SMH Group Stadium - Chesterfield Stadium
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Last Update:
August 19, 2024
Chesterfield’s modern 10,400 capacity all seater stadium is located around one and a half miles north of the town centre.
On one side is the Van Yard Main Stand. This stand has a capacity of 2,902 seats on a single tier, with a glass fronted executive lounge at the rear. The players emerge from the tunnel at the centre of the stand, whilst the centre seating of the stand is taken up by the Directors Box, Sponsors and Legends seating areas, with the press seating situated towards the North end wing section. The stand has a graceful curved roof with white steelwork and a glazed windshield at the north end, with a ground floor and top level viewing area for disabled supporters and their helpers in the South wing section. At one side of the stand, towards the North Stand is an unusual looking stadium control tower which extends beyond the touchline.
Opposite is the Karen Child Community Stand which is similar in appearance, having a curved roof line and a capacity of 3,144 seats with glazed windshields on either side, but with no executive facilities at the rear. The television camera gantry is situated in this stand below the roof steelwork.
At one end of the stadium is the Motan Colortronic (South) Stand where the club’s most vocal supporters stand. It is single-tiered and holds just over 2,000 people.
At the other end is the Rubicon Print (North) Stand which is almost identical to the South Stand. This stand is where away supporters are situated and also holds just over 2,000 supporters.
The ground is complemented at present by four modern slim corner floodlight pylons which each have 14 lights on four rows.
The stadium has a pleasing balanced feel with no single stand dominating the whole ground. Externally there are some nice touches too, with the ‘wall of fame’ from the clubs ‘buy a brick scheme’, in the South and North West corners and wide pathways that lead through the car park to the turnstile blocks from Sheffield Road.
There is an electric scoreboard at one end of the ground located on the roof of the away fan stand and another larger LED screen in the South East corner.
Away supporters are normally housed in the Rubicon Print (North) Stand where up to 2,088 supporters can be seated. If demand requires it then additional seating can also be made available in the Karen Child Community Stand. Conversely, if your team has a small following then only part of the East Stand is allocated and not the North Stand.
Unlike most new stadiums the fans are housed pretty close to the pitch, ensuring good views of the playing action. The leg room is good too. The concourses are built to a high standard, with large flat screen televisions to keep the fans entertained.
Food on offer from the concourse includes pies, hot dogs, burgers, and pastries while alcohol is also served on the concourse.
The roof of the away end is quite low, which ensures that a relatively small number of away supporters can really make some noise.
The main pub for away fans at Chesterfield away is the Glassworks Pub (388 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8LF). Alternative options nearby include:
- Donkey Derby (405 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 8JZ)
- The Red Lion (570 Sheffield Rd, Whittington Moor, Chesterfield S41 8LX)
- Crown & Anchor (143 Sheffield Rd, Chesterfield S41 7JH)
There are three stands for home stands at the SMH Group Stadium. To get a ticket for the match, you have to visit the ticket office, which is located at the side of the Club Superstore in the West Stand.
Meanwhile, the North Stand has a ticket office for away fans to buy their ticket and enter the ground. On matchdays, both ticket offices are open from 9am until kick-off.
Leave the M1 at Junction 29 and take the A617 towards Chesterfield. At the end of the dual carriageway at the edge of the town centre, turn right onto the A61 towards Sheffield. At the first roundabout turn left and the stadium is down on the right. For the main entrance turn right into Sheffield Road and then right again into the Club car park. However, the club car park is for permit holders only. There is nearby street parking available on side roads off the Sheffield Road if you arrive early enough. Alternatively, the large Tesco store by the ground has set aside part of its large car park for matchday parking costing £5 per car.
Chesterfield Railway Station is walkable from the SMH Group Stadium, although it will take you between 20 and 30 minutes to walk to do so. Alternatively, there is a taxi rank outside the station.
If you wish to travel to the ground by bus a five minute walk into the town centre will enable you to catch a bus from Cavendish Street. This will take 5-15 minutes to get to the ground, depending on traffic. Come out of the station and turn left and follow the road to the left side of the Chesterfield Hotel. There is a footbridge over the A61 Inner Relief Road, which will take you into Corporation Street. At the end of the street, you will see the museum on the left, and the famous crooked spire church directly ahead of you. Go over the zebra crossing and turn right, carry on this road and you will come across Cavendish Street on the left. Bus stops T1 and T2 are on the opposite side of the road.
Walking directions from the railway station:
Come out of the station and turn left. The Chesterfield Hotel will be directly ahead of you, take the road to the right hand side and carry on over the mini roundabout, into Brewery Street, up the hill and over the A61 Inner Relief Road with Chesterfield College on your right hand side. After 5 minutes walk you will reach the end of the road at the Old Post Office Restuarant. Turn right and after a minutes walk you will come to a mini-roundabout. Take the right turn into Sheffield Road. This road dips down, up and then down again for around 15 minutes. At the big roundabout with the car showrooms you will see the Donkey Derby pub in front of you and the ground further along Sheffield Road. Visiting fans must carry on past the HTM Products Stand to reach the Printabilty Stand at the north end of the ground.
For fans wanting to stay overnight in reasonably priced accommodation, here are a couple of suggestions.
