Harefield United – the oldest club in Middlesex – played us in our first two Isthmian League seasons. And then we parted ways. We were promoted at the end of the 1985-6 campaign, But the Hares were moved into Division Two South (from the North). As a result, they weren’t around when we came back down two years later. They since left the Isthmian League; deciding to join the Spartan South Midlands League instead.
Harefield United: The Facts
Preston Park
Breakspear Road North, Harefield, London, UB9 6NE
“Harefield” is noted in the Domesday Book as Herefelle. This, apparently, comes from the Anglo-Saxon terms for ‘[Danish] army’ and ‘field’. The things you learn with BoroGuide, eh? The name “Harefield United”, however, does not have such luxurious origins, for the club merely takes its moniker from the village in which you’ll find it. Yet, the Hares can proudly claim to be the oldest club in Middlesex. Founded in 1868, they are just six years younger than Notts County. And that’s quite impressive when you think about it.
The obvious milestone in the Hares’ long tale (from our humble point of view, of course) came in November 1984. It was the club’s debut season in the Servowarm (Isthmian) League Division Two North. It was also the first campaign that Stevenage Borough took part in the competition too. As convention says that two plus two equals four, you’ll soon realise it was in this season that us and them met for the first time. Much like Flackwell Heath, as it goes. Remember them? Our first match against Harefield United took us to Preston Park.
How to get to Harefield United – Travel Information – Distance: 30 miles
By Road
Go round the M25 to Junction 17 and exit the motorway; taking the first exit for the A405. At the next roundabout, take the third exit for Denham. Keep on this road for 1.3 miles. Then, at yet another roundabout, take the first exit for Chalfont Lane; snaking round past the Oaks pub and then onto Copper Mill Lane.
Stay on this road until you come to Harefield Hospital; continuing onto Breakspear Road. The ground will soon be on the right.