Kingfield Stadium/Laithwaite Community Stadium (Woking)

Kingfield Stadium, also known as The Laithwaite Community Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is the home of Woking F.C. in the Kingfield area of Woking, Surrey which has a capacity of approximately 6,000, of which, 2,500 are seated on grandstands.

General information

Arena capacity: 6,036 spectators

Address: Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 51°18′22.80″N 0°33′31.72″W

Year of construction: 1921

Field: grass lawn with dimensions of 109 x 76 yards

Seating plan of Kingfield Stadium

The western side of Kingfield Stadium consists of three main sections.

The section nearest to the ground’s southwest corner is called the Moaners’ Corner. It consists of several rows of uncovered standing terrace, which has rows of white metal bars running along the front and middle for fans to lean on.

The view from inside here is perfectly clear, but the only protection comes from the stand’s back wall and the smaller walls in place at either side.

Main Stand

The central section of the western side is the Main Stand. Old-looking in design, it is a single tier of covered seating that is elevated above ground and accessible via staircases down at the front. The stand is for use by directors, executives and press, with the stadium’s dugouts and tunnel down the front and the changing rooms housed inside.

Views from inside the elevated seating area are restricted by supporting pillars coming down regularly along the front, and there are no windshields in place at either end.

Family Stand

The third main section on the western side is the Family Stand. Open for use to home supporters, it is a single tier of backless benches that is slightly elevated above ground and accessible via small staircases down at the front.

There are supporting pillars in place along the front of the Family Stand, and your view is likely to be restricted from inside as a result. The clearest views will come from being on the front rows in the space between each pillar.

Windshields are not in place at either end so that visibility of the whole pitch can be possible.

The remaining space next to the ground’s northwest corner is a small, covered stand that is available for disabled supporters to use.

Kingfield Road End

The Kingfield Road End consists of a single tier of standing terrace that has rows of white metal bars running along the front and middle for fans to lean on.

There are supporting pillars coming down regularly along the front of the stand, and these will likely restrict your view if you are stood behind or near them. Your clearest view is likely to come from being stood on the front row in the space between each pillar.

Windshields are in place at either end, which provide a good level of protection to those stood inside.

Chris Lane Terrace

The Chris Lane Terrace consists of a few rows of uncovered standing terrace with a row of white metal bars down at the front for fans to lean on. There is a toilet block in place at the far end of the terraced area, and a covered box housing the matchday camera can be seen atop the back wall.

Your view from anywhere inside the Chris Lane Terrace is certainly clear, but with no roof overhead your only protection from the elements will come from the stand’s back wall.

Leslie Gosden Stand

The Leslie Gosden Stand consists of a tall single tier of red seating, which has the letters WFC spelt out in white across the central blocks. Down at the front of the stand, by both the southeast and southwest corners, are flat platforms for disabled supporters to use.

Your view from anywhere inside the Leslie Gosden Stand is perfectly clear because of the large supporting frame atop the roof.

There are no windshields in place at either end however, and that can leave those sat in here feeling quite exposed from the sides, especially those sat higher up towards the back.

Away Fans

Away fans are typically housed in the Chris Lane Terrace on the eastern side of the pitch.

This is a single tier of uncovered standing terrace that has a row of white metal bars running along the front for fans to lean on.

Views from here are certainly clear, but with no roof overhead your only protection is provided by the stand’s back wall. You will certainly feel the cold and the rain here if it is present.

Away fans are also given a section of the Leslie Gosden Stand to the south.

This is a single tier of seating and the away section is usually segregated from the rest of the stand by a large sheet or netting.

Views from inside here are perfectly clear and protected from overhead, but there is no windshield in place at the side and so it can feel quite open.

When away segregation is in use, away fans make use of the turnstiles in the ground’s northeast corner.

You can reach them by heading along the main access road off Kingfield Road and heading left. You will pass by the exterior of the Kingfield Road End and the away turnstiles can be found at the far end of here.

Where to buy tickets?

Ticket prices for Woking matches are generally quite easy to understand, with things that will affect how much you pay are how old you are and where in the ground you want to sit.

Tickets are available through the club’s website, over the phone or in person by calling into the ticket office. There is an extra £ to pay if you buy your ticket over the phone or online, and you can also buy tickets at the turnstiles for some games. Any all ticket games will be clearly noted in advance.

