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Brackley Town

St James Park

Capacity: 3,500 (Seats 507)
Club Nickname: The Saints
Year Opened: 1974
Pitch Size: 110 x 80 yards
Address: Churchill Way, Brackley, NN13 7EJ
Phone: 01280 704077
Pitch Type: Grass
Undersoil Heating: No
Home Kit: White and Red
Last Update: July 26, 2024

The ground is situated in a pleasant rural setting. On one side in front of the Social Club building is a small seated area, that is covered. It is only comprises four or five rows and has a number of supporting pillars running along its front. It is situated to one side of the half way line, towards the Cricket Club End. There are also open standing areas to either side.

The opposite side has no facilities for spectators, apart from a narrow pathway which runs along the perimeter fence. The team dugouts are located on this side of the ground. There is also a portakabin type building that sits astride the halfway line, which on my visit, had a cameraman perched precariously on top of it videoing the game.

The Cricket Club End itself has a very small covered terrace which sits behind the goal. It is only a couple of rows high. To either side there are small flat standing areas. If segregation is in force then this end is allocated to away fans.

Opposite is the South Bank. This area was recently developed so that it has a covered seated stand behind the goal flanked by fair sized open terracing to either side. There is a noticeable slope to the pitch running from the Cricket End down to the South Bank. The ground is completed with a set of six modern floodlight pylons.

It is not very often that fans are segregated at St James’ Park. In the rare occurrence that they are then part or all of the South Bank End can be allocated to visiting supporters. This end has covered seating directly behind the goalmouth and open terracing to either side.

There is a large social club at the ground, which welcomes away supporters. Pub options nearby:

  • Plough – 9 High St, Brackley NN13 7DW
  • The Greyhound Inn – 101 High St, Brackley NN13 7BW
  • The Bell Inn – 103 High St, Brackley NN13 7BN

From the North:
Leave the M40 at Junction 11 and take the A422 towards Brackley. Stay on the A422 for just under nine miles until reach a roundabout that is the junction with the A43. Take the first exit towards Brackley Town Centre. Proceed straight across the next roundabout (there is a Tesco store on the left). After passing the Locomotive Inn on your left, take the next right into Churchill Way. The ground is situated at the bottom of this road.

From the South:
Leave the M40 at Junction 10 and take the A43 towards Northampton. After just under six miles you will reach a roundabout that is the junction with the A422. Take the second exit towards Brackley Town Centre. Then as North.

Car Parking:
There is a medium sized car park at the ground (around 80-100 cars), which costs £2 to park. Otherwise, there is plenty of street parking along Churchill Way and roads to either side.

There is no longer a railway station in Brackley itself. The closest is probably Banbury which is over ten miles away. You can though get a the Stagecoach Bus No 500 from Banbury to Brackley, although for evening games there is no return service available. Therefore, a taxi might be the best bet from the station.

Brackley Town ticket prices:

  • Adults: £15
  • Over 65s: £10
  • U18s: £5
  • U10s: £2
  • U5s: Free

Official Programme: £2

Banbury United.

Record Attendance

2,604 v FC Halifax Town
12th May 2013, Conference North Play-Off Final.

Average Attendances

2023-2024: 919 (National League North)
2022-2023: 693 (National League North)
2021-2022: 793 (National League North)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 200 (National League North)
2018-2019: 616 (National League North)
2017-2018: 515 (National League North)
2016-2017: 427 (National League North)

If you require hotel accommodation in Brackley 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. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.

Official Web Site: www.brackleytownfc.com

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

Reviews

Avatar of Michael Rayner (Neutral) Michael Rayner (Neutral)

Brackley Town v Blyth Spartans
National League North
Saturday 7th March 2020, 3pm
Michael Rayner (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting St James' Park?
 
I was my number 19 ground visit out of the 22 Clubs in National League North.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
I parked at the ground for £2 which was easily accessible from the A43.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
I went to the Loco Pub referred to in this Guide, but I thought it was on its last legs and had no real ale. Instead, I quickly changed to the clubhouse at the ground but found it had burnt down! Now an alfresco bar but very friendly people.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of St James' Park?
 
