Maidenhead United v West Ham United U21s
Pre-Season Match, York Road, Wednesday 24 July 2024, 7.30pm BST
West Ham United U21s continue their pre-season campaign with an away trip to Maidenhead United on Wednesday evening.
Having kickstarted their summer schedule against the Magpies’ National League rivals Ebsfleet United at the weekend, the young Hammers head to Maidenhead’s York Road, the oldest football ground continuously used by the same club, to face senior opposition once again.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online HERE, priced at £10 for Adults, £5 for Concessions (Students and over 65s), and £3 for U17s (U14s must be accompanied by an adult).
Travel
The postcode for York Road is SL6 1SF.
To access the ground via public transport, fans travelling from Essex and east London can take the Elizabeth Line all the way to Maidenhead station, conveniently situated just six minutes from the stadium by foot.
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.
How To Follow
Our match against Maidenhead United will not be live-streamed.
However, a live blog will be available on the Club’s website and app, while a match report and reaction will follow shortly after the full-time whistle.
Opposition
In the opposing dugout, Maidenhead Head Coach Alan Devonshire will be a familiar face for Hammers fans. An integral part of West Ham United’s last FA Cup-winning squad, having scored in their semi-final replay and assisted Trevor Brooking’s goal in the final against Arsenal, Devonshire made 358 appearances in Claret and Blue over a 14-year spell.
One of the longest-serving managers in English football, Devonshire guided Maidenhead to promotion to the National League in 2017, marking the highest divisional ranking the Magpies have held in the club’s history.
Ahead of their eighth consecutive season in the English fifth tier, the team from Berkshire are on an impressive pre-season run with a 100 per cent record, scoring 17 goals and keeping clean sheets in each of their first four games.
Wednesday’s fixture against the U21s will be the first time Maidenhead welcome their home fans to York Road since finishing 14th in the 2023/24 National League.
Coach's View
One of the many Hammers inspired by Devonshire's exploits at West Ham is U21s Lead Coach Mark Robson, who is relishing the opportunity to go up against one of his childhood heroes.
He said: "Dev was one of my idols growing up. I used to love watching him play. As a winger myself, I drew a lot of inspiration from his game. A real top, top player for the Hammers. I’m really looking forward to going up against one of his teams."
Despite the result in their first pre-season fixture against Ebbsfleet United, Robson and his coaching staff were pleased with what they saw, insisting minutes in the legs is the name of the game.
"We were all really pleased with what we saw, from the goalkeeper, right the way through," he continued. "We just need to sustain that level of performance and intensity throughout the 90 minutes, which will naturally come as we progress through the pre-season."
As was the case against Ebbsfleet, there will be some conspicuous absentees in the squad with a handful of players joining the first team for their pre-season Sunshine State Tour. With a number of the young Hammers Stateside, Robson will once again be giving the opportunity to some of the U18s to test themselves against senior opposition.
Robson added: "It’s fantastic that we’ve got so many boys who have been given the opportunity by the Head Coach. I’ve heard that they’ve acquitted themselves well. With them away, it gives us the opportunity to look at some of our younger ones. So far, it’s been a great experience for them. It’s challenging because they’re up against players who are much stronger than what they’re used to, but this is the next step in their development. It’s a great opportunity. Our expectation is for them to express themselves, to be the best they can be, to play without fear, and most importantly, to enjoy it."
Last Time Out
The U21s kicked off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Ebbsfleet United.
With the match coinciding with West Ham United’s fixture against Dagenham & Redbridge, many of the young Hammers made the short trip to Chigwell Construction Stadium with the first team, allowing Lead Coach Mark Robson to give some of the younger players a run out.
Despite a courageous showing, the Development Squad were unable to outmanoeuvre their physically-superior opponents who recorded their third consecutive victory of their pre-season campaign.
With minutes in the legs, the U21s will be looking to record their first victory of the new season in Maidenhead.
