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Kettering Town

Latimer Park

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Capacity: 2,400 (Seats 306)
Club Nickname: The Poppies
Year Opened: 1973
Pitch Size: 110 x 70 yards
Address: Polwell Lane, Burton Latimer, Northants, NN15 5PS*
Phone: 01536 217006
Pitch Type: Grass
Undersoil Heating: No
Home Kit: Red & Black Stripes
Last Update: March 23, 2026

Latimer Park is a very basic football ground and one that is almost entirely open to the elements. So, first things first, make sure you wrap up and bring an umbrella.

The majority of matches at Latimer Park are not segregated. On the rare occasion that fans are segregated, then away fans are mostly housed in the Station Road End. This end comprises a small covered terrace, which is just five rows high and has flat standing areas to each side.

In addition, away fans are given a small temporary covered seated area on the Main Stands side of the ground. This stand has just over 100 seats, but does have some supporting pillars and the base of a floodlight pylon directly in front of it, which could impede your view.

For segregated matches, mobile facilities are brought in, and for the larger games, these include a bar facility.

On one side of the ground are three small covered seated stands, two of which sit on each side of the half, with a third, a prefabricated temporary stand, located towards the South End. The latter has 109 seats housed in seven rows, and like the other stands on this side of the ground, it has a number of supporting pillars, as well as the base of a floodlight pylon in front of it that could impede your view.

The two stands sitting on each side of the halfway line are quite old-looking. The larger of the two has Kettering Town Football Club emblazoned on its roof, whilst the smaller has Burton Park Wanderers (who share the ground and play in the United Counties League) on its roof. The larger stand has 150 seats in five rows, whilst the smaller one has just two rows comprising 47 seats.

The opposite East side was open to the elements and stood flat for spectators along the perimeter fence.

There is a clubhouse at the ground that welcomes visiting supporters. It normally has a couple of real ales on tap from the Elgoods Brewery. Otherwise, there is not much in the way of pubs close to the ground. The centre of Burton Latimer High Street is around a 15-minute walk away, where there are a couple of pubs, including the Olde Victoria on Bakehouse Lane.

The CAMRA Good Beer Guide also lists Dukes Arms on High Street, but it doesn’t open until 2 p.m. on Saturdays. If you arrive by train in Kettering, there are plenty of pubs to choose from, including a Wetherspoons outlet on Silver Street called the Earl of Dalkeith.

Note that the clubhouse is very small, so getting service at halftime is very unlikely during a busy game.

By car

Leave the A14 at Junction 10 and take the A6 towards Bedford. At the next roundabout, take the second exit towards Latimer Business Park (the football ground is signposted from here). At the next roundabout, take the third exit (signposted Station Road Industry).

Follow the road round, passing the Morrisons Distribution Centre on the left and then the Weetabix Factory on the right. The entrance to Latimer Park is then a short way further down on the left. There is a large car park on the ground, which is free.

By public transport

Kettering Railway Station is just over three miles away from the ground and is too far to walk for most. The station is served by trains from London St. Pancras and Nottingham.

Adults £15
Over 60’s & Students £10
Under 18’s £5

After leaving their Rockingham Road Ground in 2011, Kettering have led a somewhat nomadic existence. First, they played at Nene Park, the former home of the now-defunct Rushden & Diamonds Football Club. They then moved to Corby Town in 2012 and then to Burton Latimer in 2013. Although basic, Latimer Park has helped the club get back nearer to their Kettering home (Burton Latimer is situated three miles south of Kettering Town Centre).

AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Corby Town and Northampton Town.

Record attendance
At Rockingham Road
11,526 v Peterborough United
FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
1st November 1947

At Latimer Park
2,147 v AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Evo-Stik League South Premier Division Central
1st January 2019

Average attendance
2018-2019: 838 (Evo-Stik League South Premier Division Central)

Ground Layout

Ground Layout of Kettering Town

Reviews

Avatar of Michael Rayner Michael Rayner
Game AttendedVs Hereford
CompetitionNational Lge Nth
Date22/03/2022

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

Need 2 to finish the league off and lived for 18mnths in Northants and visited Rockingham Rd half a dozen times.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Lot of new roads since I lived there, satnav did its job, almost, It wanted to send me down Station Rd which was completely closed , had to find another way to get to it despite the satnav insisting I drive down the closed road

