Grier's Updated Guide to Wingate and Finchley
The match: Wingate and Finchley v Kingstonian, Isthmian League. Tuesday 24 January, 19:45.
The club: Formed in 1991 by a merger of Wingate FC, a Jewish club established in 1946 with the aim of tackling antisemitism, and Finchley FC, who traced their roots all the way back to 1874. Margaret Thatcher, then the MP for Finchley, was the club's first patron having been involved in the merger. They've been an Isthmian Premier mainstay since 2011, having secured promotion in the same season as winning a League Cup-London Senior Cup double.
The town: Finchley is a North London suburb where Charles Dickens wrote Martin Chuzzlewit. Wingate is not a place at all but instead is the name of a British Army officer after whom Wingate FC was named.
The ground: The Maurice Rebak Stadium, Summers Lane, Finchley, N12 0PD. The art deco main stand offers a good view despite being set some distance back from the pitch, while one of the goals has a compact, covered terrace behind it.
Directions: It's a mile's walk from West Finchley (Northern Line, just over half an hour from Waterloo) down quiet residential streets, or you can get a bus from either Finchley Central (382) or Highgate (263). For those braving the (probably heavy) traffic to drive it's just off the North Circular on the other side of London. The small car park is only for players and officials but there's street parking on the roads around the ground.
Tickets: £12 adults; £6 concessions; U18s free. Premier League and WSL season ticket holders get in for half price.
Our record there: It's a ground we generally have a decent record at, although it was a 3 1 defeat there last season which punctured our unbeaten start to the season.
Players to watch: Former Sutton striker Dylan Kearney has scored 12 for them already this season. They've used 43 players so far as they've struggled to keep a settled side but the recent signing of former Dulwich star Reise Allassani has boosted their attacking options.
Recent form: Just below us in the league table making this an archetypal relegation six-pointer. They've shown a habit in the past of narrowly escaping the drop, including in 2019 under Spencer Knight's management.
Crowd: Wingate don't get big crowds - some of our trips there, especially midweek, have seen some of our lowest league attendances of modern times.
Drinking: The Elephant Inn, a Fuller's Pub that also does Thai food, is our usual favourite and worth a short detour if coming from West Finchley.
Food: The Great North Leisure Park multiplex has a few fast food options round the corner from the ground.
