Lymore Gardens FC was formed in 2016 by Lee Benjamin, who is chairman and manager. Since then they’ve had three promotions starting from Division 2 of the Essex Alliance League while being known for risk-taking, attacking football.

Lymore is a Community Interest Company also doing anti-racism work in schools and the wider community. They have 350 players across their 8 teams.

Their ultimate aim is to reach Step 3 and build their own stadium in the Leytonstone area. Currently they groundshare at Redbridge FC’s Oakside but next season will be moving to a new second pitch at Aveley, which they will be sharing with Brimsdown.

After being promoted last summer to Step 6, Lymore reached the last 16 in their first FA Vase campaign. They earned the fourth play-off place with two wins in a row, edging out Newbury Forest by 1 point and Brimsdown by 2 points.

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

In September, we inflicted Lymore’s first defeat of the season with a 3-0 win at the Old Spotted Dog Ground. Fred Taylor (2) and James Briggs scored.

Then on a Friday night in March, we won 3-1 away with goals from Fred Taylor, Louis Brown and Nathan Cook, though the game was on a knife-edge until the third in added time.

The teams also met in an away friendly in July. Two goals from Nico Bunduku and one from Adam Sidky helped us to a 3-1 win.

Four Lymore players have hit double figures this season including Malik Donaldson, formerly of Barkingside and Brimsdown, ex-Frenford striker Wisley Baltazar and former St Bons student Tyrique Peters. Top scorer with 18 is Dylan Roberts, who won the golden boot in the Essex Alliance League for the last two seasons.

Gates will open at 2pm for a 3pm kick off.

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. 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

The Grounds committee request all spectators keep off the pitch during the winter. By March and the better weather, it is fine for children to go on the pitch again.

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.