It is a hotchpot of a ground with flatpack stands added no doubt to bring seating capacity up. There was a nice atmosphere around the ground and there were no restrictions in moving around. The 20 or so away fans were allowed to move to the relevant end they wanted.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
A poor first half turned into 6 goal second half bonanza as deflected goals were the order of the day. I visited the decent tea hut where I had sausage and chips for £4.50 and a pint of John Smiths £3.15.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
Easy out of the car park and straight back to the A43.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
I really enjoyed the day out. The home fans were welcoming and were there to enjoy themselves and were appreciative of those who had traveled the long journey from Blyth.
Avatar of Kyle Crossley (Neutral) Kyle Crossley (Neutral)

Brackley Town v FC United of Manchester
National League North
Saturday 27th April 2019, 3pm
Kyle Crossley (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting St James' Park?
 
A friend of ours is a Brackley Town fan and has been going for years and asked us if we’d like to join him to watch a match as I’ve become a great fan of the non-league.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
The journey was very easy as I came from Oxfordshire. It was around 46 minutes with a short drive on the motorway before meeting up with friends in the town centre.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
We went to a nice little pub called the Greyhound Inn, which is actually owned by one of Brackley’s directors apparently.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of St James' Park?
 
My first impressions was that the ground looks a lot better in person with some good stands and proper terracing. I was impressed to see a club shop and a good bar. Overall, it’s a simple but good ground. You can see they have got room to build if the club does go up a division or two.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
The game itself was fairly even, Brackley went into it knowing a win would keep them in third while FC United had nothing to lose as they were already relegated. Neither team really dominated and chances were scarce until Brackley got the winner with 10 minutes to go.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
Getting away from the ground was fine. I had parked just down the road from the stadium and while lots of cars were coming in and out of the housing estate it wasn't too difficult at all.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
Overall, I really enjoyed the ground hop and would definitely come again. Brackley has good fans, friendly staff and the ground itself was great.
Avatar of Jeremy Gold (Leyton Orient) Jeremy Gold (Leyton Orient)

Brackley Town v Leyton Orient
FA Trophy Quarter Final
Saturday 23rd February 2019, 3pm
Jeremy Gold (Leyton Orient)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the St James' Park Ground?
 
This game would leave me with only a handful of grounds in the National League North and the opportunity to watch my team Leyton Orient go for a place in the semi finals.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
Not so easy when your now based 20 miles north of Manchester. I took the train down to Milton Keynes where I met with a friend who drove the 20 miles to Brackley. The ground was easy to find as Brackley is a small place but due to the bigger crowd parking was a bit tricky and we ended up a fair way from the ground.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
We wandered down through the pretty town centre and then headed into the game to catch up with friends and have a good catch up. Everyone who we encountered during the day were very welcoming and friendly.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the St James' Park Ground?
 
It’s a tidy little ground to be fair. The Main Stand is a hot-potch of things and only very small but perfectly formed. There was segregation in place for the game with the ground split in two with the Orient fans having the cricket end part. I found a cracking little spot at the back of the Main Stand and watched the game from there. In the second half, I stood next to the Brackley announcer which was fun.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
What a game of two halves or probably about one and three quarters and a quarter. The Orient manager commented after the game it was probably our worst first half performance under him and he was so right. We were absolutely dreadful and Brackley scored after an awful mistake by our left back allowed a simple tap in from a pass across the goal. To be fair we could have been two or three down. We eventually started to haul ourselves back into the game but not before we missed a penalty from our usually reliable leading scorer. Two goals in the last quarter saw us somehow turn defeat into victory. We were very lucky and Brackley would have more than deserved the win and at least a draw and a replay. Again, I can’t praise everyone involved at Brackley for being such great hosts.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
As we had parked on the other side of the High Street we managed a fairly swift getaway and I was duly delivered back to Milton Keynes for my 17.50 train back to the north.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
A really great day out and not only because we booked our place in the semi finals. Brackley was one of the more tricky grounds in the division to do due to its location and distance from East Lancashire. Thanks to the lifts from and back to Milton Keynes it turned out to be so much easier than it could have been. Definitely, one to do if you can with a lovely little ground and such welcoming hosts. The other thing that I haven’t mentioned so far was the ridiculously sized police presence. I am not quite sure what they were expecting but the O’s aren’t really the sort of team who you have to worry about and it was completely over the top. All the police were extremely friendly and just stood around soaking up the unusually mild February weather. One of them I chatted to afterwards said it was the easiest afternoon she had at work for ages!
Avatar of Mark Munday (Neutral) Mark Munday (Neutral)

Brackley v Harrogate Town
National League North
Friday 30th March 2018, 3pm
Mark Munday (Neutral fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting St James Park?

