Meadow Lane - Notts County Stadium
Last Update:
August 29, 2024
What Is Meadow Lane Like?
During the early 1990’s the ground was completely rebuilt, creating an attractive all-seater stadium. Although the ground comprises four separate stands, it is quite smart-looking. Both sides are single-tiered stands, the larger of which is the Derek Pavis Stand. This is the Main Stand containing the director area and has the player’s tunnels and team dugouts at its front. Opposite is the Jimmy Sirrel Stand which has a gable on its roof reminiscent of those old grounds, where they were once a common sight. At one end is the large Kop Stand, which can house up to 5,400 supporters. Again this is a newish stand with excellent facilities. The other end is the smaller, covered Family Stand. This stand has one sizeable solitary supporting pillar, which may affect your view as it is situated right at the front of the stand in the middle. This stand also has a small electric scoreboard on its roof. The stadium is completed with a set of four modern floodlight pylons. Outside the stadium, there is a statue of Notts County legends Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler (see the section below to see a photo of the statue).
What is it like for away fans?
Away fans are housed on one side of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, located on one side of the ground. The normal allocation for this area will be around 1,300, although this can be increased for cup games.
On my last visit, I was very impressed with the standard of the ground. The views were generally good and the concourse was spacious. I was quite impressed also to see a proper queueing system in place for refreshments. I wish more clubs would do this as I hate the scrum-around kiosks that are commonplace at most other Clubs. The Club offers a range of Pukka Pies costing £3 each, as well as Cheeseburgers (£3.70), Burgers (£3.50), Veggie Burgers (£3.50) and Hot Dogs (£3.40). The only disappointments were that the substantial supporters club didn’t allow in away supporters and that the ground generally lacked atmosphere. The Club also allow away fans who wish to, have a cigarette at half-time in a designated smoking area. A visit to Meadow Lane is usually a hassle-free and enjoyable day out.
Andy McLaren a visiting Hartlepool United fan adds; ‘The stewards at the back of the away section let us stand and even joined in with some friendly banter. There was a reasonable number but they kept a low profile and let the fans enjoy themselves. Overall they were a credit to the club and made the day enjoyable!’
Pubs near Meadow Lane
- Trent Navigation Inn – 17 Meadow Lane, NG2 3HS
- Southbank Bar – 18 Friar Lane, NG1 6DQ
- Trent Bridge Inn – 2 Radcliffe Road, NG2 6AA
- Vat & Fiddle – 12 Queensbridge Road, NG2 1NB
- Hooters – London Road, NG2 3AS
- Olde Trip To Jerusalem – Brewhouse Yard, NG1 6AD
- The Embankment – 282-284 Arkwright Street, NG2 2GR
Food and drink at Meadow Lane
Salt and pepper chicken loaded fries at Notts County (@Official_NCFC @LoadedFlavez)
💷 £7.50 pic.twitter.com/s0B6SmiR5s
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) July 8, 2023
Salt and pepper loaded chips at Notts County (@Official_NCFC @LoadedFlavez)
💷 £7.50 pic.twitter.com/LSHrCtq4Le
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) May 15, 2023
Jack Daniels pulled pork loaded fries at Notts County (@Official_NCFC @LoadedFlavez)
💷 £7.50 pic.twitter.com/TLmgeetbEr
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) March 26, 2023
Meadow Lane entrance
Away fans must enter Meadow Lane via the turnstiles on County Road. They are housed in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand. Opposite is the Derek Pavis Stand, which has the main reception for player and staff arrivals. Home fans enter here via turnstiles 1-10.
Overall, there are 51 turnstiles around the ground at Meadow Lane. They are located in all four corners, along with turnstiles 19-31, which are directly behind the Jimmy Sirrel Stand.
Watch the video below from 2:25 onwards to see the entrance into Meadow Lane for away supporters.
Directions and Car Parking
Leave the M1 at Junction 26 take the A610 towards Nottingham and then follow the signs for Melton Mowbray. Turn left before the River Trent into Meadow Lane. Parking is available at the Cattle Market (opposite the away end) which costs £3.50 a car or at Nottingham City Council’s Eastcroft depot (NG2 3AH) at £4 a car. The depot is a five-minute walk from Meadow Lane, located just off London Road (A60), opposite Hooters. The entrance is signposted with banners and is manned by security guards throughout the match. Streets around the ground have several on-street pay and display displays, but these need to be paid via telephone or the RingGo App. Check lamposts for information. Free street parking is available further away. Martin Breslin informs me; ‘There is a relatively new, secure multi-storey car park at Nottingham Railway Station which offers match day parking at £5 all day on Saturdays and £3.50 evenings (after 6 pm). You enter the car park via Queens Road’. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the local area via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Park & Ride
If you would prefer not to drive into Nottingham centre, then there is a ‘Park and Ride’ scheme now in operation. If leaving the M1 at Junction 24 and following the A453 towards Nottingham, then the Clifton South Park & Ride site is signposted. If coming in from the North and leaving the M1 at Junction 25 and following the A52 towards Nottingham, then the Totan Lane Park & Ride signposted off the first roundabout you reach. Parking is free and then you can take a tram to Nottingham Railway Station. If you show your matchday ticket then you can buy a tram ‘event’ ticket for £2 return, otherwise, it costs £4 return for Adults and Under 19’s £2.30. Please note that you need to purchase your ticket before getting on the tram. The journey time into Nottingham is 15 minutes and trams run every 10 minutes (or less) during the day and every 15 minutes in the evenings. The service runs until midnight.
