ABANDONED FOOTBALL STADIUM IN THE HEART OF LONDON

I visited the old abandoned home of Leyton FC in London.
Leyton were a non league football club who went busy in 2011. Over a decade on from their demise, their stadium lays abandoned to this day.
In this video I also briefly saw the home of Leyton Orient FC.
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TWITTER: / the_sam_north
#london #football #abandoned

[@brendos5289]

I watched the Essex Senior Cup Final at the ground in 1981 between my home town club Chelmsford City and Dagenham & Redbridge. The ground was fairly basic, not much seating but had decent covered terrance behind one goal I recall. The playing surface by that stage of the season, March or April, was well worn. Sad to see some of those older clubs go out of existance..oh and we lost 6-2 by the way! 😢

[@GenialHarryGrout]

It's a shame that stadiums like Leyton end up like this. They could be a great sporting asset to the local community, possibly a council run facility

[@SVD978]

That would require that councils actually care

[@rhowell1978]

@@SVD978 Or to actually have spare money available to do that.

[@SVD978]

@@rhowell1978 oh they do. Believe me they do. They just don't care

[@rhowell1978]

@@SVD978 Most of mine of goes towards paying for the police, fire & rescue service, social services & special needs care, transport & infrastructure, refuse collection, housing, parks & recreation, environmental health & street cleaning and the list goes on.

[@SVD978]

@@rhowell1978 sure it does

[@surinamesechicken9780]

That area is the graveyard of a lot of teams, Walthamstow and daganham too. Sad

[@Daisy-yq1gi]

Your passion for older stadiums is fantastic. More please.....

[@pipelinecenter]

Jerry Mungo Really sad to see the stadium as it is now. I was an avid Leyton-Wingate supporter between 1984-86 having briefly moved into the area from Manchester. Absolutely loved the club and all the people associated with it and was fortunate enough to see them win promotion as well as go all the way to the FA Cup 1st Round proper when 500 fans went to see us play at Swansea City. Although I've watched Salford City for many years now - having returned back to my native North West - but I'll never forget the fantastic times I had living in Walthamstow but supporting Leyton-Wingate and not Walthamstow Avenue or Orient! Prior to their merger with Wingate FC the club was originally Leyton FC and then was again in 1992 when Wingate left to merge with Finchley FC. Leyton then merged with Walthamstow Pennant in 1995 to become Leyton Pennant and played at Wadham Lodge who then changed names to Waltham Forest and then finally Walthamstow FC. Just to confuse things even further a revived Leyton FC was formed in 1997 and in 2002 they were recognised as the rightful successors to the original Leyton FC and lasted till 2011 before being finally wound up for good. Just for the record Leyton have never been associated in any shape or form with Walthamstow Avenue, Leytonstone-Ilford, Dagenham, Redbridge Forest or Dagenham & Redbridge. Hope that clears thing up!

[@luxford60]

Fun fact. Before they played at the Hare and Hounds Ground, the one the video is about, Leyton FC played at Brisbane Road. Leyton moved out in 1937 because of financial difficulties and the local council invited Clapton Orient to move in. We'd been sharing a speedway stadium just off Lee Bridge Road since 1930 after dodgy dealings forced us out of Millfirlds Road in Clapton 7 years earlier. Clapton Orient became Leyton Orient in 1947, then just Orient in 1967 and Leyton Orient again since 1987. Orient were foubded in 1881 as a cricket club and relaunched as Orient FC in 1888, the same year Clapton FC relicated to the Okd Spotted Dog ground in Forest Gate. That ground is far from abandoned, though the pub that it's named after is closed and being allowed to decay by the property developer that owns it.

[@pjtufty66]

Brisbane Road was Originally known as Osborne road stadium , while Leyton FC player there . O's Called it Brisbane road after the Main stand was situated on Brissy road.

[@foreignofficeclub5815]

The pub is still open but the restaurant are the ones using the ground as a car park, dump and have a marquee that may or may not be licensed to be there

[@luxford60]

@@foreignofficeclub5815 indeed, the closed pub I mentioned is the Old Spotted Dog in Forest Gate. I understand the confusion though as it is in a comment under a video about The Hare Hare and Hounds Ground.

[@foreignofficeclub5815]

@@luxford60 ah, my apologies mate, thank you for the info.

