Ebbsfleet United
Kuflink Stadium
Capacity:
4,769 (Seating 2,179)
Address:
Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent DA11 9GN
Telephone:
01474 533796
Fax:
01474 324754
Pitch Size:
To be advised
Pitch Type:
Grass
Club Nickname:
The Fleet
Year Ground Opened:
1905
Undersoil Heating:
No
Home Kit:
Red and White
The Stonebridge Road ground has seen some new development with the building of a new Main Stand on one side. This new stand which was opened in November 2017, runs the full length of the pitch. It is unusual looking in that the roof is situated quite high above the seating area, with a tall back wall. The Main Stand roof also curves upwards in the middle over the halfway line. It has a capacity of 1,016 seats. On the opposite side of the ground is an old but classic looking wooden Main Stand. This single tiered covered stand, is all seated and runs for around half the length of the pitch. This stand has a fair number of supporting pillars running along the front of it, although the seating is raised above pitch level. There is also a tiny terrace in front of this stand. At one is end is a covered stand, known as the Plough End, gaining its name from the former pub that was situated just behind it. This is a former covered terrace, which has since had 534 seats installed. From a distance, this stand looks quite picturesque as it is has a wooded hill just beyond it. The opposite end, known as the Swanscombe End, is an open terrace, that is dominated by a huge electricity pylon which sits directly behind it. In 2018 this had a number of new safety crush barriers installed as well as an electric scoreboard at its rear. The ground is completed by a set of new floodlights which were installed in the Summer of 2014. The Club Shop is located inside the ground.
In 2017 the Stonebridge Road ground was renamed the Kuflink Stadium in a five year sponsorship deal.
The Club was formed in 1946, following the merger of Northfleet United and Gravesend United. It was renamed Ebbsfleet United in 2007.
The Club have announced ambitious plans to effectively build a new stadium on the current site of Stonebridge Road. The new stadium, which will be built in phases and will have a capacity of around 8,500, including 2,000 seats. The first phase of the proposed development has been completed with the opening of the new Main Stand and the refurbishment of the Swanscombe End. The other sides of the ground (and alas the final demise of the classic looking old Main Stand) will also be redeveloped, including next, the Plough End which will see new terrace built. This will also include the building of a new tall hotel building situated directly behind it. The terrace will be built in such a way that it can easily be converted to seating at a later stage if needed. The Club are expected to commence with the building of the terrace and hotel in October 2018, with the works taking a year to complete.
An artists impression of how the Plough End and Main Stand is shown below, courtesy of the Ebbsfleet United website where more images and information about the redevelopment can be found. At a later stage, it is then expected that the old Main Stand side will be redeveloped with the remaining Swanscombe End being the last to be redeveloped. The final completed stadium will be totally enclosed.
If on the rare occasion that segregation is in force then visiting fans are allocated the Swanscombe End. This terrace is of a good size, is fairly steep and has recently had new crowd barriers installed upon it. It has a capacity of just under 2,400 supporters. Fans can enjoy a good view of the playing action from this terrace, however it is uncovered and hence open to the elements, so hope that the weather is good. Facilities are quite basic in this end and hot food and drink are available from a mobile burger van. Stewarding is normally relaxed and on the whole the Club is welcoming. Visiting fans particularly enjoy the clubhouse bar at the ground and that segregation is not normally in force, which is becoming less common in this league.
Inside the ground is a comfortable Fleet Lounge Club Bar which is popular with both home and away fans alike. However, it may be advisable to check before entering the ground, whether segregation is in place, as if so, then as an away supporter you may not be able to gain access to it. It normally has a locally produced real ale on sale. Around a ten minute walk away heading up Stonebridge Road in the direction of Northfleet will lead you to the Edinburgh Castle pub on the High Street. Close to Northfleet Railway Station in Rose Street, as is the aptly named Rose pub. There are also a number of fast food outlets situated along the High Street.
First thing to note is that the ground is in Northfleet.
From the M25 (South)
Leave the M25 at Junction 2 and take the A2 towards Gillingham. Then take the B262 towards Stone/Greenhithe. At the end of the B262 turn right onto the A226 towards Northfleet & Gravesend. Keep on this road until you reach the ground on your left.