Post Code for Sat Nav: NG2 3HJ
Public transport
The Meadow Lane ground is a 10-15 minute walk away from Nottingham Railway Station. As you come out of the main station entrance, Turn left from the station across the car park and then turn right at the traffic lights. The ground is about a 1/4 of a mile down the dual carriageway on the left.
Hotels near Meadow Lane
For fans wanting to stay overnight in reasonably priced accommodation, here are a couple of suggestions.
- Lace Market Hotel – 29 – 31 High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HE England
- Premier Inn Nottingham Arena (London Road) Hotel – London Rd, Nottingham NG2 4UU England
Ticket Prices
All Areas Of The Ground
Adult: £22
Over 65: £16
18-21: £16
U18: £8
U16: £6
U12: £1
Ground history
Before 1910, Notts County played their home games at Trent Bridge which they were renting from Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. Due to this, Cricket took priority which meant County were often forced to play early and late season fixtures at other venues to avoid a fixture clash. The Football League eventually told Notts County to see more favourable terms for the use of Trent Bridge or to relocate to a new ground on which they could fulfil all of their fixtures. However, the cricket club decided not to renew Notts County’s lease in 1902 giving County just two years to find a new ground.
In 1910, Notts County found a plot of land which was leased from the council and a stadium was very quickly erected. Part of the stadium was a temporary stand from Trent Bridge was floated across the river. September 1910 saw Meadow Lane officially opened with a match against local rivals Nottingham Forest which was played in front of 27,000 spectators.Â
Disabled facilities
A total of 100 spaces available at pitch level, in front of the Sirrel, Pavis and family stands.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Notts County fan songs
Record and Average Attendance
Record Attendance
47,310 v York City
FA Cup 6th Round, 12th March 1955.
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
17,615 v Coventry City
League Two, 18th May 2018.
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 10,771 (League Two)
2022-2023: 8,024 (National League)
2021-2022: 6,800 (National League)
2020-2021: 200 (Covid) (National League)
2019-2020: 5,209 (National League)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Notts County v Sutton United
National League
Saturday 7th December 2019, 3pm
Mark J Anderson (Sutton United)
Notts County v Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 14th September 2019, 3pm
John Eccles (Halifax Town)
Notts County v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 14th September 2019, 3pm
Michael Finister-Smith (FC Halifax Town)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Meadow Lane Ground?
Another new ground and not too far from where I live in the West Midlands.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very straightforward. The stewards were really friendly and explained where I could park the car near the away end.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The steward recommended the Trent Navigation, which was about 5-7 minutes walk. Both fans mixed well and it was a very friendly atmosphere. Recommended.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Meadow Lane Stadium?
A fabulous ground at this level. We were in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand based around the half way line with a brilliant view. Very impressive.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Stewards great inside and out of the ground. There is a shop for food and beer if you want inside the ground. The game itself was frustrating as they went down to 10 men after 47 minutes but still managed to score after that and win 1 -0.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very easy and about an hours drive home. It was an enjoyable away experience in spite of the result.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Sunny day, nice pre-match pint and a really impressive ground with genuine fans.
Notts County v MK Dons
League 2
Friday 19th April 2019, 3pm
Marcus (MK Dons)
Notts County v Exeter City
League 2 Saturday
23rd March 2019, 3pm
John Baker (Exeter City)
Notts County v Mansfield Town
League 2
Saturday 16th February 2019, 1pm
Jack Richardson (Mansfield Town)
Notts County v Crawley Town
League Two
Tuesday 2nd October 2018, 7.45pm
Geoff Thornton (Crawley Town)
Notts County v Coventry City
League 2 Play Off Semi-Final 2nd leg
Friday 18th May 2018, 7.45pm
Frank Alsop (Coventry City fan)
Notts County v Swansea City
FA Cup 4th Round
Saturday 27th January 2018, 3pm
Andy Newman (Neutral fan)
Notts County v Crawley Town
League Two
Tuesday 23rd January 2018, 7.45pm
Dan Maguire (Crawley Town fan)
Notts County v Morecambe
League 2
Saturday 9th September 2017, 3pm
Stuart (Morecambe fan)
Notts County v Nottingham Forest
Pre-Season Friendly Match
Wednesday 19th July 2017, 7.45pm
John Boynton (Neutral fan)
Notts County Doncaster Rovers
Football League Two
Monday 26th December 2016, 3pm
Jim Duffy (Doncaster Rovers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Meadow Lane Ground?
It was my first visit to Meadow Lane, I had previously been across the Trent to the Forest ground.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled by car down the M1 and found the ground easily enough. We decided to get to the ground and look for parking, We turned onto Incinerator Road at the corner of the stadium and spotted that we could park on street by using RING GO. This cost us only £2 to park there, when other drivers were passing us to park in a near car park for £4. That was the bargain of the day.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We weren't allowed into The Navigation Inn that was the nearest pub to the ground, so we walked over the river bridge and were welcomed into the Southbank Bar. £3 a pint and there was a few cask ales on offer too, the bar snacks looked good but we were running out of time to have anything to eat.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Meadow Lane Ground?
