Derelict London Sports Grounds

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="005fd5a3.jpg"> <div> <B>  </B><B> </B><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Rounded MT Bold" ><B>www.derelictlondon.com</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B><IMG SRC="02c5d430.jpg" border=0 width="93" height="67" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=50 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="006d2b03.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2dd7fa290.jpg" border=0 width="506" height="297" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Derelict London Sports Grounds</B></I></div> <div> <I>Why do Arsenal play in red? What was Jimmy Greave's last club? What is the only tube station in London named after a football team?</I></div> <div> <I>Who are the highest team in the football pyramid named after a person rather than a place? Read on:</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="2dd8c8fa0.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2db696050.jpg" border=0 width="406" height="261" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="2dbcc4060.jpg" border=0 width="196" height="262" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Feltham Arena - Feltham FC</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2ddc575e0.gif" border=0 width="87" height="94" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Home of Feltham FC from 1963 until 2004. The grandstand was officially opened in 1966 by the Mayor of Hounslow and the</div> <div> ground, boasted a capacity of 10,000 of which 750 could be seated. The club played on an artificial pitch which was laid in</div> <div> 1984 though this pitch denied  Feltham entry to FA competitions for over a decade. The roof of the stadium was removed in </div> <div> 2000 due to a scare about asbestos.Following a spate of vandalism the club moved from the Arena and are now ground sharing</div> <div> with Bedfont FC. After rumours of Brentford FC relocating to the Arena and turning it into a 25,000 seat stadium, plans are </div> <div> afoot for Feltham FC to return to their spiritual home and redevelop the whole arena, including five-a-side pitches, an athletics</div> <div> track, a boxing club and crèche.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2dbefabb0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2dc0fabb0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The changing facilities have certainly seen better days....</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2db8fabb0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2dbaf9bc0.jpg" border=0 width="249" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The arena also contains a disused running track.</div> <bR> <div> Pete from Catford writes<I>: “Feltham FCs alternative use was as a music venue in the early 1980s. A lot of young punk bands cut their </I></div> <div> <I>teeth on the little stage by the bar area, but it was perhaps more famous for regular, chaotic gigs by legendary Psychobilly pioneers </I></div> <div> <I>The Meteors and the Guana Batz (who were Feltham locals).”</I></div> <bR> <div> Gray Newell writes "<I>This was a punk/psychobilly venue in the early 80s, King Kurt, The Exploited, Toy Dolls and many others played there. </I></div> <div> <I>The gigs stopped after the Angelic Upstarts played and the frenzied crowd kicked the plaster and lathe shell of the building to pieces."</I></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><I>                        </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I>    </I></FONT><I><B>   </B></I><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2dcdfa540.jpg" border=0 width="506" height="340" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2dc4fabc0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2dc6fabc0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2dd0ea570.jpg" border=0 width="234" height="343" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2dd102570.jpg" border=0 width="258" height="343" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Fisher Athletic FC - Surrey Docks Stadium</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2dd455630.jpg" border=0 width="85" height="99" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2dd543650.jpg" border=0 width="67" height="101" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Fisher Athletic was founded in 1908 by the John Fisher Catholic Society whose aim was to provide football facilities for </div> <div> under privileged children in Bermondsey. The Fish are the highest ranked football club in London to take their name from </div> <div> a person rather than a place. </div> <bR> <div> The 5300 capacity <B>Surrey Docks Stadium</B> in Rotherhithe is the traditional home of Fisher Athletic F.C. since 1982. The </div> <div> club moved out in 2004 to  home of local rivals Dulwich Hamlet (a ground located almost 5 miles from Fisher's traditional </div> <div> catchment area) as the club had plans to redevelop the ground to bring it up to Football League standards by the start of</div> <div> the 2009/10 season.More recently  the club announced that it would prefer to move to a new £36 million 10,000 seat </div> <div> stadium on the site of the athletics track in Southwark Park,  but nothing has been confirmed yet so the rebuilding of </div> <div> Surrey Docks Stadium still remains a possibility. In the meantime the disused old stadium continues to decay. I had</div> <div> some happy times at this stadium when Aldershot Town visited for qualifying rounds of the FA Cup. A great bar and a</div> <div> friendly welcome.</div> <bR> <div> Meanwhile the club remain at Dulwich playing in the Blue Square South League (narrowly missing out on promotion in </div> <div> 2007/08) & described on their website as a side "set to thrill bursting with youth and blistering pace. These fine qualities </div> <div> saw the Fish dubbed by opposition fans 'The Arsenal of the Blue Square South'. A team designed to win but just as </div> <div> importantly, entertain." This was certainly true when I recently went along to a watch the Fish  playing Hampton & </div> <div> Richmond in a play off semi final. Only a small set of loyal fans but this will build as the team's success will no doubt</div> <div> get them noticed. <B>Good Luck for the 2009/2009 Season!