Croydon FC was founded as Croydon Amateurs in 1953 to provide football at the newly built Croydon Sports Arena, where they still play. They reached as high as Isthmian Premier (tier 3) in the early 2000s but dropped down to tier 6 by 2019. Since then they’ve finished just outside the play-offs each season but are the current London Senior Trophy holders. They are not to be confused with the Stormzy-owned AFC Croydon Athletic.

The early pacesetters until manager Antonio Gonnella and half the team left to join Forest Hill Park. Ryan Watts and Alex White eventually arrived as joint managers from SC Thamesmead, bringing many players too. 4 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat since has kept them in the play-off spots.

A game of two halves saw Croydon go 4-0 up – only for 10 man CCFC to score three times in the last 11 minutes to almost snatch a draw. Emphasising what a different side they now are, all four of the Trams’ goals were scored by players now at Forest Hill Park.

Kanan Fitton has 9 goals across spells with Thamesmead and Croydon. He was the top scorer in the division two seasons ago with FC Elmstead.

Gates open at 1.30pm. Please get here early.

Spectator entry is via the Upton Lane turnstiles, next to the Spotted Dog pub. 212 Upton Lane, E7 9NP (What3Words: option.dark.limes).

However…. the alleyway has reopened so it’s just a 30 second walk if you want to arrive via Disraeli Road instead.

No tickets are needed, just turn up and pay at the turnstiles.

Standard admission for Men’s First Team games: £5
Concessions: Pay what you want
Under 13s: Free 

Concessions include: 

• Clapton CFC members 
• Newham residents 
• Teenagers (13 to 19)
• Over 60s
• Students and apprentices
• Trade union members
• Unemployed people and those on low income
• People with disabilities and health conditions 
• Refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants 

The concessions option is available to anyone who needs it. No ID is required to qualify for concessions, we will take your word for it. At the turnstile, just say that you are a concession (you don’t need to say which) and pay what what you want for entry.

If you can afford it, however, please do pay the £5 standard price.

There are 7 stations, on umpteen different lines, within walking distance of the Old Spotted Dog.

• Forest Gate (Elizabeth) – 14 minutes’ walk
• Wanstead Park (Suffragette) – 17 minutes’ walk
• Plaistow (District/Hammersmith & City) – 19 minutes’ walk
• Upton Park (District/Hammersmith & City) – 19 minutes’ walk
• Maryland (Elizabeth) – 22 minutes’ walk
• Abbey Road (DLR) – 26 minutes’ walk
• Stratford (National Rail/Overground/Elizabeth/Jubilee/Central/DLR) – 28 minutes’ walk

Buses

These bus services stop on Upton Lane (St Georges Road stop or Stratford School stop, 4 minutes’ walk away)

325 (from East Beckton or Prince Regent)
678 (From Beckton or Stratford)

These bus services stop on Romford Road (Disraeli Road stop, 7 minutes’ walk away).

25 (from City of London or Ilford)
86 (from Stratford or Romford)
425 (from Lower Clapton or Ilford)

These bus services stop on Woodgrange Road (Claremont Road or Romford Road stops, 11 minutes’ walk away).

58 (from Walthamstow or East Ham)
330 (from Forest Gate or Silvertown)

Here are some even more detailed directions.

With the current works building an extra toilet block, there is less room to park your bike inside. So please park your bike before you arrive at the Old Spotted Dog Ground if you can.

There is no parking on site.

Parking is free on the streets to the north and west of the ground (e.g. Disraeli Rd) on Saturdays and Sundays.

On Saturdays, parking is restricted on streets to the east and south of the ground (e.g. St George’s Rd and Upton Lane), but there are no restrictions on Sundays.

Always check local signage for any changes. And if possible come by public transport, bike or walk

London’s oldest senior football ground has one of the best bars around, too. The Clubhouse bar will be open from 1.30pm for soft drinks and hot drinks, and 2pm to 7pm for alcohol.

We also have an outdoor can bar for this game.

