About the Cricklefield Stadium
The Cricklefield Stadium is a multi-use stadium which is home to both Ilford FC and Waltham Forest at the current time. Multi-purpose of course means an athletics track runs around the pitch meaning views are poor. The stadium, built in 1923, holds 3,500 people and consists of three fully terraced sides, one side housing a small covered terrace which is set just behind the dugouts. The main stand is opposite which has a press box and directors seating accommodating 216 fully covered although views are poor due to the athletics track. Behind one goal is an open terrace. A tea bar is open on matchdays. With ample parking if using the High Road entrance to the ground. The ground boasts an elevated indoor viewing area from the excellent bar area. It hosted some of the football preliminaries for the 1948 Summer Olympics.
How to get to the Cricklefield Stadium
Although there are others, the key roads for reaching Ilford Football Club are the A406 (North Circular Road) and the A127 (Eastern Avenue) which, bearing in mind Ilford Football Club is close to the Ilford town centre will bring you to a place where you can access roads to the ground. Clubs should choose their routes based on accessing one of these two roads close to their final destination. The M25 will lead to the M11 and thus to the A406, whilst the A12 will access the A127 at Gallows Corner, Romford.
Taking the A127 route first, from the east travel towards London before coming to the Traffic Light controlled junction at Barley Lane, Goodmayes (B177) . Turn Left by taking the slip road and follow Barley Lane to its junction with the traffic light controlled High Road, Goodmayes (A118) (it is the first set of traffic control lights for traffic rather than pedestrians on that road). Turn Right and follow the road past Seven Kings station (which should be on your right) and on towards Ilford. The entrance to the ground is some 400 yards past the station with the Cauliflower pub (on the right hand side) being the point at which both coaches and those in cars or on foot should turn left into the car parks. Both on Saturday and after 6p.m. during the week, the public car park is free of charge.
The route around the M25 motorway can be a challenge, but can also be the only route that is available to clubs and by the time that the M11 is reached the worst of the journey should be over. However bringing clubs into the centre of Ilford can be a challenge and clubs may like to leave the M11/A406 at the Redbridge Roundabout and head towards Ilford in an easterly direction on the A127 using the directions above but approaching Barley Lane, Goodmayes from the opposite directions, the only problem with this is that their may be traffic hold-ups between the Redbridge Roundabout and Gants Hill especially in mid-week and there are several options at the Gants Hill roundabout which may lead the visitor off at an incorrect tangent. The trick is to remember to take the third exit on the left from the roundabout and make sure you stay on the A127 and not be tempted to take one of the intermediate right hand turns pointing towards Ilford unless you are very knowlegable about the local area.
If however the visitor stays on the A406 at Redbridge, they must take the next junction (that presents itself as a slip road) which is the A118 into central Ilford. Directed down an incline to a roundabout which you must make a 90 degree turn on moving to the centre of the carriageway to make another 90 degree turn and go down another incline to several sets of lights (beware not to go up onto the A406 again), taking up a position in the outside lane. Turn right towards Ilford Broadway but keep to the outside of the lane and once past the intermediary set of lights, stay in the middle of the carriageway to turn right at the junction that becomes visible as you rise up Ilford Hill (it is no more than 100 yards).
Once you have turned right get into the middle or inside (left) lane of the carriageway to turn left at the next roundabout into Winston Way (A118). This is a dual carriageway and you should pass along it to the first large roundabout where you should take the second exit onto a very short stretch of road where you are directed to only turn left – almost immediately to be faced with a junction when a right turn should be made into the inside lane of Ilford High Road which is controlled at that point by traffic lights. Follow straight on from these traffic lights for between 600 and 800 yards through several more sets of lights, and once again the Cauliflower pub can be seen, but this time on your left hand side. The turning into Ilford Sports club is directly opposite the Cauliflower and is signposted for ‘Ilford FC’.
The nearest station is Seven Kings which is ½mile away. Take a right out of station, right into High Road, entrance to ground is next turning on left after Highbury Gardens.
Admission to the Cricklefield Stadium
Admission is £8 for adults, £4 for concessions, under 16’s free with a paying adult. Programmes are £1.50.
