Our Under 18s kick off 2025 with a trip to near-neighbours Burnham. They ended 2024, in what was a big year for them and club as a whole with a bang having beaten Windsor & Eton 8-1 at the Rivermoor and their unbeaten run now stands at four games unbeaten.

With two games in hand on the current league leaders and rivals Binfield, our youngsters will be looking to continue their fine form as we begin a new year and close that gap.

ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

Burnham Football Club, founded in 1878, is Buckinghamshire’s second oldest club. After early league success, they joined the Hellenic League in 1971, winning the Premier Division and League Cup in 1975/76. The club later competed in the Athenian and Southern Leagues, achieving promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 2012/13.

In cup competitions, Burnham reached the FA Vase semi-finals in 1982/83 and the FA Cup first round in 2005/06. Recently, they won the 2023/24 Combined Counties League Cup. The club’s 1878 Stadium has been upgraded, including a new 3G pitch in 2021, and aims to foster local talent and community engagement.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Whilst this will be our first competitive meeting with our Buckinghamshire counterparts, we did face-off in a pre-season friendly ahead of the 2023/24 Season which our youngsters won 4-1.

This season marks our first season competing in the Allied Counties Youth Football League Central Division having narrowly missed out on the Combined Counties Football League Tony Ford Under 18 Division West title, having finished third, an incredible feat when many of our youngsters were only aged 15 or 16.

Our opponents however are well-accustomed to the Allied Counties Youth Football League and amongst their club honours is the 2019/20 Allied Counties Youth Football League North Division title.

Our youngsters come in to this game in very good form as they are unbeaten in four and their last game saw us witness an incredible 8-1 win at home to Windsor & Eton, with two games in hand on current league leaders Binfield they’ll be looking to close the gap. Burnham however aren’t having quite the same luck this season and currently sit second from bottom having only won one of their last six games. Their most recent fixture saw them suffer an 2-8 home defeat at the hands of fellow Buckinghamshire club Penn & Tylers Green on the 18th November.

TICKETS

Prices are:

Adults: £5
CONCESSIONS (65+): £3
UNDER 16S: FREE

Cash Only at the Turnstiles

THE 1878 STADIUM

Address: The 1878 Stadium, Wymers Wood Road, Burnham, Slough, SL1 8JG

GETTING HERE

By Car: From Reading take the M4. If leaving Reading from the Junction 12 direction, allow extra time for your journey due to planned roadworks.

From junction 7 of the M4 you need to take a left turn at the roundabout onto the A4 signposted Maidenhead. Go straight through a set of traffic lights and when you reach a roundabout with a Sainsbury’s Superstore on your left, turn right into Lent Rise Road.

Follow this road through the traffic lights, under the railway bridge (height limit 13’3’’), over the double mini roundabouts passing the petrol station on your right.

Continue past the Brickmakers Arms on the right, past The Pheasant on your left, straight through the double roundabouts and then fork right into Wymers Wood Road. Look for the sign Pines Hotel.

The entrance to the 1878 Stadium is 50 yards on the right after turning into Wymers Wood Road.

Burnham have advised that there may be localised flooding as you approach the 1878 Stadium, please drive carefully. 

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Taplow, located approximately 2 miles from the 1878 Stadium, which is an approximate 30-minute walk. Take Elizabeth Line services from Reading.

Once at Taplow Railway Way exit the south entrance.

Head east on Approach Rd toward Station Road, Slight left onto Station Road, turn right onto Institute Road.

Turn left onto Hitcham Road, turn right onto Hitcham Lane, At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Taplow Common Road. Slight right onto Wymers Wood Road, Turn right onto Willow Wood Close. The 1878 Stadium will be on the right.

FACILITIES

Burham have informed us that the bar will be open from 17:30.