Vauxhall Road – Hemel Hempstead Town

Most non-League club grounds tend to be dominated by a large Main Stand, whereas at Hemel it is both ends that catch the eye. The Adeyfield School End to the west is a fair sized covered terrace, which is raised above pitch level. This is due to the levelling out of the pitch which was completed some years ago. Opposite at the other end is the CRK Windows Stand. This was once a similar looking terrace to the Adeyfield School End, but in 2015 the terrace was replaced with seating, comprising  of 180 red seats in five rows. I can assume that this was done to fulfil league requirements for the number of covered seats at grounds for league clubs. Although both these stands do not run the full width of the pitch, they are both of a decent size for this level. Both stands have nets on their roofs in an effort to stop stray balls going out of the ground. There is a slight slope to the pitch which runs down from the Adeyfield School End to the opposite end. The slope is nowhere near as severe as it used to be.

On the Tenzing Road side, there is a small covered seated stand that sits astride the halfway line. It has five rows of seats and has a capacity of around 292. There are flat standing areas to either side. The opposite (south) side is largely open apart from a very small simple covered stand that appears to be used by Directors and Press. It has 62 seats. The team dugouts are also on this South side, but unusually one is located on each side of the stand. The clubhouse and entrance to the dressing rooms are also on this side towards the East End. The ground is completed with a set of four modern floodlight pylons.

If fans are to be segregated at Vauxhall Road, then visiting supporters are housed in the Adeyfield School End. This fair sized terrace contains some cover and is free from any obstructing supporting pillars, meaning you get a good view of the playing action. Refreshments for away fans are provided by a mobile catering unit which is brought in for big matches. As both ends of the ground are covered then normally there is a bit of atmosphere generated inside. 

There is a clubhouse bar inside the ground, called the Tudor Tavern, which welcomes all fans. It shows BT and Sky Sports on a number of screens. It also quite a large function room, which by the looks of it is regularly used for social events. Around a five minute walk away on Leverstock Green Road is the Crabtree pub. It quite a large pub and is part of the Ember Inns chain, so food and real ale are available. To find this pub; thenfrom the club entrance proceed down to the roundabout, turn left and at the top of the road turn left again. The pub is up on the left hand side.

Leave the M1 at Junction 8 and take the A414 towards Hemel Hempstead. Go straight across two roundabouts and then just after passing a large Travelodge Building on your right (where there is also a Toby Carvery) move over to the right hand filter lane to turn right across the dual carriageway into Leverstock Green Road. Continue straight along this road then immediately after crossing a mini roundabout, turn left into Vauxhall Road. Then turn right at the next roundabout for the ground entrance.

There is some parking at the ground, which costs £1, but it is normally full well before kick off. However there is plenty of street parking available in the surrounding streets.

Hemel Hempstead Railway Station is located just over two and a half miles away from the ground and is a bit far to walk. There is a taxi rank outside the station and at the club itself (in the car park) is an office of a local taxi firm (Millennium Taxis) who can organise a car back to the station after the game has ended. The station is served by trains from London Euston.

Alternatively you can catch an Arriva Bus. Number 320 no longer serves Hemel railway station on a Saturday. So on leaving the station cross the road and catch any bus to the Riverside bus station. Services 500, 501 and 502 – there may be more, leave from Stand F. At Riverside you have a choice of buses that serve the general area of the football ground. Number 301 from Stand E will get you closest to the ground. As it passes along ‘Longlands’ get off at the end of Vauxhall Road, (you can see the floodlights over the playing field to the left), and then it is a short walk to the ground. This service is approximately half hourly and takes about 10 minutes. Also 300 and 320 go from Stand E will get you to the general area, but not so close. See the Arriva website for timetables. 

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Adults £14
Concessions £9
Under 18’s £1*
Under 5’s Free

Concessions apply to Over 65’s, Full Time Students and serving members of the Armed Forces. The Club may wish to see proof of your concessionary status so you will need to bring along ID.

* When accompanied by a paying adult. If unaccompanied then entry costs £5.

Official Matchday Programme £2.50

Hemel Hempstead FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

St Albans City

Record Attendance
2,840 v Gosport Borough
Southern Premier League Premier Division Play Off Final, 6th May 2013.

Average Attendance
2018-2019: 533 (National League South)
2017-2018: 509 (National League South)
2016-2017: 486 (National League South)

If you require hotel accommodation in Hemel Hempstead then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Just input the relevant dates and click on “Search” below or on the hotel of interest on the map to get more information. The map is centered on the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in the town centre or further afield.

Official Web Site: www.hemelfc.com
Unofficial Web Site: Fans Forum 

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.