The Meadow Lane Stadium is impressive, the seating was okay but the toilets were too small in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, to cope with the numbers of fans.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We had a good following on the day and we created a great atmosphere but sadly County are on a bad run and their supporters weren't in the spirit of Christmas As regards the game, then Rovers were the better side on the day and we should have won by a bigger margin. The stewards were friendly and even the Police outside the stadium were friendly to us.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy enough because traffic lights controlled the junction onto the main road and we just followed the signs back to the M1.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a good away day, easy cheap parking, a decent pre-match pint, we came away with three points and leap frogged two places to go top of the league.
Notts County v Wycombe Wanderers
Football League Two
Saturday 10th December 2016, 3pm
Josh Houston (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Meadow Lane Ground?
I was in Leicestershire as I was staying over there at the time. I was looking forward to the game as it was a new ground for me and I was excited to go in with the Wycombe fans.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was simple, I got the number 9 bus from Loughborough to Nottingham. It dropped me off about two minutes away from the Meadow Lane ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Before the game I walked around for a bit and explored the area, Then I went into the club shop and brought a badge. Notts County legend Trevor Christie was in there, signing autographs. After that I had a walk around the stadium. Much to my surprise I found a Norwich City sticker on one of the lamp posts. As I am an Ipswich Town fan, I had great satisfaction in removing it!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Meadow Lane?
My first impressions of Meadow Lane were very good. From the outside it looked like a Championship ground, not League Two. The away end was quite narrow, the club didn't open the full concourse so it was quite congested. They put the away fans right on the half way line which gave me a fantastic view.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The facilities were quite small, the toilets were tiny and the leg room wasn't the greatest, but definitely not the worst. Notts County's stewards are some of the best I've ever seen. They were dancing to the Wycombe fans chants and made it quite enjoyable. The food was quite expensive though, so I decided not to buy any inside the ground. The Wycombe fans were great, but there wasn't much noise from the County fans, but considering there were about 3,500 fans in a 20,000 capacity stadium, then perhaps this is understandable. The game itself was pretty dull until Wycombe scored the opening goal. Both sides had a player sent off and then Wycombe doubled their lead just after half time. The game finished that way with a 2-0 win to the visitors.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy I walked about two minutes up the road and waited for the number 9 bus back to Loughborough. There was little traffic.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it was a good day out. I would advise anyone to visit Meadow Lane and enjoy the ground.
Notts County v Grimsby Town
Football League Two
Saturday 3rd September 2016, 3pm
Kevin Dixon (Grimsby Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Meadow Lane Ground?
It was our first "big" away day back in the Football League after six seasons out. With just under 2,400 Town fans making the short journey, then it was sure to be a good atmosphere. I last visited the ground back in the early eighties, but it has been completely rebuilt since then, so I was keen to see the difference.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Several traffic hold ups on the way down the A46, at Lincoln and Newark, then a crawl into Nottingham along the A52. It took me two and a half hours to do the 71 mile journey. I parked at the Nottingham racecourse park and ride, and then walked the 15 minutes to Meadow Lane.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After experiencing traffic delays on the way, it was almost 2pm by the time I arrived, so I went straight into the ground. From what I could see plenty of the Town fans had been sampling the local hostelries.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Meadow Lane Ground?
Meadow Lane is a really nice stadium, all seated with a 20,000 capacity. The stands are fairly steep, so I imagine even those at the back would feel pretty close to the pitch. A vast improvement from the old Meadow Lane stadium I had previously visited before.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
With a crowd of nearly 7,000, there was a great atmosphere. We took the lead in the first half, then added a second soon after half time. Then County made a couple of inspired substitutions, and pulled a goal back on 73 minutes, then almost immediately after they were awarded a penalty. To the great relief our fans, the kick hit the post and went out, but County were not to be denied, and equalised in the 89th minute. Probably a fair result in the end, but it felt almost like we had lost. The stewards were really friendly, despite having to put up with a large number of drunken Town "fans". Toilets were okay if a little small, food was the standard football fayre.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
15 minute walk back to the Racecourse car park, then a much quicker journey back home, arriving at 6.45pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A very nice stadium to visit, will probably be amongst the best we see in this league. A good point gained for us, although it seemed we would get all three until late on. I would certainly go to Meadow Lane again.
Notts County v Stevenage
Football League Two
Saturday 9th April 2016, 3pm
James Walker (Stevenage fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Meadow Lane?
I was looking forward to the game as it was one of the first times we've played this season without being under serious pressure of falling close to the bottom two after opening up a 10 point gap at the bottom in midweek. However the fact that Notts County were yet to win under Mark Cooper made me a little nervous as this is where we are usually very generous as a club to the opposition! Our two relegation rivals were also at home (York to Wycombe and Dagenham to Portsmouth) so I couldn't see either of them winning, meaning even a loss here wouldn't be disastrous for us.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took the supporters coach for the game as this was simple. An 11am departure from the Lamex saw us reach Meadow Lane for just after 1pm, followed by a drive around looking for parking! We eventually crossed over the other side of the River Trent to park in the City Ground car park.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As we were parked at the City Ground, a chance to walk around for pictures was well taken! This was followed by walking over the Trent Bridge to Meadow Lane and straight to the club shop to purchase a badge (£2.50) and a programme (£3.00) before walking around to the away end. I didn't encounter any home fans before the game.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Meadow Lane ground?