- Casa Hotel – Lockoford Lane, Chesterfield S41 7JB England
-
Premier Inn Chesterfield Town Centre hotel – Elder Way Derbyshire, Chesterfield S40 1UN England
Chesterfield ticket prices for the 2024/25 season:
Adults: £20-25
Over 66s: £18-21
17-21s: £14-18
14-16: £11-£12
13 and under: £9-£10
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
At current stadium:
10,108 v Maidenhead United
National League, 20 April 2024.
At Saltergate:
30,986 v Newcastle United
Division Two, April 7th, 1949.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 6,912 (National League)
2021-2022: 6,403 (National League)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 3,670 (National League)
2018-2019: 4,500 (National League)
2017-2018: 5,354 (League Two)
2016-2017: 5,929Â (League One)
Chesterfield v Yeovil Town
National League
Tuesday 10th December 2019, 8pm
Kevin Nash (Neutral)
Chesterfield v FC Halifax Town
National League
Tuesday 3rd September 2019, 7.45pm
Michael Cromack (FC Halifax Town)
Chesterfield v Sutton United
National League
Saturday 23rd March 2019, 12:30pm
Ross (Neutral)
Chesterfield v FC Halifax Town
National League
Saturday 9th February 2019, 3pm
Michael Finister-Smith (FC Halifax Town)
Netherlands U17's v Republic of Ireland U17's
UEFA U17 European Championships
Monday 14th May 2018, 7pm
John Hague (Neutral/Netherlands)
Chesterfield v Wycombe Wanderers
League Two
Saturday 28th April 2018, 3pm
Russell (Wycombe Wanderers fan)
Chesterfield v Lincoln City
League Two
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Matthew McCaughan (Lincoln City fan)
Chesterfield v Lincoln City
League 2
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Julian Worsdale (Lincoln City fan)
Chesterfield v Crawley Town
League Two
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm
Dan Maguire (Crawley Town)
Chesterfield v Grimsby Town
Football League Two
Saturday 5th August 2017, 3pm
Kevin Dixon (Grimsby Town fan)
Chesterfield v Charlton Athletic
Football League One
Saturday 22nd April 2017, 3pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Proact Stadium?
It was the last away game of a poor season. Why were we bothering? It is not as if it's around the corner, but never mind with Chesterfield relegated we may have a chance of a rare away win. I am not a prolific traveller 3-4 games per season, this was my fifth this year, but I have not seen Charlton win away since 13th August 2010! A personal winless stretch of 20 matches. Oh and the Proact Stadium was a new ground for me to visit.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Couldn't be simpler, drove up the M1, took the turn off for Chesterfield and six miles later you are going past the town. We turned off when we saw the floodlights just to the north of the town center. We choose the club car park as I couldn't be bothered to drive around the town looking for free street parking and ever since I had my car broken into at a home game I am wary of doing this. However I did think £7 was a bit steep, but on the plus side I parked so close to the away end I could have popped out at half time to the fetch something from the car. In fact, the stewards were so accommodating I think I could have really done this if I had asked.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had arrived so early, at around 12.30, that we decided to walk back to town. We had done some homework beforehand and were confident of finding a good watering hole and a warm welcome. Step forward the people of Chesterfield, a friendlier bunch surely does not exist. We stopped several times by the chatty locals. One old bloke I thought we were going to have to take to lunch, we couldn't stop him. Eventually, we found a pub that looked good. Inside it was the boozer that time forgot. Clientele average age circa 75. Still, the food and drink were good and cheap so all good. Got back to the ground for 2.30 after several more conversations with locals.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Proact Stadium?
Okay, the Proact Stadium is a new build, out of town, but at least some thought has gone into the finish. The brick facing instead of a mass of steel and corrugated panels at least gives it a traditional feel even if ultimately the design is modern. Inside is functional if slightly soulless, but U have certainly seen worse.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The match was played like a pre-season friendly, in a pre-season friendly atmosphere. Charlton were just about the slightly more motivated and a goal in each half saw them home. Most of the excitement was confined to injury time at the end. Our ever-generous defence gifted Chesterfield a goal. We then went straight up the other end, won a penalty and….. missed! It just summed up the whole season. Stewards were fine. I did not eat inside the ground, but the concourse space and facilities looked good, loos were clean and tidy. Nice touch that stewards opened the exits at half time to allow smokers to indulge. This was when I noticed how close I had parked to the inside of the ground.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Not too bad, although we were held in the car park for 10-15 mins for no clear reason. Traffic in and around the ground was a little heavy, but we were back on M1 by 5.15pm and back in home by 8.30pm. Not bad at all.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Not a bad day out all in all. The people of Chesterfield were great. a wins a win and I should certainly not knock it, but the football was very average. Not sure when we will get a chance to go back to the Proact Stadium, as we will not in in the same league next year, but I certainly would, given the chance. We may have added a new ground, but with Orient dropping out of the league that day, we lost one also.
Chesterfield v Oxford United
Football League One
Saturday 25th February 2017, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Proact Stadium?
I live in Sheffield so Chesterfield is my shortest trip as an Oxford exile. I've been to The Proact Stadium before. It is a well designed lower league ground.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Knowing the area, I stopped for a beer and sandwich in village pub near Chesterfield. The Proact Stadium is very easy to find, but you have to search for parking, but luckily I found a space close by.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After lunch in nearby village and parking we had 5 minute walk to ground. Chesterfield has an easy going atmosphere.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Proact Stadium?
