sutton. The ground is a 20 minute walk away heading north (along Collingwood Road) and west through the town centre. Alternatively, change trains at Sutton for frequent trains to West Sutton which is situated just outside the ground. There are less frequent services from Waterloo, London Bridge and Blackfriars which take around one hour. There is a service, about every 10 minutes, from St Pancras taking about 50 minutes. Return tickets are about £15 BUT as Sutton is in Zone 5, buy a one day travelcard for unlimited tube, train and bus travel.
Road: Exit the M25 at junction 8. Then north on the A217 for about 15-20 minutes. Stay on the A217 to the traffic lights with the Cheam Road (A232) and turn right toward Sutton. Do not turn into Gander Green Lane, keep going until you reach the Sutton one-way system and turn left into St Nicholas Way and then left again into the Gibson Road municipal car park. It is then a relatively short (15 minute) walk down Collingwood Road to the away end of the stadium. No on ground parking.
Travel Disruption: None expected.
Shirley Says: Hop across to St Pancras International and take the Thameslink train (Platform A) to either Sutton or West Sutton. Add a travel card, or buy an Oyster card, which you can always just top up for future visits. Sutton is in Zone 5. West Sutton station is literally one minute from the ground (journey time is about 55 minutes). Outside West Sutton station, they do have a social club, but I don't know if they're going to be letting an army of York Fans in! The only other pub is 5 minutes down the road, "The Gander", which sits off the dual carriageway. Typical Sports Bar (restaurant area, screen, pool tables) welcomed ALL fans. The downside is it has no Beer Garden, so any outside drinking has to be in plastic glasses! It also only has a capacity of 150 which the Barman reminded me of when I told him we took 501 to Southend. The stop before is Sutton Station. Turn right into the High Street (Sutton FC is well sign posted), there you will find the Sutton, and an old open pub and the Shinner and Sudstone, with outside tables. Take a sharp left and there you will find both Wetherspoons and the Slug and Lettuce. From there walk to the end of the road, sharp right, sharp left past the church and follow the road round. You'll then come to the Robin Hood pub which is a family pub in a residential area, it is also a Sutton FC Pub. Keep following the road down until you reach a railway bridge, to the left is Collingwood Recreational Park. The "Away" supporters entrance is a gate in the Park.!! I'm not sure what the ground is like inside, but from the outside it looks 'boarded up'. Not sure about that 'Yellow brick road' (Sorry Elton I meant Wall!). I must say the Park is lovely. So if you don't fancy the 20 minutes walk, or the one minute your other alternative is ... bring your lovely YCFC beach towel, a six pack or a bottle of gin and have a picnic in the park. Me? Well I'll be having a pub crawl and recruiting all you fans in Exile into York City South. See you all in Sutton.
Notes: At least the plastic pitch won't cause us any problems this time.
Postcode: SS2 6NQ
Address: Roots Hall Stadium, Victoria Ave, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend
Public Transport: There is a regular (about 8 trains per hour) train service from both London Liverpool St and London Fenchurch St. Trains are direct and take about one hour, a return ticket costs £20.20. Southend Central is served by Fenchurch St whilst the “main“ station, Southend Victoria is served by both Liverpool St and Fenchurch St. The 2 stations are close to each other in central Southend, about 5 minutes walk from the sea front and involve a 15 minute walk north to Roots Hall along the A127 (Victoria Avenue). If travelling to Southend Victoria, you can alight one stop early at Prittlewell and Roots Hall is a 5 minute walk due west along East Street.
Road: From the M25 take Junction 29 and follow the A127 to Southend. Continue towards the town centre, through the lights. At the next roundabout turn right (3rd turning), continuing on the A127. The ground is on the right just past the next traffic lights.
Travel Disruption: None expected.
Pub Watch: I suspect some Trust members might be heading towards the Blue Boar (155 Victoria Avenue, Southend-On-Sea SS2 6EL) to meet up with Southend trust members before heading to the Railway Tavern (108 East Street, Southend-On-Sea SS2 6LH), a pub that has proved popular with City fans, pre and post match, in recent years and is outside Prittlewell station. Alternatively, from Prittlewell, The Saxon King (160 Priory Crescent, Southend SS2 6QN) is a good alternative. It is a 5 minutes walk north of Prittlewell station, on the Roots Hall side of the tracks and 15 minutes from Roots Hall. It has real ale, beer garden and good menu. Post match update: The Railway Tavern wasn't very welcoming, but cross over and continue along the road to the Royal Naval club, its chalk board said "York fans wecome". They were, for a £1 admission charge, pints were £3.75.
Notes: Hopefully, for once a trip to Southend with them not under financial jeopardy.
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.
Postcode: BR2 9EF
Address: Hayes Lane, Bromley
Public Transport: Nearest station is Bromley South, about a 20 minute walk from the ground. There is a very regular train service from London Victoria (plus a few trains from London Blackfriars). Journey time is 20 - 35 minutes depending on the train's routing. Return tickets are about £14. Exit left from the station and head south for 100 yards. Then either
Road: From the M25 (J4), take the spur road onto the A21. In about 3 miles, turn right onto the B265 (Bromley) and the ground is on your right in about 2 miles. An alternative is the the M5 (J3) / A20 but it probably means a slower journey from there to the ground.
Notes: Give City's recent visits, you should be able to find the ground in your sleep. Beware local police corralling you onto the long routes to / from the ground.
