Crewe v Palace - 29th Oct 05 3pm
Crewe Alexandra v Palace
Saturday 29th October 2005
Alexandra Stadium (Gresty Road)
Gresty Road
Crewe
Cheshire
CW2 6EB
Main tel no : 01270 213 014
Ticket office: 01270 252 610
www.crewalex.net
Ticket prices: adults 18.00, senior citizens 14.50, under-16’s 5.50. Please note that Crewe are not offering a student discount for this game.
For away fans: the Ringway Stand (or "Pop")
Away fans housed at one side of the ground in the 'Blue Bell BMW Stand'. The whole of this stand is given to away supporters and it houses up to 1,680 fans though if required the Charles Audi Family stand can also be allocated to away fans. Entrance to this stand is by ticket only, (no cash is accepted at the turnstiles). Tickets need to be purchased from the ticket booth next to the supporters club at the entrance to this stand. Please note that alcohol is not available in this stand.
"Family stand"
This backs on to the railway, and runs behind the goal at the eastern end of the ground. The "Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motor Cars"-sponsored stand not only houses family groups, but also has a disabled section, and special facilities for blind supporters (both home and away) who can use headphones to listen to the match commentary provided to local hospitals.
Disabled facilities
Crewe have spent thousands of pounds providing special areas for wheelchair users and the partially sighted. Disabled toilets have been provided and a stair lift has been installed in the club's executive suite. In the Family Stand, an area for 10 partially-sighted people has been created with headsets so fans can listen to the local hospital radio match commentary. Even before the construction of the new main stand, the Family Stand, Ringway Stand and visitors stand provided 24 spaces for wheelchair users along with room for their carers. And club stewards have also received training from local disabled access groups in the best practices to employ to help the disabled enjoy their visit to Gresty Road.
Tickets available on a first come first served basis
PALACE TRAVEL
Coaches:
Depart from Selhurst Park at 8.30am. Fare is 24.00 for gold members and 24 for season / members and 27.00 for non-members
The tickets via Chris & Gildo are at the following times-
£25 -
Travel on Chiltern Railway from Marylebone depart 8.50 arrive
Birmingham Moor street 10.52 then 10 min walk to Birmingham New Street for Central trains Depart 11.21 arrive Crewe 12.22
Return on Central trains depart 5.24 arrive Birmingham New Street 6.27 then 15 min walk to Snow Hill where service starts depart 7.10 or 7.13 at Moor Street arrive Marylebone 9.40
These are sold in sets of 4 but you can travel on the 1 hour later
services as long as all 4 are together
There were 2 tickets left for our group departing Marylebone at 8.50 phone Chris on 020 8407 0936
You can book these groupsave tickets for a group of 3 or 4 at Marylebone, even on the day but allow extra time as the booking office takes a long time to work out the correct tickets. Travel can be on any time train and services departing at 8.50 ,9.50 and 10.50 will all get you to Crewe in time.
Travelling by Car
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(Tip:)
Gresty Road is two minutes' walk from Crewe railway station, but
about a mile from the town centre - if asking for directions, ask for
the station and you won't go far wrong. (Some away fans, however,
still think they've seen all Crewe has to offer in a short stroll
along Nantwich Road!)
From north: Exit M6 at junction 17 (A534). At T-junction turn right
for Crewe and follow A534 (signposted Crewe, Nantwich) turning right at the roundabout after Wheelock . After about six miles, at the third roundabout in the space of about a mile (go straight over at all of them) , you
pass the Crewe Arms on your right and Crewe Station on your left.
Gresty Road is the first left after the Station. Beware: on match
days, you may not be able to take this left turn, and may be
redirected to the next left (100 yards, South St, at traffic
lights).
From south and east: Exit M6 at junction 16 (A500). At roundabout
follow signs for Crewe. After about two miles, turn right at
roundabout (A5020) towards Crewe; left at the next roundabout (0.8m);
straight on at the next (Rookery pub on right), passing the
Brocklebank pub on the left; then left at final roundabout (Crewe Station), taking you into Nantwich Road, passing the Crewe Arms
Hotel on your right and Crewe Station on your left.
From West: From Nantwich, follow Crewe Road, A534 (signs to Crewe
Station, 4 miles), which will eventually bring you along Nantwich
Road. The turning for Gresty Road is opposite the Royal Hotel, about
150yds before you reach Crewe Station.
Parking: There is Away supporters on street parking singposted past the railway station on the left. This is an industrial estate on the right of the road – there is also a VW dealership. There is a 15 min walk to the ground from here.