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

Delay meant no chance to explore, ate at ground which was not good but stewards and fans friendly. Did make the bar at half time, decent clubhouse with real ale

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

It has developed since the description here, behind the north end is now a seated stand and the south end has a cover which now runs almost width of pitch. However gor a Step 2 ground it is poor and not quirky

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Draw was fair enough, neither looked like promotion challengers, fair bit of chanting they have attracted some vocal youngsters, thought standard of food poor, stewards were fine and helpful

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

Was organised with car parks being well controlled so everyone had fair chance to get away , good road back to M1 so quick once moving

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

Enjoyed watching Kettering again and seeing them try to get back to the standard they once were but ground is very limited and every aspect has a temporary feel to it. There are much better grounds at Steps 5 and 6
Avatar of Kevin Pullan (Neutral) Kevin Pullan (Neutral)

Kettering Town v Farsley Celtic
National League North
Saturday 4th January 2020, 3pm
Kevin Pullan (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Latimer Park Ground?
 
First game attending a non-Football League match. I have ties to both Kettering and Farsley Celtic.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
Getting to Burton Latimer was easy from Wellingborough but the football ground signs then take you around the roses and around the outside of this settlement. The parking was free, well organised and close to the ground.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
A bit of a pantomime as when we arrived at the packed clubhouse, it was in darkness with the staff serving the fans using torchlight. The electrics were down but in true style nothing stopped the sales of drink. Full marks to the staff. Never ever had such an experience. After about 1/2 hour electrics came back on. Maybe a common experience? Before the match, it was friendly enough between both sets of fans.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Latimer Park?
 
A ground for a team trying to make a come back to better times. A bitty ground with bits here and there. Standing on three sides with a small stand behind each goal mouth. Three small seated areas one reserved for Directors. The type of ground where footballs regularly disappear over the 6ft high wooden fences.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
Kettering were the better team and should have won by 2 or 3 goals. With skillful midfield and attacking players, they created far more chances than the up and over balls so often played by Farsley. The goalkeepers kept well on both teams. The big problem were the morons who continually and tediously made comments about both the linesman and the referee. A northern plot to cheat Kettering was the focus of these tedious and pathetic comments by some home supporters. A good example of how any objectivity is lost when you support a team. Amazing how so many people spend entire matches attacking the officials. The stewards were very friendly and the refreshments came from a slowly organised refreshment wagon. The drinks at a quid were good value.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
It was well organised and we were out in ten minutes from one exit point onto the main road.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
I was asked by a Poppies fan would I come again. I said yes.
Avatar of Brian Scott (Neutral) Brian Scott (Neutral)

Kettering v Blyth Spartans
National League North
Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
Brian Scott (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Latimer Park?

This was the last of the current National League North ground for me to visit. It is also relatively close to my home as National League North grounds go.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I normally try to travel by train as much as possible, but due to the out of town location, and being it is only 92 miles due west on the A14, it made sense to drive. Also there is a large car park at the ground which is easy to access, being just off the A14.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

I could have had lunch at home and then drove over, but it was a sunny morning and I wanted to make a day out, so I stopped off in a local village and had a walk in the country. I could tell that there had been some heavy rain overnight in the area due to the large puddles on the road, but I had checked previously that the game was definitely on.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Latimer Park?

Whilst waiting for the turnstiles to open I paid a visit to the clubhouse which is actually located just outside the perimeter of the ground. It looks as though it was built as a row of houses, with some windows blocked up. Having read this guide, I was prepared for what the ground looked like, and I got the impression that it is very ramshackle, with such odd-looking stands. I had intended to sit in the larger of the three, but on finding that it didn't have a proper back to it, I changed my mind and sat in the middle one. This was a good choice as I sat amongst a very friendly group of locals. With even sweets on offer! I learned that the club are having problems with the pitch drainage, and there is probably a broken drain underneath.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