How to get there?

The ‘trick’ to finding the ground is to follow signs around Woking for the nearby leisure/sports centre.

By Car

From The East:

Leave the M25 at Junction 10 and take the A3 towards Guildford. On approaching Guildford, turn right onto the A320 towards Woking. On entering Woking turn right at the roundabout into Wych Hill Lane, towards Old Woking (A247). This road leads into the A247 Kingfield Road and the entrance to the ground is down on the right.

From The West:

Leave the M25 at Junction 11 and take the A317 and then the A320 towards Woking. Continue on the A320 through Woking town centre. After passing a hospital on your left you will come to a fork in the road, where you want to leave the A320 and branch left into Claremont Road towards Old Woking (A247). At the bottom of Claremont Road turn left onto the A247 Kingfield Road and the entrance to the ground is down on the right.

The ground is about 15 minutes’ walk from the car park. Come out of the car park and follow the signs for Woking FC (the first route described below for rail travellers). Travelling supporters are requested to use Heathside car park, as there are no parking areas around The Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Cars parking in Westfield Avenue have been subjected to parking tickets, this also applies to cars parking on the grass verge near the ground. We therefore suggest that you try to park elsewhere to avoid this happening to you.

By Train

If you are travelling by train, there are frequent fast services from Waterloo to Woking, with a journey time of about 28 minutes (but check for weekend engineering works!). The ground is about 15 minutes’ walk from the railway station, which is in the town centre.

Leave the station by the exit on platform 5. You then have a choice of two routes. You can either follow the signposted route ahead of you down White Rose Lane or turn immediately right along the station approach road to take the more direct route.

If you take the first, more scenic, route, go straight ahead across the car parking areas and along White Rose Lane until you come to the pedestrian crossing. Go across Oriental Road and then, further on, cross over Heathside Road. Carry on down White Rose Lane (admiring well-heeled leafy Surrey!) until, about 75 yards past the turning for Ockenden Road, you reach the entrance to Woking Park on your right. Go in, turn left and follow the path round the cricket square. Then take the path on your left that runs parallel to the back of the Swimming Pool.

At the end of the pool, fork left and follow the path which bisects the two car parking areas and which runs parallel to the road leading to the entrance to Woking Park. The ground is in front of you when you reach the main road. If you take the alternative route from the station, turn immediately right down the station approach road until you come to the pelican crossing. Cross over towards the Magistrates’ Courts. Keeping the Magistrates’ Courts and the Police Station to your left, follow the A320 out of town towards Guildford. About 300 yards past the Police Station turn left down Constitution Hill (past Southview Surgery). Some 75 yards further on you will come to the entrance to Woking Park on your left.

Turn in, continue down through the barrier and take the first path on your right. Follow this path all the way through the park, keeping the Swimming Pool to your left, and continue on through the middle of the parking areas. The path will bring you out to the main road directly opposite the ground. Alternatively, if you don’t want to walk through the park, continue along the A320 until you reach the junction with the A247 and follow the signs towards Dorking. You will then reach the ground on your right.

Where to eat and sleep?

There is the Cardinals Bar situated behind the Main Stand where away fans are normally welcome and there is usually a good and lively atmosphere there. It also has a large screen television showing Sky Sports. However, away fans are only allowed in when there is non-segregation of fans for the forthcoming match. The nearest pub to the ground is the Kingfield Arms. It is located about 300 meters from the ground down Kingfield Road towards Old Woking. The landlord is friendly and caters for Football fans. There are three television screens, which show Sky Sports.

Otherwise, you can take the ten-minute walk into Woking town centre, where there are an array of pubs to be found including a Wetherspoons outlet, called the Herbert Wells on Chertsey Road. Towards the town centre on the Guildford Road (A320) is the ‘The Sovereigns’, which is an Ember Inn.

History

The stadium has been the home of Woking Football Club since opening in June 1922. It went through major renovation projects in the 1940s and the 1990s, with the latter including the construction of a large Main Stand to the south. Further work has created the Kingfield Stadium that is in place today.

The ground was shared with Hayes and Yeading United between 2011 and 2014 whilst they waited for construction of a new stadium to call home. Sheerwater Football Club made use of the Kingfield Stadium between 2018 and 2021 whilst their new leisure facility was being built in nearby Sheerwater.