[@depekthegreat359]

Leyton are one of my favourite respective clubs in England but I am extremely so sad to their demise and their abandoned stadium is a proof,good friends!!!I fully hope to see them being reformed as a phoenix club in years to come by a proper owner who is willing to manage this club as her or his property safely and bring a rivarly of Leyton between Leyton and Leyton Orient,good friends!!!LONG LIVE LEYTON DESPITE AS OF NOW,THEY ARE DIMINISHED!!!🙏

[@neilwiltshire1467]

Really pleased that you finally got to The Hare & Hounds Ground (as I used to know it) and got such incredible access after I tipped you off about it in a Facebook message a couple of years ago - I think it rivals your old local club Aylesbury as THE ultimate Abandoned Stadium ! I saw Billericay Town play here a couple of times and like you it is hard to believe it is still recognisable as a football ground with so much (apart from the floodlights!) still remaining. I hope you got in and out 'unscathed' ok , it's not the sort of area where the locals would let a stranger wander round their property unchallenged :-O ... BTW I know one of the committee at Cray Wanderers quite well, their vintage old ground first used in 1873 is still intact and hosting lower league football, but Cray needed to move to progress in 1998 and have shared at Bromley most of the time since, with a new ground being built. Might make a great video when it is finished ! Message me if you want a contact there ...

[@21hazza]

I looked this ground up on Google maps and I noticed that was the name of the nearest pub😂 I think I'll visit when I get the chance.

[@Ncfc-ek8il]

Mate,when is the move to to the new Cray stadium taking place ? Cheers...

[@neilwiltshire1467]

@@Ncfc-ek8il They started on the work in 2018 but then the plans were scuppered by the Mayor of London and had to be re-approved which they were eventually, then like a lot of things in the last two years, everything went on hold, so I am pretty sure they will still be at Bromley for this season with hopes of finally moving in ready for 2023-24

[@m123c456r789]

Up the blues, come on billericay boys.

[@wsg8283]

Come on Cray Wanderers!

[@thirdratecontent585]

“I find these places so intriguing” So do I. Brilliant location splendid video thanks for sharing

[@albertbrace7553]

Would love to see a Thurrock FC Ship Lane abandoned stadium video

[@21hazza]

Interesting, I didn't know about this. You should do a video on Basingstoke town and visit the Camrose , another abandoned stadium.

[@charliehasler2457]

I played for Leyton and it was a lovely club but the owners were shocking and stripped the club

[@theabandonedhunter3604]

Great video, really interesting watch! It’s a shame really. I haven’t been to Leyton Orient before but might visit next season when my team play them.

[@grahamshedd]

Used to watch Leyton FC with my dad and brother in mid sixties before we allowed to go to Leyton Orient in 65. Basically I think our dad was seeing if we could behave at a game for the length of time before seeing his beloved Leyton Orient. Played there in mid 70’s numerous times. Shame to see what it’s like now.

[@worldVHS]

Lights are still on in that stand and you never mentioned it

[@brbbloke3223]

My mate Chris played for them back in the 1980s , they used to be called Leyton & WindGate i think.

[@brbbloke3223]

It’s currently used as a party hire venue & the old pitch is the parking lot.

[@darrenkearns8644]

Hey Sam love the vids & also will you or do you have any plans to visit QPR at Loftus Road someday .

[@eduardorogel1243]

Love your videos thank you for all the adventures!

[@gaary1969]

great video once again my friend, I went to Leyton FC a few times when I lived in London, nice club shame to see it like this, it had well maintained stands and an excellent grass pitch

[@peterlaws8523]

That brings back some memories. I played there between 1999 and 2001 . Rolls cray and Stewart margolies was the 2 managers I played for . We got promoted from herts and Essex div 1 to the herts and essex prem. Happy memories.....

[@stewartmcfarlane2008]

Fascinating video. The ground is still recognizably a footie stadium. Looks like it is now used for white van driver training. I vaguely remember Leyton FC but never saw them play. I played amateur football with a guy who was a Leyton Orient supporter and another who was Brentford, and had trials with them as a youngster. They have done OK without him. Well done with the quote by Paul Guise, below from Porridge in the 70's about a lad having trials with Leyton Orient.