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>                                       </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="wimbledon_fc___plough_lane.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wimbledon FC Plough Lane"><U><IMG SRC="26baf9bc0.jpg" border=0 width="249" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26bcddbb0.jpg" border=0 width="221" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26bedab90.jpg" border=0 width="218" height="185" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <B>Wimbledon FC - Plough Lane</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2dda5b5b0.png" border=0 width="91" height="91" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> Founded in 1889, the "The Dons"  spent most of their history in non-league football, before a rapid ascent to the top flight of English </div> <div> football in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The club won the FA Cup in 1988. Just days after winning the FA Cup, the club's directors </div> <div> announced plans to relocate to a new all-seater stadium in its home borough of Merton. But nothing came of these plans, and at the </div> <div> end of the 1990–91 season Wimbledon decided that its cramped Plough Lane ground was beyond redevelopment, and decided to </div> <div> move into Selhurst Park, sharing with Crystal Palace. Wimbledon's relatively low attendances, and the large number of rival clubs in</div> <div>  London, had meant that Wimbledon could not enjoy the high gate receipts received by many other Premiership clubs. With the team </div> <div> homeless after the closure of Plough Lane, throughout the 1990s the club's directors mooted the idea of moving away from London </div> <div> entirely to a more profitable location -  Milton Keynes (which had a non League Football team) as the best opportunity. This caused </div> <div> outrage amongst fans who formed their own team AFC Wimbledon who took most of the fanbase with them setting up home in nearby </div> <div> Kingstonian's stadium  while the "original" club was renamed MK Dons.</div> <bR> <div> After many years of wrangling & planning a new development of private apartments now stands on the site.</div> <bR> <div>                                                     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <IMG SRC="2726bcfa0.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="272433fc0.jpg" border=0 width="307" height="252" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="2728bcfa0.jpg" border=0 width="188" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Woodford Town FC - Snakes Lane</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2ddf55570.jpg" border=0 width="85" height="87" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> Founded in 1937, as a result of a public meeting for the express purpose of  having a senior amateur club in the </div> <div> borough. A piece of waste ground was rented from the council and "officials, players and supporters worked prodigiously </div> <div> throughout the lose season" to get it ready.</div> <bR> <div> WOODFORD TOWN FC was apparently a one-time hotbed of successful amateur football. In the post-war years, Town were </div> <div> much-loved by their many fans and much-feared by their rivals in the game.The club produced a succession of international players</div> <div> at amateur level. Jimmy Greaves played out his career for Woodford Town before retiring.</div> <bR> <div> The club were trying to relocate to a ground within the borough of Redbridge since losing the rights to their Snakes Lane home </div> <div> (pictured above)  in 1992. They were playing football at Clapton's ground until Woodford Town were kicked out of the Essex Senior </div> <div> League about 2003.   The club is now believed to be defunct?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="29e1fa9e0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="158" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Woodford Bridge Junior School's football team from around 1949 taken at the Woodford Town FC ground. </div> <bR> <div> more old pics </div> <div> <IMG SRC="2b0af9800.png" border=0 width="249" height="384" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>                                                          <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2db4fab30.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dial Square FC  - Woolwich Arsenal </B></div> <div> The workers of Dial Square formed Dial Square FC in 1886 changing</div> <div> their name later to Woolwich Arsenal FC playing at nearby marshes (and NOT at the site of Dial Square pictured above!). </div> <div> Included in the founding group were two former Nottingham Forest players who wrote to their old club seeking kit. They</div> <div> responded with a full set of red jerseys and a ball. In 1915 a move was made north of the river to Highbury and the club </div> <div> dropped the Woolwich from its name to become Arsenal. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2da24bf80.jpg" border=0 width="331" height="248" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2da44dfa0.jpg" border=0 width="333" height="250" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Arsenal Stadium Highbury</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2dde59690.png" border=0 width="89" height="105" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> Arsenal Stadium, known almost universally by its original name of Highbury was the football ground of Arsenal Football Club </div> <div> between 1913 and 2006.The presence of the stadium led to the local Gillespie Road station being renamed Arsenal in 1932, </div> <div> making it the only London Underground station to be named after a football club.</div> <bR> <div> The need for a higher crowd capacity led to Arsenal building the Emirates Stadium nearby, which they moved to in 2006. </div> <div> Currently, the stadium is undergoing redevelopment to turn it into an apartment complex, known as Highbury Square, with</div> <div> most of the stadium in being demolished; the exteriors of the listed Art Deco East Stand (pictured) and the matching West </div> <div> Stand are being preserved and incorporated into the new developments.</div> <bR> <div> Pics below courtesy of Robert Fairchild</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2da6faa70.