| Contents |
What's Spotland
Football Ground Like?
Willbutts
Lane & Pearl Street
Stands (photo)
What Is It Like
For Visiting Supporters?
Where To Drink?
Sandy Lane End (photo)
How To Get
There By Car & Where To Park
By
Train
Main
Stand (photo)
Admission Prices
Ground Layout
Programme Price
Local Rivals
Disabled Facilities
Fixtures 2012-2013
Record & Average Attendance
Fans Ground Reviews
Hotel
Accommodation
Spotland
Location Map
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| What's
Spotland Football Ground Like? |
| The ground has benefited
greatly with the construction of three new stands
during the 1990’s and year 2000. It is quite
picturesque, with a number of trees being visible
behind the stands. The last of these new stands to be
opened was the smart looking Willbutts
Lane Stand at one side of the pitch, which
was opened in 2000. This single tiered stand replaced
a former terrace and has a capacity of 4,000. On the
other side is another single tier, the all seated Main
Stand. This has a number of supporting pillars and
some executive boxes at the back. At one end the Pearl
Street Stand is the third of the new stands. This is
also all seated and serves as a Family Stand. It has a
couple of supporting pillars that are right at the
front of the stand. The Sandy Lane End is the only
terraced area remaining. It is one the small size but
does at least benefit from having a roof. There
is a Police Control Box located in one corner, between
the Main & Pearl Street Stands. Spotland is shared
with the Rochdale Hornets rugby league team.
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| Willbutts
Lane & Pearl Street
Stands |
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| What Is It Like
For Visiting Supporters? |
Away supporters are
housed on one side of the Willbutts Lane Stand,
where around 1,500 fans can be housed. If demand
requires it, then the whole of this stand can be
given to visiting fans increasing the allocation to
3,650. The stand is normally shared with home
supporters with away fans being seated towards the
Sandy Lane End. The view of the action and
facilities within, are both pretty good. The
acoustics are excellent, so away fans can really
make some noise from within it. This, coupled with
both home ends singing, makes for a good atmosphere.
If Rochdale do score then 'Samba de Janeiro' blasts
out around the ground from the p.a. system.
I would say that Spotland in my book, is one of the
best footballing days out in the country. Friendly
& knowledgeable fans, good stewards, good
facilities, a couple of pubs located at the ground,
a great range of pies on offer and not a bad
atmosphere to boot. In other words all the right
elements to make for a great day out. Add a pretty
lady on my arm, my team winning six nil and I'll
think that I have been transported to heaven!
Teresa Jewell a visiting Sheffield Wednesday fan adds;
'The ground is homely, with the staff being helpful
and polite. The pies on sale (£2.50)
were worth every penny. Parking though looked
pretty bad, so I would advise getting there early if
you want to park near to the stadium. The club house
to the front of the ground is welcoming to away fans.
There is also a chip shop facing the away end for
something more substantial to eat, which does a
roaring trade on matchdays'.
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| Where To Drink? |
At the ground itself, there
are two bars to choose from, Studds & the
Ratcliffe Arms. Studds is located underneath the Pearl
Street Stand and is worth a visit, if only to sample
the large range of tasty pies & pasties on offer
at £2.50 (which are also available inside the ground). No real
ales here, but the bar has lots of
memorabilia/pictures on the walls
and some lovely looking barmaids which softens the
blow. The Ratcliffe Arms is located at the
car park entrance to the ground, on Sandy Lane. This
pub has SKY TV and on my last visit had a mixture of
home and away fans.
If you arrive early, the Cemetery Hotel, located at
the bottom of Sandy Lane and on the corner with Bury
Road, is also worth a visit. This comfortable historic
pub has a range of real ales on offer and again
friendly clientele. Otherwise
alcohol is available inside the ground, although it
is cans poured into plastic glasses.
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Sandy Lane Terrace
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| How To Get
There By Car & Where To Park |
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Exit
the M62 at Junction 20 and take the A627(M) towards
Rochdale. At the end of the A627(M) you should be in
the left hand lane to turn left at the traffic
lights. Now follow the road and with Tesco on your
left, go straight through the next set of lights
(approach in the middle lane) into Roch Valley Way.
At the next crossroads (where the Cemetery pub is on
the corner) go straight onto Sandy Lane, where the
ground can be found on the right after approx 3/4
mile.
