Last Update:
August 1, 2024
The Gallagher Stadium is a relatively modern football ground, having opened in 2012. On the approach to it from the town centre, there is little to see as the stadium is built into a hillside. Even from the main Club car park, there is not much to be glimpsed of the interior.
Once inside though it is a different matter. On one side is the smart-looking Main Stand. This all-seated stand has a cantilevered roof, meaning that there are no supporting pillars to contend with. It is also raised above pitch level, meaning that spectators have to climb a small set of stairs to enter it. This Main Stand was extended in 2015 so it now has a capacity of 750 seats.
Oddly the team dugouts are not located in front of the Main Stand but on the other side of the ground. This side has no facilities for spectators as such, just a small flat standing area, behind the perimeter fence. The team dugouts almost seemed to have been an afterthought as they are receded into the standing area.
At the North End is a covered terrace that was opened in March 2017. This terrace is of a fair size and has a capacity of 1,768. The opposite, the Loucas End, is a small covered terrace which is just seven steps high.
The Gallagher Stadium is very much an open one, with plenty of surrounding trees and greenery on view.
The stadium has an artificial 3G pitch and the Club have been at the forefront of lobbying for its wider adoption in the Football Leagues. They have seen some success in that artificial surfaces are now allowed at National League level and for FA Cup ties, but the Football League is still resistant to the idea and currently only allows grass pitches for its member clubs.
In 2019, the club purchased a small strip of land from the local council on the west side of the Gallagher Stadium, which would allow the club to put in place a 650-capacity-seated stand along that side. As of right now, the club are yet to build on this side of the stadium but the option is at least there should they ever reach the Football League.
Although the club are currently two divisions away from the Football League, they still have plans in place should promotion to League Two ever happen. They are ready to go on an expansion of the South Stand while they would be prepared to rip up the artificial surface and replace it with turf to meet EFL regulations. However, for the time being at least, they are happy to stay with their artificial surface.
As one of the more modern stadiums in non-league football, the Gallagher Stadium has pretty good facilities for away supporters. If segregation is in force then part of the North Terrace (towards the Main Stand) is allocated. Home supporters are housed on the other side of the terrace, with a sizeable gap between the two (covered in tarpaulin), which can make for a good atmosphere.
There is also a small block of 24 seats located on one at the front of the terrace, that are made available to visiting fans who need them. The usual array of Cheeseburgers, Burgers, Hot Dogs, Chips, as well as Chicken Fillet Burgers are available inside.
Pubs near the Gallagher Stadium:
- Bierkeller – 73 Bank St, Maidstone ME14 1SN
- Market House – 30 Earl St, Maidstone ME14 1PS
- Ye Olde Thirsty Pig – 4A Knightrider St, Maidstone ME15 6LP
Leave the M20 at Junction 6 and take the A229 towards Maidstone. Go straight across two roundabouts and on entering Maidstone at the third roundabout (where there is a large white office building on your right hand side) take the third exit into James Whatman Way. You will now see the stadium right in front of you. At the T-junction turn left and the stadium entrance is further down on the right.
Car Parking
There is no unreserved car parking available at the stadium but there are a small amount of pay and display car parks on James Whatman Way.
The stadium is very close to the town centre, so you could also use one of the many shoppers’ car parks available, but these are also pay and display while the Maidstone East Railway Station also has a big car park.
The station is around ten minutes from the stadium on foot.
There are two railway stations located close to the stadium. Maidstone East which is only a quarter of a mile away and Maidstone Barracks, which is half a mile away. However most fans are likely to end up at Maidstone East as it is served by trains from London Victoria and Ashford International.
Ticket prices at Maidstone United:
Seating
Adults: £20 Over 65’s/Students: £16 Under 17s: £10 Under 11s: Free with a paying adult
Terrace
Adults: £17 Over 65’s/Students: £13 Under 17s: £7 Under 11s: Free with a paying adult
Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.
Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.
Click on the trainline logo below:
Official Matchday Programme: £2.50
Gillingham, Tonbridge Angels and Dartford.
Record Attendance
4,175 vs Hampton & Richmond, 7th May 2022
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 1,943 (National League)
2022-2023: 2,142 (National League)
2021-2022: 2,424 (National League)
If you require hotel accommodation in Maidstone 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. Just input the relevant dates and click on “Search” below or on the hotel of interest on the map to get more information. The map is centered on the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in the town centre or further afield.
Official Website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk
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 Austin Byrne and Paul Dickinson for providing photos of the North Terrace at the Gallagher Stadium Maidstone United.
The ‘Gallagher Stadium in 4K’ was produced by Kian & Becky and is made publicly available via YouTube.
Ground Layout
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
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
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
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
Maidstone United v Gateshead
National League
Saturday 22nd December 2018, 3pm
Steve Ware (Gateshead)
Maidstone United v Harrogate Town
National League
Saturday 15th September 2018, 3pm
Paul Dickinson (Neutral)
Maidstone United v Heybridge Swifts
FA Trophy 2nd Round
Saturday 13th January 2018, 3pm
Andy Wilkins (Neutral/Slanting towards Heybridge Swifts)
Maidstone United v Ebbsfleet United
National League
Tuesday 9th January 2018, 7.45pm
Nick (Ebbsfleet United fan)
Maidstone United v Dover Athletic
National League
Sunday 1st January 2017, 6pm
Rory (Dover Athletic fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Gallagher Stadium?
