WEST HAM: away supporters' guide
RTG's totally and utterly (we hope) indispensable guide to this season's away grounds.
THE OPPO – West Ham aka The Hammers
DATE – Saturday 4 February
KO TIME – 3pm
THE GROUND – The Boleyn Ground, Upton Park, London – click here and here for maps of the area - the arrow points to where the ground is.
The Boleyn Ground is in east London, just off the A124 Barking Road and close to Plaistow and Newham. The main A13 which connects with the M25 in the east and A40 towards north and west London is only a couple of miles away.
Up to 3,600 away supporters are accommodated in the lower tier of the north stand (also known as the Centenary Stand). There are spaces for only a handful of disabled supporters though, so contact WHUFC if you need to reserve one of these spaces.
TICKETS
Tickets now on general sale subject to availability.
GOING BY CAR?
Travelling from the north east, get yourself onto the A1/A1M southbound; stay on the A1 until you’re in Cambridgeshire –junction 14 to be precise, just past Peterborough. At junction 14, take the left hand lane and go onto the A14 signposted ‘London E, M11, Cambridge’.
Stay on the A14 for just over 15 miles until you see signs for jcn 31 onto the M11. Take the right hand lane onto the M11, signposted London.
Where the M11 runs out, go straight ahead onto the A406
4 miles later turn left (signposted East Ham) and at the roundabout take the third exit onto the A124.
Half a mile later at East Ham town hall there are traffic lights – go straight ahead signposted Plaistow then at the next traffic lights go straight ahead again.
Half a mile later – you’re there!
Parking is very difficult in the surrounding area; we’re told that restrictions are commonplace and are rigorously enforced so watch where you park or you’ll come away with a souvenir parking ticket.
GOING BY TRAIN?
From the north-east, the major part of your journey will be on the east coast main line to London Kings Cross; the 8.33am GNER service from Newcastle gets you into Kings Cross at 11.51am, or the 8.58am gets you there at 12.14pm; then by the time you get a tube across London to West Ham, you’ll have time for a swift half before the match.
From Kings Cross take the Hammersmith & City line eastbound to Upton Park.
When you come out of Upton Park tube, turn right and walk down Green Street then turn left down Tudor Road. At the end of Tudor Road bear right, pass the bus depot then turn right, go down Priory Road and the away turnstiles are on your right - map here.
Coming back, direct trains from Kings Cross back to the north east leave Kings Cross at 7pm, 7.30pm then 8.30pm.
ALS BUS
A Love Supreme are providing their usual coach service down to West Ham. The cost is £25pp and coaches leave the ALS shop (opposite the Stadium of Light) at 7am on the day. To book, either phone or fax 0191 565 4422 (Mon-Fri 9-5 and matchdays) - credit and debit cards accepted. Or go to the ALS shop and pay in person. Or reserve your place online - either email mail@a-love-supreme.com to tell them you want to book a place, or click here to book and pay online.
Reservations and refunds deadline 48 hours before departure.
STOPPING OVER?
You could stay at the ground itself – they have hotel rooms in one of the stands now and the rooms double as executive boxes on matchdays: Call the West Ham United Quality Hotel on 020 8586 8200.
Ibis Stratford, Romford Road – tel 020 8536 3700
Viking Motel, Romford Road – tel 020 8534 7861
Park Hotel (Stratford), 81 Portway – tel 020 8257 9034
SCRAN AND BOOZE
There are the usual opportunities to buy a pie and a pint once you're in the stadium but allow plenty of time as there'll be queues.
RTG moderator Alien says if you get off the tube at Plaistow it’s a 20 minute walk to the ground but you’ll pass the Coach & Horses – a small place but friendly. If you have a CIU card then as you exit the away stand, there’s a WMC up the road opposite and to the right then off to the left.
Our away reports-meister Herts says for this match he drinks in the Denmark Arms (the big one on the junction of Barking Rd and High St North).
But a London-based Burnley fan says you can also try places within easy travelling distance. You could try getting off the tube at Mile End and going to the Coburn Arms or at Bethnal Green you can try the Approach Tavern. If you get off the tube at Barking there’s a Wetherspoons by the station called the Barking Dog and close by on Church Road, The Britannia.
