Clapton Community members voted in February to give the alley between Disraeli Road and Upton Lane a new name, Walter Tull Way. It’s named after one of the first Black players in England who started off playing as an amateur from 1908 at the Old Spotted Dog Ground.

New road signs went up in March and an information plaque is being unveiled before the game. 

Events will start at 12.30pm prompt and end with photos at 1pm. Ed Finlayson, who is Walter’s great grandnephew, and biographer Phil Vasili will be among those present.

To make the day even more special, we’re partnering with Baller Friends Collective again for a second matchday party. Last time they came down there was all sorts of music and games and everyone had a ball so let’s do it all again.

Baller FC was born out of a desire to create inclusive spaces to watch women’s football after years of tramping between pubs that either refused to show the WSL or relegated it to a tiny TV in the dingiest corner of the bar. They host watch parties for WSL matches and more, drawing nearly 500 people to their World Cup Final event in 2023.

We’re expecting Brentford to bring a decent away following to the game to see their team potentially win the title and promotion, though unfortunately the game clashes with a men’s team home game.

So that the Bees fans can all be together (if they wish!), we’ve allocated them one half of the seated stand and the whole standing area beyond that. There will be signs.

Brentford Women began in 1990 and a season later entered the Greater London Women’s League, then into the current London & South East Regional Women’s Division One North four seasons ago. Since then manager Karleigh Osborne and his side have gone agonisingly close to promotion several times. Crowds have risen too – both at their regular home at Bedfont Sports but especially on their occasional games at the Gtech, with 17,161 attending across four games (including one against us, of course).

19 wins out of 19 in the league this season, a goal difference of plus 115, retaining the Capital Cup for a second year in a row in a penalty shoot-out last weekend… Brentford have had almost a perfect 2024/25. Clapton meanwhile are ending the season with just 1 defeat in 7 games, so are in decent shape ourselves too.

Brentford have won 5 of our 7 meetings so far, most recently the 7-0 thrashing at the Gtech in September in front of a 3585 crowd. Our one draw was 2-2 draw at home last season which ended up contributing to them missing out on promotion. Our only win was in the GLWFL in 2020/21, which ended 3-1 on a very muddy Stray Dog pitch in Walthamstow.

Which ones can you afford not to watch?! Brentford’s strike force in particular is formidable, however. Strikers Ashley Cheatley (55) and Chloe Logie (45) are the top scorers in the division. Four more players are in double figures. Then theres the defence who have only conceded 11 goals…

Gates open at 1pm for a 2pm kick-off.

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.

Admission for Women’s First Team games is by donation, with a suggested £5 for waged adults, but any amount or none at all is fine. 

Suggested donation for Women’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 suggested donation.

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.

You can lock your bike on the fencing near to the main stand. However, there is less space at the moment due to the building works on the toilets. So if you can park your bike before arriving, please do so.

We are currently working on plans for a better bike parking and locking system – watch this space.

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. We have a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale, including…

On tap

• Old Scaffold Daze, our own IPA made by Pretty Decent Brewery – £5
• Gulp Lager, a pilsner from Pretty Decent Brewery – £5

Cans

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

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, you can hand it over at the bar and we will fill it up from the tap.

Outside, Simply Moreish Flavours will be selling Caribbean food – meat 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.

Work to build an extra outside toilet block has begun.

In addition to the indoor loos, we have four outdoor portakabins to reduce queues.

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.