RTG’s totally and utterly (we hope) indispensable guide to this season’s away grounds.
THE OPPO –Stoke City aka The Potters
DATE – Tuesday 17 October
KO TIME – 7.45pm
THE GROUND – The Britannia Stadium,Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke on Trent – click here and here for maps of the area – the arrow in the middle points to where the ground is.
The Britannia Stadium is south of Stoke city centre, close to the main A50.
There is a maximum away supporters’ allocation of 4,800, accommodated in the Big AM stand.
Tickets are now on general sale subject to availability, see RTG’s ticket news page for further details.
GOING BY CAR?
Travelling from the north-east, head off down the A1 and stay on it until you see signs directing you to the M1 signposted for Leeds and Manchester; you join the motorway at jcn 44 but need to leave it quite soon afterwards at jcn 42.
At the roundabout go straight on.
Just under a mile later, take the third exit off the roundabout onto the M62. Seven miles later join the M60 at jcn 18.
Stay on that road until you reach jcn 12 then take the M62 signposted Liverpool and Birmingham.
You stay on the M62 for 28 miles until you reach the Croft Interchange, then you’re looking for the M6.
Leave the M6 at Junction 16 and head south along the A500 – go straight over at the first two roundabouts and once you’ve passed the second one you’ll see signs for the Britannia Stadium.
Parking close to the stadium is apparently very restricted with a lot of ‘residents only’ restrictions in nearby streets and estates. If you get there at least a couple of hours prior to kickoff you might get a space at the “Power League”, car park, two minutes walk from the stadium but it fills up very early on. One of the unofficial Stoke City fansites recommends that while you’re on the A500/A50 to follow signs for Campbell Road and look out for parking spaces there – the Booker Cash & Carry there will take £1 off you to let you park there, then it’s a 500 metre walk to the stadium.
GOING BY TRAIN?
Because it’s a long old trek on a weeknight, it’s a bit of a bugger – plenty trains to get you there but none to get you back the same night (see our ‘stopping over’ section below for some hotel suggestions).
Check the National Rail website for details.
STOPPING OVER?
Holiday Inn Express, Stanley Matthews Way – tel 0845 456 6399
Stoke Moat House, Festival Way, Stoke – tel 0870 225 4601
Innkeeper’s Lodge, Longton Rd, Stoke – tel 01782 644448
Travelodge, Newcastle Rd, Stoke – tel 0870 0850950
SCRAN AND BOOZE
A bit like at Pride Park, there’s not an awful lot in the area immediately surrounding the stadium – it hasn’t really been developed since the stadium was opened. Visiting supporters are welcome at the ‘Power League’ five-a-side complex, about 150 metres behind the away end, or The Plough – close the the Booker Cash & Carry (above), and drinks are available inside the stadium. Food’s also on sale inside the Britannia (typical football nosh – chips, burgers, pies etc). There are a couple of good sandwich shops (providing they open that late, to cater for match-goers) on Campbell Road (see ‘Parking’) and a Harvester restaurant across Stanley Matthews Way, over from the stadium. The ‘Potters Bar’ also welcomes well-behaved visiting supporters – it’s five minutes’ drive away from the stadium on the A50. Word of warning: since the anti-boardroom protests of the early 80’s the atmosphere at Stoke games has been intimidating, and the move to the Britannia stadium did little to rid the club of its troublemakers – keep your ‘colours’ discreet and avoid heading into the centre of Stoke.
LEND US A FIVER I’M OUT OF CASH
I’d get some dosh before you leave home – the nearest cash machine is over a mile away from the stadium, at Christchurch Street (Nat West).
Credits: Stoke City official website, Stoke City fansite “The Oatcake”, Rough Guide to English Football, Soccerbase, RAC, www.streetmap.co.uk, National Rail.