[@ryanoconnor5612]

Great work going around in this heat! 👏

[@suyosq2]

You're brave going into that one. I went about a month before you, and was approached by several men from the business that backs onto it and asked (told) to leave immediately, within about 25 seconds of being there.

[@SVD978]

To which I'd ignore em and go have a look anyway. It's not illegal

[@paulguise698]

Hiya Sam, this is a quote off the 1970s series porridge, He used to have trials for Leyton Orient, before he had trials for shoplifting, the council could make these abandoned stadiums into flats for homeless people, there's plenty of land, same as the ground in Ireland where you were recently, this is Choppy in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England

[@garethcrophisnelly6012]

I remember watching Orient's first team lose at the Hare and Hounds to Leyton Wingate in the late 80's in a pre-season friendly. Its terrible what has happened to the place.

[@malikjahangir6272]

leyton fc ground is now used as a car park for saffron restaurant next door

[@paulgray3065]

I do believe that this team was one of the forerunners of Dagenham & Redbridge. I know that Leyton amalgamated with Leytonstone and Walthamstow Avenue to create Redbridge Forest and that team eventually merged with Dagenham to create Dagenham & Redbridge FC. See Dagenham & Refbridge on Wikipedia. Also i read online that there is a campaign to revive Leyton FC so the stadium could be used for that in the future.

[@luxford60]

No. Local rivals Leytonstone were one of the clubs that merged into what is now Dagenham and Redbridge. Walthamstow FC currently claim descent from Leyton FC.

[@paulgray3065]

@@luxford60 I was only reiterating what i found on wikipedia.

[@paulguise698]

Hiya Paul, Me, Mam and Dad were watching the football results about 15 years ago, it was like Newcastle 2 Southampton 0, Manchester United 3 Everton 1, well Dag and Red score came up, Mam said "what's this Dog and Red" I was helpless laughing, Dad said "don't you mean Dagenham and Redbridge", that season Dagenham and Redbridge got promoted into the football league, so I went to Carlisle and watched Carlisle beat Dagenham and Redbridge 3-1, anytime Dag and Red won Dad would say to Mam "Dog and R have won again", this is Choppy in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England

[@allanbrown8925]

The original Leyton moved out in the 90s and amalgamated with Walthamstow Pennant to form Leyton Pennant. They are now just called Walthamstow and are in the Southern League. They have 1868 on their shirt badge and their website says they were founded in 1868 as Leyton. The club that played at the Hare and Hounds after they left was founded owned and run by a local gangster and collapsed when he was sent to prison for seven years for VAT fraud.

[@m-s9728]

First time I saw this ground was on the Grounds for Concern blog by that Dulwich Hamlet supporter. Good to see a video about the ground!

[@angelicupstart1977]

Garry mate, great video, Leyton Monk FC 👍

[@MasonMsotsos]

Abandoned stadiums might be the coolest videos of them all

[@darrenfearn8587]

Any chance of you doing a Millwall one mate??. Keep up the good work 👍🏻

[@Ballsdeepsport]

Just go to any landfill site in England, and it could double for the Den.

[@darrenfearn8587]

@@Ballsdeepsport what a funny geezer you are. You hamsters still enjoying the tax payers arena ?

[@patspadd8243]

Hiya Sam and there’s several non league clubs with the name Leyton in its title Leighton town fc from Leighton buzzard from your county Bedfordshire and May I suggest you do the former and current grounds of Tooting and mitcham Utd fc as they’re my favourite non league and good video you’ve done thanks and cheerio

[@only1hawky]

I used to actively support a non-league football club, Kingstonian, and I’m quite sure that I visited this particular ground when we played away in the league to Leyton-Wingate FC (as they were then known). I can’t remember much other than that it was a very difficult ground to go to and get a result, especially as far as Kingstonian were concerned! Like you, with the exorbitant price of land in London, I’m quite surprised that so much of the physical infrastructure of the club still remains, almost hidden in plain sight. A fascinating yet sad tale, of which there must be plenty.

[@rongriffiths3801]

Very enjoyable video ....farewell Leyton F C long live Leyton Orient!

