“It represented everything I didn’t want in my life, everything I wanted to get away from” – that’s what David Bowie said about Croydon in a 1999 interview with Q magazine. Maybe the same applies to us too; sharing just the one campaign (to date) in cahoots with a team known as The Trams since 2000. Well, it seems legit now the town is home to the only tram service in London. Not that it has anything to do with the story of us and them. After two meetings in the 1991-2 Diadora League Division One campaign, we’ve not yet had cause play them again.
Yet, at least.
Our fortunes went in slightly different ways; us upwards towards the Football League. Them, down from the Isthmian and through to the Southern Counties East League in 2014.
Croydon: The Facts
Croydon Sports Arena
Albert Road, South Norwood, London, SE25 4QL
For the Trams, it all starts in 1953 with the club’s creation as Croydon Amateurs. In fact, it looks like the team came to life – in part – to put the football pitch at Croydon Arena to use. And, in those early days, you’d find them getting used to things in the Surrey Senior League. After a decade, however, the time came to move on and that they did; first into the Spartan League (winning the title at the first attempt) and then the Athenian League.
The club binned off the Amateurs bit of their name in 1973 after their first campaign in the Athenian League Premier Division. The reason? Well, they were no longer amateurs. And, after one more season took them to a round 10 years in the Athenian League, it was time to move on. This time, it was to an expanding Isthmian League; starting in Division Two. But it wouldn’t be long before the Trams were moving up in the Isthmian world.
Why do we know Croydon?
In their second season in the Isthmian League, the Trams actually went the whole campaign unbeaten. And yet they still had to settle for second place; their 98 points four short of the 102 that Tilbury recorded to win the title. It was still good enough to go up to Division One, however – soon to be renamed the Premier Division. And they stuck it out for 13 seasons at that level. The 1988-9 season was a disaster, however, and they were relegated.
How to get to Croydon – Travel Information – Distance: 42 miles
By Road
To make this trip into south London, the direct route is by far the shortest. Sadly, we can’t promise that it’ll be the quickest. Head south on the A1(M) and A1 down to Hendon. Then, stay right to join the A41 Watford Way when the option comes up. Stay on the A41 as you go through Swiss Cottage.
In half-a-mile, take a right outside St John’s Wood tube station into Grove End Road. This should bring you onto Lisson Grove (A507) and down across the Marylebone Road onto Seymour Place. Turn right for George Street in 0.3 miles, then it’s left almost immediately onto Stourcliffe Street to bring you out onto the A5.
Turn left here to continue heading south. Go round Marble Arch and onto Park Lane. As you come out at Hyde Park Corner, use the two middle lanes to take what’ll be the third exit off the large roundabout; this is for Grosvenor Place.
South London
You’ll be on the A302 at this point and you’ll need to stick with it through Victoria. Here, however, you will need to take Vauxhall Bridge Road (A202) and it should be signposted as such. Cross the Thames by the MI6 building and in front of you will be Vauxhall station.
Take the one-way system round to the right and bear left for South Lambeth Road (A203). In a mile, you’ll come to Stockwell. Here, it’s a right to stay on the A203 towards Clapham. At Clapham North station and by the Clapham North pub, take a left (but not a sharp left) to join Bedford Road (B221).
You’ll come to a roundabout, where you need to go straight over; again for the B221. This brings you to Streatham Hill station; turn right and then left here. It means you’re almost going straight across the junction. You’ll be wanting Leigham Court Road.
At the T-Junction, turn left onto the A214 for 0.4 miles. Then, it’s a right onto the A215. In two-and-a-half miles, you’ll pass under a railway bridge. Here, take the left onto Albert Road. It looks as if the road heads around to the left in front of you in 0.2 miles, but you need to turn right to STAY on Albert Road.
Go over one roundabout and the ground will come up on your left.
We use cookies. Who doesn't? But we have to be boring and make sure you're fine and dandy with it. Cookie SettingsGo On Then
Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Cookie
Duration
Description
_ga
1 year 1 month 4 days
Google Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*
1 year 1 month 4 days
Google Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.
CONSENT
2 years
YouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Cookie
Duration
Description
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
6 months
YouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSC
session
Youtube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devices
never
YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-id
never
YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextId
never
YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requests
never
YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.