When a football fan thinks of London, images of Chelsea blue or insanely tight Arsenal jerseys might be the first things that jump to mind. And while those two clubs along with Tottenham, West Ham and Crystal Palace command most of the attention throughout London, nine other teams from England’s top four leagues play throughout the capital.
If a trip to London is on your horizon and you fancy watching a match or two while there, the atmosphere of a Premier League game is hard to beat. Sadly, tickets to the world’s most popular league can be scarce. But do not despair as a visit to one of the other nine clubs can be a fantastic experience. What follows is a summary of the lesser known clubs.
Championship in London
London is home to four clubs currently playing in the second level of English football, the Football League Championship.
Brentford
Stadium and Transportation: Griffin Park in West London, opened in 1904, seats 12,763. For years the Park was known as the only stadium in England with a pub on every corner outside the grounds. While one of the pubs closed in April, there are still three quality options for a pint; The New Inn, The Griffin and The Princess Royal. A stop before or after the match at one of these establishments is a must when headed to Griffin Park. The closest tube station is Gunnersbury but that is still over a one-mile walk. Your best bet is to arrive by Bus, with the no. 65 dropping your right in front of the grounds.
History: Founded in 1889, Brentford F.C. has generally played in the third and fourth tiers of English football, but recently the Bees moved to the Championship and qualified for the Playoffs for a spot in the Premier League last spring before losing to Middlesbrough in the semifinals.
Website: http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/
Membership: An adult membership for Brentford is roughly $30 USD but is not needed to buy home tickets.
Ticket outlook: Good. While Griffin Park is the second smallest stadium in the Championship, on average over 1,000 tickets for each home match go unsold. Your best bet is to buy reserve seats online and head to one of the pubs prior to the match.
Charlton Athletic
Stadium and Transportation: The Valley, in southeast London, seats 27,111 and has been expanded several times, most recently in 2001. Many rail options exist from Central London to the Charlton Railway Station from Charing Cross, Waterloo East and London Bridge
History: The club was founded in 1905. The Addicks were a fixture in the Premier League with a sustained stay in the first division from 2000-2007 but have failed to return to the top flight in the past eight years. The Red Robins finished mid-table in the Championship last season.
Website: http://www.cafc.co.uk/
Membership: While you can get a Red Card for free, it is not needed to buy tickets
Ticket outlook: Very good. The Valley is the size of several Premier League grounds and, on average, at least 10,000 seats are empty. The Charlton website is the best resource for tickets.
Song to learn: “Since I was Young”
Fulham F.C.
Stadium and Transportation: Craven Cottage in West London, seats 25,700. The nearest London Underground station to the grounds is Putney Bridge. The Cottage is situated on the banks of the River Thames and boasts one of the most iconic match-day experiences in all of England.
History: The oldest football club in London was founded in 1879. In total the Whites have spent 25 years in England’s top division, including a 13-year spell that ended with relegation in 2014. Fulham has been home to several American players including Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride, for whom the pub within the stadium is named, McBride’s Bar. Both Dempsey and McBride were named Player of the Season on two separate occasions. In addition, the Whites have two young Americans on their squad—Tim Ream and Emerson Hyndman.
Website: http://www.fulhamfc.com/
Membership: The Faithful Membership costs roughly $47 USD but is not needed to purchase tickets.
Ticket outlook: Good. On average, about 7,000 seats are vacant at the Cottage on matchday. In addition, Americans may enjoy the numerous connections with the States including its current owner Shahid Khan, who also owns the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL. The Cottagers are definitely worth a look while you are in London.
Queens Park Rangers
Stadium and Transportation: Loftus Road Stadium, seats 18,489. Several London Underground stations are near Loftus Road with the best options being White City and Wood Lane.
History: QPR were founded in 1882, won the league cup in 1967 and were runners-ups in the league in 1976 and in the FA Cup in 1982. The Hoops finished last in the Premier League last season and are now in the Championship.
Website: http://www.qpr.co.uk/
Membership: A Hoops Membership costs roughly $47 USD but is not needed to purchase tickets
Ticket outlook: Fair. While the Rangers were relegated from the Prem last year, they boast a loyal following that has been filling Loftus Road for sometime. Tickets can be found without a membership, but the seats may not be the best.
League 1 (Millwall) in London
The third division of English football has only one entrant from the greater London area, Millwall.