I think that the Proact Stadium is well designed for a lower league club. Fit for purpose and away fans get an end. Also there is a decent amount of room on the concourse!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Great atmosphere in the Oxford United end of the stadium, as we cruised to a 4-0 win, playing very well against a poor Chesterfield side. On this showing I can't see Chesterfield escaping relegation.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Fairly straightforward, even with the traffic I got away in under ten minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Being my closest ground as an Oxford exile, very enjoyable with the result. I would recommend visiting fans to go to the Proact Stadium when the chance arrive.
Chesterfield v Sheffield United
Football League One
Saturday, 16th April 2016, 1pm
Jon Thomson (Sheffield United)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Proact Stadium?
Having been intending to do this fixture last season, but being unable to get a ticket, I was glad to be able to visit this time. This would be a new ground for me and a rare chance to see our team play under no pressure, as effectively our season is already over, with nothing to play for.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Not too bad, once I'd worked out how to head out of the station itself towards the town centre it was a case of looking for a path down the back of the college just over the A61, from where it's more or less a straight walk to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
With the game being moved to a 1pm kickoff for no real reason (although the Police may have requested it), I was intending to head straight to the ground for a pint, but upon reaching Sheffield Road there was a pub, called the St Helens, which was advertising it welcomed away fans, so I grabbed a pint there instead. Was fairly quiet, I don't know whether home fans were drinking elsewhere or whether the mid-90's happy hardcore they were playing put people off.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Proact Stadium?
It seemed fairly similar to a lot of newer builds, looking fairly tidy with the two ends appearing identical, and the two sides the same as well. The ground looked to be a sensible design, holding what ought to be the club's typical attendance with ease. It did have the sound of being in a shed when it started raining/hailing though. Signage was poor – the concourse indicating that my block is on the left of the stand when in fact it was on the far right, which isn't helpful.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was the most comfortable we'd had all season – Chesterfield didn't turn up and we continued in an upturn of form, which naturally started when our season was over. An early goal from a set piece of all places set the tone, then the opposition keeper scuffed a clearance straight to Adams who slotted into an empty net. Sharp added a third in the second half, and were it not for questionable refereeing (booking one of their players, then not booking him again five minutes later for an identical foul, not giving two stonewall penalties) and a couple of sharp saves, it could easily have been six or seven and not been flattering. Didn't sample any food/drink as I rarely do in grounds, stewards seemed helpful enough, not needing to do much as seemingly the entirety of Derbyshire police was on hand, clearly expecting a riot for some reason.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy enough on the way back walking the same way as before – ignore the signs that direct you to the right when going out of the ground for the station if your club is remotely considered to be high risk, as there was a huge police barrier blocking the exit that way. It's a decent walk back to the centre, although it seems as if there's frequent enough buses should it be too far for some.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great, albeit one-sided game, good atmosphere from the away end, somewhat let down by excessive policing, standing around in their large numbers doing nothing.
Chesterfield v Millwall
Football League One
Saturday 23rd January 2016, 3pm
Mick Richards (Millwall fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Proact Stadium?
I have never been to Proact Stadium before so when the fixtures came out this was a game I was looking forward to. It would be the 76th ground I've visited.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Myself and my nephew Craig left Basingstoke in Hampshire at 9am. We set off up the A339 then onto the A34, M40, A43, M1 to Junction 29 then onto the A619 to Chesterfield arriving at 12.30pm. We had a clear run and no hold up's.We drove past the Proact Stadium and turned first right into a bit of an industrial state with had free on street parking which was a bonus.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went for a pint in the Derby Tup pub, which is a three minute walk from the Proact Stadium. This served all sorts of real ales but I had a nice pint off San Miguel lager. But as I was the driver, one pint was my limit.The pub had a good atmosphere with both sets of supporters mixing and sharing stories.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Proact Stadium?
I was really impressed with the outside of the stadium and once inside even more impressed as the two side stands were different to the ends.The concourse was spacious and did not have to wait to long to be served for food or drink.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game set off with Chesterfileld straight on the attack and could have been 3 or 4 up before Millwall got going..Chesterfield took the lead with a 25yard bullet and well deserved lead but within two minutes of the re-start, we equalised with an headed goal through O'Brian. In the second half Millwall flew out of the traps and went 2-1 up with a well worked goal between Morrison and Gregory who scored. After that it was end to end stuff and could have been 6-6 and to be honest a draw would have been a fair result.The stewards were all helpful and polite and the atmosphere from the Millwall fans was vociferous as always but the home fans were seldom heard.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
When leaving the stadium the Police were in my opinion heavy handed when dealing with the Millwall fans, which was poor really and the only blot on an otherwise good day out. All in all getting away from the stadium was really easy and we were home by 8.30pm which was very good.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a great day out and chuffed with the fact we won. The Proact is a lovely stadium and one of the better grounds I have visited over the years.
Chesterfield City v Southend United
League Two
Saturday August 24th, 2013, 3pm
John & Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground:
First visit to Chesterfields Proact Stadium.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove from North Wales (exiled Southend fans) via M56, A6, A623, A619, A61, 170 miles round trip, clear roads taking 2 hours to make the journey each way. It was misty and drizzly raining en-route, but there is superb scenery through the Derbyshire Dales, and a view of the famous twisted church spire on arrival. We checked the Chesterfield FC website and found maps indicating parking places. Arriving early ensured easy parking which is limited on match days.