Although the pitch looked in a reasonably playable condition before kick off, it soon cut up. In the second half, this prevented the ball from rolling properly on the grass. The worst part of the pitch was on the touchline to the east side where the linesman was running up and down in a deep quagmire of mud! His boots were covered and with splashes of mud up his back. I also chatted with a few of the many supporters who had made the long trip from the north east and like the home fans, they were very friendly. As they were 3-0 up at half time, this probably put them in a good mood! In the first half Kettering hardly had a shot on target and they looked down and out at that stage. However, they staged an impressive rally in the second half, but they were always at least one goal behind until the 90th minute when they equalised to make it 4-4. A very entertaining game for a neutral.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

I got away quickly from the car park and was soon on the eastbound A14 homeward bound for Suffolk.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A good day out, with pleasant sunny weather for the time of the year. Considering the distances that I often travel, this was a later start and earlier home than normal! Just Weymouth left for me to visit in the three National Leagues.

Avatar of John Hague (Blyth Spartans) John Hague (Blyth Spartans)

Kettering Town v Blyth Spartans
National League North
Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
John Hague (Blyth Spartans)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Latimer Park?
 
I didn't need the ground but I hadn't been there with Blyth and it's only an hour from home. I had been before and I can honestly say there wasn't much to look forward with the ground. It's a United Counties ground dragged up the National League standards… just!
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
Easy, the ground is well signposted and there's a good large, free, car park.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
We went straight into the ground, via the club shop. Dave needed a pin badge, I didn't but I still like a look. The home fans are always pretty friendly, I guess being in Burton Latimer it puts off one or two absolute melts that used to go to Rockingham Road.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Latimer Park?
 
It's a United Counties League ground. It's not up to National League standards, well technically it meets ground grading but it's poor. After a lot of rain, well done to Kettering for getting the game on, there were areas of standing water on the hard standing.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
Blyth played some spectacular football in the first half playing towards the boggiest end of the pitch and I fully expected attacking the better goal we'd have properly humped them. However, a spectacularly inept goalkeeping performance meant we drew 4-4. When you're at the bottom results like that are going to come back to haunt you. The burger was decent as was the Bovril and there did appear to be an EU chip mountain in the burger van. Well done though as it got people served quickly and efficiently.
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
Easy enough. The stewards marshalled the car park exit pretty well to ensure there wasn't gridlock.
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
Just how can you throw away a 3-0 halftime lead? Had Robbie Dale's shot not hit the post early in the second half and put us 4-0 up I think it would have been game over. Once Kettering got one back from a goalkeeping howler (the highlights aren't an easy watch for a Blyth fan), we knew it wasn't going to be easy and even at 4-2 the keeper wasn't inspiring confidence in the fans and crucially his defence. As a neutral you'd have certainly got your £12 worth but at £15 in I'm sorry but the Directors at Kettering need to give their heads a wobble. That's just a rip-off.
Avatar of Jeremy Gold (Neutral) Jeremy Gold (Neutral)

Kettering Town v Kidderminster Harriers
National League North
Saturday 26th August 2019, 3pm
Jeremy Gold (Neutral)

Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Latimer Park?
 
My first ever visit to Latimer Park and only two grounds left for me to do in the National League North.
 
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
 
It is a bit of a trek down from Lancashire to Kettering on what was a very warm day. I knew it was a fair way outside town and as the bus service wasn’t brilliant on a Bank Holiday I walked the three miles from the station to the ground. It took a good 45 minutes.
 
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
 
There is very little around Latimer Park and after my long walk, I headed into the sports bar to grab a well-earned drink.
 
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Latimer Park?
 
The ground is very basic and has only three turnstiles. There are two small permanent stands and a third temporary one along one side of the ground. Each end has a small covered area. I was glad it was a nice day, on a damp cold day it can’t be a great place to watch football.
 
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
 
Somehow the hosts surrendered first a two goal lead and then being in front 3-2 to eventually get hammered 5-3 by the visitors who to be fair were pretty poor. The five goals were very poor, four bad mistakes and a big deflection. The guys near me did talk about this being their Achilles Heel before we had even kicked off. For me, as a neutral, it was great value for money!
 
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
 
I ran the three miles back to the station in the thirty degree heat which was interesting shall we say..
 
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
 
Good to have done it but wouldn’t say it is one of the best you are ever going to go to. Really wouldn’t want to go on a miserable day, it can’t be a great experience.