Melbourne Community Stadium
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- Ground Layout
Last Update:
August 1, 2024
Melbourne Community Stadium is primarily an athletics stadium owned by the local council. The largely open stadium is dominated by the Main Stand on the East side. This covered all seated stand is raised above pitch level, meaning that spectators must climb a small set of steps to access it.
It has a capacity of around 1,000 seats. In front of the seated area lower down there are a few rows of terrace. The stand is cantilevered meaning that there are no supporting pillars to impede your view.
There are also windshields on either side of the Stand. The main drawback to spectators in this stand as you would expect at an athletics stadium, is that the stand is set well back from the playing action, as there is a long jump area, eight running lanes and the team dugouts between it and the pitch.
Opposite on the other side of the pitch just beyond the perimeter is the back wall of the nearby Sports & Athletics Centre. A small overhanging roof has been fitted to this back wall, which also has a large clock centrally positioned, to provide some cover for a few rows of seating below.
There is also a small terraced area on this side towards the South end of the stadium, above which a small electronic scoreboard has been put in place. At both ends, the club have installed small temporary blocks of terrace in the area directly behind each goal. One of these terraces at the North End of the stadium also has a cover.
At least the supporters in these areas are located closer to the game being played on the pitch. Unusually the teams come onto the pitch from the South West corner beside the Main Stand.
It is very rare that away fans are segregated at the Melbourne Community Stadium. If fans are to be segregated then visitors are allocated the Sports & Athletics Centre side of the ground, which has a mixture of around four rows of seats, as well as some small standing areas. If demand requires it then a section of seats can be allocated in the Main Stand on the opposite side of the stadium. A total of just under 1,000 fans can be accommodated in these areas, with the Main Stand affording better views of the playing action, facilities, and protection against the weather.
Apart from the odd local derby then normally a visit to the Melbourne Community Stadium is a relaxed one, although the players entrance music of the vintage ‘Waltzing Bugle Boy,’ may bring you out of your tranquillity!
Pubs for away fans near the Melbourne Community Stadium:
- Red Beret – Melbourne Avenue, CM1 2DX
- The Flyer – Dickens Place, CM1 4UU
- The Black Bull – 244 Rainsford Road, CM1 2PN
Nutella donuts at Chelmsford city FC (@OfficialClarets @remblanceamy)
💷 6 for £6 pic.twitter.com/gDUZMHuThJ
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) November 14, 2022
From the M11 Junction 7 or M25 Junction 28/A12 follow the A414 towards Chelmsford. On the outskirts of Chelmsford, you will reach two roundabouts in quick succession. At the second roundabout where there is a Tenpin Bowling Alley and a Volkswagen Dealership located, take the first exit towards the Widford Industrial Area. Keep on this road for around a couple of miles where you reach a T-junction with the A1060 where you bear left and then turn left again at the traffic lights (still on the A1060) towards Sawbridgeworth.
Go through the next set of traffic lights (with a public park on the left) and at the next set turn right into Chignall Road. After passing a zebra crossing, turn right at the modern-looking church into Melbourne Avenue. You then will pass another park on your left and just before the tall block of flats, turn left into Salerno Way. Then at the mini-roundabout turn left onto the stadium approach road.
There is a car park at the stadium which is free, however, it normally fills up quite quickly. However, there is plenty of street parking available in the surrounding streets.
Chelmsford Railway Station is situated just under two miles away from the Melbourne Community Stadium. It is served by trains from London Liverpool Street, which is a 32-minute train journey away. There is a taxi rank at the side of the station otherwise from the street outside, you can catch any of these First Buses No 54, 56 (towards North Melbourne) or No 40 (towards Broomfield Hospital). See the First Group website for current timetables.
To walk to Melbourne Stadium from the railway station, should take around 30 minutes. When leaving Chelmsford Station from the front entrance turn right onto Duke Street. Continue past the Bus Station on your left and proceed straight on through the traffic lights into Rainsford Road. You will then pass the County Hotel on your left and on reaching a large crossroads continue straight ahead (Still Rainsford Road). You will then see Admiral Park on your left at which point you take the next right into Park Avenue. At the end of Park Avenue bear left into Swiss Avenue and then at the T-junction, turn left, cross over to the other side of the road take the next right into Christy Avenue and then turn left into Fox Crescent. At the end of the Crescent turn left onto Langton Avenue. Follow Langton Avenue and at the end of this road, you will have reached Melbourne Avenue. Cross over to the other side of the road and enter Melbourne Park, where the stadium is located up ahead.
All areas of the Melbourne Community Stadium
Adult: £15-£17
Concession: £10-£12
17-24: £5-£6.50
12-17: £5-£6.50
U12: FREE
Official Matchday Programme £2.50.
Braintree Town and Colchester United.
Record Attendance
At the Melbourne Stadium
3,201 v AFC Wimbledon
Conference South, 15th March 2008
At New Writtle Street
16,807 v Colchester United
Southern League, 10th September 1949
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 892 (National League South)
2022-2023: 868 (National League South)
2021-2022: 700 (National League South)
2020-2021: 0 (Covid) (National League South)
2019-2020: 870 (National League South)
Official Web Site: https://chelmsfordcityfc.com/
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 Matt Bradshaw for providing the photos of the Melbourne Community Stadium.
