Football Ground expert Antonio Cunazza finds an iconic piece of the old Wembley Stadium, hidden in a north London park.
Demolished in 2002, parts of the former Wembley stadium can now be scaled, in its reincarnation as Northala Fields.
But there's another spot in London, where an original piece of England's former national stadium can be found... and touched.
Tokyngton Recreation Ground lies half a mile from the marvellous arch that dominates Wembley nowadays. And in the southern portion of this public park, along the River Brent, sits a particularly iconic hunk of the original 1923 stadium; the base of the flagpole from the east twin tower:
At 1.7m tall, its curved profile and gentle details recall a time when both architecture and football were elegant parts of English life. And does it, perhaps, remind you of the FA Cup trophy?
A Football Association plaque celebrates this remainder of the former great ground. Otherwise, there's little fanfare.
If you're thinking of nicking it, be aware it weighs around four tonnes. Good luck with that.
The exact position of this football relic is about a 10-minute walk from Stonebridge Park tube station (Bakerloo and Overground lines), entering Tokyngton Recreation Park via its south access, along North Circular Road.