In the bar itself have a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale, which at the time of writing includes…

On tap

• Old Scaffold Daze, our own IPA made by Forest Gate/Walthamstow-based Pretty Decent Brewery – £5
• Gulp Lager, a pilsner also from Pretty Decent Brewery – £5

Cans

• Red Stripe, Cruzcampo and San Miguel lagers – £2.50
• Thatcher’s Gold and Thatchers Blood Orange ciders – £2.50
• Guinness and Guinness Zero – £3
• No/low-alcohol beers from Leyton-based Nirvana Brewery – £3
• Existence Is A Radical Act pale ale from Leyton’s Queer Brewing – £4
• Other cans from Pretty Decent, including Gulp lager, I Could Get Better In Tesco For A Quid IPA and The Greatest Love pale ale

Due to our licence, we ask that you don’t bring your own booze in. The profits from the bar are invested in maintaining and improving the grounds.

Soft drinks

• Gaza Cola – £2
• Cawston Press Elderflower and Rhubarb, R Whites Lemonade and Old Jamaica Ginger Beer – £1
• Orange juice and apple & pear juice – £1
• Bottled water – £1 (but tap water is free, see below)

Returnable pint and half-pint cups

The Clubhouse has ditched single use plastic and switching to returnable pint and half-pint cups.

Just pay a £2 deposit, which is refunded when you return the cup to the bar. If you’d rather keep the cup, you’re welcome to take it home.

Hot drinks

We have coffee, tea, hot chocolate and Bovril in the Clubhouse on a ‘help yourself’ basis.

We’re introducing a small charge for disposable hot drink cups in the Clubhouse – with all proceeds going towards maintaining the Old Spotted Dog Ground.

If you need a cup, buy one at the bar for £1 then refill it as many times as you like. There’s no charge if you bring your own reusable cup.

Please make sure any children using the water heater are supervised.

Water

We also have water at the bar, please help yourself. If you want a water bottle filled, hand it over at the bar and we will fill it up from the tap.

Outside, Fusion Foods will be selling hot and cold food – meat, veggie and vegan options.

We have Pipers crisps, nuts, scampi fries and bacon fries on sale in the clubhouse.

You can also bring in your own food if you wish.

The merch stall is open before the game, at half-time, and after the game. The stall can be found inside the Clubhouse, on the stage.

Most of the merch is also available to buy online on our store page.

We produce a printed programme for all competitive Women and Men’s First Team home games.

They are free to pick up but donations are welcome. If 50 or so people donate £1 each game, that will cover our printing costs.

The programmes are also uploaded to the website after the game for those who could not make it. You can also buy a bundle of six random programmes for £3 from our website.

Either is fine. Cash and cards are accepted everywhere in the ground – entrance, bar, merch stall and food stall.

However, paying cash at the entrance will be speedier for all, so if you can bring the right money in hard currency, we would appreciate it.

The hygiene bank collection is back at all home games, with the collection box at the entrance.

Our charity partners Magpie Project support mums and young children in temporary accommodation. They need:

● Toothpaste ● Toothbrush ● Shower gel ● Shampoo ● Deodorant ● Sanitary towel

The Grounds committee request all spectators keep off the pitch before games and at half-time. They need to carry out safety pitch inspections before play begins, which are voided if people have gone on the pitch.

After a game, in good weather, kids can have a run round and a kickabout on the pitch, but no adults please.

Prams and pushchairs are always very welcome at the OSD, but please avoid blocking walkways. Make sure all children are behind the perimeter fencing during games too please.

If/when Clapton CFC wins a game, children are invited to join the players in their post-match celebration on the side of the pitch. After a game, in good weather, kids can have a run round and a kickabout on the pitch, but no adults please.

Spectators are welcome, in fact encouraged, to bring dogs to the OSD, but please keep on leads. It’s free entry for dogs.

If you have any further questions, look for anyone wearing a pink hi-viz vest or the bar staff who will be happy to answer.