Stonebridge Road

Image:Stonebridge PloughEnd.jpg

The stadium has a capacity of 4,769 people.

{{cite web

| last = Oliver

| first = Pete

| title = Blue Square Premier form guide

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 2007-08-08

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/6935019.stm

| accessdate = 2008-05-24 }} The average attendance for Ebbsfleet United home ties at Stonebridge Road was 1,165 in the 2006-2007 season.

When the Fleet plays at Stonebridge Road, the home supporters typically sit in the Main Stand or in the Plough End. Both those seating areas are covered, although seats were not installed in the Plough End, which is also called the Northfleet End, until 2006. Home fans also stand in the terraced Stonebridge Road Stand, which runs along the length of the pitch on the side of the stadium closest to the street and which is also covered. Away supporters typically stand in the Swanscombe End, which is an open terrace.

The pitch size at Stonebridge Road is 112 by 72 yards for football matches, and the pitch is presently maintained by groundsman Peter Norton.

{{cite web

| title = Beat the weather - myfootballclub.co.uk

| publisher = YouTube

| date = 2008-04-23

| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8EKFUnacns

| accessdate = 2008-05-28 }}

The postcode (for maps and directions) of Stonebridge Road is DA11 9GN.

{{cite web| title =Ebbsfleet United Ground Guide| publisher =The Football Supporters Federation| url =http://www.fsf.org.uk/ground-guide/stadiums/ebbsfleet-united/stonebridge-road/| access-date =2008-05-23| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071014213427/http://fsf.org.uk/ground-guide/stadiums/ebbsfleet-united/stonebridge-road/| archive-date =14 October 2007}}

File:Kuflink Stadium.jpg configuration prior to a London Broncos match in July 2022]]

Ebbsfleet United, then called Gravesend and Northfleet F.C., played its first ever match after the merger of the two Kent clubs at Stonebridge Road in August 1946 against Hereford United. The Fleet won that first match 3–0 with more than 5,000 fans in attendance.{{cite web |title=Concise history of the Fleet |publisher=Ebbsfleet United F.C. Official Website |url=http://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/eufc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=143 |accessdate=2008-05-28}}{{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} The stadium's record attendance is 12,032, which was achieved against Sunderland in February 1963 in an FA Cup Fourth Round tie.

In April 2002, the Fleet gained promotion to the top level of non-league football, the Conference National, by defeating Bedford Town on the last day of the season at The New Eyrie. The season also saw the highest modern day attendance at Stonebridge Road, an official figure of 4,068 spectators was announced for the game was against title rivals Canvey Island, although unofficial estimates put the number closer to 6,000 fans.

Following the club's victory in the FA Trophy in May 2008, the parade honouring Ebbsfleet United's victorious squad started at Stonebridge Road.

{{cite web

| title = Route update: Fleet's Trophy heroes take to the streets

| publisher = Gravesham Borough Council Official Website

| date = 2008-05-14

| url = http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4338

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20121224034245/http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4338

| url-status = dead

| archive-date = 2012-12-24

| access-date = 2008-05-28 }}

In July 2014, the construction company PHB agreed a sponsorship deal with the club to rename the stadium as The PHB Stadium, Stonebridge Road. A new sponsorship deal for stadium naming rights was struck in 2017 and the ground is currently The Kuflink Stadium.

{{Cite web

| url=https://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/fleet-announce-stadium-sponsorship-deal-with-kuflink/

| title=Fleet announce stadium sponsorship deal with Kuflink

| work=Ebbsfleet United

| date=17 October 2017

| accessdate=22 March 2018

}}

In August 2009 proposals for a new stadium as part of redevelopments in the local areas were rejected by Kent County Council and Gravesham Borough Council.{{cite web|title=Hopes dashed for Fleet stadium |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=2009-08-24 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/teams/e/ebbsfleet/8218134.stmnewsinkent8188.aspx?news=sport |accessdate=10 September 2008 }}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} After the owners of the freehold put the site up for auction on 21 September,

{{cite web

|title = FOOTBALL STADIUM & COMMERCIAL YARDS

|publisher = Clive Emson Land & Property Auctioneers

|year = 2009

|url = http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/listing_view.asp?Lot=13&Auc=135

|access-date = 10 September 2008

|url-status = dead

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090901233544/http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/listing_view.asp?Lot=13&Auc=135

|archive-date = 1 September 2009

}} a group of former directors, Ebbsfleet supporters and MyFootballClub members set up a limited company to raise the funds to buy out the freehold.

On 17 September 2009, Gravesham Borough Council announced that they had bought the ground, to be leased to the club at £1 per year, but with the option of the Club purchasing it from the Council if sufficient funds can be raised.{{cite web|title=Council buys Ebbsfleet's football ground |publisher=Gravesham Borough Council |date=2009-09-17 |url=http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5158 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121224071555/http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5158 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-24 |access-date=17 September 2008 }}

In 2016, work began on a new multi-million pound redevelopment of the stadium with the demolition of the Liam Daish stand and adjoining terracing. The resulting structure on the Stonebridge Road side will house all of the operational and commercial offices, as well as hospitality and social facilities and seating. The new stand opened for supporters in December 2016 and was fully operational in November 2017.

Because National League requirements state a stadium capacity of 4,000 is in place, the club completed work on a £200,000 strengthening of the Swanscombe End terrace to bring the Kuflink Stadium up to a capacity of 4,769, from its previous 3,134.{{Cite web|url=https://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/swanscombe-end-next-for-refurbishment/|title=Swanscombe End next for refurbishment {{!}} Fleet Online: Official Website of Ebbsfleet United FC|website=ebbsfleetunited.co.uk|date=6 December 2017 |access-date=2017-12-24}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/eufc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75&Itemid=136 Ebbsfleet United F.C. Official Site] - 360-degree panorama and photos of Stonebridge Road
• [http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/eng/stonebridge_road Stadium images]
• [http://ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/club-secures-freehold-ownership-of-ground/] - Club secures free hold ownership of ground

{{Conference National Venues}}

{{coord|51|26|58|N|0|19|20|E|type:landmark|display=title}}

Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C.

Category:Football venues in England

Category:Sports venues in Kent

Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United Kingdom

Category:Sports venues completed in 1905

Category:American football venues in England

Category:1905 establishments in England