Ebbsfleet and why we do it!
Jake Watson • 15 May 2025
Ebbsfleet and why we do it!
We have had a number of requests as to why we have taken a little break from the Cherry Red Records Stadium during the season in the past 4 years and headed to the Kuflink Stadium in Ebbsfleet - so we're going to break it down for you!
When sharing a stadium with a football team who play the bulk of their season during the winter, there is always going to be a level of complication when it comes to the football offseason and the condition of their pitch ahead of the next season. Therefore, for the couple of months which AFC Wimbledon need to take care of their pitch to make sure that it is in optimal condition ahead of the new season, we need a temporary new home to play our games, and this is where Ebbsfleet United FC comes in.
Luckily, when searching for a temporary home in 2022 during our first year at Wimbledon we came across Ebbsfleet United & CEO Damian Irvine, an Australian who has previously been the chairman of NRL side Cronulla Sharks in addition to working with English Rugby League teams Bradford Bulls & Hunslet RLFC who was more than happy to establish a relationship with the Broncos to bring Rugby League to Kent.
The Cherry Red Records Stadium is being re-laid:
As you know, we share the Cherry Red Records stadium with our good friends AFC Wimbledon, whose season runs at a different time to ours (between July-May). Therefore, in the 3 month break which they have between seasons, they need time to resurface the pitch to ensure that it is in peak condition for the beginning of their next season and because of this, we look to play elsewhere to make sure that the pitch is resurfaced as efficiently as possible.
An opportunity to introduce and establish Rugby League in more areas 'down south':
Taking “home” games to other venues is something regularly and successfully done in the NRL to help promote the game to other parts of the country.
For many years, the Broncos have worked extremely hard to establish Rugby League not just within London but across the South of England in its entirety. With this in mind, we have looked at the need to have a couple of games away from Wimbledon each season as a fantastic opportunity to introduce a new area to Rugby League and we have found Ebbsfleet to be somewhere that has taken to the sport and gathered a strong new support for the Broncos very quickly. Therefore, we have been and will continue to be very happy to host games at this location in the hopes that this growth in support for both the game and the team continues to rise.
Journey times from London to Ebbsfleet are easy:
Another reason behind our trips to Ebbsfleet across the past couple of years have been the easy journey which fans can take to the Kuflink Stadium. From Kings Cross St. Pancras, the journey directly to Ebbsfleet is only 15 minutes long, a similar sort of journey time that fans have for their trip to Wimbledon for our regular home games. Due to this ease in travel, we have had much positive feedback from our fans in London which has helped us in deciding to continue playing at Ebbsfleet into the 2024 season.
We have enjoyed some fantastic results at Ebbsfleet in recent years and look forward to building on those this July with Halifax and Doncaster the visitors.
Tickets for both games can be purchased from the link below.
#WeAreLondon
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POST-MATCH: Mike Eccles post Toulouse defeat Get the thoughts of London Broncos head coach Mike Eccles following the narrow 18-24 defeat to Toulouse Olympique at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. Liam Tindall scored his 10th and 11th tries of the season and Jack Smith converted one and kicked 4 from 5 penalties. Watch the full interview with Mike below. #WeAreLondon
TEAM NEWS: London Broncos vs Toulouse Olympique Mike Eccles has named his starting line-up for this afternoon's game with Toulouse Olympique. Charlie Robson comes in to make his debut as Jack Smith moves into centre replacing Aaron Small. #WeAreLondon
MATCH PREVIEW: London Broncos vs Toulouse Olympique After the win over Barrow Raiders at the weekend, London Broncos are back at The Cherry Red Records again on Sunday as they welcome Toulouse Olympique to the capital. The two sides met back in June in a tightly contested game in Toulouse with the French side running out narrow winners. Take a look through this week’s Match Preview as we give you all the key information you need ahead of kick-off. SQUAD INFO Mike Eccles has named his 21-man squad for Sunday's fixture with Toulouse Olympique at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. Webster-Mansfield & Polselli remain unavailable through injury so returning to the 21 is Jensen Monk and Ted Davidson.
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Matchday Guide: Toulouse Olympique We are excited to be able to share the matchday guide with you for our match on Saturday to ensure you have the best possible experience backing the Broncos against Toulouse Olympique. Important times to note: 11:00- Gates open. 11:00 – Hospitality opens 13:00- London Broncos vs Toulouse KO CIRCA 13:40- London Broncos vs Toulouse HT CIRCA 14:35- London Broncos vs Toulouse FT 15:30 – Hospitality Last Orders 16:00 – Hospitality Closes
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: London Broncos vs Toulouse Olympique Mike Eccles has named his 21-man squad for Sunday's fixture with Toulouse Olympique at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. Webster-Mansfield & Polselli remain unavailable through injury so returning to the 21 is Jensen Monk and Ted Davidson. Keep scrolling to get your tickets for Sunday' game.