[@kevinmoore49]

I remember this ground well Sam my team Cheshunt used to be in the same league as Leyton and had a few battles with them on the pitch when we were both going for promotion. The owner Costas was a bit dodgy let me say, he went to prison for financial irregularities and unfortuately he is dead now but he never done me any harm. I remember after one game there my friend was on the Cheshunt commitee and Costas kept buying us beers after the match so he couldn't have been that bad, mind you Leyton did beat us :)

[@colinbleach9390]

Excellent video

[@Marabout75]

Remember them back in day, sad they went out of business and nobody stepped up to save them, hope they get revived as they have the stadium foundations still existing... You should visit Coles Park, White Hart Lane, home of Haringey Borough FC, they have long rooted history,John Bacon, club secretary for 50 years+... last thing COME ON YOU Os🇲🇺N15

[@harold6863]

Love your videos this one so sad

[@AB-kx4nc]

Great video AGAIN

[@aroundthegrounds4425]

Love this!

[@garydobbs2085]

Why the lights on in one of the stands? Freaky

[@LordZontar]

Looks like the place had gotten overgrown but that some redevelopment had begun. There are skips within the ground so clearance of debris is or at least was underway. Likely they sent in mowers to cut down the overgrowth on the pitch sometime before you made your visit there so everything would be accessible. But you can clearly see signs within the minor stands of the overgrowth that must have occurred.

[@JOEJOETOTTENHAM]

Walthamstow avenue...Simply the best !!!

[@foreignofficeclub5815]

I was there a month ago, the main stand, hidden behind the marquee still looked decent

[@Algerzill]

Hello Footy mate if are free can u do a Nottingham forest stadium tour. Would like to know more about the City ground

[@markpitts8936]

There used to be a Leyton Wingate FC in the 80’s, not sure if they still going. My firm played a cup final there and another one at Southall (Western Road).

[@capitalproperty9996]

You could try a woodford town ground abandoned video only a small ground but they all had there own character , played a few games on it and orient played woodford in the F.A cup in the late 1980s was a few thousand at the game

[@all-england-r-we5071]

Love your videos mate Rangers.....same ground.....same fans......same club,As a Halifax Town fan (we're the same club too lol).....could you do some Yorkshire clubs please

[@chrissurridge1009]

Played at Leyton Wingate a few times ...last time 2006 in a charity match in which my team raised £3000 for tsunami victims ...also hare and hounds was my local for many years and I had my wedding reception in the Wingate...

[@RossParker1877]

Should do a video about Green Lane, Stand Athletic that you can see from the East Lancs Railway near Bury when you're next in that area. Some story

[@mikea3366]

There was actually another stadium not far from there on priory Court in Walthamstow, it was Walthamstow avenue I think, they once hosted Manchester utd in 1954 I think it was.

[@j7ude]

I support leyton orient :)

[@geoffpoole483]

Sam, any plans on a video about Corinthians? I think their ground is in south London. The club has links with the arguably more successful club of that name in Brazil. Leyton's ground could become a valued community asset but I'm surprised it hasn't been turned into an apartment complex.

[@garyweir8587]

Yup! Corinthian-Casuals are in Tolworth, South West London. Sam should visit and go see a match if he's still in London and get a briefing about it's link to Brazil and it's rich history as pioneers of the game.

[@awhiskybond8545]

Some of that could be salvaged. Mental to Think the amount of skint lower league teams that could benefit with those seats etc.

[@walsh451]

Southend were the rivals for many years, West Ham in recent years with the move to Stratford

[@avfc1flybo]

My Village team has gone from there ground Pelsall Villa. new play is walsall wood west mids

[@luxford60]

The marquee on the pitch is used for things like wedding receptions.

[@DavidUKesb]

I've seen a game there when they were called Leyton Wingate in the 80s. Isn't the ground in Clapton?

[@stephenlaws1836]

Lea Bridge Road, Leyton E10

[@alexroutmaster]

I remember seeing few games there

[@DonDada011]

the way Barcelona is run i wont be surprised to see you there in the next couple years

[@ltfcforever4733]

How about doing the stadiums in Staffordshire?

[@greggmcswiggan6057]

Does anyone know what the tents are used for? Why are the lights still on in one of the stands?

[@richardtester1666]

Tents are part of an asian restaurant at the back - The Football Trimmings

[@greggmcswiggan6057]

@@richardtester1666 Thank you.