Meadow Lane is an impressive stadium with a large away end. The concourse when you first enter is more spacious than many I've experienced in the league and big clean toilets with hot and cold running water. The tea bar has an actual queuing system installed and offers a good range of food for good prices, a pie (Chicken Balti or Steak) costing just £2.80. The stand to the left of the away end is a small stand with a small scoreboard at the top of it, whilst the stand opposite is similar to the away end, with a fair-sized stand running the length of the pitch. Behind the opposite goal is the big Kop stand, and this is where the few supporters who like to make some noise gather.
The View From My Seat
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
If there were any neutrals attending the game, they would probably have fallen asleep before Half Time given how poor the offering from both sides was, the only talking point being a stunning volley from Jon Stead being ruled out after 30 minutes to deny the hosts, as well as a second goal being chalked off just before the whistle, both for offside. The second half was similar to the first with neither side able to create a chance of note until County finally showed a touch of class with a superbly placed curling shot from Liam Noble with 20 minutes to play. Both sides created some half chances after this as we finally started to wake up, however it was too little too late as the referee put us out of our misery soon after. The facilities were all good for this level, as were the pies! The atmosphere wasn't great all-round as this had the making of a game involving two teams all set to stay up calmly playing out a dull finish.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away couldn't be easier. The coach moved to directly outside the away end so we simply walked outside and straight onboard, and were away within 15 minutes of the final whistle. A superb journey home saw us getting off outside the Lamex at 6.50pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall this wasn't a great day but wasn't too bad either, with the game being the only part that was a let down. I've enjoyed previous visits to Meadow Lane but still managed to enjoy this one as well, and will be one I will be doing again next season providing we manage to keep matching Yorks results and stay up.
Half Time Score: Notts County 0-0 Stevenage
Full Time Result: Notts County 1-0 Stevenage
Attendance: 4,172 (218 away fans)
Notts County v Oxford Untited
League Two
Saturday 2nd January 2016, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Meadow Lane football ground?
I had not been to Meadow Lane since 1984 and a lot has happened since then! Oxford are on a good run and being a Northern exile living in Sheffield, it was a relatively easy game for me to get to.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As I live in Sheffield, it was a no-brainer to take the train to Nottingham Railway Station and then walk 15 minutes up to Meadow Lane.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I met some old Oxford Friends at The Vat & Fiddle which is five minutes from the station and kind of halves the walk. This is a great real ale bar attached to the Castle Rock brewery and had a mix of fans in a civil atmosphere.
What you thought on seeing the stadium, first impressions of the away end then other sides of Meadow Lane?
I was impressed with Meadow Lane. This ground had been fully redeveloped in the last 30-years and for a League Two ground, it is excellent. Away fans are located on one side of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, on one side of the pitch. This allows for a great view. The stewarding was a bit nit picking given they were trying to cram 1,350 fans into a relatively small part of this large stand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Notts County were out played, but did go 2-1 up. Eventually Oxford won 4-2 and from, our perspective, was a great game. Roy Carroll kept them in the match making a string of outstanding saves. Catering was the usual standard fayre.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Simple walk back to the station for my train. Manage your toilet breaks as Nottingham Station seems bereft of facilities.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good day out and I'd recommend it to other away fans. Close to the station, good pubs in the vicinity and great views in the ground.
Notts County v Newport County
Football League Two
Saturday 12th December 2015, 3pm
Marcus Probert (Newport County fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Meadow Lane Football Ground?
I was looking forward to visiting as it was my second away game and it was a new place to visit. I had never been to Nottingham or Meadow Lane so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to pay my first visit to Notts County.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Pretty easy, travelled by supporters coach and the ground wasn't too far from the pub. Long journey so stopped at the services on the way but got to the ground early enough for the game anyway. Police were friendly enough to point us in the right direction towards the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went to the Southbank Bar once the coach dropped us off, had a couple of pints and the pub was full of Newport fans. Thought the local police were friendly and welcoming too. If anyone goes to Nottingham for an away day, they should go to the Southbank, serves a decent pint, and has a decent menu from what I saw, friendly staff too! The Notts fans we passed en route to the stadium from the pub didn't say anything or cause a problem so they were fine.
What you thought on seeing the stadium, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Meadow Lane Ground?
The Meadow Lane football ground is an impressive and sizeable one. The away section was easy to access and was under cover. The other sides were impressive to look at too.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere was pretty standard, Notts fans sung at various points but we sung almost all game, I had a cheeseburger and pint at half time, burger was decent, the stewards were friendly and let us stand and sing and despite throwing away a 2-0 lead and losing 4-3 in the final minute it was a good game and could've gone either way. The atmosphere amongst the home fans when they got the winner was crazy..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Police were courteous and when I asked they pointed me towards where the coaches were so I found them no problem. Crossing the main road to get to the coach proved a small challenge but I navigated it.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a great away day aside from the result, I would definitely make the trip again the Police were welcoming, good pub, good ground, great experience, brilliant day out! I would definitely recommend going to Notts County away for any fans looking for a decent away day!
Notts County v York City
League Two
Saturday 26th September 2015, 3pm
Ian Bradley (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Meadow Lane?
