Parkside: Aveley

When it comes to lower league clubs, every penny counts. As a result, it isn’t uncommon for them to need to scrimp and save in every aspect of their existence. As a semi-professional side, that is especially true of Aveley. The club moved to Mill Field in 1952 after supporters had clubbed together to both purchase the land and then build the stadium. When they moved to Parkside for the start of the 2016-2017 season, the club was able to do so thanks to the fact that they sold Mill Field to developers, once again allowing them to scrimp and save as necessary. Other clubs have used Parkside, but it is Aveley’s home ground.

The club itself was established back in 1927, playing in local leagues until the Second World War. After that, the club moved into the lower divisions of the Football League, starting in the Thurrock Combination League in 1946. It is fair to say that Aveley have never troubled the upper echelons of the English football pyramid, but the club has enjoyed a number of decent moments in the lower leagues. Title wins in the likes of the Isthmian League and Athenian League will live long in the memory, whilst asking questions of the bigger sides in the likes of the FA Trophy and the FA Vase will always be cause for celebration.

Stats

Parkside Photos

Parkside Stadium Aveley Second Seated Stand
Number 57, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Parkside Stadium Aveley Standing Area
Number 57, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Parkside Seating Plan and Where to Sit

We have to be honest and say that Parkside isn’t the biggest football ground that you’re ever going to visit. The Main Stand has a small seating area with room for people to stand behind it, with the clubhouse, bar, changing rooms and admin section also found in it. There is another stand on the opposite side of the pitch, whilst either end of the ground sees bus shelter style stands to at least try to protect people from the elements.

Aveley FC Ticket Prices

It is entirely reasonable to surmise that ticket prices for the likes of an Aveley game won’t be the most expensive that you’re ever going to buy. The club charges £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for those aged between 11 and 16, with anyone under the age of eight getting in for free. That was called for National League South games in the 2023-2024 season, with different prices coming in for the other competitions that they were playing.

How To Get Aveley FC Tickets

If you’re particularly keen to get tickets for an Aveley match then the most reliable way of doing so is by heading to the ground on a match day. Whether you can buy them online will largely depend on who they’re playing and whether it’s at home or on the road.

Where to Buy

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Getting To Parkside

Train – If you’re hoping to travel by train to watch Aveley play, you’re going to want to aim for either Purfleet or Rainham Train Stations. Neither of them are particularly close to the ground, though, so don’t expect to walk unless you want to take on the three miles or so required to get you to the stadium.

Bus – The remote location of the ground means that it isn’t all that easy to get to by public transport, but if you want to get the bus then all of the 22, 77, 77A, 372 and Z1 stop relatively close to the stadium. None are what you’d describe as being hugely convenient, but it’s better than nothing.

Car – It is certainly true that driving is going to be your best bet when it comes to heading to Parkside. The ground is just off the A13, requiring you to leave it when it hits there junction with the A1306. You can get to the A13 by using the M25, if motorways help you get your bearings better.

By Air – Aveley is located to the East of London, so flying into any of the airports that serve the capital will be your best bet. You can also look to fly to Southend if you’d like to.

Taxi – With the two closest train stations being located a good few miles away from the ground, you should expect to pay about £10 for the services of a cab driver to get you there for kick-off, traffic depending.

Parking Near Parkside

Because Parkside is effectively located with a new housing estate, there is plenty of on-street parking close to the ground. Just make sure to pay attention to any parking restrictions that are in place.

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Useful Resources

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Pubs and Bars Near Parkside

About Aveley FC

The fact that Aveley is a semi-professional football club probably tells you a good chunk of what it is that you need to know. This is more of a passion project for the supporters and the locals than it is a place where you’ll find a wealth of different trophies lining up the cabinet. Established in 1927, the club really began to take itself seriously in the wake of the Second World War. At that point it joined the Thurrock Combination League. The was in 1946, with the club winning the Essex Junior Cup two years later as well as the year after that. In 1949 the club also joined the London League in Division Two, being promoted at the first time of asking.

That is, in many ways, a neat summary of Aveley’s existence. The club has bobbed around the lower leagues of the English football pyramid, enjoying moments of success along the way. As well as winning the likes of the Isthmian League and the London League, the club has also seen success in the Essex Thames-Side Challenge Trophy over the years. In the FA Cup, Aveley made it to the First Round proper in the 1970-1971 season, whilst a fourth round appearance in the FA Vase in the 1995-1996 campaign was something for fans to shout about. They also got to enjoy an 11-1 win over Histon in 1963; the club’s biggest margin of victory.

Parkside History

Upon formation, Aveley played their games at Lodge Meadow. Whilst this was perfectly fine, there were many who felt that it wasn’t good enough, resulting in a group of supporters clubbing together to buy some land for a new ground to be built upon. That was in 1952, with the same supporters also building the ground. That included a stand that had been bought for £100 from Grays Athletic. Named Mill Field, it was this location that earned the club its nickname of the Millers. By the time that it was sold in order to accommodate a move to a new location, Mill Field had a capacity of 4,000, with 400 actual seats.

The new location that the sale of Mill Field was designed to accommodate was that of Parkside. The area that the new ground was built was the site of the former gravel pit, which was bought from Thurrock Council. The club moved into it in time to play its first matches in the 2017-2018 season, with two seated stands located on either side of the pitch and covered terraces behind the two goals. 2018 saw Parkside used as a venue for some matches in the CONIFA World Cup, whilst the likes of Grays Athletic, May & Baker and Cannons Wood have all played games at Parkside at one point or another since it first opened.