Location Forest Gate, London Field size 45 × 90 ft Phone +44 20 3652 2951 London borough London Borough of Newham | Public transit Forest Gate Capacity 2,000 Team Clapton F.C. | |
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Address 212 Upton Ln, London E7 9NP, UK Similar West Ham Park, Mile End Stadium, Wanstead Park railway st, Little Ilford Park, Star Lane DLR station | ||
The Old Spotted Dog Ground in Forest Gate is the oldest senior football ground in London. Clapton Football Club have played home matches there since 1888 and it is also shared by fellow Essex Senior Football League side, London Bari.
History
The grounds were originally part of the Old Spotted Dog Hunting Lodge, famously used by Henry VIII. The lodge later became a pub, the Spotted Dog, still featuring parts of its original facade, is now a Grade II listed building (although closed down in 2004 the structure has since fallen into disrepair). The lands behind the pub became a sports ground, used primarily for county cricket matches before switching its usage to football.
Clapton FC moved to the ground in 1888 after learning that St Bartholomew's Hospital had given up their tenancy. The former Hackney club played the first match at the ground on 29 September 1888 against Old Carthusians, winning 1–0 in front of over 4,000 spectators. The highest attendance at the ground for a Clapton match was recorded as 12,000 for an FA Cup game against Tottenham Hotspur during the 1898–99 season.
Clapton's former status as one of English football's leading amateur clubs saw The Old Spotted Dog host a number of high-profile matches, including contests with, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax of Amsterdam. Neighbours, West Ham, also used the ground as home to their youth and 'A' teams during the 1960s and brought their World Cup winning stars to feature in the The Dog's first match under floodlights in 1966.
During World War II the ground was used as an anti-aircraft station.