There is street parking nearby, plus a stewarded carpark in
St Clair Street (continue south down Gresty Road, past the ground -
second turning on right. There is also a British Rail carpark by the
Royal Hotel, and a council-run short-stay carpark off Mill Street
(from station, continue past Gresty Road and turn right at traffic
lights, then take next right). Many fans park on the service roads
of the Weston industrial estate (off the A5020, just south of the
Crewe Arms roundabout, opposite the Brocklebank pub & signposted as away parking). Note:
car-parking in the streets near Gresty Road may be a bit more
difficult this season.
Crewe also have their own car park next to the ground, costing £2 with gates locked during the game. Car park is on Weston Road
The Royal Mail Sorting house has parking outside but it’s a popular spot.
One subscriber adds: 'If driving I'd be tempted to park on the
industrial estate - parking is like at Man.City but with less
streets'.
By Rail
******
Gresty Road is about 10 minutes' walk from Crewe Station. Turn
left out of station into Nantwich Road and, and next left into Gresty Road. Ground is ahead on the left.
By Bus
******
Nos K6, K4 and K44 run from the town centre down Gresty Road. Nos
C84 (to/from Chester (via Nantwich) or Newcastle-under-Lyme) and K43
(to/from Nantwich) run along Nantwich Road. (Ask the driver to drop
you near the Mill Street or Edleston Road junctions, if he/she's
unclear).
Arriva buses 4, 29, 39 & 44 all run near Gresty Road
Beer and Grub
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Where to eat near Gresty Road.....
Fish 'n' chips : Gresty Road is blessed with four excellent fish 'n'
chip shops within five minutes' walk:
The first place people will say is the Fish 'n' Chip Shop just outside the Stadium, (across from the Adtranz Stand) it was recently voted the 2nd best chippy in Britain!! It’s opposite the ground on Gresty Road.
If you're walking from the station, just past the turning into
Gresty Road, there is one next door to the shop on the corner of
Nantwich Road selling fireplaces. Another is close to the away
supporters' and Main Stand entrances, near the Bedford Street/South
Street junction. The third place is on the corner of Mill Street and
Nantwich Road, "Salt & Vinegar", which offers both takeaway and
sit-down meals (3.95 brings fish, chips and peas, bread 'n' butter
and a pot of tea - bargain!) Further down Nantwich Road, just past
the Brunswick pub is "Mr C's" fish and chip emporium.
Other food.....
Pizza:
There is an Italian restaurant (Giovanni's) on Nantwich Road, about
50 yards from the Royal Hotel. It is usually advisable to book for
evening meals, but you may get lucky.
There are also a couple of places along Nantwich Road which do
take-away.
If your tastes extend to kebabs, try the Persian Kebab House (on
Nantwich Road), usually only open in the evenings. Next door to this
is a Greek restaurant. There are numerous shops along Nantwich Road,
including a newsagent, a greengrocer, and a sandwich shop, plus
Chatwin's bakery, pie and cakeshop (though this is usually closed by
lunchtime on Saturdays). Rail travellers can, of course, try the
buffet on Crewe railway station. Inside the ground, Ridgway caterers
supply food, which has improved a lot recently, with pies, chips,
burgers, hotdogs and all the usual stuff.
If you're walking from the station, just past the turning into Gresty Road, there is a Kebab Shop (Platform 7) - very nice! next door to the shop on the corner of Nantwich Road selling fireplaces,
For curry: Passage to India near the Barrel pub or Taquidur across from the Earl of Crewe
The following pies are available in the ground:
Steak & Kidney, Meat & Potato , Cheese & Onion , Traditional Pasty & Hot dogs
Where to drink near Gresty Road.....
If you get there reasonably early before the game, the supporters club at the ground allows small numbers of away fans in.
There are also a number of pubs within walking distance of the ground.
The Brocklebank - (01270 212432) Tends to be the best bet for away fans
It’s part of the brewsters chain so is family friendly too & is very popular on match days with visiting supporters and has certainly had a few palace in it on previous occasions!. . It’s only a 5 minute walk from the ground – first left off Nantwich Road onto Weston Road (A5020), – you’ll see it on your right (its the opposite side of station to Gresty Road). Large pub, ideal for family meals - extensive menu with children’s options. Good food served 11.30am - 10pm. Open all day
There are several more pubs on Nantwich Road – some with doormen so may be more difficult to get in.
The Royal Hotel - (01270) 257398
On Nantwich Road, opposite Gresty Road. Free
House, offering John Smiths, Websters and Kilkenny Irish Bitter. As
it's close to the ground, can get crowded on match days (so service
can be a bit slow; manager is pretty miserable), but usually has
doormen on duty. Pool table. Sandwiches served before the match. Open all day. Turn left out of railway station & pub is 50 yards down this road on right hand side.