The ground was easy to find although not many signs. We found street parking to the north of the stadium in Thompson Street by turning right after passing the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We took a packed meal with us and sat in car after a walk round outside of the ground. We then waited 20 minutes at the ticket office to collect our tickets which Southend United had sent up on the coach as the office said they hadn’t got any for us. The few home fans we met whilst collecting tickets from their office were friendly. The tickets were eventually traced and we entered the impressive Proact stadium relieved.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The stadium appears larger than the 10,400 capacity would indicate. The stadium is a modern and all seated and smart. We noticed two staff even walking amongst seats giving them a wipe clean. The away end is all seated and although the whole of the away end was available, the stewards insisted that the 360 or so Southend fans should sit in the centre section behind the goal. The view is unobstructed and there is plenty of leg room, The electronic scoreboard is above the away end on the roof and can only be seen by the home fans which was disappointing. The pitch was pristine and even though it was early season in August it appeared that it had never had football played on it.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
In a tight game between 2 top 5 sides, Chesterfield took the lead in the 2nd half with a Gary Roberts free kick, but Southend soon levelled via a well worked Freddy Eastwood goal. 6 minutes injury time surprised everyone and in the 85th minute Chesterfield won the match from a corner.
The atmosphere was quiet until the last minute winner with both sets of expectant fans watching a tense game, even though only the 4th fixture of the new season. The stewards were ok but one seemed to delight in letting people find a seat and then waving frantically to tell them to sit only in the centre section.
If the seats had been taped off as other clubs do, it would have made life easier for all concerned. Pies looked good at £3 and there was plenty of room to stand and eat or drink on the concourse behind the seating with television showing a live game. It was a warm sunny day with little or no wind, which made for a pleasant afternoon in a new football stadium with both sides getting the ball down and attempting to play good passing football.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It was easy to get away from the ground and main roads were clearly sign posted.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
We had a mostly enjoyable day out, visiting a smart stadium, despite the shock of losing in injury time. The weather was pleasantly warm after a drizzly misty start to the day.
Match Attendance 5,579
Result: Chesterfield 2-1 Southend.
Chesterfield City v Bradford City
League Two
Saturday April 13th, 2013, 3pm
Samuel Walker (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be)?:
Over the last four years or so, I have grown a soft spot for Chesterfield, having visited games from time-to-time since visiting Saltergate in 2010. With Leicester playing on the Friday night, my father (who's from Leicester, hence the life sentence) and I decided to take a visit to this game, and with Bradford getting to the League Cup final we felt we were in for an entertaining match, and we weren't to be disappointed.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train from Leicester to Chesterfield at midday, which took just under 45 minutes. After getting some food in the town (As a general rule I avoid stadium food due to high prices) we took the bus to the ground, arriving at around 13:45.
3. What you did before the game? Pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Being too young to drink and my father being teetotal, after purchasing our tickets we headed to the club shop to have a look round. An amusing incident occurred when a chap with a half-eaten hotdog put it on the counter by mistake whilst he was being served, and when the next chap was being served the cashier asked him "You're not going to put your sausage on the counter are you?" to much laughter and applause from everyone in the shop. Very "Carry On"!
I've been to five Chesterfield games in the past and have never experienced any trouble, with a few Chesterfield fans on the bus to the ground engaging in good-natured banter with a couple of Bradford fans.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
This was my second visit to Chesterfield's new ground (now the Proact Stadium) and my impression of it is in line with many new grounds appearing around the country. It's a pleasant, tidy ground that serves its purpose, but lacks the stand out factor that Saltergate had. However, times change, and Saltergate, as characteristic as it was, was on its last legs and Chesterfield needed to up sticks and relocate.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was very entertaining. Both Chesterfield and Bradford got behind their teams, which made for an amazing atmosphere, albeit with unoriginal songs apart from a few choruses of "Yorkshire"/"Derbyshire". Both sides came flying out of the blocks and Bradford took the lead through NahkiTendayi Darikwa's well-placed finish. Bradford retook the lead ten minutes later after Ricky Ravenhill placed a shot into the bottom corner through a crowd of bodies. Chesterfield, to their credit, kept going to the end and got their reward with the last kick of the game after Sam Togwell poked home from an Alex Henshall corner. Final score: 2-2. A fair result on reflection.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was no problem. A line of buses was waiting outside the turnstiles and we managed to get onto a very crowded one back to the town centre. We left Chesterfield at 17:40 and arrived back at home in Leicester at around 7:15pm.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A very enjoyable and well-spent afternoon at the football. Bradford remain in the playoffs and Chesterfield have an outside chance of making the playoffs, so it'll go down to the wire. Both sets of fans were well behaved and apart from your usual football banter there were no signs of trouble brewing, with both sets getting behind their teams. The game itself was a real credit to League Two, and dad said it was one of the best games he'd seen in ages. Well worth the £15 for me! And to top it all, we even got caught on camera by the BBC's Football League Show.