Meadow Lane is a ground that I haven't visited since the late 1990's, so a re-visit was in order.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled by train. Meadow Lane is very conveniently located a 15 minute walk away from Nottingham Railway Station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I visited the 1862 bar at the ground. Notts fans were very friendly and the draught SanMiguel went down very well as it was a warm autumn day.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I was very impressed by the stadium. Meadow Lane is very modern looking and large by League Two standards with good views. The away end wasn't an end as such, it was instead one part side of one of the side stands.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was a good competitive game which Notts County won 1-0. In truth County should have won by more, a more one sided win than the scoreline suggests.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No trouble at all exiting as there were only just over 5.000 in the ground. As I said, a 15 minute walk back to the train station and on my way home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day out, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Notts County v Preston North End
League One
Tuesday, 21st April 2015, 3pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
Pretty much any other time, I would have looked forward to this match with that good old nostalgia of “ah yes, fellow founder members of the league meet once again….” But this time around at the business end of the season, both clubs were in desperate need of the points on offer albeit for different reasons.
County were in a desperate plight at the wrong end of the table without a win in their previous ten matches whereas North End were in the promotion shake up. On the face of it, a terrific unbeaten run stretching well into double figures might have had North End fans feeling comfortable, but 3 consecutive draws before this fixture was causing all concerned to feel a trifle nervy as the chase from MK Dons got ever closer in the race for that coveted second automatic promotion spot.
And so to the days action; with it being a midweek encounter, we left our home in Kent not long after mid-day to afford as leisurely a cruise up the Motorways as possible and also to factor in extra “recovery” time should we be held up anywhere.
We opted to leave the M1 at junction 24 and head towards the city of Nottingham on the A453 which some of you may be pleased to know is being upgraded to a dual carriageway at this moment in time. Fans of heavy infrastructure will like this stretch of road as it does afford a fairly close view of Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station just to the north of the expressway.
A top tip for any in a car for a midweek fixture is to just keep on the A453 following signs for the city centre as the ring road/A52 route much favoured by guides and routeplanners is very susceptible to heavy traffic especially around the evening peak as I’ve found on previous visits to Nottingham.
You can glimpse a brief view of the stadia as you cross the Trent at this point but all you need to do is keep trundling towards the city centre , then keeping the railway station to your left as you dive under the new tram flyover, and in approximately 30 seconds you will see Notts County’s ground to your right.
Just past this point I was a trifle disorientated to spy a “Hooters” eaterie; this being more in keeping with what I’ve discovered on visits to Las Vegas and Prague and not what I would have expected in Nottingham!
Being on the early side, we were able to source some free street parking in between the Meadow Lane stadium and the railway station at which point we went for a wander past the ground and down to the banks of the River Trent itself where we could see the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest as well as the floodlights for Trent Bridge cricket ground.
Having spotted a Hooters restaurant we decided it would be rude to not pop in and sample the fayre on offer, as the food is usually excellent, and it didn’t disappoint.
Jimmy Sirrel Stand (where the away fans are housed)
Thus with a generous filling of Hooters burger and US style portion of chips inside our bellies we slowly started to roll down to Meadow Lane and enjoyed some chit-chat with the local supporters and programme sellers who were as ever all friendly. I have to add I have never experienced anything other than the warmest of welcomes from Notts County fans.
Compared to previous encounters at Meadow Lane where away fans had been allocated the Kop end behind one of the goals, we were this season in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand that runs alongside the pitch.
From the outside, walking towards the ground from the city centre the impression created is that perhaps the overall capacity of the stadium to be larger than it perhaps is as the Kop stand that fills your eye-line when you first walk towards the ground does dwarf the other stands in the ground, in particular the “family” stand behind the opposite goal. That said the ground is presented as a tidy modern well-kept affair complete with a set of modern almost continental style looking floodlight pylons. Now whilst I’m a fan of the traditional lattice style steel pylons, such as the two that still exist across the river at the City ground, I’d still vote for what Meadow Lane has any day as opposed to roof mounted lights.
Once we’d entered the stadium, we found all the stewards very relaxed and friendly, although one individual amongst them wanted to berate the home fans a little too strongly for my liking. He assured me that they were so negative they’d be booing their players after only five minutes or so. I didn’t believe him, and I quite quickly tired of his rant so started to bury my head in the matchday programme to discourage him and it soon worked as he got the hint and sloped off elsewhere and left us in peace.
View From The Away Section
As kick-off approached, you could sense apprehension and anxiety throughout the ground amongst the supporters of both teams, and although there was a good noise being made in the away end, it was tinged with nerves. Similarly you could see the Notts County fans in the Kop end trying to whip up atmosphere of their own, although sadly the end opposite was pretty deserted. The beginning of the match seemed to equate to this atmosphere of tension with an opening 15 to 20 minute spell of nervy mistake-ridden football. All credit to the Preston players though, as they stuck to their gameplan and didn’t get distracted by Notts County’s physical style and perseverance duly got its reward with 2 goals before half-time.
We started to relax just a little, that was until 20 minutes from the end when Notts County were given a little too much space and freedom and we conceded a soft goal from out of nothing. Not only did this really lift the home support in the Kop End, it gave us the sense of “oh no, here we go again…giving away two points from a winning position…” and fingernails were chewed for the next 10 minutes as we sat too deep and let Notts County apply pressure relentlessly and then from out of the box we managed to escape, a lovely bit of interplay between Daniel Johnson and Jermaine Beckford and the latter was on his way and scored with a sublime strike.