The Brunswick - 71 Nantwich Road, Along Nantwich Road, past Edleston Road, on the right hand side. Whitbreads (Boddington's, Trophy and guest beers).
According to The Football Fan's Guide: "The landlord describes it as a 'friendly boozer', and it's an ideal footie pub. It's large, nicely done-out, with an upstairs bar and big-screen TV. Open: all day. but may be shut after immediately after the game" Can get busy on some match days, and seems to be popular among visiting supporters. Has bouncers on door, but once inside nice mix of supporters!
The Barrel - 38 Nantwich Road An American style bar with Pool table and juke box
On the corner of Nantwich Road and South Street. Can get busy on some match-days, on others it can be surprisingly quiet.
Pool table and juke box. Families welcome. Open all day from 12.
The Earl on Nantwich Road has Sky Sports to offer.
Rookery Wood - About a mile further down Weston Lane, by the
roundabout, another "family pub", run by the Tom Cobleigh PLC chain,
opened in time for the start of this season. Not sure of its beer or
attitude to footy fans.
The Bank -Nantwich Road. Another new pub, almost opposite the Barrel. Although the pub does not look that welcoming, with a number of bouncers on the door, once inside you will find a nice mix of home and away supporters. The doormen on duty on matchdays don't appear to mind letting well-behaved away
fans in. Reasonably priced meals served 12-2.30. Families welcome. Open 12-3 & 5-11.
Manni's Wine Bar - On the corner of Mill Street, by the traffic lights, and less than a half a minute's drunken stagger from the Bank or the Barrel (mind the traffic!). No idea of its attitude to footy fans, and can't vouch for the quality of the liquid sustenance!
Old Manor - Nantwich road - Large pub/restaurant. Variety of meals including children’s menus. Disabled facilities. Open 12-11 (restaurant 12-9)
There is also a Weatherspoons near the station, and also recommended
is a pub called the 'Pullman Carriages' (?), that has been popular in previous years. There are a handful of other pubs nearby, but some (notably the Albion and the 'Pig') are only open to home supporters, or are shut, on match days. Rail travellers may have the option of the Crewe station buffet.
If you are thinking of making a longer trip and staying in the area:
Where to stay
The Malbank Hotel
(14 Beam Street, Nantwich, Cheshire. Tel: 01270 626011; fax: 01270 624435)
The rooms are a mixture of en-suite and the bathrooms down the corridor. They can be very busy mid-week, but week-end shouldn't prove a problem. In the morning make sure you are hungry because the breakfast are enormous and you'll go some to scoff the lot.
There are four TV's throughout the pub so most days you'll find one dedicated to racing, the others will have sports of some kind on or MTV type programs. Be warned Friday and Saturday nights are heaving in there, as are most pubs in Nantwich
Nantwich is an attractive, historic town, lots of old buildings, fairly small, rather a lot of antique shops, but with a good choice of pubs and a couple of popular night-clubs. About four miles from Crewe.
The Peacock Hotel
(221 Crewe Road, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 6NE. Tel 01270 624069, fax: 01270 610113)
It has 37 rooms comfortable, with en suite bathroom facilities, Sky TV, telephones, tea/coffee-making facilities, a complementary newspaper, etc.
The pub is on the A534 just west of its junction with the A500 (A51), just over a mile from Nantwich and about three miles from Crewe. Should you need it, there is also a 'corner shop' about 200 yards down the road towards Nantwich.
The Farmhouse Beefeater & Travel Inn
Coppenhall, near Crewe. Tel 01270 251126)
The rather detached location of this hotel makes it a valid option only for those with a car at their disposal (junction of A530/532). On the downside: The rooms do not have 'phones in them; the telly gets only BBC. On the upside: it is affordable; it is clean and comfortable (in a bare bones way); and the attached restaurant is pretty good. Again, if you plan to tour the countryside in addition to going to the game then it is not a bad choice at all. If you want to be near the ground or the town (or do not have an independent means of transport) then you should look elsewhere
Red Cow, Nantwich
Beam Street, Nantwich - Tel 01270 628581
A couple of years back they charged £19.50 B&B each for a twin and double occupied as a single - not bad price. Rooms are OK but not en suite - only one bathroom The accommodation is in an annexe from the pub so is quite secluded - you can't really upset anyone with loud and drunken staggering around on return from Nantwich nightlife(!). Breakfast consisted of two rashers of bacon (cremated), cold baked beans, egg and piece of fried bread carefully arranged black side down
Other possibilities
Forte Travel Lodge, Alsager, by J16 of M6. Tel 01270 883157)
Gorsty Hall Hotel - Tel 01270 820531
Lamb Hotel, Nantwich - Tel 01270 625286
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