Birmingham v Palace - Sat 30th Oct 2004 - 12.45pm
BIRMINGHAM CITY v PALACE (Saturday 30th October 2004 KO 12.45pm)
St.Andrew's
St.Andrew's Street
Birmingham B9 4NH
Main telephone number: 0121 772 0101
Ticket office no 0121 202 5333
Away supporters are housed to one side, in the lower tier of the Railway End, where the facilities are good. Normal allocation is 3,000. There are Birmingham fans above us in this stand, as well as to the side of the stand.s
Palace Box Office news :
Box Office Hot-Line : Tel No : 020 8771 8841
Tickets : 28.00 for adults and 14.00 for senior citizens & under 16s
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.
Palace coaches :
Depart Holmesdale Road at 7.45am and the fare is 25.00 for non members, £22.50 for season ticket holders & members & £20 for Eagle Gold members.
Train : departs Euston at 8.45am arriving Birmingham at 10.41am
Return departs Birmingham at 3.30pm arriving Euston at 5.23pm
Note Silverlink do not now run direct to New Street and the £15 cheap fare on Chiltern Lines does not apply until after 11.00am
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 (there is a McDonalds 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.
The M6 is closed until Nov 04.
Alternatively leave the M6 at junction 5 turn right at the island onto the A452 towards Sutton Coldfield. Over a hill, keep left, turn left onto A47 proceed for around 5 miles going across 6 roundabouts. When you reach 7th roundabout turn left onto A4540 inner ring road towards Stratford / Birmingham Airport. Across 2 islands, turn left at 3rd & turn left towards Small Heath ground is further up road on left.
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 North leave M6 at Junction 7, take A34 to Birmingham after 5 miles turn left onto A4540 & follow instructions as above.
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.
The car park at the ground is for pass holders only. 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. Bear in mind that if you arrive late these areas may already be full. Schools & business near the ground offer parking for around £3 - £4
. Beware of parking near the ground, as there is some car crime so keep valuables out of sight.
By RAIL :
Nearest main stations are Birmingham New Street or Birmingham Moor Street
(20 mins walk). Nearest station to ground is Bordesley 10 mins walk away but only served by trains from Snow Hill. If you arrive at New Street you can walk to Snow Hill
Directions to ground from Birmingham New Street (20 mins walk):
Out of concourse, bear left of escalaters through glass doors. Walk down towards end of Station Service Road. Cross to other side of road at the botton turn right & follow purple pedestrian signs to Digbeth coach station. Go down stairs at side of shopping centre on your left down a road with markets on right & large church on left. Follow road around to right take next left to main dual carriage way pass coach station on right & crown pub on left. Cross over dual carriage way to Pub & keep walking away from city centre. Bear left at fork in road & go underneath railway bridge. Past the Clements Arms on left, carry on over roundabout & entrance to away section is further up road on the left.
Taxi from the station to the ground is about 4.00
Or you can get a bus
By BUS :
96, 97, 58 & 60 go from city centre. . .
Bus numbers 15, 15a and 17 go past the ground.
97 & 98 are in Carrs Lane in city centre (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.
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 Toad at the Bull Ring (formerly Slurping Toad) - Hurst Street is ok and does good food- its not far from New Street Station
The Old Fox Theatre Bar also on Hurst Street is a theme bar, which was good in 2001 and the fool looked good.
There are also some decent pubs in the Broad Street area, plus 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. (12-3pm and 7-10.30pm)
Two roomed, tiled, Tetley and Ansells Mild
'The Anchor', 308 Bradford Street. (12-10.30pm)
Victorian corner pub, friendly atmosphere, range of guest beers this is on the way from the station to the ground. Named Birmingham CAMRA pub of the year more than once.
After the game, the following all day pub is recommended:
'The Flapper and Firkin', Kingston Row / Cambrian Wharf (off Cambridge
St.) Canalside pub in the City Centre with upstairs and downstairs
bars, Firkin decor, behind the National Indoor Arena.
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.
Alcohol is served inside 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 , rollover hot dogs, 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 dont 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. On a Friday and Saturday night its buzzing. 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: £3
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