Meadow Lane End
Such are the fine margins in these battles between teams at opposite ends of the table at this time of year. Only 60 seconds before Beckford scored Preston’s 3rd of the night to effectively kill the game off, our own keeper had made a desperate lunge to block a goal-bound shot with an outstretched leg……
The eruption in the away section was , as I’m sure you can imagine, and explosion of joy and relief…..similarly you could see it was too much for some Notts County supporters who started making a move towards the exits.
The final whistle wasn’t far away, and when it arrived, I would guess that at least a third of the home fans had already made a dash for home. We got our breath back, and headed out and off to the car and in truth the only delay was really caused by the major roadworks on the A453 which had been ramped up for the night.
You don’t really care about delays like that when you’ve shown you’ve got the resilience to dig an important three points out away from home at the sharp end of the season. As for Notts County, I hope they defy the odds and stay up. They have a decent bunch of friendly sporting supporters and a lovely ground that merits better than scrapping at the basement of the third tier of English football.
Plus points for Meadow Lane:
1. Great location; ideal for those coming by train ( except midweek) and a stroll down by the river Trent is on the cards (weather permitting).
2. Friendly supporters.
3. Close to a Hooters restaurant that has great fayre on offer for the famished travelling away supporter.
Minus points for Meadow Lane:
1. Needs more support; was sad to see one stand practically empty.
Notts County v Derby County
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday, July 19th 2014, 1pm
Nathan Wilkinson (Derby County fan)
I was looking forward to going to Meadow Lane as I had never been before, so it would be another ground to tick off. I was also looking forward to visiting Meadow Lane as it has the title as the home of the oldest professional football club in the world, which makes the visit a little more memorable.
As it was a one o'clock kick off, my mate and I caught an earlier train from Chesterfield leaving at 10.00am, then changing at East Midlands Parkway, before arriving in Nottingham just before 11am. For a return it only cost only £6.55, which was a pleasant surprise. As Meadow Lane is not far from the railway station we decided to walk. The route to the ground was very simple and easy. From Station Street you take a left onto Carrington Street and then take another left onto Queen's Road from where you take the second right onto London Road and then take a left onto Cattle Market Street. You keep walking along Cattle Market Street until you reach County Road by which time you are outside the Jimmy Sirrel Stand. It took my mate and I walking at a steady pace around ten minutes.
As we arrived at the ground almost two hours before kick off we decided to kill some time by walking around the stadium. As we walked around we found a few burger vans dotted around the perimeter. As I had no breakfast and was very hungry I had to give in to the exorbitant prices and bought a cheeseburger. It was okay, nothing special. We saw a few Notts County fans on the way around and they didn't give us any hassle.
As we found our seats on the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, I was immediately impressed with two of the other stands- the Derek Pavis Stand and the Kop Stand. Both these stands are quite large and stood out from the rest of the ground. The Family Stand at one end, is small, yet neat and tidy.
The Kop Stand
The quality of the game was what you would expect from a Pre-Season Friendly, with neither team fully competing. Derby brought a fair few fans but credit to the Notts County fans they sung more. I can specifically recall them singing 'Ohhhhh Bobby Zamora' which brought back some painful memories, of that deciding goal he scored in the Play Off Final against Queens Park Rangers last May. The stewards were friendly and let us sit wherever we wanted, despite the allocated seat on the ticket. The concourse in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, is unbelievably narrow. I felt almost light headed whilst queuing for my Steak & Kidney Pie at half time due to the heat in the concourse. When I got my Steak & Kidney Pie I immediately wanted to put it down as the bottom of the pie was very hot and was burning my fingers! The staff only gave me a thin paper napkin which didn't do much.
Derby ran out 3-1 winners and getting away from the ground after the final whistle, was quick and easy. This was obviously helped by the small crowd in attendance (3,000+). We had no problem catching the 3:17pm train from Nottingham directly to Chesterfield at 3:54pm.
Overall I had a fun and enjoyable day out at Meadow Lane, with no trouble whatsoever. It is definitely one of the better days out in League One and I would happily go back anytime soon.
Notts County v Rotherham United
League One
Saturday, August 31st, 2013, 3pm
Steven Hewitt (Rotherham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to going to Notts County because I’d never been before and Nottingham by all accounts is a great day out.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Myself and my Father got a train directly from Barnsley to Nottingham without having to change trains which was easy. We arrived about 12.00pm and the ground was about 10-15 minute walk away and was easy to find. Just head away from the city centre from the train station along the main road. The ground looked impressive from the outside. (and is Championship standard easily)
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We headed straight to the Trent Bridge Inn which is a Wetherspoon across the Trent from the ground next to Trent Bridge cricket ground. In here were a few County and Millers fans minding their own business with no trouble. After we headed for the Trent Navigation Pub which is two minutes from the stadium. It was very crowded! Although both sets of fans were mixing well and chatting together.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Through the turnstiles was a cramped and dark concourse which served its purpose but was nothing special. The stand itself was great with a good view and no supporting pillars! Although the seats were rather dirty; the Kop at one end and the stand opposite us were very impressive. Even the Family Stand at the other end looked good.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
The game was a good one for us. We dominated early on with Kieran Agard poking us in front on 37 minutes. We continued to dominate for the rest of the match but couldn’t get another with some class saves from their keeper. The result was 0-1 to Rotherham. The stewards were decent and not intrusive although they had run out of pies at half time! They weren’t fully prepared for our large noisy following. The entire atmosphere was good from the away section and apart from a drummer in the home end there wasn't a great deal of noise from the home support. However, they didn’t have much to shout about as County were poor to say the least.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was easy. We had time for another pint, before heading off to the train station and home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a good day out and three happy away points for us.