From the M25 (North) – Dartford Bridge
After coming over the bridge keep to the left hand lanes and after passing through the toll booths turn left onto the A226, towards Northfleet. Keep on this road until you reach the ground on your left.
There is no parking available for visiting fans at the ground, however there is some street parking to be found on side roads off the A226. Otherwise as Keith Wood adds; ‘Parking is available on matchdays in Car Park C at Ebbsfleet International, which also costs £3’. The car park is about a five minute walk away from the ground.
Northfleet Railway Station is the closest to the ground, which is only a few minutes walk away from Stonebridge Road. Northfleet station is served by trains from London Bridge and Charing Cross. Just come straight out of the station and turn left at the top of the road. The ground can be then seen down on the right.
Ben Hudspith a visiting Kidderminster Harriers fan informs me; ‘I found it easier to go from London St Pancras on the high speed service and get off at Ebbsfleet International. The journey time from St Pancras is under 20 minutes and trains are every 15 minutes in both directions. For walking directions come out of the side entrance near platforms 5 and 6 (the north Kent line), which will bring you out into Car Park C. Walk right down to the end of this car park and through the entrance then walk straight under the bridge and you will see the ground right in front of you. It will take about five minutes for you to walk or there is a Fast Track bus available from the main entrance of the station which runs every 10 minutes. Going by train this way also has the added bonus of being able to go to Gravesend beforehand (the next stop on train from Ebbsfleet International and only a couple of minutes journey time), where there are a wider variety of pubs to be found. I found both the Somerset Arms, which showed live televised sports and the Railway Bell outside the railway station to be both very welcoming’.
All areas of the Kuflink Stadium
Adults £17
Over 60’s/Students £14
Under 17’s £9
Under 12’s £1*
* Must be accompanied by a paying adult.
Official Matchday Programme £2.
Ebbsfleet United FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).
Dartford and from further afield Margate.
Record Attendance
12,032 v Sunderland
FA Cup 4th Round, 12th February 1963
Average Attendance
2018-2019: 1,450 (National League)
2017-2018: 1,563 (National League)
2016-2017: 1,314 (National League South)
If you require hotel accommodation in Gravesend 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.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk
Unofficial Web Sites:
Fleet Trust
Home Of The Fleet
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to Alan Woods and Dave Hollands for providing photos of the new main Stand at the Kuflink Stadium, Ebbsfleet United.
Ebbsfleet United v Luton Town
Conference Premier
Saturday, March 20th, 2010, 3pm
Steve Bailey (Luton Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This ground would leave me only needing one more (Tamworth) to complete a visit to all the current Conference grounds plus from the pictures I had seen this looked like one of the real old traditional grounds at this level. However given that Ebbsfleet had beaten us (Luton) at home there was a bit of trepidation but we needn’t have worried as it turned out!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking:
Easy journey out of London Bridge although the train stops everywhere on the way it seemed – the ground itself is very close to the station and well sign-posted.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As I know there wasn’t a plethora of good pubs near the ground I drank near London Bridge first but did grab a quick one at the Rose (not the Rose & Crown as stated on the main page) which is bit basic and had very loud music but on the plus side a decent real also from Shepherd Neame. Once I got over being deafened by the music it soon became apparent at least ¾ of the people in the pub were other Luton fans! On the way to the ground walked past what looked like a decent chip shop but having already eaten I can’t vouch for the quality.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground was as I thought it would be, looking similar to Altrincham. Had to walk round the back of the ground for the away end, through a muddy car park and on the back wall fop the ground a very old and almost over-grown sign saying “Welcome to the Fleet” could be seen. On entering the ground you come on to an open terrace, we have about half the ground so there was some cover on the far side but being a wet day it was already full by the time I got in! The terrace itself had a fair amount of grass growing through the cracks in the stone steps. One odd things about the ground is that it is not totally rectangular – the pitch side touchlines are parallel with the stands but the end stands are both at a an angle to goal lines – it is hard to understand why unless the pitch has been moved at some time in the past.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The home crowd did try and make some noise with a drum but as the game wore on it was only us making a noise as we ran out 6-1 winners – our highest away win since 1964 so it was an honour to be there! The stewards were actually our own who travelled down for the day so no problems there. The toilets are limited though, very small but probably quite adequate for the majority of away crowds except us, Oxford and Wimbledon.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy to get away, back on the 17:07 to London was no problem and even through they’d just been absolutely stuffed there was no hint of any problems at the end.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Not a great place to go for pre-match beers but a great old fashioned ground. And did I mention the score?
