Southampton v Palace - Wed 2nd Nov 05
Southampton v Palace
Wednesday 2nd November 2005 7.45pm
Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium
Britannia Rd, Southampton, SO14 5FP
Main Telephone No: 0870-220-0000
Ticket Office Sales: 0870-220-0150
Ticket Office Enquiries: 0870-220-0155
Official Web Site: www.saintsfc.co.uk
E-mail Address: sfc@saintsfc.co.uk
Away fans are located in the Northam Stand at one end of the stadium, where normally up to 3,200 fans can sit. The view of the playing action and the facilities within this stand are excellent. Leg room is good, although the width of the seating seemed to be a bit narrower than other grounds. The concourse behind the stand features a Ladbrokes, has TV's which show the game as it is played and a number of eating and drinking outlets. There are plenty of staff and the queues never seemed to get particularly long, it was particularly noticeable how efficient the system was on a visit I made to St Mary’s for an England game & last year in the premiership.
Please note that smoking is not allowed within the seated areas of the stadium.
Tickets
Tickets are on general sale price £26 for adults, £19 for over 65s & ages 13-19 and £13 for under 12s. No student rates available for this match
Disabled facilities
Up to 16 spaces both pitchside & elevated for away fans
Induction loop & headset commentaries available
There are 4 parking spaces for visiting disabled supporters
Palace coaches
Coaches depart Holmesdale Road at 3pm £27.50 for non-members, £25 for season ticket holders & £22.50 for eagle gold members.
HOW TO GET THERE BY CAR
From the M3 take the A33 into Southampton. Continue on the A33 until you reach the junction with the A3024 Northam Road and turn left onto this road towards Northam. Then turn right onto the B3038, Britannia Road for the stadium.
Or From the East:
Exit the M27 at Junction 8 take the 1st exit. At the roundabout take the 3rd exit (signposted "City Centre") Bursledon Road A3024. Follow the signs for the City Centre until you reach Northam Bridge (Merdian TV Studios will be on your right). At the next set of traffic lights turn left into Prince's Street and follow it round into Millbank Street carry straight on into Belvidere Road. The stadium is on the right hand side.
From the West:
Exit the M27 at Junction 3 and take the M271 to Millbrook. Follow signs to the City Centre. Passing by Southampton Train Station follow road to the top of hill. Go straight on past the Civic Centre to the traffic lights then follow New Road. Carry straight on into Northam Road, pass the Gas Tanks and take next right into Britannia Road. the Stadium is on the right.
Parking
There is hardly any parking available at the stadium for away fans and there are parking restrictions in force for the local area.
One option is to head for the city centre car parks and then embarking on the 15-20 minute walk to the stadium. For instance in the NCP car park, costing £5. However after the game the roads around the city centre become almost grid locked and it can take quite some time to get away.
You could park around the Marina area and walk 10 minutes to the ground. Parking in this area has the advantage that at the end of the game, you can avoid the city centre gridlock, by heading along the coast on the A3024 and then onto the M271/M27. The internet football fans guide suggests parking in Woolston where there is plenty of street parking, walk 15 minutes to the ground over the Itchen toll Bridge. To get there, you leave the M27 at Junction 8 and follow the A3025 to Woolston. Another suggestion is NCP car park called "Bargate" at the junction of Palmerston Road and Houndwell Place. The cost £2 for 4 hours and only a 10-min stroll to the ground'.
West Quay shopping centre is also an option
Park and ride
Away fans are offered a park and ride alternative from a location close to Junction 8 of the M27. After leaving the motorway at Junction 8 and heading towards Southampton, there are clear AA signs for the Visitors Park and Ride car park which is opposite a big Tesco superstore. This available at no charge for either the parking or the shuttle bus. The car park is secure, stewarded and has toilet facilities. It is a 25 minute bus ride to the stadium. If you want to use this facility, the necessary passes are available from your ticket office (they check your match tickets). The shuttle bus will drop passengers off and pick-up after the game in Rochester and Wilson Street, opposite the stadium on the other side of Britannia Road. Police and stewards will be available to help with directions.
Buses:
Attached to all match tickets, are bus in bus out vouchers. These are redeemable on buses operating in Zone 6 of the city center. Theses areas are: Totton, Calmore Estate, Lordshill centre, Chilworth Roundabout, Southampton Airport, Hants CC Rose Bowl, Kanes Hill Roundabout, Bursledon Rd/ Botley Rd Junction, Portsmouth Rd/ Botley Rd Junction, Hamble, Netley.
For any journeys outside this zone payment will be required. For Bus times contact: First Bus Company on - 02380 224854, Solent Blue Line on – 02380 618233 and Wilts & Dorset on – 01202 673555.