Notts County v Peterborough United
League One
Saturday, August 10th 2013, 3pm
Tom Banks (Peterborough United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
After the dust had settled from Posh's heartbreaking exit from the Championship, there was a genuine tenacity around the club. We had been hard done by, and League One will pay for it. It was rather fitting then that our first away game in the league was against none other than Notts County, a hunting ground for Posh in the last decade. Given the locality of Nottingham, the 3pm kick-off and the demolition of Colchester in the League Cup, a great away following was to be expected. What's not to look forward to?
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As I had a mate living in Nottingham, I opted to drive the distance with the lads and stay the night. The drive up is simple from Peterborough, and once in Nottingham the grounds are signposted and hard to miss (if in doubt, use a Sat Nav). We parked up at the house and got a taxi to town for some pints. Having been to the ground before in a car, I do remember there being parking in an industrial area near the ground, so driving to Meadow Lane is definitely a viable option.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We did what I guess most away fans in Nottingham do…Hooters! This pub was full of Posh fans (not to mention some posh looking girls!), although the home fans mixed freely without trouble. A word of warning: the girls had a contribution bucket for their staff-do and would take a donation whenever buying a pint; not good if you can't say no to a pretty face! A few more pints and chants later, we left for the ground (a 10 minute walk away). Just walk down London Road by the canal and turn left down Cattle Market Road. The home fans I spoke to seemed friendly and actually quite complementary about our club which is always nice to hear. Or it was the cider?
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The most impressive stand is located behind the goal, akin to Tranmere's Prenton Park. Away fans used to be housed in that end, although now are given (in our case) a whole stand on the side of the pitch. The Kop now belongs to the Notts County singing section. The family stand behind the opposite goal on your left is a smaller, but still tidy affair. The stand opposite you is a large single-tiered job. The views are unrestricted and the seats, if you wish to sit, are adequate. A smart stadium, one Peterborough would do well to replicate.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Posh found themselves one down after a bullet header, but it was the motivation we needed to step things up. The goal was a minor blip as the rampant Posh were 4-1 up with 20 minutes left. Thanks to an unnecessary penalty conceded in stoppage time, the game finished Notts County 2-4 Posh. 1-4 sounds like more of a thrashing, but let's not be pedantic. The atmosphere from our end was great, with 2,102 Peterborians making the journey. It was disappointing though that the atmosphere from the County fans was non-existent, apart from a brief goal celebration and the occasional sound of groans. I've seen that Notts County can provide an atmosphere, so they must have just been stunned into silence by the presence of a majestic, magical, slick passing Posh side…or they just played badly. I had no problems with the stewards, who just accepted that the away fans will stand. My friend had a talking to following some standard footballing hand gestures, but that was the most of it. I didn't bother with any food or drink. It was refreshing to see an outside smoking area, something that is seldom available at football grounds these days.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We walked back up London Road for a lift. There was no trouble from what I saw and the roads didn't look congested.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Hooters makes this away day particularly interesting. The home fans seemed friendly and it was a relaxed day without incident. The ground itself is a tidy affair and definitely one of the better stadiums in the lower leagues. The large away following made up for the lacking home effort though. I would definitely recommend Meadow Lane, a real favourite from a Peterborough perspective.
Notts County v Carlisle United
League Two
Saturday, March 3rd, 2012, 3pm
Dominic Bickerton (Doing The 92)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was initially planning to go and watch my beloved Stoke City take on Norwich, but the game was sold out. I was a bit disappointed, so I thought I'd take to trip to a new ground to make up for it. Having had a little look at the fixture lists, I decided to get the train down to Nottingham and visit the home of the oldest football league team in the world. I was really excited for the game and to get another ground under my belt – the game was also very cheap because I'm 21, so just about qualify for the 16-21 concession price of £13. I take my hat off to the Club for this pricing scheme, which will hopefully encourage plenty of youngsters to go and watch their local team.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was very simple and the ground is easy to find. I jumped on a train at Sheffield and took the 50 minute ride down to Nottingham (a return from Sheffield is £12). I arrived at Nottingham train station, then followed the walking directions given on this website and got to the ground after a brisk 10 minute walk.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I got the ground about half an hour before kick off, so I had a little wander around and took in the sights. From the outside the ground is quite attractive and has a fair bit of character. I also had a quick walk down to the the River Trent to have a little look at Forest's City ground, which is also a fairly nice looking stadium. However, I don't think many County fans would agree with me!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I got to my seat in the middle of the fairly large Kop End and was immediately impressed with the ground. The gable on top of the Jimmy Sirrel stand was a personal highlight for me and it gives the ground a lot of character.
The Kop obviously houses a big section of the home faithful, however, the rest of the ground was very empty. I don't quite understand why the away fans are housed in the Jimmy Sirrel stand, as it's very large and looked ridiculously empty. Surely it would make more sense to put away fans in the end opposite the Kop. Despite the somewhat bizarre seating arrangements the ground was still impressive and wouldn't look out of place in the Championship.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I was expecting a feisty affair, as both clubs were just below the play-off positions and desperate for a win to sneak into the top 6 for a chance of promotion. Sadly, the football was woeful – both teams were fairly poor and would both probably struggle in the Championship if they did manage to get promoted.
