Hayes Lane

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Hayes Lane
Hayes Lane Stadium (geograph 3359000).jpg
Hayes Lane
Former namesRELOC8 EM Community Stadium
Location Bromley, Greater London, England, BR2 9EF
Coordinates 51°23′24″N0°01′16″E / 51.39000°N 0.02111°E / 51.39000; 0.02111
Public transit National Rail logo.svg Bromley South
Owner Bromley F.C.
Capacity 5,000 (1,300 seated) [1]
Record attendance10,798
SurfaceGrass
Opened1938 [2]
Tenants
Bromley F.C. (1938–present)
Cray Wanderers F.C. (1998–2024)
Crystal Palace Women (2014–2023)
London City Lionesses (2024–present)

Hayes Lane, currently known as the Copperjax Community Stadium for sponsorship reasons, [3] is a football stadium in Bromley, Greater London, England. Located between Bromley town centre and Hayes, it is the home of Bromley Football Club and London City Lionesses. The current capacity of the ground is 5,000, [4] of which 1,300 is seated and 2,500 covered. [1]

Contents

Hayes Lane in 2018, view from "Cricket Club Side" Hayes lane.jpg
Hayes Lane in 2018, view from "Cricket Club Side"

History

Bromley F.C. moved to Hayes Lane in 1938 from their previous ground, also on the same road. [5] It initially featured a 2,500-seat stand on one side of the pitch, with the remainder of the pitch surrounded by banking. [5] The ground was opened by Stanley Rous on 3 September 1938, with Walthamstow Avenue winning 6–1. [6] The record attendance at the ground of 10,798 was set on 24 September 1948 for a friendly game between Bromley and a Nigeria XI. [5] Floodlights were installed in 1960, and were formally switched on for a game between Japan and an Isthmian League XI on 27 September. [5]

The banking was later replaced by concrete terracing, with both ends of the pitch later covered. [6] The original stand burned down in October 1992, [6] and was replaced by a much smaller 320-seat stand, which was opened the following year. [5] Seats obtained from the London Aquatics Centre were installed behind one goal to meet ground grading regulations after promotion to the National League. [6]

In April 2017 the club announced that work would begin on construction of a 1,450-seat stand at the south end of the ground, and that the playing surface would be converted from grass to 3G. [7] The stand was officially opened on 20 July 2019 and named in honour of former club chairman Glyn Beverly. [8] Following Bromley's promotion to League Two in 2024, the playing surface was reverted to grass in order to comply with league regulations. [9]

Crystal Palace Women played their home games at the stadium between 2014 and 2023. The stadium was also home to Cray Wanderers from 1998 until 2024.

London City Lionesses moved their home to Hayes Lane in 2024.

International football

In 2018, Hayes Lane hosted five games at the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup as follows:

YearDateTeam 1ResultTeam 2Competition
201831 May Flag of Ogaden National Liberation Front(2).svg Barawa 4–0Bicolor flag of Tamil Eelam.svg  Tamil Eelam 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup Group A
20185 June Flag of Turkey.svg London Turkish Select4–0Flag of Tibet.svg  Tibet 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup placement round 1
20185 JuneFlag of Western Armenia.png  Western Armenia 0–4Flag of Szekely Land.svg  Székely Land 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup quarter-final
20187 JuneFlag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg  Abkhazia 2–0Unification flag of Korea.svg  United Koreans in Japan 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup placement round 2
20187 JuneCascadia WM.svg  Cascadia 4–0Flag of Western Armenia.png  Western Armenia 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup placement round 2

References

  1. 1 2 Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2013) Non-League Club Directory 2013: 35th Edition TW Publications, p273
  2. Hayes Lane Football Ground Guide
  3. "Bromley Football Club announces exciting multi-year partnership with Copperjax". Bromley Football Club. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  4. Bromley, Braintree and Bristol Rovers: Who'll be hosting relegated Tranmere Rovers in the Conference National next season Liverpool Echo, 26 April 2015
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Bromley Pyramid Passion
  6. 1 2 3 4 Return of the Bromley Boy David Bauckham, 17 May 2016
  7. Bromley FC announces significant investment into Hayes Lane Bromley F.C., 21 April 2017
  8. Important information: Glyn Beverly stand official opening Bromley F.C.
  9. "Supporters update: May 2024". Bromley Football Club. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.