Chesterfield City v MK Dons
League One
Saturday, March 17th, 2012, 3pm
Dominic Bickerton (Stoke City/Doing the 92)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
With it being the FA Cup quarter finals this weekend, Stoke weren't playing until the Sunday afternoon – I can't cope without football on a Saturday, so myself and a Stokie mate (who's also doing the 92) thought we'd do a new ground and have a little trip down to Chesterfield's fairly new b2net Stadium. We picked this game mainly because it's such a crucial stage of the season for both teams: Chesterfield in 23rd position and trying to escape relegation, MK Dons in 5th and bidding for promotion.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We jumped onto a train at Sheffield and made the short 15 minute journey to Chesterfield station (a return ticket was £4.50). From the station we followed the walking directions supplied by this site and arrived at the ground after a brisk 15-20 minute walk, which did involve a few hills. The directions were easy to follow and the we found the ground very easily.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We arrived at the ground about 30 mins before kick off, so we decided to just go straight through the turnstiles of the Karen Childs Kop and onto the concourse, which was showing the Everton v Sunderland FA Cup quarter final on a number of screens suspended from the ceiling.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
When we first saw the ground we were quite amused by the fact that it's somewhat overshadowed by the large Tesco situated next to it. Despite this the area around the ground is modern and attractive. The ground does look very small, so we didn't really expect too much from the entire experience. However, I was instantly impressed when we entered the stand at pitch level, and I admit that it made me feel like I was walking out as a player! The ground has a nice intimate feel and looks very tidy and well kept. It doesn't really ooze character, but that is extremely hard to come by in such a new ground.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Me and my mate had decided that we'd lend our full support to Chesterfield and treated the game like we were cheering on our beloved Potters. The three home stands were fairly full and the Spireites were in very good voice. The Dons fans also seemed up for the game, so it was all set up to be a good, lively match. And it was.
Chesterfield immediately went on the attack, looking comfortable on the ball and far better than their league position suggested. Their possession told from the off with barely three minutes on the clock when Neal Trotman nodded down a cross for Drew Talbot to slam the ball into the bottom corner of the Dons' goal; the vocal Spireites and us two Stokies celebrating like it was a last minute winner! The traveling fans were immediately silenced and made little noise for the rest of half despite Chesterfield sitting back and inviting the Dons back into the game. The Chesterfield defence had to make a few last ditch clearances but just about made it half time with a 1-0 lead.
We went down into the concourse to watch Sky Sports coverage of the other half time scores, however, we were disappointed because the screens were showing a film on ITV! So, instead of finding out other scores we trooped back out to our seats. The other facilities on the concourse were good, with fairly small orderly queues for food & drink and toilets in plentiful supply.
The second half kicked off in the same manner that the first ended, Chesterfield sitting back far to deep and looking very vulnerable. The Spireites had clearly lost confidence and began to play some awful football, constantly giving the ball back to the Dons to have another effort on goal. Only a few good saves from Tommy Lee kept the score at 1-0. On 56 minutes the Dons finally made a breakthrough, the Chesterfield defence dropping deep enough to let Jay O'Shea rifle a left footed shot into the helpless Lee's bottom left corner. John Sheridan quickly made a few changes, which instantly transformed the Spireites into the dangerous force they looked earlier in the first half. The game turned on its head, with Chesterfield looking most likely to snatch 3 points. Hearts were in the mouths of every fan in the ground, as Nicky Ajose smashed an 88th minute shot that was destined to be a fairy tale winner until the Dons 'keeper somehow got down to make a fantastic save. It would have been an amazing mental of a celebration, but we were sadly denied it and the game ran out a 1-1 draw.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the final whistle, fans left the ground quickly from the corners between stands. We were back on the way to the station with no problems at all.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a great day out that cost a grand total of £22.50 (Train £4.50, Ticket £18). The match was an absolute cracker and we thoroughly enjoyed all of it. We weren't expecting much but we were pleasantly surprised with the ground and we the Chesterfield fans were very good indeed. I wouldn't say no to going back and I'll be rooting for the Spireites to avoid the drop this season.
Chesterfield v Exeter City
League One
Saturday, January 7th, 2012, 3pm
Gary Parker
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Hadnt been to the new ground as I am trying to do the 92 by watching only Exeter City and my other true love, Tottenham. This would be ground number 58. Exeter also have a great away following so had been looking forward to this for some time
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We made great time and were At the ground just before 12, so we popped to the ground to purchase the tickets (no cash on the away turnstiles) and then found a space in the street bang opposite the stadium so we were no more than 100 yards away. Might be a bit trickier if you get there closer to kick off
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
There is a pub about 5 mins walk from the ground called the Derby Tup, its a bit like walking into someones front room but they have superb choice of real ales (11 when we were in there) and were more than happy to cater for away fans. We had been told they didn’t do food but that if you got something from the host of options for takeaway food nearby you were welcome to eat it in the pub, there is a wide choice of kebab shop, chippy or pizza all within 50 yards so we went for chips (no gravy though) the Landlord was very friendly and by 2 pm the pub was rammed with Exeter fans and a small scattering of home supporters and it was all very friendly, They were also happy to have my partners 13 year old son in there with no questions asked.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Not a bad little ground, a bit different to the usual bowl design of new grounds. Very easy to get to from the motorway and plenty of amenities close by, notably a huge Tesco extra for filling the car up with cheap petrol for the trip home.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Very good facilities under the stand, beer and hot food at a decent price with a few flat screens showing the game as well. They even indulge the smokers amongst you by opening an exit and allowing you to step outside for a smoke at half time. Stewards were all good natured and the large away following were allowed to stand throughout with no interference. Home fans were pretty quiet throughout the game but they are bottom of the league and haven’t won since September, so that’s understandable. City pretty much controlled the game and scored in the 78th & 87th minutes to wrap up a comfortable away win
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A breeze due to the fact that we were parked about 100 yards away, we were on the dual carriage way out of town by 5pm and South of Birmingham just over an hour after the final whistle had gone
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day out, good away pub, good beer, friendly locals and 3 points, what more is there to be had from an away day oop norf ..