Car Parking at the ground is now
for permit holders only, so it is a case of
finding some street parking. However this may be a
bit of a distance from the ground as there is a
"residents only" parking scheme
in operation in streets around Spotland. So if not
careful you could end with a parking ticket for
your trouble, so check first to see if there are
street parking restriction signs, before deciding
to park up.
Map showing the location of
the Spotland Football Ground (at the
bottom of this page).
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| By
Train |
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Rochdale Railway Station is located just under
two miles away from the ground, which is served by
direct trains from Manchester Victoria, Halifax,
Bradford Interchange and Leeds. Alternatively you
can get a Metrolink service to Rochdale station from
either Manchester Piccadilly or Victoria. Rochdale
station is around a 35-40 minute walk from Spotland,
so best jump in a taxi, rather than walking. If you
have time on your hands however and decide to walk -
here's how:
On leaving the main entrance proceed straight on at
the roundabout in front into Maclure Road. Follow
this street (passing a fire station on your right)
to the end and turn left at the T-junction onto
Drake Street (A640). Follow this right to the end
until you reach Manchester Road (A58) which is a
dual carriageway. Turn right and walk along the
right hand side of the road. At the major junction,
which has traffic lights turn left (crossing
Manchester Road) into Dane Street (A6060). Just
after passing ASDA on the right, bear right onto
Mellor Street (still the A6060 - here Dane Street
bears left). Follow this road right to the end and
bear left onto Spotland Road which soon becomes
Edenfield Road (A680), bearing round to the left.
Take the second left onto Willbutts Lane for the
ground. Thanks to John Midgley for providing the
directions.
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Main Stand
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| Admission
Prices |
Home Fans:
Main Stand: Adults £20, Concessions £14, Under 8's
Free
Pearl Street Stand: Adults £18, Concessions £12, Under 8's
Free, 1 Adult + 1 Under
16 £22, Additional Adult £16 (Max 2 Adults),
Additional Under 16 £6 (Max 3 Under 16's per adult)
Sandy Lane Terrace: Adults £15, Concessions £10
Willbutts
Lane Stand: Adults
£20, Concessions £14, Under 8's Free
1 Adult + 1 Under 16 £25, Additional Adult £18
(Max 2 Adults), Additional Under 16 £7 (Max 3
Under 16's per adult).
Away Fans:
Willbutts Lane Stand:
Adults £20, Concessions £14, Under
8's Free
1 Adult + 1 Under 16 £25, Additional Adult £18 (Max
2 Adults), Additional Under 16 £7 (Max 3 Under 16's
per adult).
Concessions apply to Over 65's and Under 22's.
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Ground
Layout
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| Programme |
| Official Programme: £3
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| Local Rivals |
| Bury, Burnley, Oldham,
Stockport County, Manchester United & Manchester
City.
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| Disabled
Facilities |
| For
details of disabled facilities and club contact at the
ground please visit the relevant page on the Level
Playing Field website.
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| Fixtures 2012-2013 |
| Rochdale AFC fixture list (takes
you to the BBC Sports
Website)
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| Record
& Average Attendance |
24,231 v Notts County
FA Cup 2nd Round, December 10th, 1949.
Average Attendance:
2011-2012:
3,109 (League One)
2010-2011: 3,537 (League
One)
2009-2010: 3,443 (League Two)
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| Fans Reviews Of Spotland |
Kev
Gascoigne (Sheffield United) 10/4/12
Paul Willott
(Preston North End) 2/1/12
Martin Stimson
(Colchester United) 15/10/11
Tyler Jason
(Northampton Town) 17/4/10
Mark Horler (Torquay
United) 12/9/09
Jordan Pattison
(Bradford City) 1/4/08
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| Hotel
Accommodation |
If you require hotel
accommodation in the area then first try a hotel
booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all
types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets
from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast
establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced
Apartments. Plus their booking system is
straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will
earn a small commission if you book through them, but
it will go to help with the running costs of keeping
the Guide going.
Access
their Rochdale
& Manchester Hotels and Guest Houses
page.
Remember
that you can use the above link or panel below to
book any other hotels that you may need for
business or leisure, either in the UK or abroad.
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| Map
showing the location of Spotland, Railway
Station and Listed Pubs. |
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Instructions for using
the map:
- Use the bar on the left of the map to zoom in /
out using the + / - keys.
- Click and drag an area of the map to move around
or use the up/down, left/right arrows
- Click the Satellite button to see aerial view
photograph.
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| Feedback |
If
anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me duncan@footballgrounds.net
and I'll update the guide.
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