Birmingham v Crystal Palace - Tues 11th December 2001
Birmingham City V Palace
Tuesday 11th December 7.45pm
St.Andrew's
St.Andrew's Street
Birmingham B9 4NH
0709 111 25837
Away supporters are housed to one side, in the lower tier of the Railway End, where the facilities are good. Normal allocation is 2,600 but can be increased to 4,500 if demand requires.
TICKETS : 16.00 for adults and 8.00 for concessions. Tickets on sale to season ticket holders and members only until 8/12/01. Two tickets per person. Any remaining tickets will go on general sale after Man City match.
PALACE COACHES :
Depart Holmesdale Road at 3pm and the fare is 16.50 for guests, 14.85 for season ticket holders and 12.35 for gold members.
TRAIN : departs Euston at 4.10 pm arriving Birmingham at 5.50pm
Return departs Birmingham at 11.10pm arriving Euston at 01.10am (although it apparently it usually arrives 30 mins early)
Prices are £16.00 in advance, please call Gildo or Chris in the evenings or from the away portakabin before or after the man city game.
DIRECTIONS & CAR PARKING
Leave the M6 at Junction 6 and take the A38(M) (known locally as the Aston Expressway) for Birmingham City Centre. Continue past the first turn off (Aston, Waterlinks) and then take the next turn off, for the Inner Ring Road.
Turn left at the island at the top of the slip road and take the Ring Road East, sign posted Coventry/Stratford. (For the Gosta Green Pub turn right at the first traffic lights and the pub is over the bridge on your left and The Sacks Of Potatoes further up on the right.). Continue along the ring road for two miles, crossing straight across three islands. At the fourth island (the Watering Hole pub is on the far left hand corner) turn left towards Small Heath. Birmingham City's ground is about a 1/4 of a mile up this road on your left. The ground is well sign posted on the Inner Ring Road.
An alternative route is to exit the M1 at Junction 17, and follow the M45 and A45 to Birmingham. This is a longer route, but takes you past some good pubs and eateries (see later). Keep following signs for Birmingham City Centre (A45), over various roundabouts and under two railway bridges until you come to the large Bordesley Circus roundabout, (very close to ground, signposted A450 Watery Lane). Then start looking for parking...
From the North-East - exit M1 at junction 23A (s/p A42/M42) onto the M42. Exit M42 after nearly 30 miles at junction 8 onto M6 northbound. Exit M6 after 5 miles at junction 6 onto A38.. (then as above)
From South-East - Exit M40 at junction 3A (s/p The North, M1) onto M42 Northbound. Exit M42 at junction 4 after 2.6 miles and at roundabout turn left onto A34. Continue for nearly 8 miles, over 4 roundabouts through Sparkbrook (road becomes A41) to the Camp Hill Circus roundabout. Take 3rd exit onton A4540 Sandy Lane. After 0.3 miles go straight on to ground.
There is a small visitors car park at the ground (3.00) or there is plenty of street parking off the left hand side of the ring road. the Century car park off Garrison Lane also charges 3.00. Either around the small park at the third island you cross or along the road next to and behind the BP garage before the fourth island.
St Andrews does have reasonable away fans parking at the ground. Beware of parking near the ground, as there is some car crime so keep valuables out of sight.
By RAIL :
Nearest stations are Birmingham New Street or Birmingham Moor Street
(20 mins walk).
Bordesley is about a 10 minute walk from the ground but is only served by trains from Snow Hill
If you're going by train, go to New street then get a local train to Adderly Park, not Small Heath otherwise it's a long walk. From Adderly park turn left out of the station, then right at the lights. takes 10 minutes.
Directions to ground from Birmingham New Street (20 mins walk):
follow any signs to Digbeth coach station. Look for Bradford Street behind the coach station, and follow this street right until it joins the main road (Camp Hill), about a ten minute walk. Go left
for a short distance and then take the first main road on the right (Coventry Road). Go straight on at the roundabout, and St.Andrews will soon appear on the left.
Taxi from the station to the ground is about 4.00
By foot - bear left out of station, past taxi ranks, steps down to Bull Ring underpass. Head through subway - carry straight on to Bell Street Subway - at end of passage turn left, in front of bull Ring shopping Centre Entrance - head straight toward market, back into underpass. Turn right at cross-roads, bear right out of underpass towards NCP car park into Digbeth - after 0.7 miles where road divides bear left under railway bridge to Bordesley Circus roundabout - ground is visible from here.
By BUS :
Service 97 from centre, Services 98 and 99 from Digbeth.
Bus numbers 15, 15a and 17 go past the ground.
Buses leave from Carrs Lane (by M&S) which is reached via the escalators immediately in front of the exit gates - turn left and walk through the covered shopping centre down the ramp at the end and turn left.
DISABLED FANS :
Wheelchair spaces: 22 for away supporters in the railway stand
Also areas with variable positions enabling easy access and limited steps for ambulant disabled people.
Admission: 7.00 for disabled person, and 5.00 for helper
Booking: Essential. Phone 0121 772 0101 (ext. 5) and ask for Mel Bird
Parking: Only if pre-booked
Blind facilities: 6 headphones available for away fans, please book, supporters can sit anywhere in ground.
DRINKING
One local tip is to avoid the area around the ground, Blues fans not being a particularly friendly bunch (many pubs won't admit away supporters). Best to drink in the city centre and get a cab to the ground.
Try the hogshead,moseley (south from Digbeth and the area of the ground, on the A435). Apparently this is a nicer place, and a safer option.
The Slurping Toad - Hurst Street is a good bet and does good food- it’s not far from New Street Station
There are also some decent pubs in the Broad Street area, including a 'Firkin'. The following pubs are in Bradford Street (behind the coach station), and are both listed in CAMRA's 'Good Beer
Guide':
'The White Swan', 276 Bradford Street. Two roomed, tiled, Tetley and Ansells Mild
'The Anchor', 308 Bradford Street. (12-10.30pm)
Victorian corner pub, friendly atmosphere, range of guest beers
Or if you are coming by car you can stop on the way at the Gosta Green or The Sacks Of Potatoes at Aston University. These pubs are about a ten minute drive from the ground on matchdays.
Otherwise alcohol is served within the ground.
FOOD
one possible idea is to travel into Birmingham by the M45/A45. This route goes past several pubs and eateries, including a McDonalds, Harry Ramsden's, and a Beefeater.
For those arriving by rail, there is a Burger King at New St. Station,
and the City Centre is only a short walk (come out of the station and
bear left). As you walk through Digbeth to the ground, there are
several chippies... although very little around the ground.
Inside the ground, the steak & kidney pies , and burgers are supposed to be good! If you are feeling brave you can even try the infamous 'Balti Pie'!
Finally, it should be re-iterated that this isn't one of the safest away grounds Palace will visit this season - and they certainly don’t seem to like any London teams!
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST
Birmingham has like the ground undergone a lot of re-building. The nightlife is reported to be superb. Parts of the city centre are now quite pleasant. Especially around the Broad St area where there are a number of pubs and restaurants situated around the canals. The dress code in most places is strict (no jeans, t-shirts or trainers). Some pubs are open till 1am. There is a travelodge on broadstreet which is right in the middle of the action. The rooms are not cheap at 49.95 per night but you can cram as many people as you want into one. For reservations call 0800 850 950. Plus if you like a curry you really should try a Balti before or after the game.
Programme: £2
|
