Maidenhead United v West Ham United U21s
Pre-Season Match, York Road Stadium, Saturday 19 July 2025, 3pm BST
The pre-season fixtures for West Ham United’s development team keep coming thick and fast as they prepare to face Maidenhead United on Saturday afternoon.
Lead Coach Mark Robson will again be without 12 of his players, who will be hopeful of picking up some minutes under Head Coach Graham Potter, whose first team take on Grasshopper Club Zurich in a friendly in Germany, which will also take place on Saturday afternoon.
While the Hammers’ U21s will be hoping to chalk up their first victory of pre-season, the weekend’s opposition will also be determined to record a positive result as they look to build momentum ahead of their National League South campaign, following relegation from the National League last term.
Here’s your preview ahead of the clash at York Road Stadium…
Tickets…
Hammers fans can watch the U21s in action on Saturday by purchasing tickets HERE.
Tickets are priced at £10 for Adults and £5 for Concessions, while U16s can attend for free.
Please note, U16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Travel…
For supporters travelling by train, Maidenhead Station is opposite the Bell Street entrance to the ground. There are plenty of cycle parking spaces at the station, which is served by regular trains from London.
If you are driving to the game, there is no parking available at York Road Stadium.
However, there are long-stay car parks at Bell Street (SL6 1BU), Stafferton Way (SL6 1AY, Level One is for railway customers only) and Vicus Way (SL6 1AB).
How To Follow…
A live blog will be available across the Club’s website and app. A match report and reaction will follow after the full-time whistle.
Opposition…
As mentioned, Maidenhead suffered relegation to the National League South last term after their third-from-bottom finish in the National League, finishing just one point from safety.
They gave themselves a shot at survival, though, stringing together a six-game unbeaten run - which included a final-day success at home to Boston United - but their mid-season form came back to haunt them.
This will be Maidenhead’s first appearance in the National League South since 2016/17 - a campaign which saw them win the division with 98 points before going on to spend eight successive seasons in the National League.
Magpies manager Alan Devonshire knows what it takes to achieve promotion back to the National League, having been in the York Road Stadium dugout since 2015 - making him the longest-serving manager in the club’s history.
Travelling Hammers supporters will be sure to look out for the West Ham United legend on the touchline. The 69-year-old made 358 appearances in Claret and Blue during his 14-year association with the Club, and was part of the 1980 FA Cup-winning side that secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Wembley.
Maidenhead have made nine additions so far this summer, including the permanent signing of former Hammer Manny Onariase. The West Ham Academy graduate featured in a matchday squad for the Irons against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium under Sam Allardyce on 14 March 2015, and has joined the Magpies after his loan spell at the club last term.
Ones To Watch…
Last season’s development team top-scorer Josh Ajala will look to open his pre-season account against Maidenhead on Saturday. The striker, who joined the Hammers from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, has been impressive ever since his move to east London.
Ajala netted eleven times in 23 appearances for the U21s last term, while playing a big part in the U18s’ Premier League Cup success after he bagged two goals in the showpiece against Reading. The 18-year-old previously finished his debut season in Claret and Blue on 19 goals after penning his first professional contract with the Club in November 2023.
Elsewhere, new Maidenhead signing Corie Andrews impressed last season for struggling Oxford City in the National League North. With nine goals to his name, as Oxford City finished 17th, the 27-year-old striker will hope to be a source for goals for Maidenhead this campaign after the departures of Shawn McCoulsky, Tristan Abrahams and Reece Smith, who scored 32 league goals between them last term.
The Story So Far…
Robson’s young professionals will be determined to pick up their first victory of pre-season on Saturday, following defeats to Worthing and Ebbsfleet in the past week.
After the loss at the latter on Tuesday evening, in which goals from Lennon Peake and Gene Kennedy secured a 2-0 win for Fleet, the U21s’ Lead Coach was looking ahead to the trip to Maidenhead - one he labelled a ‘good challenge’.
“It's a real good challenge for the younger boys,” Robson said. “You get to see things from the younger ones who just stepped up from the 18s. Because they're playing against men and they've not done that before.
“In terms of learning and developing with the 21s, I think these games are really important for them, because it's quicker, it's faster, it's more in your face. And they might not be used to that.”
Meanwhile, after a 4-0 success over Flackwell Heath in their opening pre-season match, Maidenhead held Oxford United U21s to a goalless draw on Tuesday.