Chesterfield City v Exeter City
League One
Saturday, January 7th, 2012, 3pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground?
This for me, and as it was for many, was a visit to a new stadium to tick off. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to visit Saltergate so I am unable to compare differences. Also the game was a massive relegation 'six pointer', so it was one to look forward too.
2. How easy was your journey?
Travelling with the supporters club by coach the trip was easy. Leaving at 7.30am and arriving at the ground just before 1pm. With the roads not being over busy we were able to take a second stop as we were well ahead of time.
3. What did you do before the game, pub/chippy?
On arrival at the ground i took a visit to the club shop to purchase a match day programme for £3 before heading to the Derby Tup, just 5 minute walk from the ground. I had arranged to meet some friends from the area there and sample many of the different ales they had on offer. It was a small pub but very friendly and reasonably priced, and it seemed to be both home and away fan friendly.
4. What you thought on seing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
My first thoughts on seeing the ground were impressive, very modern and quite spacious. Away fans are housed in the North Stand and no matter where you sat you get a very good view and there is also plenty of leg room. I was told if your club takes a small away following then they are likely to be sat in one of the side stands (can't remember which the steward said), but with our 309 supporters and large Adam Stansfield tribute shirt we filled about three quarters of the stand. The South Stand almost mirrors the North Stand and the East and West stands are almost similar to those of Huddersfield.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments, toilets?
The game itself was competitive and to the delight of the away fans, Exeter scored twice in the last 10 minutes in a 2-0 win. Which resulted in a move away from the relegation zone. The atmosphere was excellent with banter flowing between both sets of supporters, stewards were helpful and unobtrusive. The refreshments were averagely priced with a good range of food and drink. If you smoke the stewards will open an exit gate behind the North Stand at half time.
6. Comment on getting away after the game?
Getting away afterwards was easy as the coach was parked just behind the East Stand, took about 20 mins to leave the stadium and get through the town before getting onto the motorway, leaving just after 5pm, arriving back home at 9.30pm
7. Summary and overall thoughts of day out?
A great away day with friendly home fans, a good pub, new stadium, three much needed points and a great atmosphere on the journey home.
Chesterfield v Port Vale
League Two
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011, 7.45pm
Seb Brichet (Port Vale fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to this as it would be the first time Port Vale had visited the B2net Stadium. It was also when Chesterfield Were top of the league in Great form and Port vale were returning to form.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the Club coach to the match which was approximately one and a half hours from Burslem. The coaches were parked just outside the away end on the road that goes to nearby Tesco, this is a good location as it ws easy to get into and out of the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Due to Tesco being a minutes walk from the ground we decided to go there, It is a Tesco express with many shops inside such as Greggs and Costa Coffee, We decided to go to Greggs as we had arrived early and got pretty hungry we also walked upstairs to where Costa Coffee was and got an expresso. We then walked back to the stadium but didn't really talk to any home fans due to it being pretty early.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground looks amazing from the outside and looks like a Championship ground, we had researched it before hand and found that it fits just over 10,000 fans, it looks bigger than 10,000. When up in the stands we had a very good view from the top left of the stand, it has plenty of leg room and decent height to watch the game. The curved roofs on the left and right of us were nice and reminded me a bit like Huddersfield. The lack of a scoreboard for us to see was very annoying as we could not judge time for our half time break. All in all though the ground was good.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game ended 2-0 to Chesterfield which was expected as they were 11 points clear coming into the game. Chesterfield really showed us why they were top of the league and how to play football in League Two. The atmosphere was great as we had sold out of our allocation of just over 1,500, meaning singing all through the game, Vale fans were using the walls at the back of the stand for banging to create atmosphere. But this ended up with the letter 'P' on the Printability Stand falling off!
Chesterfield fans were also in good voice and with the two goals going in it was upped even more. Stewards could have been better in my opinion, not the most polite to say the least. Toilets were very clean and modern which are pretty impressive when you compare them to vale parks toilets.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was terrible as trouble erupted between the two sets of supporters, outside the stadium. We finally got away 45 minutes after the game.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a Great day out due to the weather being perfect. Atmosphere being great, but pity about the stewards and trouble afterwards. Great stadium to be at and some good football, I will though still lok forward to going there again sometime in the future.
