Home Locations – Grass Pitches
Most of our Skills Section training sessions are held at three home locations in the heart of St Albans, each just a five-minute walk from the others.
From September to December and April to July, we train on grass at:
- Victoria Playing Field – Between Verulam Road, Folly Lane, and Church Crescent.
- The Brickie (also known as the New England Street Play Area) – Off New England Street and Mount Pleasant.
- Normandy Road (Aboyne Lodge School Playing Field) – Off Normandy Road.
🕘 Session Times: Saturday mornings, 9:30–11:00 AM
Victoria Playing Field plays host to five year groups. The image below shows where to find each group.
Head Coaches for each group
- Reception – Paul Sheehan
- Year 1 – Sean Trend
- Year 2 – Karim Hussain
- Year 3 – Alex Lanwarne
- Year 4 – Chris Hopkins
- Year 5 – Luke Raistrick
- Year 6 – Laurent Mauge
👋 New to VPFC? If it’s your first session, feel free to ask any of our coaches or fellow parents for guidance. Our members are always happy to help!
Skills Winter Pitches
From December to March, we move to an all-weather astroturf surface to ensure training can continue in wet and muddy conditions and to help preserve our grass pitches for the rest of the season.
🏟️ Location:
- Harpenden Rugby Club – Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, AL5 2BA
🕘 Session Times:
To accommodate all age groups, sessions are split into two:
- 9:00 AM –10:30 AM
- 10:30 AM–12:00 PM
We allocate the session times based on group sizes each year, so contact the coaching team for your group through the parent chat group to confirm your session as the time approaches.
⚠️ Footwear Requirements: When playing at Harpenden, please ensure your child wears screw-in metal or moulded studded footwear only. No blades, astro trainers or flat soles are allowed. (Guidelines here).
Additionally, we kindly request that parents do not step onto the field.
Considerations for Attending
📅 Training Schedule:
Sessions run every Saturday during school term time. A simple rule of thumb:
- If school was open that week, training is on.
- If schools were on holiday, we take a break.
For exact session dates, check our Training Schedule page.
🛡️ Shin Pads – Essential for Play
For safety reasons, shin pads are required for all players. The club is for primary school children and, with no ill intent, tackles can be badly timed or ill-judged, and could lead to injury without protection. Children without shin pads will not be able to join in end of session matches.
🦶 Recommended Footwear
- Football boots – Strongly recommended, particularly in winter when the ground becomes wet and muddy.
- Trainers are acceptable for first-time sessions, but boots provide much better grip and stability.
🥶 Dressing for the Weather
Football is an outdoor sport, and we play in all seasons! Make sure your child is dressed appropriately:
- Winter: Base layers, thermals, gloves, hats, and waterproofs help keep players comfortable. Base layers are now available in our Club Shop.
- Summer: Light, breathable clothing and plenty of water to stay hydrated.
We will generally cancel training if the temperature falls below 0°C, but if you judge that your child will struggle with the weather, it can be better to take a break from training than put them off playing in future.
❓ Need Help?
We hope this information makes it easy to find us. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We look forward to welcoming you soon! ⚽