[@clivehulbert6083]

I watched a match there in 2005 there was hardly anybody watching that day and a very low attendance .And I think a nightclub or social club next door owned them

[@Chris-qw3zt]

Up the O's

[@herlawman]

You should go to Hanwell Town!

[@Overkill2008]

You should go visit the old den and the new den

[@chalkywhite11]

Looking forward to you doing goodison park before it falls down

[@paulguise698]

Hiya Jason, I think Sam already has

[@MohsniLegend]

Southend fan here, if you ever want to do our club let me know!

[@emmastump2157]

As a Charlton fan I found this video very sobering - this could easily have happened to the Valley back in the 80s.

[@kokobwild2413]

Why are the lights still on in the stand?

[@warrensteamtalk]

Be careful if you do a video about Cray Wanderers it is a very tough area.

[@hostiletilly26]

you should visit millwall

[@biltom8]

mate ur brave walking round leyton with a camera

[@timewithoutconsequence4611]

I could be wrong. We’re some of lights still on in the terraces?

[@paulguise698]

I think it was the sun shining onto the lights

[@willbee6785]

Who left the lights on?

[@RangersMan1872]

I think the berries are called Brambles

[@davidpettitt9532]

Look at Leyton fc website to see it originally

[@paulhill1665]

There is another abandoned stadium close to me, for a club formed in 1879, interested?

[@maynardglam]

Disappointed you didn’t go inside BPA old ground

[@andrewsumner9600]

You need some high factor spud

[@bblair2627]

It still looks better than Fir Park

[@LesD9]

Ah, Leighton, the 'Heart' of London.!!! Wrong on both counts.

[@ciangoatedfr]

Say hello cian sam

[@norriepedersen8215]

Pity you didn't visit the supporters' club bar, there's great cask ale in there. 😉🍻

[@norriepedersen8215]

I mean at Orient.

[@martinlongley4316]

Very true,cracking ale in the bar

[@mwaylingify]

I have played there about 10 times if you do Leyton orient let me no

[@ianhague8292]

Resurrect the Club? GO! LILLYWHITES!!! 😊

[@rabbelfast646]

Prawn sandwich brigade lol

[@lewisjohnston7077]

Leyton Orient local neighbours be West Ham United.

[@BoneStar]

Tottenham nearer

[@johnlaurie5786]

Rangers never went bust and had to start again. I thought you’d know this since we’re the team you’ve visited most. Our history is intact. We were recently presented a trophy from UEFA celebrating our 150th anniversary. You listen to far too many Rangers haters, Jealous of our success.

[@johnlaurie5786]

@SeanL94 Sevco is the former name of a company, The same as pacific shelf 595 is the former name of a company at the chamber of secrets.

[@johnbarclay5964]

Does nobody in Scotland understand the word liquidation, which is used to forgo your legitiment. debts, if you don't liquidate you have to pay your outstanding debts, you cannot have it both ways , I'm a CEO who buys and takes over such said companies and I can't see the problem , is the indoctrination (SNP) clouding people's conception, which seems only to have occurred in Scotland , the education system in Scotland used to be world class , what's happened ,bias, bigotry, secterianism one of the three I presume,

[@ClassyRatedPG]

Hashtag United should buy this land

[@bohsgerry]

west ham

[@barrybrooks7492]

Another crying shame but on a more positive note get yourself to oldham v Dorking first home game of the season with our new owner their now the crowd and atmosphere will be even more electric than normal

[@charliehasler2457]

They folded due to a £750 tax bill 😔

[@patspadd8243]

Sorry I meant favourite non league club thanks

[@nonrevnosnibormetalbeerrev6251]

Rangers are still the same club ffs, uefa even acknowledged the argument 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@kevinriddell2105]

They were never liquidated. They were sold to a new company and started at the lowest level in 2012/13.

[@trevorwilliams7279]

Leyton wignot

[@Listmebro]

First

[@jongardner8264]

👊 𝓟Ř𝔬𝓂𝔬𝐒ϻ

[@ryanteacher8134]

Mate I mean this with nothing but love, but I hope you are using plenty of sun lotion on your face! You are obviously outside a lot filming content, so look after your skin. Some angles in this vid really show off some signs of sun damage mate.