There’s no extra time in this competition, we would go straight to penalties.

We have entered an Essex county cup competition every season since the club was formed – and results have been mixed.

For the first five seasons as a step 7 and 8 club, we played in the BBC Essex Saturday Premier Cup. Our best performance and biggest attendance was a semi-final in 2021/22 when Woodford East defeated us 1-3 at Wadham Lodge Stadium in front of 427. Our biggest win was 3-0 against Hullbridge Sports U23 at Wadham Lodge 3G in 2020/21. 

Promotion to step 6 meant we now play in the BBC Essex Senior Cup instead, where we have yet to win or score.

The first round includes teams playing at Steps 5 and 6 only. Teams in the EFL and Steps 1-4 will join the competition in rounds two and three.

Full draw:

1. Ilford vs Hullbridge Sports
2. Little Oakley vs FC Clacton
3. Saffron Walden Town vs Holland
4. Barkingside vs Basildon United
5. West Essex vs Newbury Forest
6. Benfleet vs White Ensign
7. Clapton Community vs Romford
8. Rayleigh Town vs Barking
9. Hutton vs Lymore Gardens
10. Harwich & Parkeston vs Buckhurst Hill
11. Basildon Town vs Stansted
12. Cannons Wood vs Halstead Town
13. Frenford vs Southend Manor
14. Dunmow Town vs Burnham Ramblers
15. Woodford Town vs Wivenhoe Town
16. Harlow Town vs Stanway Pegasus
17. Coggeshall Town vs Athletic Newham
18. Great Wakering Rovers vs May & Baker Eastbrook Community

The following clubs will join the competition in Round Two:

Stanway Rovers, Takeley.

The following clubs will join the competition in Round Three:

Aveley, Billericay Town, Bowers & Pitsea, Braintree Town, Brentwood Town, Brightlingsea Regent, Canvey Island, Chelmsford City, Colchester United, Concord Rangers, Dagenham & Redbridge, Grays Athletic, Hashtag United, Heybridge Swifts, Hornchurch, Maldon & Tiptree, Redbridge, Southend United, Tilbury, Waltham Abbey, Walthamstow, Witham Town.

The designated week for each round is as follows:

Round 2 – w/c 22 September 2025
Round 3 – w/c 20 October 2025
Round 4 – w/c 17 November 2025
Quarter-Final – w/c 8 December 2025
Semi-Final – w/c 12 January 2026
Final – to be confirmed

Dating back to 1876, Romford FC have a rich history full of huge highs and some lows too. They’ve been to Wembley twice, playing in front of 93,000 fans in the FA Amateur Cup in 1949 and then in 2024 returned to win the FA Vase. On a sadder note, they also had to reform several times and lost their Brooklands home. Since then, they’ve shared at (deep breath) Hornchurch, Rush Green, Sungate, Aveley, Thurrock, Brentwood Town, East Thurrock United, and now Barking. They survived for a long time in the Isthmian League with no budget but are now back in the Essex Senior League.

It was a solid mid-table finish for Kris Newby in his first season as a manager – and it could have been even better without an injury crisis late in the season. However, he will no doubt be unhappy with a haul of one win from the first four league games this season.

None.

The prolific Harry Honesty has banged in the goals for the likes of Hashtag United, Maldon & Tiptree and Wadham Lodge FC. Fellow striker Christian Adu Gyamfi had a spell at the Old Spotted Dog Ground around a decade ago.

Gates will open at 6.45pm for a 7.45pm 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.

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 and lock your bike on the fencing at the back near to the main stand. 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.

The Clubhouse bar will be open an hour before kick off with a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks on sale. Last orders are 10pm for midweek games.

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 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.

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 from 6.45pm with meat, veggie and vegan options.

We usually have crisps, nuts, scampi fries and bacon fries 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, at half-time, and after the game. The stall can be found inside the Clubhouse, on the stage.

If you ordered the new trans solidarity keeper shirt and chose the ‘pick-up at a game’ option, please come to the stall to get yours.

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. Pick one up for free.

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 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

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.