It was going to be my first visit to the Gallagher Stadium and with it being a Kent local derby I anticipated a good game with a good atmosphere.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove to Maidstone. It was a really easy journey from Dover and didn't take long at all.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After parking up in Maidstone I went to see what was near the Stadium, due to the Gallagher being near the centre of the town there was a variety of places to eat and there was various pubs etc… I found a chippy and me and my friend ate there before making our way to the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impress ions of away end then other sides of the Gallagher Stadium?
Due the North end of the ground being under development there was temporary segregation in place at the Gallagher Stadium. This meant that all the Dover fans were sat in the Main Stand. The ground is very modern and once the new stand is in place then Maidstone will have a very nice stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Maidstone started the game the better team with the better chances however we went 1-0 before half time. Second half Maidstone kept up the pressure but we managed to hit them on the counter several times. The final score was 4-1 Dover. Maidstone fans in the South stand or the Town end as they call it make a racket and with the aid of a drummer and in some parts of the game they were very loud.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was pretty easy, although it felt that there might be a bit of bother between fans, outside the ground, but nothing happened.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall I thoroughly enjoyable day out and I'm looking forward to returning to the Gallagher Stadium when the new stand is finished.
Maidstone Uuited v Rochdale
FA Cup First Round
Saturday 6th November 2016, 2pm
Mark Rigby (Rochdale fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Gallagher Stadium?
I had never been before to the Gallagher Stadium nor, Maidstone before. This was the first ever meeting between the two sides and a chance for an interesting awayday with the romance of the Cup.
How easy was your journey/finding th e ground/car parking?
I travelled down by train. The Gallagher Stadium was just a ten minute walk from Maidstone East Railway Station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I walked to the ground with a Maidstone fan who had travelled from Macclesfield. All the fans I met were friendly and sociable.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Gallagher Stadium?
Met at the entrance to the ground by security staff who were friendly and helpful. The away fans were housed in the North Stand at one end, which was pretty basic but under cover. A Maidstone fan on the way to the ground informed me that after today's match the away end is being re-developed with a new 1500 seater stand which will hopefully be completed by March 2017. The home fans in the opposite South Stand created a good atmosphere. A modern all seater stand on the East side and a narrow standing area on the West side completed the stadium. A segregated area of the North Stand housed some home fans which led to some friendly banter.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game on the whole was pretty disappointing from a Rochdale perspective, with the home side taking the lead with a first half penalty. Rochdale left it late to earn a reply with a 94th minute equaliser. There was some good humoured, funny banter from both sets of fans! The stewards were helpful and informative and patrolled the stand litter picking and chatting to the fans. A kiosk selling pies, chips, sausage rolls and a selection of drinks was situated between the North Stand and the toilet block. The chicken and bacon pie was the best pie I have ever tasted, not just at a football match, but ever! Absolutely delicious! I was so impressed I told the lady in the kiosk who gave me their address and informed me that they do home delivery! There were plenty of toilet and washing facilities in a portacabin. The only negative comment is that there were a couple of flights of steps from the turnstiles down into the stadium which could cause a problem for less mobile fans.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy. No problems experienced.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out! The Gallagher Stadium is a cracking little ground with friendly fans and stewards.
Maidstone United v Sutton United
National League South
Tuesday 5th April 2016, 7.45pm
Sam Bennett (Sutton United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Gallagher Stadium?
This game was a stand out from Christmas time, the game had to keep being rescheduled due to our run in the FA Trophy. The game ended up being played at the beginning of April, it was a title decider. I was particularly reluctant to go at first as I heard that could be some trouble there.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We set off for our journey on the train at midday as we wanted to go and have a few drinks before the game. It took us about 1 hour and 45 minutes. A fairly easy journey and the station is about a five minute walk to the Gallagher Stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had a few drinks at the pub Hare & Hounds we found by the station. A very nice pub welcoming staff and a fairly nice atmosphere. We hung our flags up outside the pub and were happily drinking. It was about one hour before the game when a group of teenage Maidstone fans walked passed us shouting abusive chants towards us and our team Sutton in general, it was a bit intimidating.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Gallagher Stadium?
The Gallagher Stadium doesn't look great from the outside however when I got in I was fairly impressed. Nice facilities and a great looking Main Stand. The game was not segregated which was a bit of a worry in some fans eyes, especially after we had a few problems earlier at the pub.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a cracker. Two early goals for Sutton snatched the game early on for us we won the match 2-1. The atmosphere was good in our end however there were no acoustics so we could not hear Maidstone and I doubt they heard us. The stewards were friendly no problems inside the ground.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We left the ground in the best mood possible knowing we were a few games away from winning the league. However again a group of about 15 teenagers were hurling abusive and were clearly looking for a fight outside the ground. Everything was alright luckily as the Police quickly moved them on.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall this away day was a my favourite of the season a cracking result and an unforgettable atmosphere.