Brackley Town is a localish club to me and I have never seen them play before.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I personally know the town as I used to work there. St James Park is very easy to locate. There are lots of street parking nearby and car parks in the town centre only five minutes walk away.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

There are lots of pubs in the town and a few takeaway outlets but as I don't live far away I didn't visit any myself. All the locals seemed friendly even after the match.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of St James Park?

St James Park is a tidy little venue overall.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

A decent game for a 0-0 and in extremely wet conditions both teams played some really good passing football. Harrogate brought a fair sized following of around 100-150 and made plenty of noise amongst the 750 attendance. The clubhouse was decent where both sets of fans mingled freely.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Very easy as there are major roads in all directions nearby.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

An enjoyable game and great to see both teams try and pass the ball. Personally, I would recommend going to Brackley Town if you haven't been already.

Avatar of Paul Dickinson (Neutral) Paul Dickinson (Neutral)

Brackley Town v Blyth Spartans
National League North
Saturday 21st October 2017, 3pm
Paul Dickinson (Neutral fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting St James Park?
 
This was my last ground to complete the current National League North set and we were combining it with a weekend away, so lots to look forward to.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
It was an easy drive down from Leeds via M1 and the A43.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
We arrived in Brackley at 1.15pm and so parked the car on the main access road from the St James Park ground. We then walked for five minutes into Brackley for a beer and a sandwich.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of St James Park?
 
In view of the weather (strong wind and rain), we were pleased to see covered stands around most of the ground We went for a drink in the clubhouse and were impressed by the atmosphere, the big screens and drinks options in there. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, with both sets of fans allowed in.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
The wind made conditions very difficult and it was a classic game of two halves, with visitors Blyth leading at half time and Brackley enjoying a strong second half to deserve the win.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
It was straight out and a nice rural drive to Banbury, where we were staying for the night.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
We had a nice night out after the match in in Banbury and the drive home in the sunshine the next day, made this another great awayday. I would recommend Brackley Town for a nice day out and everything that typifies the non-league scene.
Avatar of Brian Scott (Neutral) Brian Scott (Neutral)

Brackley v AFC Telford
National League North
Saturday 25th March 2017, 3pm
Brian Scott (Neutral fan)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting St James Park?

Last season Brackley escaped relegation by the finest margin possible, one extra goal scored, sending one of my lower league teams (Lowestoft Town) down. However this season Brackley have improved. I had been putting off going there until later in the season, as I wanted to have more daylight for my drive home to Suffolk.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I normally travel by train, but as Brackley has no railway station and it is only 114 miles from my home, I found that driving was the best option. On a gloriously sunny, but very cold spring day, I had an easy journey from the East. I arrived early at St James Park, so I was able to get a good parking spot in a local road.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

The turnstiles were open at 1.30pm so I went in and had a good look around and had a chat with a friendly steward. He informed me that the South Stand was acquired from Rushden and Diamonds and the seats in the west stand came from Cardiff Arms Park.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of St James Park?

Despite its small size, St James Park is a tidy little ground, but unusually the wind was coming from the East and it was very cold with nowhere to get shelter from it. There is no away end as such, and the steward told me that sometimes the South Stand might be allocated to away fans if a large number are coming, but normally they congregate in the North End, switching ends at half time, as is the norm at this level.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Not much of significance happened until the 40th minute when Brackley scored, and then four minutes later they were awarded a penalty. The keeper saved it, but the rebound was put in. It remained 2-0 until well into the second half when Telford pulled a goal back. Considering that they had the famous Lee Hughes up front, they didn't seem to have much to offer on this occasion. Very different to when I went to there place last week.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

I was back in my car within two minutes and quickly on the main road out of town. Then a good drive home, mostly in daylight.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A good day out at St James Park with very little problems. The wife was pleased that I was home much earlier than normal!