Back in the autumn of 2012 I originally wrote a blog showcasing the many improvements that Guildford City Football Club had made to the Spectrum Sports Ground. This was the year after the club had won promotion to the prestigious Southern Football League. As part of the ground grading improvements, we had provided new covered standing accommodation along with pathways around another two sides of the ground along with an extension of the covered seated area on the Leisure Centre side.

Eight years later the clubs new Board have made even more improvements to the spectator experience with lots more seats, taking the number up to 800 and with plans to provide even more cover.

Let’s take you on an updated tour of Spectrum.

As you enter the Spectrum car park you will see the sign pointing you to the stadium.

The turnstile block is located near the Spectrum Leisure Centre over-flow car park. There are 1000 free car parking spaces at Spectrum and there is also a regular shuttle bus service from Guildford Bus Station (#100 Mon-Fri and #101 weekends). Post covid the #101 is still not currently running as of October 2021 but will hopefully resume at some point. Please check the Surrey County Council website for bus updates.

Spectator entry to the ground. In 2021/22 the club are running a “Football for a Fiver scheme”> More details here.

Once you have entered through the turnstile block you can follow the path down to the Leisure Centre side of the ground (with steps to the upper level, club house, kitchen hatch) or you can follow steps up and around to the other side of the ground.

The next photo is the view from the top of the grass bank looking towards the main spectator accommodation on the Spectrum leisure centre side. Note the new (as of summer 2021) red and white seats providing seating for 800 supporters.

Some close ups of the Spectrum side 

Carry on walking to the far side of the ground, this is the view of the main stand and Leisure Centre side from the A3 side

The covered standing on the A3 side of the ground.

Some more views from the A3 side

Walking back to the Leisure Centre side of the ground you will pass the ladies and gents toilet block and a small basic standing shelter. This shelter was the very first development the club put into the ground way back in 2003 to enable the side to progress from the Surrey Premier League to the Combined Counties League.

 

You can take the steps up to the upper level from here or you can continue along the path past this covered shelter to the clubs main buildings. You will pass the entrance to the club’s small, licensed club house, just past the bar you reach the tea bar serving hatch (hot and cold drinks, burgers, hot dogs, crisps and sweets).

The club house is licensed and usually has a good range of bottled real ale not forgetting the usual lager and cider.

Past the refreshments hatch there is the set of steps to take you to the upper level.

The upper level provides a decent view of the pitch from the 800 seats. There is also standing areas at either end of the upper level.

Guildford City Football Club are not finished improving supporter accommodation, and although we currently only have cover for 250 of the 800 seats this will be increased.

Keep an eye on City’s website and social media for the latest developments.

ONE CLUB, ONE VISION: A FINE FUTURE FOR THE CLUB

Website: www.guildfordcityfc.co.uk

Twitter: @guildfordcity

Facebook: @guildfordcity

Instagram: @guildfordcityfc

OCTOBER 2012

The Spectrum - Home of Guildford City FC

Guildford City FC's Spectrum home has seen some big changes in the last few years. The club's hard work adding the extra facilities to a once very sparse and unwelcoming venue paid off when we finally won promotion to the prestigious Evo-Stik Southern Football League (Division One Central) at the end of 2011/12 season. For 2013/14 the club was moved to the Southern League South-West division.

Panorama of Spectrum's three sides with the turnstile block in the top right hand corner. Club buildings on the right lower ground with the the covered seats on the upper level. On the left one of the standing covers.

As you enter the Spectrum car park from Parkway you will see the sign directing you to our part of the complex.

Here we are at the main entrance to the ground. 

Below, turnstile block from inside the ground.

From here you are faced with the short walk either to the main spectator side or the steps that will take you around the other two sides of the venue. 

Looking to the right........... 

Looking to the left...............

We will first of all take a quick look up the steps and over to A3 side of the ground..........

Then from the top looking towards the pitch.

Then down the steps at the other side.

Here we are at the other side, looking down the length of the pathway.

Here is our latest covered accommodation, completed in March 2013.

 

 

  

We now to retrace our steps back to the Leisure Centre side of the ground

Here are the spectator toilet blocks. Rebuilt 2012.

Next up is some more covered standing accommodation.

Looking up above to the upper level.

Continuing our walk in front of the various club buildings (past the boardroom and first aid/physio room)

In the picture below we are just in front of the canteen hatch, looking towards another set of stairs up to the upper level. Past the gates directly ahead is a no-spectator zone which contains the home, away and officials changing rooms.

 Now we will just double back a bit and poke our heads into our licensed clubhouse. It is quite limited but we try to make the best of what we've got. We usually have at least one real ale available as well as cans of lager, bitter, Guinness, cider etc.

Now we have gone up the stairs to the upper level where we have covered seating for around 250.

Although you are a distance away from the pitch the views from the upper level really are quite good.

The rest of the upper level is uncovered seating for around 800 spectators. OK for sitting on when the weather's fine!

 

  

No apologies for our ground being a shared athletics and football venue. there really is nowhere else in Guildford that we can move to at the moment so for the time being we will continue to make the best of The Spectrum.

Thank You

www.guildfordcityfc.co.uk