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2da8faa70.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2daa71a90.jpg" border=0 width="113" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Before closure:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="2dacf7a50.jpg" border=0 width="247" height="165" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="2db071a60.jpg" border=0 width="369" height="166" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>                                <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT>       </div> <div>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="2e0536e90.jpg" border=0 width="310" height="233" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e0738ea0.jpg" border=0 width="312" height="234" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2e0bc5990.jpg" border=0 width="197" height="153" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e0dd09a0.jpg" border=0 width="208" height="154" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e09d69a0.jpg" border=0 width="214" height="154" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Bevonians Rugby Football Club - Kingston</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2e0e55580.jpg" border=0 width="85" height="88" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This rugby club in Kingston is now defunct due to lack of funds. In 2004 they suffered the problem of flytipping - </div> <div> a <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >mountain of hardcore, shrubs, furniture &  trees were dumped from a lorry damaging the pitch leading to the cancellation</FONT></div> <div> of games  and the huge cost of removal of this regularly dumped rubbish helped contribute to this small club's demise.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                                                                      <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2e7e24b00.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="176" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e8034ae0.jpg" border=0 width="308" height="174" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>Brooklands - Romford FC</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2e7c57550.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="85" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Romford F.C.</B> were established in 1876 and reached the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup in the 1880-81 season. Brooklands</div> <div> was the home of Romford  from 1929 until April 1977. The stadium's oval shape was similar to the original Hampden Park </div> <div> in Glasgow.Over 18,000 spectators watch Southall visit for an FA Amateur Cup match in 1953 and subsequently the capacity </div> <div> was increased to 25,000 when the entire terracing was concreted over and a 1,500 all-seater stand was built.</div> <bR> <div> The grandstand and floodlights rivalled many a football league club and underlined the ambitions of the club who sought election</div> <div>  to the Football League.Disappointingly for the club, Romford were beaten by Oxford United in the vote for a club to join the 4th </div> <div> Division in 1962. With no return on their investment in the facilities at Brooklands, Romford Football Club was heavily in debt </div> <div> and losing large amounts of money. Another feature of the stadium was a very wide playing area and oval perimeter wall which </div> <div> meant Brooklands was ideally suited for Speedway and the Romford Bombers competed there for a number of years from 1969.  </div> <div> A bridge was built for the bikes to reach the track from the pits and Romford Supporters called this the "Bridge over Troubled</div> <div> Supporters." The club were forced to sell up  & the final game was played in 1977, the stadium was demolished and the area is </div> <div> now a housing estate. Parts of the original boundary fencing still remains (see to the right of the pic above left)</div> <bR> <div>                                                                      <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2e7a10b50.jpg" border=0 width="272" height="181" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>Sungate Ground -  Collier Row FC </B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="2e7c57550.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="85" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> and Romford FC</B></div> <div> Collier Row FC formed in 1966& were founder members of Essex Olympian League. Romford FC relocated here in 1996 </div> <div> and soon acrimoniously merged to form Collier Row & Romford FC (Division Two of the Isthmian League) and then renamed</div> <div> Romford in 1997. Sungate was vacated during the 2001-02 season due to the deterioration of the pitch and other facilities </div> <div> and a major clubhouse fire. Several issues at Sungate were never satisfactorily resolved and the Club moved out mid-season,</div> <div> playing out the season on borrowed grounds and reluctantly forwarding its resignation from the Ryman League. The highest</div> <div> recorded attendance at the ground that I can find was 820 (against Leatherhead). Aldershot Town were the high profile visitors</div> <div> in 1997 while working their way up the non league pyramid.</div> <bR> <div> Romford now have a groundshare deal and play at Aveley Football Club. Meanwhile, the Sungate is barely recognisable as </div> <div> a football ground apart from the old floodlights.</div> <bR> <div>                                                           <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B> </B></I><I><B><IMG SRC="2e8947e00.jpg" border=0 width="327" height="224" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </B></I><I><B><IMG SRC="2e8a07e10.jpg" border=0 width="263" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B> <IMG SRC="2e8430bc0.jpg" border=0 width="304" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e861fbe0.jpg" border=0 width="287" height="190" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>Former Centaurs Rugby  Ground Isleworth </B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2e8e482a0.gif" border=0 width="72" height="42" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="2e9096130.gif" border=0 width="150" height="19" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Reinforced concrete sports pavilion built in 1935.  