Millwall F.C.
Stadium and Transportation: The Den, in south-east London seats 20,146 and was opened in 1993. Access to the Den from Central London is best through the National Rail system and the South Bermondsey station. The closest London Underground station is Canada Water, which is a 20-minute walk from the stadium.
History: The club was founded as the Millwall Rovers in 1885. Since their inception, the Lions have had sporadic success, reaching the FA Cup final in 2004 and the semifinals in 2013 but were relegated out of the Championship last season and are currently the only London team in League One. Millwall’s fans have a checkered past that is mostly centered on their fierce rivalry with West Ham United. The intensity of the derby with the Hammers was depicted in the film, “Green Street”.
Website: http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/
Membership: Millwall Supporters Club Membership dues are roughly $30 USD but are not needed to purchase tickets.
Ticket outlook: Great. The Lions have only been filling about 1/3 of The Den since they were relegated to League One. While the history of hooliganism may give you pause, there have been no incidences within the past few years.
Song to learn: “No One Likes Us, We Don’t Care”
League 2 In London
The fourth level of English football has four teams in the London area.
AFC Wimbledon
Stadium and Transportation: The Dons play at Kingsmeadow also known as The Cherry Red Records Stadium (a mouthful!), which has a capacity of 4,850 (2,265 seated). It is the smallest stadium in League Two. The best way to get to Kingsmeadow is via the 131 bus or the National Rail to the Norbiton station. If you have a car, they also have free parking which is a rarity in English football.
History: Not much of one! Supporters of now defunct Wimbledon F.C. formed AFC Wimbledon in 2002 after the Football Association allowed the club to relocate to Milton Keynes, 56 miles north of Wimbledon. The new Dons were promoted up five leagues in its first nine seasons and hold the record for the longest unbeaten run of league matches in English football history with 78 from February 2003 until a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Cray Wanderers in December 2004.
Website: http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk/
Membership: None to speak of.
Ticket outlook: A little dicey. Sure it is League Two but you can’t doubt the devotion of a fan base that, when faced with a club move, has the fortitude to create a new club out of nothing. The Kingsmeadow is usually close to capacity for league matches but tickets can be found if you look far enough in advance.
Barnet Football Club
Stadium and Transportation: The Hive Stadium, which opened in 2013 is the new home of the Bees, with a capacity of 5,233 (3,500 seated). The nearest London Underground stations are Canons Park and Queensbury on the Jubilee Line.
History: Barnet Football Club was founded in 1888. In 2013, the club moved from Barnet to the Borough of Harrow. The Bees were promoted to League Two last spring after winning the Conference title.
Website: http://www.barnetfc.com/
Membership: While the club has two different forms of membership, the Bees and Hive Memberships, both are closer to season ticket programs.
Ticket outlook: Good. Even though Barnet enjoyed promotion this past spring, the Bees have been playing in front of a half empty stadium so far this season.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club
Stadium and Transportation: Victoria Road, which seats 6,078. The easiest way to get to the stadium is the London Underground to Dagenham East stadium on the District Line.
History: Founded 23 years ago when Redbridge Forest and Dagenham merged, the Daggers have been in League Two since 2007, except for the 2009-2010 season, which saw the club promoted to League One. They were relegated back to League Two on the last day of the season where they have remained.
Website: http://www.daggers.co.uk/
Membership: None to speak of.
Ticket outlook: Very Good. The Daggers usually play in front of 1/3 capacity crowd so securing tickets will not be a problem.
Leyton Orient Football Club
Stadium and Transportation: The O’s play at Brisbane Road, which is officially called the Matchroom Stadium, and has a capacity of 9,271. The stadium was built in 1937 and is accessed by taking the London Underground to the Leyton station on the Central Line.
History: The club was formed in 1881 as the Eagle Cricket Club. Leyton was relegated to League Two last season after threatening to move up to the Championship in 2011 and 2013. Andrew Lloyd Webber and his younger brother, Julian are Orient fans….if that sways you either way.
Website: http://www.leytonorient.com/
Membership: Orient has the One Team membership program for roughly $15 USD, which can get you get you some access to the team but does little for acquiring tickets in an expedited fashion.
Ticket outlook: Good. The current League Two leaders usually draw about 6,000 fans per match although this could change if the O’s stay at the top of the table and push for promotion back to League One.