Maidstone United v Oxford City
Conference South League
Saturday 15th August 2015, 3pm
Paul Willott (Neutral fan)
I had been promising myself a visit to the Gallagher stadium since its inception so todays jolly was long overdue. Fans of a certain generation will recall the roller coaster ride of Maidstone United as they became one of the early beneficiaries of the automatic promotion to the football league from the Conference, a brief flirtation with promotion play-offs until several seasons later it all collapsed in a funeral pyre of bankruptcy and the demise of the club following the resignation from the league.
There was then a nomadic existence based in towns such as Sittingbourne and Ashford as I recall from my perusings of the “non-league paper” over the years until the happy news of their projected homecoming was followed up by the opening of the new stadium. So I was eager to get a visit chalked up and today was the perfect opportunity to do so following the completion of “operation catch-up on sleep” after a very hectic week.
The Now Extended Main Stand
Maidstone’s new ground has one thing in common with Rotherham; it’s a new stadium located close to the town centre unlike the usual fayre of the more modern grounds some 5km from the nearest train station, bus stop, or pub! As the guide says, the ground is not too easy to spot, being located below the nearest main road (A229) nestling on the banks of the Medway, and if it wasn’t for returning home via Maidstone due to a full closure of the M20 on an evening after a match had concluded and observed the crowds emerging up the hill and the floodlights, I wouldn’t have known it was there. However, don’t fear because as the guide says, the big white office building is a perfect landmark , and if you follow the suggestion of turning left at said major roundabout instead of right and then following the signs for the BR station at Maidstone East where you can park for £3:50, you won’t go far wrong. However, once you’ve turned left off the A229, if you come back on yourself at the very next roundabout, there is a charity car park for £3 which I’ll use from now on for future visits.
The Leafy West Side
After a short walk in a downhill direction, crossing the A229 in the process, one soon comes across the modern Gallagher stadium, and if first impressions count, then Maidstone scores highly. An imposing entrance gate, tidy turnstiles, and a set of security staff and stewards who are to a man welcoming and friendly, made for a very good start.
I paid £12 for the entrance, and was given a ticket that was probably the smallest I’ve ever received ; more in keeping with the ticket you may expect at a model railway show perhaps !! The early impressions of a clean, well maintained and cared for stadium is upheld as you enter that actual stadium.
Once inside I had a little nosey round and was impressed with the selection of food and drink outlets to choose from on the spacious concourse behind the South Terrace/Loucas End , some of which were built in a “conservatory” style in keeping with the major shirt sponsors “Britelite”, and the club shop was in a similar ‘conservatory’ style, where the replica shirts and scarves were being knocked out for £39 and £10 respectively. The other striking aspect was the “jumbo-isation” of the main stand that had only just been completed prior to the start of the season, and a very fine looking job they’ve done on that too. The ground also possesses 4 modern looking floodlight pylons.
The Club Shop
It became clear that a good crowd was going to be in evidence as the build up to kick-off continued; the matchday programme, which is ok for £2, gave the attendance as 2,363 for the midweek encounter with Ebbsfleet, and I’d garner a guess that todays crowd was slightly larger. A large proportion of the fans were happily decked out in replica amber tops and scarves too, which added to the atmosphere and spectacle of a townsfolk solidly behind their local team. Many a club in the top level of the non-league can only dream of such support.
The match got underway and the first 45 minutes were an exemplary model of a game that never settled down ; neither side seemed comfortable in possession, many a good build-up was let down by a poor cross or mis-placed pass, and communication was lacking evidently as many a brilliant pass was made to a player that had long stopped running for the ball. The one thing that couldn’t be faulted though was the effort and endeavour as all 22 players were putting a shift in.
As the second half progressed , the home side seemed to grow in confidence, and chances started to present themselves with abundance and sooner or later I was convinced one would be tucked away………but Maidstone found out what life will be like in the higher division if you don’t take your chances as punishment was duly meted out as Oxford City scored against the run of play. The old cliché of “goals change games” was ably demonstrated as it knocked all the momentum and rhythm out of the home side, and the game petered out and even long before the final whistle there was an air of inevitability about Oxford City holding on to their 1-0 win doggedly for the 3 points.
The Club Are Well Supported
Despite a late flurry of chances in the last few minutes, Maidstone lacked the composure or confidence to tuck one away, and although overall it was a close match, I would have to say the visitors deserved to take the three points. That said, Maidstone should take encouragement in their first season at this level and look to build on their early performances to consolidate at this level. They have a ground and a fan base more than adequate for this league and I’m sure in seasons to come can aspire to climb the pyramid even further.
I thoroughly enjoyed the match and the occasion and hope to be back for more ! An added personal bonus for me on my first visit to the Gallagher stadium was to learn that a certain Mr Paul Gallagher had scored the only goal in a game near Bletchley at Stadium:MK for my beloved Preston North End…