Tiered spectator stand beneath a cantilever roof with a clubhouse underneath.</div> <div> Owners are trying to find a new occupier and use for this grade 2 listed building. Set within sports fields that are still in use </div> <div> although the Centaurs relocated elsewhere a while ago.This derelict clubhouse is easily accessible but I declined the opportunity </div> <div> to enter it after seeing a guy crouched in the corner inside drinking a can of Stella.......</div> <bR> <div>                                                               <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2e94f0ba0.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="186" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e96ddbc0.jpg" border=0 width="221" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e98e9bb0.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2e9aeea70.jpg" border=0 width="238" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e9ddfa70.jpg" border=0 width="223" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e9fe7ab0.jpg" border=0 width="231" height="171" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>White Lodge Ground Osterley - Harrow Hill Rovers FC</B></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="2ea1a35d0.jpg" border=0 width="163" height="93" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2ea33f540.jpg" border=0 width="63" height="84" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I><B> and Hounslow Borough FC</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> HARROW HILL ROVERS   were established in 1987  & joined the Chiltonian League in for the 1998-99 season and joined the</div> <div> Hellenic League  in 2000. After the 2000-01 season, the club changed name to Hounslow Borough. For the 2005-06 season,</div> <div> they were champions of the Hellenic League Division One East and were promoted to the Premier Division, but in April 2007 </div> <div> they resigned from the league. This old clubhouse which in its prime was probably quite pleasant has now in a sorry state after</div> <div> a spate of vandalism and squatter.</div> <bR> <div> Record Gate according to an old website = 65 v Chalfont Wasps – September 2003 </div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="2ea5afd60.jpg" border=0 width="175" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2ea799d50.jpg" border=0 width="153" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2ea9a4d60.jpg" border=0 width="164" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2eabaad70.jpg" border=0 width="170" height="215" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Looks like someone still sleeps here</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                                                              <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Morden Park Sports Centre</B></div> <div> <A HREF="morden_park_sports_centre.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Morden Park Sports Centre"><U><B><IMG SRC="26db20800.jpg" border=0 width="288" height="384" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="morden_park_sports_centre.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Morden Park Sports Centre"><U><B><IMG SRC="26c6dabd0.jpg" border=0 width="218" height="189" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26cbc0bc0.jpg" border=0 width="192" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26caf0bc0.jpg" border=0 width="240" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="morden_park_sports_centre.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Morden Park Sports Centre"><U><B><IMG SRC="26cdadb30.jpg" border=0 width="173" height="179" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26cfefb20.jpg" border=0 width="239" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26d7efb20.jpg" border=0 width="239" height="178" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="morden_park_sports_centre.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Morden Park Sports Centre"><U><B> <IMG SRC="26d5fabc0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26d6eabd0.jpg" border=0 width="234" height="189" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="26d9a3be0.jpg" border=0 width="163" height="190" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Morden Park Sports Centre</B></div> <div> Whilst the fields seem to be in pretty good condition and maintained the 3 pavilions have a bad case of vandalism and</div> <div>  have been left to decay.</div> <bR> <div>                                     <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2e31e7d50.jpg" border=0 width="487" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e332ad50.jpg" border=0 width="298" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2e2b12bb0.jpg" border=0 width="274" height="187" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e2d03ba0.jpg" border=0 width="259" height="186" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2e2ff9b90.jpg" border=0 width="249" height="185" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Hanworth Park</B></div> <div> More derelict sporting facilities. Decaying tennis courts & bowling green in SW London</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>                                          <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2dea060a0.jpg" border=0 width="262" height="266" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>London Fields Tennis Courts</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>                                       </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Catford Dog Stadium</B></div> <div> <I><IMG SRC="2de0b8ae0.jpg" border=0 width="184" height="174" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></div> <bR> <div> The Greyhound Racing Association (GRA)  closed its Catford track in south-east London on 5/11/03.</div> <bR> <div> The track had been losing money because of declining attendances in recent years and the site has now been bulldozed </div> <div> and is a housing development..</div> <bR> <div> This is the 2nd  track in the London area to close in recent years. Greyhound racing at  Wembley came to an end in 1998 </div> <div> due to poor attendances. At least half a dozen  greyhound tracks have closed in and around London in the past 20 years.