Gander Green Lane: Sutton United
Based in the Sutton area of South London, Sutton United were formed in 1898 and play their home matches at Gander Green Lane. The club originally plied its trade in the junior and local leagues in the area, moving to be part of the Athenian League in 1921. They shifted to the Isthmian League in 1964 and joined the Football Conference in 1986, bobbing about between the various competitions over the years that followed.
Officially known as the Borough Sports Ground, Gander Green Lane was built on a site that was used for allotments and open fields during the 19th century. Sutton United used it as their home for a season in 1912-1913, returning permanently in 1919. The area the ground is built on was developed during the Edwardian Period but didn’t actual open its doors until 1912, with Sutton United’s first match there being in the FA Cup against Guards Depot F.C.
Stats
| Gander Green Lane Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1912 |
| Capacity | 5032 |
| Average Attendance | 3309 |
| Record Attendance | 14000 (Sutton United v Leeds United (1969)) |
| Pitch Size | 105 x 68 (7140) |
| Former Name | Knights Community Stadium |
| Owner | Sutton United |
| Clubs Hosted | Sutton United, Sutton Common Rovers, AFC Wimbledon Ladies |
| First Fixture | Sutton United v Guards Depot F.C. (1912) |
| Sutton United Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1898 |
| Nickname | The Us, The Amber and Chocolates, The Yellows |
| Club Mascot | Jenny the Giraffe |
| Rivals | Carshalton Athletic, AFC Wimbledon |
| Kit | Yellow (Home) / Turquoise (Away) / White (Third) |
| Shirt Sponsor | Echo Laser Therapy |
| Team Owner | Sutton United Football Club Limited |
| Record Goalscorer | Paul McKinnon (279) |
| Record Appearances | John Rains (685) |
Gander Green Lane Photos
Google Maps
Google Maps
suttonunited.net
Gander Green Lane Seating Plan and Where to Sit
Gander Green Lane is built very much in the traditional style of English football grounds, with four areas stood on the sides and ends of the pitch. There are some covered seating areas, as well as some covered standing areas, but there are still a large a number of uncovered standing areas too. In other words, if it looks like the weather isn’t going to be too clever then you want to pay a bit extra and ensure you’re somewhere with a cover.
Sutton United Ticket Prices
There is nothing complicated about this ticketing system:
An adult wanting a ticket will pay £21, or £25 if they want to sit down.
Concessions will pay £15 or £19 if they want a seat.
How To Get Sutton United Tickets
The best place to start looking for tickets to Sutton United matches is on the club’s official website. The ground rarely sells out, though, so you can almost certainly get one on the gate on the day of the match.
Where to Buy
Getting To Gander Green Lane
Train – If you want to get the train to go and watch a Sutton United match then you’ll be looking for West Sutton Railway Station, which is adjacent to the ground. Served by Thameslink trains that go via Wimbledon and Sutton itself, you come out of the station, turn right and you’ll see the stadium about 100 yards away.
Bus – The 413 hopper service leaves Sutton town centre from outside the post office and will stop on request anywhere along Gander Green Lane, so can effectively take you directly to the ground. Alternatively, the 80 runs from Hackbridge to Belmont and down nearby Collingwood Road. You can then take the path through Collingwood Rec to reach the stadium.
Car – If you’re travelling by car to Gander Green Lane then you’ll want to get on the M25 and get off at junction 8. From there you’ll head north on the A217 for about 20 minutes, ignoring any signs for Sutton itself. When you get to the traffic lights by the Gander Inn you’ll turn right and see the stadium about 200 yards further ahead. If you hit West Sutton Railway Station then you’ve gone too far.
By Air – Because Sutton is located just outside London, you’ve got plenty of options in terms of air travel. Gatwick is the closest airport, but you’ll probably find it quicker to travel from Heathrow. Even Luton Airport is only two hours away though, so you’re spoilt for choice in many ways.
Taxi – A taxi from the centre of Sutton out to the football ground will cost you anywhere between £7 and £20 depending on the time of day and the traffic you encounter. It would probably be quicker to walk, for those that are able.
Parking Near Gander Green Lane
The club does have a car park, but it’s limited to permit holders only on match days. As a result, you will want to look for on-street parking on the roads around the ground, but do make sure that you keep an eye out for parking restrictions. Gander Green Lane is only about ten minutes walk from the town centre, where there are two decent car parks you can use.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Gander Green Lane Hotels
Being pretty much still in London, Sutton has plenty of accommodation options that will see you getting a good nights rest not too far from the ground.
Orchid Epsom, Sure Hotel Collection by Best Western - £50+
Flexistay Aparthotel Sutton - £60+
Holiday Inn London - Sutton - £110+
Pubs and Bars Near Gander Green Lane
Plenty of options await in Sutton town centre, and a few new pubs are located around the stadium too:
The Gander Inn
The Crown
The Sutton Arms
Facilities
It isn’t exactly outrageous to suggest that Gander Green Lane isn’t as plush an experience as a Premier League or Championship ground, but there’s plenty to enjoy about a trip to the ground regardless. You can have a drink inside, for example, or pop over to the pub on the other side of the road if it doesn’t seem too hospitable to you.<p
Prices
- Programme: £3
- Pie: £3.5
- Cup of tea: £2
- Beer: £4
Hospitality
There are some areas of the ground that are a little more open to hospitality than others, with the club’s main offices and hospitality areas to be found behind the covered seating area. The MBA lounge is the largest and most modern, while the 1898 Lounge is more intimate if a little (a lot) dated. On offer is a 2 course meal and coffees before the game, plus perhaps Q and A events, but these are only occasional.
Private Hire
Being a relatively small club that is aimed at the local community, Gander Green Lane has some areas available for private hire that you’re best contacting the club directly about to find out more information.
Stadium Tours & Museum
At the time of writing, Gander Green Lane doesn’t offer tours and there is no museum to speak of, but such things can change if Sutton become, like… successful.
About Sutton United
What not everyone will realise about Sutton United is that the club was actually formed from a merger of two other football clubs. On the fifth of March 1898, representatives of Sutton Guild Rovers F.C. and Sutton Association F.C. met at the Robin Hood Hotel and decided to combine forces to create Sutton United. They soon gained a reputation in the junior leagues in the local area, taking the decision to become a senior side in 1910.
In the years that followed, Sutton United slowly began to establish itself as a football club on the outskirts of London, gaining promotion to the Football Conference in 1986, having turned down the offer to join it the year before because the stadium wasn’t good enough. One of Sutton’s most successful campaigns came in the 1988-1989 season, during which they defeated First Division’s Coventry City 2-1 in the FA Cup third round.
Gander Green Lane History
The Gander Green Lane area was used for allotments and open fields during the 19th century, with a decision taken to develop a stadium there coming at the end of the century. It was intended as a football ground, with a small pavilion being built on the northern side. There was a large residential building called Strawberry Lodge located to the west, but it had been demolished by 1937 and terraced houses stood there instead.
The Main Stand at the stadium was built in 1951, with two small wooden stands replaced by covered standing areas in the 1980s. New terracing was installed in place of the Gander Green Lane end in 1997 and in 2002 the stadium played host to AFC Wimbledon after the original club had moved to Milton Keynes and become the MK Dons. The stadium has been used for athletics in the past as well as football matches.
Future Developments
When Sutton United gained promotion to League Two at the end of the 2020-2021 season, a number of small improvements to the ground went ahead such as a new pitch and
a new away all seater grandstand. The club are working their way through the ground and updating things bit by bit, so you can expect small improvements to keep coming for a while.