And a bit of local info ... (from “Sluggo” on cpfc.org)
There is a big car park at the Southampton Airport railway station (Parkway) if you want to use your bus voucher Easy to get to just off Junction 5 of the M27, which is about a mile from Junction 4 where the M3 joins the M27.
Travelling by train
The stadium is located around one and a half miles away from Southampton station (where there is also quite a large car park), which should take about 30 minutes to walk. There is also a shuttle bus in operation taking fans from the station to the ground. This operates from the Blechynden Terrace bus stop outside the station.
Turn left out of the station' s southern entrance and walk up Western Esplanade, which becomes Civic Centre Road. Remain on the Civic Centre Road and walk between the Civic Centre and the Marlands Shopping Centre. Eventually a crossroads is reached with the Nationwide Building Society on one corner and Lloyds Bank on another. Cross into New Road and follow this road across a park and past a college. Eventually you will reach a complex road junction with a number of traffic lights. Cross Kings Way into Northam Road and follow this road for quarter of a mile until you reach the ground on your right'. There are signs provided by the local council, which direct fans from the station to the ground.
You can also walk to the ground from St Denys Station, which is about a 25 minute walk away.
By Bus: All season and match tickets include free bus travel to and from the ground on match day for specific buses in the Zone 6 area. The following buses pass by the stadium on Northam Road: 3/3A, 5/5A, 8A, 18/19. The following buses pass by the stadium on the Itchen Bridge: 8, 10/10A, 11/11A, 16, 17/17A. You have vouchers for these journeys attached to your match ticket. There is also a shuttle bus running from the Southampton Central train station to and from the stadium on matchdays. Travel is free if you show the driver your match ticket.
By Ferry: The shuttlebus also serves the Red Funnel ferry terminal at Town Quay linking Southampton with the Isle of Wight. Travel is free again on display of your match ticket. The same arrangement stands for ferries coming into the Waterside using the Hythe service.
By Foot: From Northam Road there is a new footbridge for pedestrians that crosses the railway line to the ground and further down this road there is a new subway going under the Northam Road to the ground. Use these for public safety.
Pubs:
(with thanks to “King William” on cpfc.org for some local details)
The Kingland Tavern on St Marys Street is OK as an away pub as is the Old Fat Cat at the top of the high street.. Anywhere in the city centre is normally OK for well behaved away fans. For those coming in by train, The Victory opposite the station is popular, it has food, big screen and local real ales.
The Standing Order is a wetherspoons and so is quite cheap. Remember though that the stadium is a good twenty minute walk away.
Just round the corner in Commercial Road (from train station up to the high street) you will find The Rat & Parrot (now called "Encore") Real ale food and kids allowed. Its next to the theatre, so depending if there is a Saturday afternoon show this pub will be heaving. Dead opposite is a converted church called Joe DeFlos modern, bright bar excellent food. Also on commercial road is a number of restaurants all pretty decent.
Fans can then get the Free shuttle bus to St Mary's from the bus stop opposite the Railway station.
The Bevois Castle in Bevois Valley is reknowned for being the 'away' pub – but is 25 mins from the ground. The Bevois Castle does a fantastic full English breakfast for £2 on Saturday matchdays. It is well worth a visit as it is very welcoming towards away supporters.
Prince of Wales', 'The Station' as good friendly pubs for away fans.
Ocean Village also has a lot of friendly drinking holes'
Bedford Place area:
Bedford Place is very much studentville for nightlife and has some good bars for pre/post match beers and also nightlife. A lot of the bars in this area won’t let fans in wearing colours. The ground is 20 min walk from this area
Bedfords – pool tables big screen & food. (possibly no children)
Harveys – big screen, food – real ale (no kids)
Avondale – very very studenty
Lizard lounge – modern bar
The wine bar
The Pensioners arms – traditional pub, real ale pub food
Varsity – big screen – cheap and shit food!
So – Bedford place area isn’t really for kids and most bars wont let you in with colours.
London Road area ( London Road is a continuation of the High Street)
Giddy Bridge – weatherspoons pub
The Alex (just off of London road) real ale pub and decent food.
The high street (ground about 15 mins walk)
Usual offerings: hogshead, Yates, The Old fat cat – opposite the guildhall, Toad in the park – nice bar during the day good mix of shoppers and football fans decent food, kids allowed home fans only after the game big screens. Bottom end of high street: weatherspoons, firkin pub, walkabout + more.
I wouldn’t recommend the bottom end of town as it’s a further walk from the station and the general rule of thumb is the further down the high street the more pikey the pubs are! This is defiantly the case in the evenings aswell. I never ever go to any of the bars there as especially in the evening you will probably get trouble.
