York Road (Maidenhead)

York Road is a football stadium in Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It has been the home ground of Maidenhead United since 1871.

General information

Arena capacity: 4,500 spectators

Address: York Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1SF

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 51°31′11.57″N 0°43′04.76″W

Year of construction: 1871

Field: grass lawn with dimensions of 111 x 74 yards

Seating plan of York Road

The North Stand contains a few rows of uncovered standing terrace, which are based next to the ground’s northwest corner.

Most fans on this side of the ground will congregate here, given a clear view of the action but having no protection from above or from the sides. A small black and white building next to this terraced area can offer refreshments on a matchday. Fans do also position themselves further along the North Stand, often leaning on the perimeter wall that surrounds the pitch.

York Road’s dugouts, changing rooms and tunnel can all be found on this side of the ground, and an elevated platform near to the dugouts holds the matchday camera. This side of the ground also has a very tall radio mast a little away from the pitch.

Views from within the North Stand are clear, but protection is minimal with no roof overhead for anyone stood in the terraced area or alongside the pitch.

East Terrace

The East Terrace is a few rows of standing terrace, with its central section covered by a roof overhead.

The roof has no supporting pillars coming down from it, offering clear views and a decent level of protection for those stood underneath it. Those stood elsewhere in the East Terrace will get clear views of the pitch, but their only protection will be provided by the stand’s back wall.

Railway Stand

The Railway Stand is divided between uncovered terracing towards the southwest corner and covered seating in the centre. The seating area consists of a single tier that forms black and white vertical stripes. A flat platform down towards the front is also available for disabled supporters to use.

Your view from anywhere inside this seating area is perfectly clear as there are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof above.

There are no windshields in place at either end to allow visibility of the pitch.

Maidenhead United’s Club Shop can be found in a small building to one side of this seating area.

The uncovered standing terrace by the southwest corner offers a clear view of the pitch, but minimal protection from overhead or from the sides.

Bell Street End

The Bell Street End consists of a few rows of standing terrace.

Approximately two thirds of this terraced area is covered by two roofed sections, which combined have the letters MAIDENHEAD UTD FC spelt out along the black and white striped back wall. There is space between these two roofed sections which enables access to the outer concourse behind as well as the gates that lead onto Bell Street itself.

Views from either the covered or uncovered sections of the Bell Street End are clear, and the uncovered terracing section will of course have no protection from overhead.

Away Fans

Away fans are typically housed behind the goal in the Bell Street End.

Depending on the away allocation, they can be given all of the stand, which is split between an uncovered terracing section by the southwest corner and two covered sections further along, or only part of the stand with the rest given to home supporters.

Views from this side of York Road are clear, but the uncovered terracing section will of course have minimal protection from overhead and from the sides. You’ll likely find the away crowd congregating under the covered sections of this stand on cold and wet matchdays.

Entrance to this away section comes via Bell Street which is immediately outside the Bell Street End.

There is a sign for the Away Supporter Entrance at the start of Bell Street from off King Street (A308), and it is located very close to Maidenhead Station for those coming to York Road via rail.

Where to buy tickets?

Maidenhead United don’t categorize the matches that they play but they do offer reduced ticket prices for supporters who buy them early, you can save yourself £ per ticket by being organized. That makes it nice and easy to understand the club’s ticketing structure, with just your age determining how much you’ll pay for tickets.

The club’s official website is always the best place to head to buy tickets, but you can also call the switchboard number or pick them up in person from the reception of the stadium.

How to get there?

Leave the M4 at Junction 8 and take the A404(M). At the end of the A404(M) take the A4 (Bath Road) towards Maidenhead. On reaching the town centre you will come to a large roundabout. Bear left (the 2nd exit) continuing on the A4. Go straight across the first roundabout and at the second turn right into Forlease Road and then second right into York Road.

The entrance to the ground is down on the left. There is no car parking at the ground itself, but there are plenty of pay and display car parks dotted around the nearby town centre, including a multi-storey at Nicholsons Shopping Centre (£4.10 for 4 hours) on Broadway. There is a small car park located across the road from the ground but this has a maximum stay of just two hours.

Maidenhead Railway Station is located less than half a mile away from the York Road Ground and is only a five minute walk to the Bell Street turnstiles or ten minutes to the main entrance. The station is served by trains from London Paddington, Oxford and Reading.

As you come out of the station entrance turn right and walk up to the main road at the end of the car park. Turn left along this road and cross over to the other side using the nearby pedestrian crossing. Keeping the Bell pub on your right, turn right into Queen Street and then the next right hand turn into York Road. The entrance to the ground is further down on the right.

You can get back to the station a bit quicker after the match has ended, by using the exit behind the Bell Street End. This leads into Bell Street and then directly onto the Railway station.

Where to eat and drink?

There is the Stripes Bar at the ground itself or next door is the Conservative Club which sells real ale. Otherwise, Maidenhead town centre is only a five-minute walk away where there are plenty of pubs to be found including a Wetherspoons outlet on the High Street called the Bear and the Maiden’s Head. Both these pubs and the Conservative Club. Close to Maidenhead Railway Station on Queen Street is O’Neills pub, which also serves cask ales and shows televised sports.

If you have a bit of time on your hands then just over a mile away from the ground on Gringer Hill (SL6 7LY) is the community-owned Craufurd Arms. This pub has up to five real ales on tap and shows BT and Sky Sports.

Accessibility

Supporters with wheelchairs will be able to enter via either the Bell Street or the York Road entrances and one of the friendly stewards will help direct you to the relevant areas.

Seating is located on either side of the ground with toilets shown on the map.

History

The ground was initially the home of Maidenhead Cricket Club and it was with their permission that, shortly after their foundation in 1870, the football club played their first match at York Road on 16 February 1871 against Marlow. The Magpies have continued to play home matches here.