Maidenhead United

[Four Of Clubs]

Tempted by this.....

I guess you can pay for a ticket on the gate?

...from the Magpies website

Join us to celebrate the very best of Non League

The annual national Non league Day comes around this weekend with the visit of promotion-chasing Aldershot Town to York Road. The club are expecting a large crowd for what will be a fiercely contested match against our old rivals from Isthmian League days of yore. Whilst the match is all-ticket for Shots fans, Maidenhead fans can pay at the York Road turnstiles on Saturday afternoon or pre-purchase in advance to beat the queues:

https://maidenheadunitedfc.ktckts.com/e ... rshot-town

[bobby1413]

Thanks m8. On the train now from Bracknell!

[bobby1413]

Great day out at Maidenhead - my first time there. A few things to note:

1) Maidenhead is a total dump, seriously. I worked there for years, and having returned I can't believe how run down parts of it is. No doubt it's the worst part, but as it's not a big place it's a major point.

2) York Road is a great ground, really nice staff and a good atmosphere

3) A lot of Reading fans there, some of whom were singing Reading songs. Funny hearing Aldersh*t singing about Reading.

4) Wasn't too sure what to think of the above, but I heard Maidenhead fans say something similar to "Reading are joining us today as they're njot playing" and the impression I got was it was welcomed. I think the clubs are so different, I think it was just accepted.

5) A oxf*rd load of Police. Bracknell->Reading and I was surprised to see 4 Police horses outside the Three Guineas and about 20 Police Officers. Maidenhead was the same after the game with about 6 horses and about 20-30 officers.

A good day overall. Only downside is I bought a box of beers back in Bracknell, carried them for about 15 minutes back to my house, and as I got back I dropped them down the steps and 8 of the 12 smashed ALL over the carpet and the stairs.

[KC Royal]

So far, so good for Maidenhead. It looks like teams can make a fist of it in the Conference Premier, even being semi-pro - as proven by Bromley, Maidstone and Barrow in recent time.

If they can keep it up at this rate, how long would it be before they go pro and think about stadium development/rebuild?

Just having a catch up with this thread. You can add Dover to that list, still not full-time I believe. Been in the playoff hunt in 2 of their 3 seasons in the Conf since coming up (just missed out last season) and can see them being there or there abouts for promotion this season. Maidstone went full-time this season, and would have done even if they had gone down last season (which when it was announced in Feb IIRC there was a genuine chance of happening). Probably best they don't challenge for promotion just yet though as under current rules if they did go up and refused to ditch their 3G/4G pitch (which I suspect they would given that it was put in place when the stadium was built) they would actually be relegated...

[KC Royal]

Great day out at Maidenhead - my first time there. A few things to note:

1) Maidenhead is a total dump, seriously. I worked there for years, and having returned I can't believe how run down parts of it is. No doubt it's the worst part, but as it's not a big place it's a major point.

2) York Road is a great ground, really nice staff and a good atmosphere

3) A lot of Reading fans there, some of whom were singing Reading songs. Funny hearing Aldersh*t singing about Reading.

4) Wasn't too sure what to think of the above, but I heard Maidenhead fans say something similar to "Reading are joining us today as they're njot playing" and the impression I got was it was welcomed. I think the clubs are so different, I think it was just accepted.

5) A oxf*rd load of Police. Bracknell->Reading and I was surprised to see 4 Police horses outside the Three Guineas and about 20 Police Officers. Maidenhead was the same after the game with about 6 horses and about 20-30 officers.

A good day overall. Only downside is I bought a box of beers back in Bracknell, carried them for about 15 minutes back to my house, and as I got back I dropped them down the steps and 8 of the 12 smashed ALL over the carpet and the stairs.

Sad to read what Maidenhead is like these days, though a family member had a proper visit recently and wasn't really complimentary. I think Reading fans have always gone when we're not playing. I remember in our first stint in the Prem when they'd gone up to Conf South after winning promotion their crowds were a tenth what they are now and the numbers always went up on international weekends, or weekends when we weren't playing Saturday.

I've read a couple of times now about Maidenhead fans only going in through the York Rd entrance. Is this the case for all games or does it just depend on how many away fans are expected?

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Great day out at Maidenhead - my first time there. A few things to note:

1) Maidenhead is a total dump, seriously. I worked there for years, and having returned I can't believe how run down parts of it is. No doubt it's the worst part, but as it's not a big place it's a major point.

2) York Road is a great ground, really nice staff and a good atmosphere

3) A lot of Reading fans there, some of whom were singing Reading songs. Funny hearing Aldersh*t singing about Reading.

4) Wasn't too sure what to think of the above, but I heard Maidenhead fans say something similar to "Reading are joining us today as they're njot playing" and the impression I got was it was welcomed. I think the clubs are so different, I think it was just accepted.

5) A oxf*rd load of Police. Bracknell->Reading and I was surprised to see 4 Police horses outside the Three Guineas and about 20 Police Officers. Maidenhead was the same after the game with about 6 horses and about 20-30 officers.

A good day overall. Only downside is I bought a box of beers back in Bracknell, carried them for about 15 minutes back to my house, and as I got back I dropped them down the steps and 8 of the 12 smashed ALL over the carpet and the stairs.

Sad to read what Maidenhead is like these days, though a family member had a proper visit recently and wasn't really complimentary. I think Reading fans have always gone when we're not playing. I remember in our first stint in the Prem when they'd gone up to Conf South after winning promotion their crowds were a tenth what they are now and the numbers always went up on international weekends, or weekends when we weren't playing Saturday.

I've read a couple of times now about Maidenhead fans only going in through the York Rd entrance. Is this the case for all games or does it just depend on how many away fans are expected?

