Come along before the game at noon to the Newham International Brigades Memorial inside the Old Spotted Dog Ground. We’ll be holding a short rededication with the International Brigades Memorial Trust to mark 90 years since the start of the Spanish Civil War.

Join us in commemorating volunteers in Newham who fought against fascism in Spain from 1936-39. It’s also taking place on the weekend of International Workers’ Day and 100 years since the General Strike.

We’re expecting a decent away following at the game. Obviously you’re welcome to go wherever, there is no segregation, but if it helps we have a designated standing area for away fans and some seating in the main stand.

Rayleigh finished fourth to our second place, but scored more goals. Last week they impressively won the play-off semi 3-2 away at Coggeshall Town, coming from 2-1 down.

The league campaign obviously counts for nothing now, however we managed to do the double over Rayleigh this season.

We met for the first time at the Old Spotted Dog Ground on a Tuesday night in October, with CCFC winning 4-2 through goals from Cameron Gordon, Will Wright, Nathan Cook and David Makisi. In April, we won the away game 1-0 through an early Jake Wintour goal.

They have five players in double figure goals for the season with ex-Basildon Town striker Dylan Jones on 17 and Tommy Sykes on 15 and has recently dual signed with Concord Rangers two divisions above.

Gates and bar will open for the game at 2pm ahead of kick off at 3pm – please come down early.

Spectator entry is via the Upton Lane gate, 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: £5
Concessions: Pay what you can
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 you can 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/Mildmay/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 park your bike on the new bike racks just inside the Upton Lane gates. There is space for 30 bikes there. If further space is needed, you can lock your bike on the fencing at the back near to the main stand and the toilet block. Or there are various fences and posts outside the entrance.

There is no parking on site but there is free on-street parking on the streets around the Old Spotted Dog Ground.

The streets to the north and west of the Old Spotted Dog Ground (e.g. Disraeli Road and Margery Park Road) are in the Stratford North East controlled parking zone. Parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays and after 6.30pm on weeknights.

The streets to the east of the Old Spotted Dog Ground (e.g. the streets around Stratford Academy, St Anthony’s and St Bonaventure schools) are in the Green Street North and Upton Park controlled parking zones. Parking is free on Sundays and after 6.30pm on weeknights.

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 an hour before kick off and will remain open after the full-time whistle for a couple of hours with a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale.

There are also going to be two outdoor bars – one alongside the clubhouse behind the goal, and the other by the seated stand on the Ham Park Road side (shown on the map below).

Keg and cans are available at the Clubhouse bar and the bar next to the clubhouse, while the Ham Park Road stand bar will be can only.

The indoor bar is for cash or cards, while both outdoor bars are card only.

On the kegs we will have lager, IPA and cider on draft at £5 per pint.

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.

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 Clubhouse bar.

If you’d rather keep the cup, you’re welcome to take it home instead.

If you already have a returnable cup, please do bring it in and we’ll serve your drink in that.

Hot drinks

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

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

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

Water

We have tap water at the bar, please help yourself. If you want a water bottle filled, we have a water fountain outside the new toilet block, or you can ask at the bar.

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

We usually have crisps, nuts, scampi fries and sweets on sale in the clubhouse.

The new toilet block is now open next to the seated stand.

These are in addition to the toilets in the Clubhouse.

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

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

We produce a small (four-page) printed programme for all competitive Women and Men’s First Team home games. For the play-offs, we have made them eight pages. Pick one up for free.

The programmes are also uploaded to the website after the game for those who could not make it. An 8-page programme is uploaded for Men’s First Team games.

You can also buy a bundle of six random programmes for £3 from our website.

Both cash and cards are accepted everywhere in the ground – entrance, bar, and food stall – except the merch stall, which is card only.

Paying cash at the entrance is 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 a new permanent collection point inside the ground.

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

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

During the game, everyone (kids and adults) needs to stay behind the fence and aware of the risk of being hit by a ball. Nobody should come on the pitch at half-time.

Children can play on the pitch after the game but adults should only be on there to supervise a child. Nobody should take any drinks onto the playing surface.

After the game, there will be a presentation to both teams on the pitch. Please respect players and staff of both teams and give them enough space on the pitch to warm down and collect their awards.

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.

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.

Map of the Old Spotted Dog Ground