Chesterfield v Rotherham United
League Two
Friday, March 18th, 2011, 7.45pm
Paul Thompson (Rotherham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was our much anticipated first visit to the b2net stadium, with the added spice of the game being something of a top of the table clash and a local derby to boot. Plus the game was a sell out and was televised live on TV.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled by train from Rotherham to Sheffield and then onto Chesterfield. A very simple and problem free journey which took 30 minutes in total. The ground is a fair distance from the train station though, we opted to get taxis which cost around £8.50.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We took in several pubs in the town centre, starting at The Rutland, moving on to Yates's, then The Snooker Hall, and onto Chandlers, then onto the Red Lion near to the ground. We did get turned away from one or two pubs on the basis that we were away supporters. We were cautious of trouble never being far away as this was a local derby, but we experienced no bother despite making a good noise wherever we went. I didn't see much of a police presence around the town which was surprising considering the magnitude of the game and the rivalry.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The b2net, while far superior to the old Saltergate, is basically a uniform, box standard lower league stadium, almost a replica of so many other new grounds such as Shrewsbury, Colchester, Morecambe etc, however, it stands out from normality with its arched roofs on either side of the pitch. Its neat and tidy as you'd expect for a new build, but everything was simply 'adequate', with no frills. The facilities are okay for League Two or League One, the view from the away end is good. The visitors stand is quite steep and was full on this occasion, meaning some great noise was generated.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Urgh! from my perspective, the less said about the game the better! it ended in an embarrassing 5-nil defeat, Chesterfield looked worthy of their league position at the top while Rotherham looked more like a team struggling at the bottom. I found the pies to be poor and at £3, quite a rip-off too! Not recomended! The atmosphere was great though, the stewarding was relaxed if not a little disorganised, but this was the first time they've had to deal with 2,300 boisterous away fans so they can be forgiven! There were some ugly scenes towards the end of the game but order was quickly restored as baton wielding police officers took control.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A complete nightmare! Trouble erupted right outside the ground as home and away fans clashed, the police and stewards seemed to be blaming each other for this happening as the exits were supposed to be kept closed for 10 minutes to allow home fans to disperse, but this didn't happen which caused some ugly scenes in the carparks around the stadium and I have to say the police were not very quick to act. This was worrying, as we now had to walk the mile and half back to the train station without a police escort and through crowds of rival fans, we kept our heads down and mouths shut and experienced no trouble ourselves.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall I really enjoyed the short trip to Chesterfield, the only thing I didn't enjoy was the football!
Chesterfield v Wycombe Wanderers
League Two
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011, 7.45pm
Karl Jukes (Doing the 92)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to visiting Chesterfield to see what the new ground was like and to see also whether it was something a bit different to the normal kit box stadia that seem to be popping up all over the place. It was also a chance for me to cross another ground off my list on the way to the 92.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey itself was quite simple, I drove straight up the A38 and then the A61, which took me straight to the stadium, and managing to avoid any major traffic hold ups into the bargain. It was relatively easy to spot the ground with it being a night match, seeing the tell tale glow from the floodlights in the distance. Parking proved to be easy too, finding (with blind luck) free parking on the Stand Park car park behind the couple of industrial units opposite the Stadium, and from there it was a 150m walk to the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Before the game I headed to the new Tesco store next to the ground, to grab a sandwich and a coffee from the in-store Costa Coffee, to help warm me up on a bitterly cold night.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground itself was very smart and immaculately clean, and just simple touches like the curved roof of the two stands gives it more character than some of the other new stadia. There was ample leg room as you'd expect from a new ground, and despite sitting in the front row, the view of the action was good.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game itself really surprised me, I was expecting a tight, tense battle between the top two sides in the division, but what followed can only be described as total domination from Chesterfield. They ran out comfortable 4-1 winners in the end with Jack Lester grabbing the pick of the goals. Twisting and turning in the box beating 2 or 3 defenders before firing past the helpless Nikki Bull in goal.
The atmosphere inside the ground was excellent, with all the noise coming from the Spireites behind the goal in the Karen Childs Stand. The stewarding was very relaxed, and the food/drinks on offer appeared to be the same sort of thing available at most football grounds, with prices around average.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground after the match was easy as you'd like. No traffic to really speak of, and after a short blast up the dual carriage way I was back at the junction for the M1 to head back home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
This was one of the best trips of the season for me. It was very easy to get to and get away from at the end of the match, fantastic stadium with good facilities, great atmosphere from the home fans and superb football on offer too. A great night's entertainment and it certainly won't be my last trip to the b2net Stadium.
Chesterfield v Shrewsbury Town
League Two
Saturday, October 23rd, 2010, 3pm
Ed Jones (Shrewsbury Town)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was a new ground to tick off, plus it was two teams who were both battling at the top end of League Two, and with hopes of promotion this season. I knew there would be a decent following and a certain record crowd at this stadium.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went on a supporters coach. There was a slight delay due to traffic getting into Chesterfield, and although supporters arrived early, the team coach was late and this resulted in a delayed kick off.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We wondered around the ground and checking out a nearby newly built Tesco's which was very large in size and built upon stilts so that a car park fits underneath the supermarket. After finding that the cafe inside the Tesco was full and that there would be a wait to get served we left and went to a Kentucky fried chicken instead which also looks as if its newly built. There were also a couple of pubs nearby but they were very busy as you would expect.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It was neat similar Shrewsbury's Greenhous Meadow but more compact with a curved roof running the two stands that run the length of the pitch. The ground looks height wise structurally smaller than Greenhous Meadow but it apparently holds 400 more capacity wise. This is possibly because it has 2 exits on each end compared to Shrewsbury's 3 plus at Shrewsbury there is a large police control box at one end.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was a totally bizarre fort he first 30 minutes Shrewsbury seemed in control of what was an entertaining attacking game with not too many shots at goal then Chesterfield scored and with a blink of and eye were 3-0 up at half time. That goal brought the crowd to life and the home fans really belted out some noise.