It’s game dependant. Recent games v Guiseley & Boreham Wood we’re not segregated.

[Royal Rother]

I believe Maidenhead Town centre is going to be transformed over the next few years as there is a massive investment programme in place.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I believe Maidenhead Town centre is going to be transformed over the next few years as there is a massive investment programme in place.

Yep. Opening up the waterways and whatnot. It's gonna be like Venice.

[John Smith]

There won't be trouble

Yeah how did that go. Nonce.

Care to explain the reasoning for that abusive post?

5) A oxf*rd load of Police. Bracknell->Reading and I was surprised to see 4 Police horses outside the Three Guineas and about 20 Police Officers. Maidenhead was the same after the game with about 6 horses and about 20-30 officers.

I think I need to clear a few incorrect statements made here from people who clearly only went to their first Maidenhead game in years this weekend: the police presence in Reading had nothing to do with the Maidenhead v Aldershot game and was actually for the embarrassing Football Lads Alliance march in London. I know this as I asked a policeman myself.
From what I saw upon arrival at Maidenhead police were establishing who was supporting which side from those exiting the station in order to provide a short police escort over the road to the away entrance. Aldershot fans were chanting and being boisterous but behaved impeccably. The game was thoroughly entertaining and it was a shame they couldn't hold the lead. I wasn't able to get out of the ground quick enough to get the 5pm train back and I also didn't go on a SW train once at Reading so I can't speak for that but again the journey home had a good mix of home and away all with no incident.

Would be intrigued to know what people saw if at all.

[Royal Rother]

I was told in the pub last night (by a mate who was not at the game, preferring instead to go and watch Slough) that he’d heard there were bundles before during and after the game.

I wouldn’t like to vouch for the veracity of that “info”.

[LWJ]

I was under the impression that there was going to be some sort of revenge for the Aldershot fans attacking a Reading pub a few months ago...

Would be more surprised if it didn't go off somewhere tbf.

[rob_dawson]

I was under the impression that there was going to be some sort of revenge for the Aldershot fans attacking a Reading pub a few months ago...

Would be more surprised if it didn't go off somewhere tbf.

I hadn't heard about them doing that. It was quite good to hear them singing they hate us... nice to have some form of rivalry as we've lacked that for years due to our league position, and other would-be rivals being lower down.

Would love to get Aldershot in the cup at some point

[3points]

So far, so good for Maidenhead. It looks like teams can make a fist of it in the Conference Premier, even being semi-pro - as proven by Bromley, Maidstone and Barrow in recent time.

If they can keep it up at this rate, how long would it be before they go pro and think about stadium development/rebuild?

Just having a catch up with this thread. You can add Dover to that list, still not full-time I believe. Been in the playoff hunt in 2 of their 3 seasons in the Conf since coming up (just missed out last season) and can see them being there or there abouts for promotion this season. Maidstone went full-time this season, and would have done even if they had gone down last season (which when it was announced in Feb IIRC there was a genuine chance of happening). Probably best they don't challenge for promotion just yet though as under current rules if they did go up and refused to ditch their 3G/4G pitch (which I suspect they would given that it was put in place when the stadium was built) they would actually be relegated...

Dover is my home town team. Grew up watching them in the old Southern League. They went bust in about 1982-83 and reformed as Dover Athletic. I played for the reserve team as a 17 year old. But they have definitely been over achieving in recent times. The club is being very well run on a shoe string budget. A
Chris Kinnear really knows how to pick up discarded talent from the lower leagues. He's currently got about 3 former Chelsea U18s and, I believe, full Australian international. Sean Raggett is now doing really well at Lincoln. Ricky Miller scored about 40 goals last season and has moved to Luton at the age of 28. I thought Reading should have taken a punt on him!

Average gate is about 900 I think. Their season ticket price this season was more than I pay in the ED at Reading! And Dover is a pretty financially poor town these days. Folk just don't have £15 to go to a game.

[John Smith]

So far, so good for Maidenhead. It looks like teams can make a fist of it in the Conference Premier, even being semi-pro - as proven by Bromley, Maidstone and Barrow in recent time.

If they can keep it up at this rate, how long would it be before they go pro and think about stadium development/rebuild?

Just having a catch up with this thread. You can add Dover to that list, still not full-time I believe. Been in the playoff hunt in 2 of their 3 seasons in the Conf since coming up (just missed out last season) and can see them being there or there abouts for promotion this season. Maidstone went full-time this season, and would have done even if they had gone down last season (which when it was announced in Feb IIRC there was a genuine chance of happening). Probably best they don't challenge for promotion just yet though as under current rules if they did go up and refused to ditch their 3G/4G pitch (which I suspect they would given that it was put in place when the stadium was built) they would actually be relegated...

Dover is my home town team. Grew up watching them in the old Southern League. They went bust in about 1982-83 and reformed as Dover Athletic. I played for the reserve team as a 17 year old. But they have definitely been over achieving in recent times. The club is being very well run on a shoe string budget. A
Chris Kinnear really knows how to pick up discarded talent from the lower leagues. He's currently got about 3 former Chelsea U18s and, I believe, full Australian international. Sean Raggett is now doing really well at Lincoln. Ricky Miller scored about 40 goals last season and has moved to Luton at the age of 28. I thought Reading should have taken a punt on him!

Average gate is about 900 I think. Their season ticket price this season was more than I pay in the ED at Reading! And Dover is a pretty financially poor town these days. Folk just don't have £15 to go to a game.

That is a real shame but I suppose their aren't that many higher league teams in the area to compete with them. It also just goes to show how good value Reading tickets are - almost understated in my opinion - it's more or less the same price as Wycombe, Aldershot and Oxford!