London - Plumstead - Sportsman Running Ground
Western Way : SE28 0FJ The Sportsman Ground on Plumstead Marshes was named after the nearby Sportsman pub. It was well known as a running ground but also hosted bicycle races. The Ground was a few hundred yards north of the Manor Ground and next door to a pig farm run by ‘piggy' Walton.

The Wheel World September 1880 gives the results of the Invicta BC club event at Plumstead Sportsman Grounds. The races were a one mile club handicap race and a five miles club handicap. Both races were won by long marker A McQueen. There seems to have been very little bicycle racing at the Sportsman, presumably the nearby Manor Field and Invicta tracks were more popular.

Arsenal FC* played at the Sportsman Ground from 1887 to 1888, but the site suffered from flooding, so they moved the following year to Manor Field which was just a few hundred yards away.

The Sportsman ground was situated where HM Prison Thameside currently stands.

* Arsenal FC were called Royal Arsenal at that time


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