Suburbia bound...

Away to Harrow borough tonight...it's not as bad as it sounds! And surprisingly easy to get to....

Some of our fans don't like going to Harrow Borough, but that may be more to do with the fact it's slap bang in the middle of suburbia, with no pubs really near the ground, rather than Earlsmead Stadium itself.

The ground is decent enough, open terracing a both ends, cover on both sides, and a homely club house. Don't take my word for it, CLICK HERE to see the place, if you've not made the trip across London yet, these photos are almost ten years old, but the ground hasn't changed since then.

Harrow Borough play home matches at Earlsmead Stadium, Earlsmead, Carlyon Avenue, South Harrow, Middlesex...with the all-important postcode for those driving to put into their SatNavs being HA2 8SS.

By Public Transport Harrow Borough Football Club is near to South Harrow (Piccadilly Line), Rayners Lane (Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines), Northolt (Central Line) and Northolt Park (Mainline from Marylebone).

My preferred route from South London is to get the tube to Marylebone, this takes only fifteen minutes from Elephant & Castle. Or go to Baker Street on the Jubilee Line, for example, and change onto the Bakerloo there, Baker Street being only one short stop before Marylebone.

From Marylebone Station there are plenty of trains to Northolt Park, and it's an Oyster/Travelcard game, being in Zone Five. If heading from work just for the match I'd suggest either the 18:04 [arriving at 18:20]; the 18:24 [18:35]; with the last suggested one to head for the 18:56 [19:09].

After the match there's a bit of wait, the trains only being hourly after the match. The first one back from Northolt Park to head for after the final whistle being the 22:18, which arrives at Marylebone at 22:36; which is still not bad for a midweek away game. That will give you time for a swift, hopefully celebratory, post-match pint in the Club House, or head back to the station and grab a bite to eat in one of the number of takeaways in the parade of shops opposite. I usually pop into the Chinese takeaway myself...

If you choose to stay a bit longer in their bar then the train times to keep an eye on are the 23:34 [23;53 arrival] with the very last late one being the 23:53, getting to Marylebone at eleven minutes past midnight, which will still give you time for the last tubes, the last southbound Bakerloo service being at twenty five past.

According to the Harrow Borough website its is only a five minute walk to the ground from Northolt Park Station, but make sure you allow more than that, as that timing must have been suggested by a car driver! It's actually between ten and fifteen minutes, depending on how fast you stroll. The walk is flat and easy. When leaving the station, cross over the footbridge over the platform to the other side and turn left down the footpath the the bottom of the road. Cross over the road as if going straight ahead, as in NOT left under the bridge, NOR right to the parade of shops we mentioned. Go a few yards, this is on Alexandra Avenue. Then take a left into into Somervell Road. This will fork to the left where there's a grass patch triangle. You want the right into Carlyon Avenue, and Earlsmead is the second turning on the left.

If choosing to come from central London all the way by Underground, here are the details from the two nearest stations, taken from their official website:

From South Harrow Station, it is approximately 20 minutes walk to the stadium, or bus routes 140,114 or H9 take you to within a few minutes walk of the ground (114 or H9 being the nearest). The 140 should be taken in the direction of Heathrow and Hayes, leaving the bus at Alexandra Avenue. The 114 should be taken in the direction of Ruislip, leaving the bus at the "Kings Road " Stop, the same stop if on the H9. It is then a 5-minute walk to the stadium.
Regular buses from Rayners Lane Station (H10 direction South Harrow Station), run as far as the junction of Eastcote Lane and Carlyon Avenue. From Northolt Station, route 282 runs to the end of Somervell Road. Route 140 (direction Harrow) takes you as far as the junction of Alexandra Avenue and Northolt Road.

As mentioned, drinkwise, there's not much local to the ground, so try the Clubhouse. If you're a bit early and fancy a pre-match craft ale or two, the Hope and Vine Bar has been suggest, which is close to Ruislip station, by one of our fans on the independent Urban messgaeboard. They don't have a website to link to, but do have a Facebook page.

Culture wise, I'm not entirely sure what's local. There is, of course, the famous and elitist public school in Harrow; not a building I've been to before. One place I have been to quite a few times now, on the way to Northolt Park on the train, and worth doing, if you have the afternoon off, would be a tour of this ground...albeit not cheap at twenty quid a pop.

As a cheap alternative, as in totally free, but also not too far away in the Wembley area, is the amazing Shri Swaninarayan Mandir, the huge Hindu temple in Neasden.

Whatever you do today, whether stuck at work, not in work, or just having a day off...the most important thing is you get over to Harrow Borough tonight to cheer on The Hamlet, as we look to another three points on the board, following on straight after our excellent four nil victory over Leatherhead on Saturday.

See you there!