2. Homes Away from Home
Depending on what era a London Irish fan grew up supporting the club, they will have a soft spot for one of the Exiles many former homes. Irish’s spiritual home will forever be The Avenue, with the club tracing their roots to Sunbury-upon-Thames since 1931. Aside from a 19-year-gap from 1940-1959, which saw the land used for war-time and post-war agriculture, Irish played their home matches at the fabled ground in Surrey.
The Avenue was home until the turn of the new Millennium, with the year 2000 marking the dawning of a new era for London Irish. The older generation of Irish fans would likely remember when the Exiles found a new home in the Madejski Stadium, and shared the ground with Reading Football Club.
Five years after the start of the ‘professional era’, Irish made their way over to their new Home County, and the early years in Berkshire brought renowned silverware successes (more on that shortly). These days sharing the ground with the ‘Royals’ are heralded as a high point in the professional progression of the Exiles.
Irish moved to Brentford in 2020, and found their most recent home at the G-tech Community Stadium. Once again sharing their home with a Premier League football club in Brentford FC, the G-tech brought many fond memories for Exiles fans. A matchday was never complete without a trip to the Dug-Out, with the live Irish music and party atmosphere a guarantee, regardless of the on-field result.