Stonebridge Road
Encyclopedia
Stonebridge Road is a multi-purpose stadium
in Northfleet
, Gravesend
, Kent
, England
, which is primarily used for football
matches. Stonebridge Road was constructed in 1905
, and was initially the home of Northfleet F.C., which merged with Gravesend F.C. in 1946. It is currently the home ground of Ebbsfleet United F.C. (formerly Gravesend & Northfleet F.C.). Thus, Stonebridge Road has been the home of Ebbsfleet and its predecessor football clubs for over 100 years.
Although one of the Fleet's local rivals, from 2000 to 2006 Dartford F.C.
had a groundsharing agreement with Ebbsfleet United to use Stonebridge Road as its home field. Gillingham F.C.
used Stonebridge Road briefly for home matches in 1961
. Charlton Athletic Reserves
also plays home matches at the ground.
The stadium has a capacity of 5,011 people. The average attendance for Ebbsfleet United home ties at Stonebridge Road was 1,165 in the 2006-2007 season
.
When the Fleet plays at Stonebridge Road, the home supporters typically sit in the Main Stand or in the Plough End. Both those seating areas are covered, although seats were not installed in the Plough End, which is also called the Northfleet End, until 2006. Home fans also stand in the terraced Stonebridge Road Stand, which runs along the length of the pitch on the side of the stadium closest to the street and which is also covered. Away supporters typically stand in the Swanscombe End, which is an open terrace.
The pitch size at Stonebridge Road is 112 by 72 yards for football matches, and the pitch is presently maintained by groundsman Peter Norton.
The postcode (for maps and directions) of Stonebridge Road is DA11 9GN.
against Hereford United
. The Fleet won that first match 3-0 with more than 5,000 fans in attendance. The stadium's record attendance is 12,032, which was achieved against Sunderland F.C. in February 1963
in an FA Cup
Fourth Round tie.
In April 2002
, the Fleet gained promotion to the top level of non-league football, the Conference National
, by defeating Bedford Town F.C.
on the last day of the season at The New Eyrie. The season also saw the highest modern day attendance at Stonebridge Road, an official figure of 4,068 spectators was announced for the game was against title rivals Canvey Island
, although unofficial estimates put the number closer to 6,000 fans.
Following the club's victory in the FA Trophy
in May 2008, the parade honouring Ebbsfleet United's victorious squad started at Stonebridge Road.
In August 2009 proposals for a new stadium as part of redevelopments in the local areas were rejected by Kent County Council and Gravesham Borough Council. After the owners of the freehold put the site up for auction on 21 September, a group of former directors, Ebbsfleet supporters and MyFootballClub members set up a limited company to raise the funds to buy out the freehold.
On 17 September 2009, Gravesham Borough Council announced that they had bought the ground, to be leased to the club at £1 per year, but with the option of the Club purchasing it from the Council if sufficient funds can be raised.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in Northfleet
Northfleet
Northfleet is a town in the Borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. Its name is derived from North creek , and the settlement on the shore of the River Thames adjacent to Gravesend was known as Norfluet in the Domesday Book, and Northflet in 1201...
, Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which is primarily used for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
matches. Stonebridge Road was constructed in 1905
1905-06 in English football
The 1905–06 season was the 35th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Following the increase in size of the Football League from 36 clubs to 40, and with Doncaster Rovers having been relegated from the Second Division, four new clubs were elected into the league, along with Stockport...
, and was initially the home of Northfleet F.C., which merged with Gravesend F.C. in 1946. It is currently the home ground of Ebbsfleet United F.C. (formerly Gravesend & Northfleet F.C.). Thus, Stonebridge Road has been the home of Ebbsfleet and its predecessor football clubs for over 100 years.
Although one of the Fleet's local rivals, from 2000 to 2006 Dartford F.C.
Dartford F.C.
Dartford F.C. are an English football club based in Dartford, Kent. After finishing as champions of the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2007–08 season, they compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division. They finished in 8th position in their first season...
had a groundsharing agreement with Ebbsfleet United to use Stonebridge Road as its home field. Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
used Stonebridge Road briefly for home matches in 1961
1960-61 in English football
The 1960–61 season was the 81st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season was a historic one for domestic football in England, as Tottenham Hotspur F.C. became the first club in the twentieth century to "do the Double" by winning both the League and the FA Cup competitions...
. Charlton Athletic Reserves
Charlton Athletic F.C. Reserves
Charlton Athletic F.C. Reserves were the reserve team of Charlton Athletic. From 1999 until 2007, Charlton Reserves were members of the FA Premier Reserve League Southern however due to the relegation of the first team at the end of the 2006/2007 season, from the Premier League to the Football...
also plays home matches at the ground.
Ground details
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
.
When the Fleet plays at Stonebridge Road, the home supporters typically sit in the Main Stand or in the Plough End. Both those seating areas are covered, although seats were not installed in the Plough End, which is also called the Northfleet End, until 2006. Home fans also stand in the terraced Stonebridge Road Stand, which runs along the length of the pitch on the side of the stadium closest to the street and which is also covered. Away supporters typically stand in the Swanscombe End, which is an open terrace.
The pitch size at Stonebridge Road is 112 by 72 yards for football matches, and the pitch is presently maintained by groundsman Peter Norton.
The postcode (for maps and directions) of Stonebridge Road is DA11 9GN.
History
Ebbsfleet United, then called Gravesend and Northfleet F.C., played its first ever match after the merger of the two Kent clubs at Stonebridge Road in August 19461945-46 in English football
The 1945–1946 season was the 66th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:1945–1946 was the first football season since the 1939–1940 season was cut short due to World War II. The FA Cup was the main competition to be played this season along with the Football League North and Football...
against Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
. The Fleet won that first match 3-0 with more than 5,000 fans in attendance. The stadium's record attendance is 12,032, which was achieved against Sunderland F.C. in February 1963
1962-63 in English football
The 1962–63 season was the 83rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*Everton won the League Championship, their first post-war title.*Manchester United won the FA Cup, their first major trophy since the Munich Air Disaster in 1958....
in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Fourth Round tie.
In April 2002
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
, the Fleet gained promotion to the top level of non-league football, the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, by defeating Bedford Town F.C.
Bedford Town F.C.
Bedford Town F.C. is an English football club based in the Borough of Bedford. The club are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division and play at The New Eyrie in Cardington, a parish on the outskirts of Bedford....
on the last day of the season at The New Eyrie. The season also saw the highest modern day attendance at Stonebridge Road, an official figure of 4,068 spectators was announced for the game was against title rivals Canvey Island
Canvey Island F.C.
Canvey Island F.C, known as the Gulls or Yellow Army, are an English football club founded in 1926 that play in the Isthmian League Premier Division....
, although unofficial estimates put the number closer to 6,000 fans.
Following the club's victory in the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
in May 2008, the parade honouring Ebbsfleet United's victorious squad started at Stonebridge Road.
The future
Ebbsfleet United are actively investigating the possibility of moving to or constructing a new stadium in the next three years.In August 2009 proposals for a new stadium as part of redevelopments in the local areas were rejected by Kent County Council and Gravesham Borough Council. After the owners of the freehold put the site up for auction on 21 September, a group of former directors, Ebbsfleet supporters and MyFootballClub members set up a limited company to raise the funds to buy out the freehold.
On 17 September 2009, Gravesham Borough Council announced that they had bought the ground, to be leased to the club at £1 per year, but with the option of the Club purchasing it from the Council if sufficient funds can be raised.
External links
- Ebbsfleet United F.C. Official Site - 360-degree panorama and photos of Stonebridge Road