LEND US A FIVER I’M OUT OF CASH
There’ll be cash machines at Kings Cross station – or if you wait till you get to the ground Barclays have 2 ATMs at their branch on Barking Road, very close to the ground itself. There’s another at Pals Convenience Stores on Barking Road and another at the Boleyn Off License, a couple of doors down from Pals. There’s an HSBC machine on Green Street (half a mile away) and also a Nationwide Building Society machine close to that.
THIS SEASON
Currently 10th of 24 (at 18 Jan):
P22 W8 D5 L9 F29 A31 Pts 29 GD -2
HOME FORM
P10 W4 D1 L5 F15 A15 Pts 13 GD 0
LAST 6 MEETINGS
01/10/05 Sunderland 1, Hammers 1 (Miller)
29/04/05 Hammers 1, Sunderland 2 (Arca, Elliott)
04/12/04 Sunderland 0, Hammers 2
13/03/04 Sunderland 2, Hammers 0 (Kyle, Whitley)
13/12/03 Hammers 3, Sunderland 2 (McAteer, Oster)
22/03/03 Hammers 2, Sunderland 0
Credits WHUFC, Alien, ‘Herts’, Link, Streetmap, Rough Guide to English Football, Football Ground Guide, Soccerbase, London Clarets, The AA, BBC, National Rail.
Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting
Ticket news: WBA, Brentford, Smogs, Hammers, Spurs, B'burn, Brum
FA Barclays Premiership
West Brom v SAFC
The Hawthorns
Saturday 21 January, 5.15pm
Tickets remain on general sale until 12.30pm on Thursday 19 January, subject to availability.
On the day of the game, tickets will be available from the away ticket kiosk, next to the away turnstile.
Adults £25, Senior Citizens £13, U16's £1 ("Kids for a Quid" scheme in operation)
The FA Cup
Brentford v SAFC
Griffin Park
Saturday 28 January, 3pm
Season ticket holders can apply until 5.30 on Thursday 19 January using voucher 24.
General sale commences at 10am on Monday 23 January, subject to availability.
FA Barclays Premiership
SAFC v Middlesbrough FC
Sunderland Stadium of Light
Tuesday 31 January, 7.45pm
Tickets are now on general sale; this is a category A match.
FA Barclays Premiership
West Ham v SAFC
Upton Park
Saturday 4th February, 3pm
Season ticket holders can apply until 5.30 on Thursday 19 January using voucher 47.
General sale commences at 10am on Tuesday 24 January, subject to availability.
Adults £30, Senior citizens £16, U16's £1 ("Kids for a Quid" scheme in operation)
FA Barclays Premiership
SAFC v Tottenham Hotspur
Sunderland Stadium of Light
Sunday 12th February, 1.30pm
Tickets are now on general sale for this game.
FA Barclays Premiership
Blackburn Rovers v SAFC
Ewood Park
Wednesday 15 February, 8pm
Tickets are now on general sale.
Free return transport to the game will be provided via coach from both the Stadium of Light and Durham (Belmont Park & Ride) for this rearranged fixture. Belmont Park & Ride will remain open until the coaches return from the game, and security will be in operation.
ANY supporter with a valid match ticket can take advantage of this offer; you will need to obtain a coach ticket no later than 5.30pm on Wednesday 8 February (ie a full week before the game) - please specify your preferred departure point when collecting your coach ticket. Coach tickets can be booked through either the usual telephone ticket bookings line (0845 671 1973) or by calling at the ticket office.
Supporters are asked to be at their chosen departure point by 1.30pm latest. Only supporters with a coach ticket will be allowed to board the buses; no alcohol is permitted on board.
Supporters unable to attend the rearranged fixture can apply for a refund on their ticket by calling at the SAFC ticket office before the day of the rearranged game.
FA Barclays Premiership
Birmingham City v SAFC
St Andrews Stadium
Saturday 25th February, 3pm
Season ticket holders can apply until 5.30 on Thursday 9 February using voucher 46.
General sale commences at 10am on Tuesday 14 February, subject to availability.
Adults £25, Senior Citizens £5, U16's £5.
