Before the game, we are unveiling the Newham International Brigades Memorial with a ceremony inside the Old Spotted Dog Ground.

Gates open at 12 noon for a strict 1pm start and 2pm finish. Gates will close about 1.30pm so that all volunteers can take part in the ceremony.

The memorial was paid for using funds from our away shirt sales. It was made by Manor Park-based Rodwell Memorials in red granite and is inscribed with a poem by IB volunteer David Marshall.

There will be speeches by Marlene Sidaway and Jim Jump from International Brigades Memorial Trust; contributions from East 15 Acting School; and a special unnamed musical guest.

Join us in commemorating volunteers in Newham who fought against fascism in Spain from 1936-39.

Please bring trade union banners if you can.

Clapton CFC is hosting an in-person DKMS stem cell registration event during the day. This small action could transform you into someone’s lifeline.

You can seamlessly complete the entire process inside the entrance of the Old Spotted Dog Ground, from quick online registration using your phone to a simple cheek swab.

For countless patients, a blood stem cell transplant is their only beacon of hope. However, finding a compatible donor is still dauntingly difficult due to the limited pool of registered donors. By adding your name to DKMS’s registry, you help to lower these odds.

Six years ago, we proudly registered 100 community members during a similar drive. This year, we aim to surpass that record with your enthusiastic participation. Join us in our inspiring ‘A Match for Everyone’ campaign and help us make an even bigger impact.

The momentum is already building—approximately 25 of our players have already stepped forward. Now it’s your turn to become a hero by joining our ‘A Match for Everyone’ campaign.

The entire process takes just minutes of your time at the Old Spotted Dog entrance but could give someone else a lifetime.

Find out more.
And here’s a life saved

Forest Hill Park FC formed in 1992 with a name derived from the Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park areas of Lewisham. After two league title wins and a cup triumph in the South London Alliance and Kent County leagues, they were successful in applying for promotion to Step 6 as part of a restructure in 2014. This season they are guaranteed their best ever finish after merging with Sunday league giants SE Dons. The club is expected to rename as SE Dons for 2025/26.

Forest Hill Park are one of their four teams who could still win the title – and with it the one automatic promotion spot. They are on the same points as Faversham Strike Force and Soul Tower Hamlets, with Croydon just a few points behind. Having been top for months, FHP looked the strong favourites but an end-of-season wobble with 1 win in 9 games has opened it up for a dramatic final day.

At our away game in September at the Ladywell Arena, we led at half-time through a fine Noah Adejokun strike. However, a second half comeback sealed a 2-1 win for FHP.

Nathan Palmer has 13 goals this season, including the winner against us. Georgi Steeds and Ed Mbango have 12 between them since joining with manager Antonio Gonnella from Croydon mid-season. They both scored against us for their former side.

Gates will open at 12 noon for the memorial unveiling ceremony, which gets underway at 1pm and finishes by 2pm. The gates will be closed at around 1.30pm to allow all our volunteers to watch the event.

Gates will then open for the game itself at 2.15pm. Please get here early to ensure you get in.

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

However…. it’s just a 30 second walk down the Walter Tull Way if you want to arrive via Disraeli Road, (E7 9JT, lifted.paying.influencing) 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

We’re expecting a decent away following at the game. We’ve allocated one half of the seated stand and the standing area beyond that so that FHP supporters can be together. There will be signs.

London’s oldest senior football ground has one of the best bars around, too.

The Clubhouse bar will be open from 2pm to 7pm. We also have two outdoor bars – one serving just cans, the other cans and pints.

In the Clubhouse bar 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 and Salaam 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.