</div> <bR> <div> Catford was founded in 1932 and attracted large crowds until the legalisation of betting shops in 1961,which hit attendances </div> <div> at tracks throughout the country. The rich and famous, Hollywood stars andthose from the world of sport all visited this corner</div> <div> of Catford . The Gold Collar trophy, its most prestigious race, regularly had a ' personality' to present the winning trophy, the </div> <div> likes of Henry Cooper, Lester Piggott, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno, Leslie Grantham and even Red Rum stepped across the </div> <div> famous sand track to the presentation podium, where starstruck owners, trainers and well-wishers celebrated before being</div> <div> joined by their heroes in a lap of honour.</div> <bR> <div> Catford Stadium was the subject of scandal in August 2002 when a greyhound called Football Focus died in the kennels there</div> <div> of heat exhaustion and, on the BBC TV exposé of greyhound racing in December 2001, a trainer who ran greyhounds at Catford </div> <div> was caught on camera admitting that he gave large meals to dogs before racing to slow them down, so big money could be won </div> <div> on them in subsequent races.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id660.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U><IMG SRC="2de32de10.jpg" border=0 width="301" height="225" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2de42be00.jpg" border=0 width="299" height="224" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> The first meeting took place on July 30, 1932, when dual Derby winner Mick The Miller, the most legendary greyhound</div> <div> in the history of the sport besides Ballyregan Bob and Scurlogue Champ, was paraded around the track.Back in its </div> <div> heyday, Catford used to have as many as 80 bookmakers, while only four were operating in the main ring when it closed.</div> <bR> <div> A female member of staff was once abducted by a gang and £30,000 – the night’s tote takings – stolen.</div> <bR> <div> The late Roy Dwight – cousin of Reg Dwight (Sir Elton John) – who famously scored and then broke his leg in the 1959 FA</div> <div> Cup Final for Nottingham Forest against Luton, was assistant racing manager during the mid-1980s.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id660.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U><IMG SRC="2de12ce00.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="224" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2de22ee20.jpg" border=0 width="302" height="226" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Here's some pics of the interior (courtesy of Derelict London visitor Danny Black)</div> <div> <A HREF="id787.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U><IMG SRC="f35d8b60.jpg" border=0 width="216" height="182" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="f37ddb60.jpg" border=0 width="221" height="182" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="f399fb60.jpg" border=0 width="159" height="182" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Heres some pics of the stadium just before demolition taken by Fred:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="237c31c60.png" border=0 width="305" height="198" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="237e25c70.png" border=0 width="293" height="199" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="23802fcc0.png" border=0 width="303" height="204" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="238223cd0.png" border=0 width="291" height="205" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> and some taken by Evan Jones:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="27fe1ee40.jpg" border=0 width="286" height="228" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  <IMG SRC="280230e40.jpg" border=0 width="304" height="228" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="2807c3080.jpg" border=0 width="195" height="264" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2804c6080.jpg" border=0 width="198" height="264" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="2806c5070.jpg" border=0 width="197" height="263" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>                                                <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hackney Dog Stadium</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="25eaf2cf0.jpg" border=0 width="242" height="207" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="25ecf3cf0.jpg" border=0 width="243" height="207" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="25eedfd00.jpg" border=0 width="223" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The London Stadium, once renowned as the greatest greyhound racing track in the world but now the home of flytipping and a few</div> <div> small businessesand about to be cleared for the forthcoming Olympics in 2012</div> <bR> <div>                                                            <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0066CC" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </B></I></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>more derelict sporting sites:</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="pools.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pools Derelict London"><U><I><IMG SRC="2de8b2af0.jpg" border=0 width="178" height="175" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></U></A><I>           </I><A HREF="id1434.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Olympics 2012 Derelict London"><U><IMG SRC="2de7c3ae0.jpg" border=0 width="195" height="174" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>                     </I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="derelict_london_com.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Derelict London.com"><U><I><IMG SRC="3c896370.gif" border=0 width="150" height="55" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></I></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I> </I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="429" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="425"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="425" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>