The Eagle, Palmerston Road (usually seen as a home pub & one site suggests away fans should avoid it)
The eagle is about 10 mins walk from the ground – half way from station to ground. Gets busy and is seen as a home pub but there shouldn’t be any problems there. Real ale.
Drink: Lager £2.00, Bitter £2.00 and Bottled Lager £2.00
Food: Tuna or Cheese & Ham Rolls
Sky TV: No
St Marys: 10 minute walk
I can't say too much against it - apart from the fact it hasn't got sky and doesn't do much in the way of food. Its very popular amongst Saints fans!
The cowherds pub at the bottom of the Avenue (a33) is a very nice pub right on Southampton common – right out of the way if you travel by train but for people driving then they go past it. About 30 mins walk to ground. No football colours
If travelling by train you could alight at St Denys Station, as this is slightly closer to the ground (about a 25 minute walk away), and there are three pubs within a two minute walk (Bevois Castle is about 5/10 mins from here) The Dolphin, The Junction and also The South Western - which was recently voted the 4th best pub in Great Britain by CAMRA. Their selection of Real Ales is fantastic! Around the St Denys area, there is also plenty of street parking'.
The pubs near the ground are not recommended as they are probably home only.
Those listed below may be home only so you go there at your own “risk”!
Cork and Bottle, The Ferry House, Canute Road
Drink: Lager £2.15, Bitter £2.05 and Bottled Lager £2.25
Food: Burgers
Sky TV: Yes, they have a large screen above the bar.
St Marys: 15 minute walk
A decent pub which gets packed on match days - getting served can be a problem though. On the plus side, they do have a large screen and their burgers are pretty tasty.
The Court Jester, Terminus Terrace
Drink: Lager £2.15, Bitter £1.95, Bottled Lager £2.15
Food: A wide variety of bar meals
Sky TV: No
St Marys: 10 minute walk
Better than the Cork and Bottle - but very plastic. It looks like a cafe! However, on match days they do food, mostly burgers and chips and the like, and the staff were very helpful. Prices very much like that of the Cork and Bottle.
King Alfred, Northam Road (home pub)
Drink: Lager £2.00, Bitter £2.00 and Bottled Lager £2.50
Food: They normally sell burgers outside.
Sky TV: Yes
St Marys: 2 minute walk
Its okay - really spacious and the landlord and landlady are really nice. They took over the pub because of the ground and they do good food, the drinks are reasonable and they have large screen and TV's dotted around the pub.
Coalporters Rowing Club, Northam Road
Drink: Lager £2.00, Bitter £1.90, Bottled Lager £2.00 (always some kind of promotion on drinks).
Food: Rolls, Crisps, Chocolate (BBQ likely once custom picks up)
Sky TV: In the pipeline
St Marys: 7 minute walk
A very spacious club hall with a large bar and wide variety of drinks. Good place to meet up with friends. Always drinks promotions on offer meaning cheaper booze. Hot food and Sky TV in the pipeline. Perfect place to rest your bones on the way to SMS if you walk to the ground over Northam Bridge. Highly recommended. Further investments to be made in facilities with growing custom.
Avoid the prince of wales & Northam social club as home only
FOOD
There are loads of places in the city centre to eat. For McDonalds or Pizza Hut go to the bottom of town. There are a few Indians around the St Marys area and the usual burger outlets can be found at the ground. The food inside the ground is reasonably priced and of good quality but they tend to sell out by half time. Wetherspoons is always a cheap option, with very cheap booze too!
The food outlets have hot food, easy service. They do a deal for a beer and pie and you can also buy a 2 pinter!
A range of Hollands Pies (£2) are on offer, plus burgers (£2.50) and hot dogs (£2.50). They also do Pizza slices which are very nice. There is also a 'Pie & Pint' outlet, that as the name suggests, only serves beer (£2.50 per pint) and pies.
Betting
There are Ladbrokes desks in all of the concourses. There is a Ladbrokes and a William Hill in the city centre or a Ladbrokes in Shirley, if you come that way in.
For people staying down for a night out then there are various areas to go:
Again Bedford place – very lively, and a decent Mexican restaurant – la cantena
“modern bars” in Bedford place area – mono and orange rooms and also Rhino nightclub. “dress to impress” sort of thing.
On London road Chambers bar open late again dress to impress. A lot of people float from chambers to mono and orange rooms and rhino. Friendly bars good atmosphere.
Leisure world (and the bottom end of high street) is where the chavs go! – hotshots, ikon and diva nightclub overpriced drinks and you will probably get some sovereign ring imprinted on the chin!
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