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Chelmsford City v Tranmere Rovers
FA Trophy 3rd Round
Wednesday 8th February 2017, 7.30pm
Allen Price (Tranmere Rovers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Melbourne Community Stadium?
I always try to get to grounds that I have not been to before and Chelmsford came into this category. This was a FA Trophy Cup Replay and Chelmsford had put in a decent shift in the first game which ended 1-1 at our place, Prenton Park. So there was a very real concern that the result from the replay might not be all that we hoped for.
Main Stand
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Disaster! Apparently there had been a really bad accident in one of the major A-roads en route to Chelmsford. Many fans ended up not getting there at all, including a good number who had made the long, midweek journey from Wirral. Chelmsford were expecting a crowd of 1,500 for the game only 900 made it.
North End
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Just got there as the game kicked off so a quick desperate search for programme and badge (I know that's sad, it's a tradition!) and onto the small open South Terrace behind the goal we were attacking.
South End
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Melbourne Stadium?
I would be very concerned if the was an incident requiring an emergency response. One road to the stadium and one driveway into it and due to the extensive delays people had parked anywhere and everywhere. In the Wirral we have a similar facility to the Melbourne Stadium called 'The Oval', which has a sports centre and running track. If you have seen the film 'Chariots of Fire' you would have seen The Oval, that in the movie was used as a stand-in for Paris in the early 20th century! I assume that Chelmsford must have new stadium plans in the pipeline as I can't see them getting much higher in the leagues with the present facilities. The ground just has one stand, which is so far rim the pitch that I suspect it might have a Braintree postcode! One small covered end for, possibly 100? One open end not much bigger and the side opposite the Main Stand comprising three rows of seats. But credit to Chelmsford City there was no segregation of fans for this match. I loved the fact that we all changed ends at half-time – oh the memories…
I think there is a game going on somewhere over there…..
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Tranmere Rovers won convincingly so getting home at 4am was well worth it. And – shock of all shocks – a decent referee! I don't know if this was there regular food facility but it was well above average with a mind-boggling array of options. Being boring I bought a cheeseburger. One of the better examples this season. Really nice cup of tea as well! Exceptionally pleasant and helpful staff and stewards. I am reliably informed by others that the club house is good too.
West Side
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Reasonably straight forward compared to getting there.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I was glad that I went with the supporters coach rather than driving myself which I usually do. All in all a good evening but could have done without the stress with kick off time rapidly approaching of moving less than two miles in an hour as we neared the Melbourne Stadium.
Chelmsford City v Bishop's Stortford
Conference League South
Monday 29th February 2016, 7.45pm
Brian Scott (An Ipswich supporter doing the 202)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Melbourne Community Stadium?
My records show that Chelmsford's old ground was the fifth new ground that I had ever been to, way back in 1969, but of course I didn't even know about the 92 Club in those days. Having been in the 92 Club for years I've turned my attention to the lower leagues. Although obviously smaller grounds – they all have special interest.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I normally travel by train, but the car was an easier option for this shorter journey than usual, together with the out-of-town site. I easily parked in a local road, and noted that the car park was full by 7pm even though it is quite large. Maybe it's used by people at the nearby sports pitches?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I like to walk round the ground to take in the local features, but a complete circuit is not possible here due to the running track. I had no need for food or drink. No problems with anything else.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Melbourne Community Stadium?
The single picture on this web page hadn't prepared me for the vast openness of the site, although it is described as primarily an athletics stadium. I like to watch football looking down from a reasonable height so I chose the back row of the Main Stand. This is about as far away from the action on the pitch that anyone can get in the ground due to the 8 running lanes, and the long jump lanes. I found the team dugouts very intrusive to my view. The two little temporary stands behind the goal looked very odd. I wondered why they were quite so close to the goal line as there is plenty of room to positioned them further back. Also why has one got a roof and the other open? As is customary, the home and away fans swapped ends at half time. There is a scoreboard but I found it very hard to read the red lights on a black background, and it was so far away and quite small. Some writing was scrolling along the bottom the whole time which was totally unreadable! The floodlights at the ground are bright, but I did find them too glaring and other lights around the sports arena were intrusive also. The ticket price of adults £13, senior £9 is high end for this division, not matched by facilities. The six ball boys were kept busy retrieving the ball during the match.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
There was plenty of action in the game with Bishop's Stortford scoring in the 4th minute, which was actually an own goal, however, the home team were not behind for long with an equaliser coming in the 9th minute. On the stroke of half time it was 2-1 with a goal from J Bridge. Bishop's Stortford were not totally outplayed as the score might have suggested, but they went further behind in the 54th minute with a goal from J Williams. There must have been some controversially as the away players protested furiously to the referee. A. Miller was booked, but he didn't know when to shut up, and he came back with more words and was promptly booked again! So off he went. The score was made 4-1 in the 90th minute.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It was simple to walk through the car park and out to the road where my car was parked. Everything was quiet in the residential area with very little traffic at that time of night. I was really glad of my sat-nav however as the route in and out from the east is quite complicated.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Another ground visited and ticked off, still 66 to go! Thank goodness Chelmsford is not my local town as I wouldn't want to go there every other week. I might even travel to Ipswich!