Grier's Guide to Oxhey Jets
The game: Oxhey Jets v Kingstonian, FA Cup 1Q. Saturday 4 September, 15:00.
The club: Formed in 1972 as a youth club born out of 2nd Oxhey Boys Brigade, they entered adult football in 1978 and progressed through the local ranks to reach their current league - the step 5 Spartan South Midlands League - in 2005. In 2012 they beat Cheshunt to reach the Herts Senior Cup final, going down to Bishop’s Stortford in the final.
The town: Suburb to the south of Watford, mainly built after World War 2 to house Londoners whose homes had been destroyed in The Blitz or were of poor quality. Famous residents have included Nick Moran, whose acting credits include Harry Potter and Lock Stock; and Paul Field, Olympic bobsleigh rider and the men's champion of Gladiators in 1994.
The ground: The Boundary Stadium, Altham Way, South Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD19 6FW. It has a small stand and some terracing down one touchline, with little on the other three sides. There's not a lot of cover if the weather's bad.
Tickets: £7 adults / £4 concessions / £1 U18s. They're not available online.
Directions: The nearest station is Carpenders Park on the Overground, just under a mile from the ground. You can get there via Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, or from either Bushey or Watford Junction which have fast trains from Euston. The car journey will take at least an hour but potentially a lot longer given the usual congestion on the M25. The Supporters Club is running a coach, departing from Kingsmeadow via Tolworth.
Our record there: The Jets are a completely new opponent for Ks. The nearest neighbours we've played might be Northwood, where in February 2005 we celebrated the end of the Khosla the era the day before by winning 1-0 through a mishit Bashiru Alimi cross in the last minute.
Players to watch: Lewis Putman has bagged three goals in their two FA Cup games so far to see them reach the first qualifying round for the first time since 2011.
Recent form: They've made a fine start to the season with wins over Bitton and step 4 side Didcot Town to reach this stage of the cup, as well as taking four points from their opening two league games. They were second in the league when last season was abandoned and fifth in 2019-20, so are clearly one of the strongest teams in the South Midlands Premier.
Crowd: Home crowds are typically around the 100 mark but with them now on a proper cup run, and with Watford not playing due to the international break, expect a bigger turnout.
Drinking: Local pub the Dick Whittington has a garden, a pool table, and a lengthy dessert and milkshake menu. For a wider choice, Bushey has a cluster of four pubs within a short walk of the station.
Food: A row of shops just round the corner from the ground on LIttle Oxhey Lane includes a chippie, a chicken place and a cafe. Among the many options in Watford is a branch of the new-found love of the Ks/England contingent, Las Iguanas.