Postcode: OX3 0NQ
Address: RAW Charging Stadium, Marsh Lane, Marston, Oxford
Public Transport: A decent selection of outbound trains (mainly from Paddington with a few from Marylebone). After the game, return trains about every 20 minutes to 23:16 with a final service at 00:36. Journey time about one hour. The ground is over 4 miles from the station, so local buses (including 4A from bus stop 4 at the station) and taxis (001 Taxis (01865 240000) are recommended).
Road: On the northern outskirts of the City, from the A40, the main circular around Oxford, exit at Marsh Lane / B4150 and continue until you see a sign for Court Place Farm.
Notes (1): A new ground for City.
Similar details to last season (but note the changed date and kick off time)
Postcode: WD6 5AL
Address: LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, Broughinge Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Public Transport: Trains run from St Pancras International to Elstree & Borehamwood (and on towards Luton, calling at Kentish Town, West Hampstead Thameslink, Cricklewood, Hendon and Mill Hill Broadway) about every 10 minutes and the journey time is about 25 minutes. Exit the station and turn right onto the high street (Henley Road). Continue for about 1,000 metres and at the big roundabout, turn left (Brook Road). The ground is about 500 metres up the road, the floodlights should be visible.
Road: From the A1, travel south beyond the M25 and in about one mile, exit onto the A5135 (Borehamwood). Follow the road ahead for about one mile, passing across 2 mini roundabouts before taking second exit at the big roundabout into Brook Road. The ground is about 500 metres up the road, the floodlights should be visible.
Notes: The ground is close to the town centre.
Postcode: IP6 8DA
Address: Bloomfields Quinton Road, Needham Market
Public Transport: The nearest mainline train station is Ipswich, 10 miles away, from there, take the branch line to Needham Market. Trains leave Liverpool Street at 16:30, 17:00 and 17:50 and get into NM about 90 minutes later. Catch the 21:51 return to be in London for midnight, next one gets you in at 05:53. The ground is about one kilometre west of the station.
Road: West of Ipswich off the A14. Take the Needham Market exit and cross the town.
Notes (1): A first visit to Suffolk for City.
Notes (2): No advance tickets.
Postcode: RH4 1DX
Address: Meadowbank Football Ground, Mill Lane, Dorking, Surrey
Public Transport: Plenty of trains from Victoria, Waterloo, Blackfriars, all taking about one hour, many direct, others need a change. The best service is probably Victoria at 11 and 41 minutes past the hour direct to Dorking and another 2 indirect trains every hour. Plenty of trains from Waterloo, but most require a change at Guildford or Clapham Junction. Trains depart London Blackfriars at 14 , 15, 54 and 55 (strangely not 34) minutes past the hour for Dorking, change at Redhill the journey takes just over one hour. Turn left out of the Dorking (Mainline) and walk along the A24 (Deepdene Avenue). In about 200 yards you’ll reach Deepdene Station. Here, cross over the road and turn right into London Road. Follow the road and when it bends left, take a right into Rothes Road. The ground is at the end of the road. Its about a 10 minute walk from the station. If you alight at Dorking West (one stop before Dorking West), find your own way taking a south easterly direction.
Road: The ground is about 5 miles due south of Junction 9 of the M25. Exit onto the A243 and continue onto the A24 through Leatherhead into Dorking. As the road approaches Dorking, it is known as London Road and Deepdene Avenue. Continue through Dorking and at the roundabout (you can't miss it as it has a 3 metre tall cock in the middle (a tribute to the locally famous dorking breed of chicken)), take the 3rd exit (effectively a right turn). In about one kilometre, take the 5th turn into Mill Lane you’ll see ground, near the library. Parking is not available directly at the ground, however there is parking next to the ground at St Martins Walk, RH4 1DX.
Beware: Planned train strike on August 26, expect a much reduced service.
Postcode: TQ1 3PS
Address: Marnham Road, Plainmoor
Public Transport: Trains from London Paddington to Torquay Station, usually 4 minutes past the hour plus one at 10:35 take about 3 hours. Returns at 18:24 and 20:12 (or stay over the night). Single fares £55-£65 or a Super Off-Peak Return at £113.20. The ground is just over a mile north east of the station towards Ellacombe. Alternatively, Torre Station is a bit closer and the ground is due east of the station. Bus 35A from Torquay Harbourside takes you to Plainmoor.
Road: From the M5, take the A38 and then A380 towards Torquay. As you enter Torquay, turn left onto the A3022. In about 1.5km, turn left onto the B3199 (Hele Road). In a little over 1 km, the road turns sharp left, then immediately take a right onto Westhill Road at the mini roundabout. Carry on straight ahead into Warbro Road and you should see the ground in about 1 km.
Notes: Comedian Charlie Baker is their celebrity supporter. Another top entertainer might be at the game selling fanzines.
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 - PenaltiesApril 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
WEMBLEY (Macclesfield) (Sunday May 21 2017) Woking (April 22 2017) Dagenham & Redbridge (March 25 2017) Sutton (March 11 2017) Borehamwood (February 18 2017) Aldershot Town (January 28 2017) Harlow Town (January 14 2017) Dover Athletic (January 7 2017) Bromley (November 25 2016) Braintree Maidstone (August 6 2016) Wimbledon (March 19 2016) Dagenham (March 5 2016) AFC Wimbledon (March 7 2015) 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) May 2012 - Wembley Oxford (Wembley) - (May 16) 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. Travel Health Warning:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1LQ.
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.