Ebbsfleet United v Mansfield Town
Conference Premier
Saturday, January 28th, 2012, 3pm
Rhys Warriner (Mansfield Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I wasn’t particularly looking forward to going to the ground itself, but upon arrival it was above expectations. I’d previously heard from a few fans that it wasn’t much to behold, but i thought it was okay! Segregation wasn’t in force, so it was a rather relaxed day.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking:
The journey wasn't too bad, took around 3 and a half hours, but was fairly simple. The Dartford Crossing was the highlight of the journey on the Supporters Coach, with fairly good views of the surrounding areas on offer.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Arrived at the ground, but decided on a walk up to a pub, around 15mins away. From the outside it looked a little run down, but open entering the clubhouse we were all politely greeted, and it rapidly became one of the best pre-match experiences this season. Was thoroughly enjoyable, had a dart board etc. an all fans and staff were extremely friendly.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Upon entrance, first impressions were mixed, they had a decent seated stand to the right behind the goal, a very big roofed yet low terrace to the left, and ahead was a open terrace in which we decided to go over to. A typical smaller non league ground, with a mix of seating and terracing. The stand along one side would easily be suitable for a home crowd to gather and make a bit of noise, sadly this wasn't put to much use.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..?
The game was very good, Mansfield won 3-0 and was very enjoyable. The atmosphere sadly was quite poor, down partly due to the distance we had to travel, and the unsegregatied attendance. The home fans weren’t very vocal, probably down to the fact that their team weren’t very impressive! The ‘stewards’ were extremely relaxed, as seemed they had just strolled in and been handed a flourscent jacket on the spot! The food blew hot and cold. I had possibly the worst cup of tea I’ll ever drank, resembling dishwater, but then went back for a Hot Chocolate and fell in love! A shame the same couldn't be said for the woman serving… The toilets, although I did not visit them I heard they were basic, and kept fairly clean.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Got away fairly easily, the coach was opposite and we set off in good time, this time via the Dartford Tunnel.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out?
The journey was good going there, and very good on the way back, after such a good win! The game was one we dominated, so it was a good, productive day for all involved, for away fans that is! Would recommend a visit to Ebbsfleet.
Ebbsfleet United v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 2nd September 2017, 3pm
Mike Finister-Smith (FC Halifax fan)
Ebbsfleet United v Aldershot Town
National League
Saturday 25th August 2018, 3pm
Brian Scott (Neutral fan)
Ebbsfleet United v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 6th September 2018, 3pm
Michael Cromack FC Halifax Town
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Stonebridge Road Ground?
I always look forward to a trip down to London and another unvisited ground.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Train to Kings Cross, no underground required then St Pancras to Ebbsfleet International. From there, 10 minutes walk to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a bit of time in London so I had a wander around King's Cross and eventually found a pub doing breakfasts. I think it was called the Rocket on Euston Road.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Stonebridge Road Stadium?
Mixed feelings. A beautiful gem of an old Main Stand, low roof, cramped, homely. In contrast opposite that was the new not yet open replacement Main Stand. Which is tall, unattractive, with only a small and shallow row of seats. It is almost as if the supporters had been overlooked by the designers. I was in the open end behind the goal it soon became obvious that segregation was not in force.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I was hoping Town would continue their recent good run but it was a case of their inconsistently again rearing it's ugly head with a 2-0 defeat.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I left a bit early because town were never really in the game despite hitting the post early on. On my way back to the station saw a row of about a dozen cars parked up at the side of the road each with a parking fine notice on the windscreen. I could not see any parking restriction signs, double yellow lines, etc so that was a bit of a mystery.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I got back home in good time but a frustrating game in which Town failed to really get into but it was another ground visited.