For the first 30 minutes Carlisle were marginally the better side and it was somewhat against the run of play when County went 1-0 up on 33 mins. The goal coming from a cross that the impressive Jonathan Forte was at the end of, putting in a lovely looping header over the Carlisle goalkeeper. Five minutes later County found themselves 2-0 up, Alan Sheehan curling in a beauty of a free kick that left the Carlisle 'keeper no chance. County ended the half 2-0 to the good. Early into the second half it was clear to see that the game was all but over and neither team looked like seriously testing the goalkeepers again.
Regardless of the poor football on show the Notts County fans were in good voice for most of the game, and there were plenty of loud renditions of the famous "I had a wheel barrow" song. However, the travelling Carlisle fans didn't really make much noise, but to be fair they didn't have much to cheer about.
It was a very family friendly atmosphere and it was probably the only game I've ever been to that I didn't hear anyone using very strong language (on the basis of this and the cheap ticket prices, I would recommended County as great place to take the kids for a day out.) I also had a great bit of banter going on with some of the fans sat around me – we got chatting and I told them about me being a Stoke fan doing the 92, this resulted in a few friendly digs about our respective teams whilst they shared their Werther's Originals with me and I kept them up to date with the other League One scores on my phone. A few even joined in my small celebration when Matty Etherington put Stoke 1-0 up in our game against Norwich!
Facilities-wise the Kop concourse was a bit cramped at half time as the food & drink bar is quite small (but serves a decent selection) and the concourse itself is very narrow. If you're really in need of half time sustenance, then you'll definitely have to go down to the bar a few minutes before half time. There are, however, plenty of toilets along the concourse, so there should be no problems in that department. As for the stewards, I didn't notice many and there didn't seem to be any trouble whatsoever.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the final whistle, I said my farewells to the fellas I was sat with, wished them luck for the rest of their season and made for the exits. Leaving the ground was no problem at all and I was back onto the street behind the Kop in less than a minute. I arrived back at Nottingham train station within about 10 minutes and was on the way to Sheffield in no time.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, I had a brilliant day out. The football wasn't the best, but the friendly locals more than made up for it (Stoke winning 1-0 also helped!). I would highly recommend Notts County as a great football day out and a bargain when you consider some of the daft ticket prices for some matches these days (Ticket and Travel cost me 25 quid). I had a really good time and wouldn't hesitate to go again.
Notts County v Rochdale
League Two
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010, 7.45pm
Paul Walker (Rochdale fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to the game as both teams had gained promotion the previous weekend, and the game would have a big bearing on the final destination of the League Two Championship Trophy. With the pressure of promotion taken off both teams I was looking forward to an open entertaining game. I was hoping for a win, but our recent form meant it wasn’t very likely although some of our best results of the season had come in similar circumstances.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was quite easy as I travelled with the clubs official travel coaches, however on arriving at the ground we were delayed by Police and traffic around the stadium. Although the stadium was only 200 yards away from us in plain view, the access to the car parks at the away end were extremely busy and those last 200 yards before we parked and got off the coach took fully 15 minutes!
Parking close to the ground did seem to be fairly easy however I would recommend you get there early to avoid the congestion. If you do travel by car the cost of parking in these car parks is £3.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Due to the delays outside the ground I had very little time before kick-off and went straight into the ground itself. We did pass a few home fans, mostly friendly, however some were determined to have a go at the Dale fans over the cheat jibes from the “Munto affair”. In general it was just harmless banter and there were literally dozens of police in the immediate area to ensure nothing came of it.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is quite impressive, although it is too big for a Lower League club, but is a good modern stadium. Away fans are usually stuck in one corner nearest to the home fans main stand, which is behind the goal. However due to the number of travelling fans for the game we filled almost half the stand. Queues at the turnstiles into the stand itself were slow moving and the police are constantly moving the fans back onto the pavement to avoid obstructing the footpath and road. Once inside the ground the atmosphere for this game was electric which given what was at stake you would have expected, however it did seem a little strange that the atmosphere was so good when the ground was only half full, and being so close to the main home supporters stand the banter was goods as well.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game itself was fairly entertaining and in truth could have gone either way. It was settled by an opportunist goal from Lee Hughes who profited from a mix up in the dale midfield and the result effectively handed the title to Notts. The atmosphere in the ground was good although I would point out on the down side is the sheer number and attitude of the stewards employed by the club. If you stand or cause any disruption they will throw you out. I was aware of this before we travelled and to be fair it seemed to be a far bigger problem for the home supporters as several where ejected for standing despite being at the back of the stand and not causing a problem to anyone, Whilst quite a few at the back in the away stand were shouted at to sit down but no action was taken against them when they didn’t. Toilets are your basic affair, but clean. Couldn’t comment on the food as queues were so long and slow moving, like the queues at the turnstiles I decided not to wait as I didn’t want to miss any of the game.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The same delays applied leaving the ground as arriving. The volume of traffic meant we were back on the coach outside the ground within 5 minutes of the game ending but getting back on the main road to leave the ground which is only around 200 yards away took 20-25 minutes. If you can park a little further away from the ground and walk, you will find that it will save you time as once you are on the main road leaving the stadium traffic does flow quite easily.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a good day out, and will probably return next season when we meet again in League One!