Civil Service

Despite being one of the oldest clubs in the country most people haven't even heard of Civil Service. They play in the Southern Amateur League Senior Division Two; which sits outside the official non-league pyramid, affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance. I saw a game here toward the end of the 2010/11 season, when they had an early kick off midweek fixture against BB Eagles. Technically their 'away' match, but the game was switched to their home ground, in Chiswick. The ground itself is very basic, as the AFA ethos is more geared towards hospitality & fair play, with no real spectator facilities. Civil Service is the exception, as they are one of the few AFA sides with a small stand.



The entrance down the ground is along this driveway.



A former civil service sportsground, it is now called King's House Sports Ground, after the school that owns it.



Here we see the main club house & changing rooms, by the rugby pitch. The football pitches are at the other end of the complex.



Here we are by the football pitches, looking back to the main building, with some training lights in the picture.



This is the corner of the main one, the small stand, with changing rooms behind it, on this side.



The stand, changing rooms behind it, the 'tunnel' in the middle of the benches.



Back at the corner, it is an open pitch, not even roped off.



Moving behind the goal, past the post we see the small stand.



At the next corner we glance all the way down the touchline.



Over the halfway line, to the stand.



Behind us are some of the other numbered pitches.



Down at the other end now, corner flag shot, toward the stand.



Right behind the net.



Brief tour almost over, nearly at the final corner. Note the changing rooms behind the stand. Very basic & small. It's almost as if football is the poor relation to the other sports that are staged here. There is also a small office/hut behind the stand. I peeked in, it was somewhat untidy, I didn't stop tp nose about, as I wasn't sure if I should have been there at all.



There were a few old photos in there, which gave you a tantalising glimpse of the proud history of the club, here is just one of them.



As the sun starts to set we look across the sportsfield, from the stand side.



So that completes our brief tour of this venue, not the easiest thing to so, as it is really a sports field, rather than what we might generally term as a ground. So there now a few extra action shots to make up.































A final look at the stand.