Ebbsfleet United v Gateshead
National League
Saturday 8th September 2018, 5.30pm
Steve Ware (Gateshead)
Ebbsfleet United v Yeovil Town
National League
Tuesday 13th August 2019, 7:45pm
Shaun (Neutral)
Ebbsfleet United v Notts County
National League
Saturday 24th August 2019, 3pm
John Watson (Notts County)
Ebbsfleet United v Stockport County
National League
Saturday 29th February 2020, 3 pm
Myles Munsey Ground hopper (but Stockport County fan for the day)
Reasons for visit
My friend Paul who lives in Newbury is a Stockport County fan and had never visited Ebbsfleet so for both of us, this was a new ground to tick off. For this game, the loan of a spare Hatters scarf meant being a County fan for the day. On this leap day, a very wet morning after several days of heavy rain put this game in doubt with a nervous wait for the 10.00 pitch inspection to take place. However, increasingly bright weather as we travelled east with a drying wind confirmed that the game was on.
Getting there
A mid-morning train from Newbury direct to Paddington, over to St. Pancras and a high-speed service underneath the Thames to North Kent alighting at Ebbsfleet.
Before the game
We arrived in plenty of time so we had a coffee at the Marks and Spencer’s on Ebbsfleet Station before taking the direct walking route through Car Park C and under the railway direct to the stadium. But before that lunch. It just so happened that located by the roundabout immediately next to the ground was the Golden Grill café which served our needs handsomely.
A quick walk was in order after lunch but it is not really possible to walk around the stadium owing to the proliferation of light industry, therefore to use up some time before the match Paul and I took a walk out to the Thames through the industrialised area by the stadium. This is not everyone’s cup of tea but a lot of history is inherent in the cement industry that Northfleet is based on. There are fine views over to the far bank at Tilbury with huge cranes dominating the skyline.
Back to the football.
Once through the turnstiles, pictures were taken of the old Main Stand which looks quite superb against a blue sky with fleecy clouds and the massive electricity pylons of north Kent dominating the hinterland.
The Old Main Stand
First impressions
From the outside, I liked the appearance of this ground a lot and could see straight away that the undeveloped parts retained a lot of character. The new Main Stand that runs along Swanscombe Road frankly looks completely out of place. To find out what it is really like, of course, you pay your money, enter, and then take your choice. The home terrace is now a seated area with quite a bit of empty space behind but never mind it fits well into the overall scene.
The away terrace looked rather unappetising given that the day whilst bright was extremely cold (and the possibility of rain later) so almost as an act of homage we decided to sit in the old Main Stand. This is marvelous and almost unique these days. An all wooden stand with corrugated cladding featuring raised timber decking and a breeze block dugout (unused) in front. To our right was a wonderful old school type press box. A proper stand if ever there was one. The legroom was meager – my usual complaint – but who cares when you sit in a stand with such charisma.
Opposite is the new Main Stand which I just could not get used to. When a new stand is commissioned in a traditional stadium, sadly it never seems to work and here is no exception. This structure just looks downright strange, not helped by its eccentric shape. The contrast between new and old stood out like a sore thumb I’m afraid and took the edge off what is otherwise a fine old venue.
The game
It was decidedly fresh at kick off so a good job I had the hat and gloves. Lovely sunshine throughout the first half but bitingly cold. The first 20 minutes or so was very flat before the game settled into some sort of pattern. When the ball was on the ground both teams had spells of enterprising play with Stockport posing a constant threat down the left flank. On 38 minutes a frantic goalmouth scramble resulted in Walker crashing the ball against the Ebbsfleet bar.
The second half which started with a ferocious shower and the lights coming on was much of the same and Ebbsfleet nearly broke the deadlock. Adeloye’s towering header was tipped round the post by the sure gloves of Hatters keeper Hinchliffe.
Just as it looked as though the game was petering out into a goalless draw, the Fleet were sunk by a set-piece. With four minutes left Turnbull’s pinpoint corner found the head of Ash Palmer and he nodded firmly into the roof of the net. The corner routine with Ash Palmer converting is a ploy that Paul says has worked a few times this season. One of the shorter players he did not get picked up.
A bit of a smash and grab then with the home side a little hard done by.
Getting away
Simple enough to catch the 17.17 train back to St. Pancras. Back indoors by 8 pm.
Overall thoughts
A very enjoyable day out in North Kent and nice to see your ‘adopted’ team pick up three points. A good stadium, good view and a match with plenty of incidents after an insipid start, That narrow win puts the Hatters into the play-off places whilst for Ebbsfleet things are looking uncomfortable.