The journey was complicated by the closure of Norbiton Railway Station (and the confusion at South West Trains about what to do about this). Opened: 1912: Capacity: 15,876: Team: Wimbledon: Address: London: Table of Contents. Away fans are mostly housed on one side of the RyGas Stand at one side of the pitch. [12] However, in November 2019 it emerged that financing of a final £11m needed to complete the ground as envisioned was not forthcoming; the club's fan ownership considered scaling down the project, or accepting outside investment to meet the shortfall. It was a great evening out and a nice win for Argyle. Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting The Cherry Red Records Stadium? Missed pens by both sides, four goals including a last gasp one and then a penalty shootout at the end. The match itself was a 2-1 victory for Aldershot, which I felt they deserved overall. I had never been to see Wimbledon even in their glory years. There are two large bars located inside the main Paul Strank Stand. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Without boring you with details said incidents in no way impacted on the safety or comfort of anyone on the ground. Having been to the ground before, but never when segregation was in force, the away end was a new experience! Both areas offered to me on the club ticket website turned out to be all standing, which I find difficult. We had some food in the centre of London, plus we nipped into a pub for a few beers before heading to Kingston. Finding the Kingsmeadow Stadium was really easy and parking next to the ground was free which was brilliant. This was mine and my son's very first visit to Kingsmeadow ground, so we were both looking forward to it. And with us being rooted to the bottom of the table and generally rubbish, I couldn't even give the spare ticket away! Whether you are a small group planning a dream sports break, or seeking wonderful hospitality for your company clients, Nickes.Com has 20 years of experience in providing unforgettable sporting trips. However, the cramped nature of this stand does lead to a great atmosphere being generated. The terrace opposite the Main Stand, where the away fans are located, is divided up into three sections separated by barriers. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.. We were 2-0 inside 20 minutes and I began feeling as if id wasted my time, but we got one back before the break to keep us in the game. I travelled from Bognor Regis by train and it was a straightforward enough journey and having visited the ground before, knew where to go. and if you don't get there early enough you will be stuck in one corner where the view is not brilliant. [7] The ground was even used as the site of an amateur international match, when England took on Wales on 19 January 1935. That is your ‘Entry Point Disinfect … After the game, rather than head back to New Malden we walked to Norbiton Railway Station instead, this is the closest station to the ground and the best one to use if you're not bothered about going to the pub or just want to head straight to the ground/get home quick. Opposite to this is the away terrace which is very low and has a number of supporting pillars and the dugouts in front of it, which makes it very hard to see. Thankfully, most of the action happened at the end we were situated at. Sadly (and annoyingly) however, we couldn't hold on for the vital win and conceded the equaliser with seconds left to play. I was looking forward to my first visit to the home of Wimbledon. I couldn't really get any idea what the away fans were doing as they are put in one side of the RyGas Stand on one side of the pitch. Second half was a different affair with Sutton hammering the Wimbledon defence and finally finding away through after 75 minutes. I then walked around the ground to meet Terry, the famous badge seller to meet Terry who literally has hundreds of badges from across all different clubs, including matchday badges. I'd say it is a 15-20 minute walk from New Malden Railway Station. A good day out at the Kingsmeadow Stadium and I'm glad that AFC Wimbledon have now secured their place in League One. I took the supporters coach for the game. For Saturday games, to be in with a chance of securing a space you need to arrive before 1.30 pm at the latest. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground. I spoke to a couple of home fans on the train there, they seemed very friendly and welcoming. Stadium Guide. Rochdale came for a point and didn't have too much trouble getting one. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game: Getting away from the ground was a doddle, even after a little unplanned detour around Kingston, we found our way back to Norbiton easy enough. I was in the terrace and even at the back the view was not great, as I struggled to see action in one of the corners. 5. Barnet lost 2-0 with goals right at the start and right at the end of the match, and Barnet barely making an attack throughout the match. If this was a League of Ireland ground it would be one of the betters ones however from reading reviews here I understand that this is a non-league standard ground. We took public transport all the way. Did not see a scoreboard but club announcer was okay. Map; Plough Lane was the former home Wimbledon FC (1889-2004) which … Much as I have always made a point of trying to see the Stanley when they are in the South at least once a season, this was equally about visiting the home of the Wombles who refused to be "dragged" to Milton Keynes. The ground wasn't what I was looking forward to but our good start to the season meant the fixture was exciting. Come out of New Malden station and follow the High Street to the left, and proceed up to the Fountain Roundabout. This terrace is partly covered to the rear and has open flanks to either side. [11] The ground remained largely unchanged until the club's election to the Football League, though during 1971–72 an attempt was made to start a market on the club's grounds to raise funds. The food and service was good and there were no problems with me arriving a bit late. Plough Lane is a stadium in Wimbledon, south-west London, which is currently under construction as of August 2020. Away fans are located towards the John Green Stand side of the terrace and are adequately separated from the home fans. Great result. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be): I was very much looking forward to visiting Wimbledon, as it was a new ground for me. I hope they continue to grow and get their move into a new ground. The Kingston Road terrace had a large contingent of families and I have to say, the whole experience was very pleasant. The journey was straight forward, travelling up on the supporters coach leaving Exeter at 8am, arriving at 1pm. For a game like this, the only thing that matters is the result so it was a great night out. The atmosphere was interesting, to say the least but the game was brilliant. I was impressed when I saw the Kingsmeadow Stadium as it looked and felt like a little community ground. Wimbledon fans started leaving with 15 minutes left as the Reds fans resorted to "It's just like watching Brazil". Big mistake, unless you are into spending £6.50 on a crappy Mexican beer in some lounge bar/cafe catering to trendies and tourists. [11], The club thus purchased and cleared the site of the former Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium in anticipation of construction. However we hit back in the second half and scored two fantastic goals (one from our own half) to turn the game around and take all three points. Both clubs' reserve teams then used Plough Lane as their home ground until 1998, when the site was sold to Safeway. The ground is small and compact. The ground isn't too far away from Norbiton station and for any first-timers, its simply a case of follow those wearing blue and yellow. This truly was a wonderful day out, and will definately be a ground I'll return to in the future, given the chance. Plough Lane was the former home Wimbledon FC (1889-2004) which closed after the publication of the Taylor report in 1990, leaving the South West London based team without a home and ultimately to their demise. Stadium Facts. As for his performance, he didn't do badly but once he becomes more familiar with the pace in League Two then I'm sure he'll start banging in the goals in for them. I parked in the club carp park which was free – thank you Wimbledon. I enjoyed it. Good game and plenty of lively banter between rival sets of supporters. This fact was highlighted with the publication of the Taylor Report in 1990 after the tragic events of Hillsborough unfolded year prior when 96 football fans sadly lost their lives. But that somewhat killed the game for the supporters – us nervous and hanging on, them getting frustrated. I complemented them on reaching league status which seemed to be genuinely appreciated even though they admitted it hasn't sunk in just yet. The stewards are very friendly and the food is very nice inside the ground. Menu. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground? Find and Book your London or Surrey Hotel and help support this website. Wimbledon's John Fashanu v Norwich's Chris Sutton. Following the publication of the Taylor Report in 1990, which introduced new safety measures for football stadia including the regulation that the stadia of teams at the highest level be made all-seater by August 1994,[16] the board of the club decided that Plough Lane could not be economically redeveloped to meet the new standards.