The second half was again entertaining with Shrewsbury's Mark Wright missing an open goal before Chesterfield's Craig Davies killing the game off making it 4-0. Game over? BEWARE! Not quite and some not nice scenes followed, for some unknown reason some Chesterfield fans got onto the pitch goading the away fans which was uncalled for. The stewards and Police did not seem prepared for what was going on and some unpleasant scenes followed in the one corner on the ground resulting with several people ejected.
With 10 minutes to go Shrewsbury pulled one back then another two the ninety minutes were up leading to some frantic added time but Chesterfield hang on.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There were problems outside the ground whilst heading back to bus, this could of easily been avoided by police preventing home fans walking around to the away end. I imagine a larger following from some of there more local rivals could cause some serious disorder if this is allowed happen. Whilst aboard the coach there were no problems getting away.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good entertaining game, good atmosphere but a bit highly charged, exercise caution when leaving the ground.
Final score: Chesterfield 4-3 Shrewsbury Town
Attendance: 7,777 (666 away)
Chesterfield v Barnet
League Two
Saturday, August 7th, 2010, 3pm
Martyn Stimson (92 Club Member)
Three of us, all members of the 92 Club, decided to give our own teams a miss to visit Chesterfield's new stadium for the opening game of the season for its first competitive match with Barnet as the visitors. Having made a late decision we had missed out on the cheap rail tickets so decided to drive.
When we got to Chesterfield we drove up the A61 and then turned left at the roundabout onto the Sheffield Road. Just off this roundabout on the right hand side is the Red Lion pub, a CAMRA Good Beer Guide entry with a range of ale from the Old Mill brewery and televisions showing sporting channels. They also have a small car park out the back and the landlady was happy to let us park there for the game. Across the road from the Red Lion there was also a free car park and there was on street parking around there too.
From the Red Lion we walked down Sheffield Road towards the ground. There are plenty of takeaways and restaurants along this road. There are also a number of pubs along here too, including the excellent Derby Tup. There was a great large of ales and a friendly atmosphere in here and it proved popular with match goers who even spilled out onto the street. A few doors down from the Derby Tup is a superb butchers called Watson & Brown where you can get a very good filled roll to takeaway (and you can even eat it in the Derby Tup). I had a cracking smoked ham brown bap with pickle and salad for £1.40. From here is it a short walk to the stadium.
First impressions of the stadium were that it looked quite interesting, not just your bog standard (insert current sponsors name here) out-of-town stadium. There was a massive queue for ticket sales but one window had been designated as "ticket collection only" with only about two people in it. Fortunately I had already booked tickets and I would recommend buying tickets in advance… although this may have just been an opening day teething issue.
We sat in the East Stand which runs along the side of the pitch and we were sat fairly close to the centre line looking towards the players tunnel. There was reasonable legroom and we had a great view from row D but I think it would have been a great view from any seat in the ground to be honest. Once in the ground it seemed to look incredibly familiar. As a Colchester fan I thought our ground had shrunk in the rain and been moved to Chesterfield. It has the same four-stand layout to Colchester and each of the stands looks very like Colchester but just a bit smaller and there is curved roof on each of the side stands. However, despite looking smaller it is actually slightly bigger than Colchester's ground but the design seemed more compacted and the place felt fairly full. The atmosphere was quite good for an opening game in a new stadium and the three stands housing the home fans were pretty full and a few hundred Barnet fans had turned out in the stand to our right. There were food and drink bars under the stand, I didn't try any of the food or drink but noticed that a bottle of Budweiser (the American one) was £3.00 and draught Carling lager or gas-flow Worthington bitter was £2.70. By the looks of it all the food and drink was standard mass produced branded stuff that is the norm at new football grounds. There were also TV screens under the stand that were showing either Chesterfield FC TV or Sky Sports News.
The game itself was entertaining with three goals, a dubious sending off and a disallowed goal, all of which aided the atmosphere. These new all-seater grounds never have the same character or atmosphere as the older grounds but it was a lot better than most new grounds I've been to. The result was a home win giving Chesterfield a good start in their new home as this should help them settle in a bit quicker than Colchester did in their new stadium.
It was a 15 minute walk back to the car at the Red Lion but from there we were straight out onto the A61 and making our way back towards the A1 with few traffic problems.
Chesterfield v Barnet
League Two
Saturday, August 7th, 2010, 3pm
David Reynolds (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
IT WAS THE FIRST GAME IN THE NEW STADIUM SO I WAS GOING MORE FOR THE SENTIMENT THAN ANYTHING BUT I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITING A PLACE I'D NEVER BEEN BEFORE.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
FROM THE STATION ITS A 20-25 MINUTE WALK WHICH ONCE YOU ARE ONTO THE MAIN ROAD IS EASY ENOUGH ALTHOUGH ITS UPHILL COMING BACK. I WOULDNT LIKE TO WALK DOWN THERE ON A COLD DECEMBER EVENING. THE GROUND IS EASY TO SPOT IN THE DISTANCE.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
THERE IS A HUGE TESCO SUPERSTORE NEXT TO THE GROUND SO I GRABBED DINNER THERE AND SOME RIBENA TO KEEP ME GOING. THERE IS ALSO A KFC ACROSS THE ROAD SO THERE IS PLENTY OF CHOICE FOR SUPPORTERS. THE HOME FANS WERE EXTREMELY FRIENDLY AND WERE PLEASED TO SEE A NEUTRAL JOIN THEM FOR THE DAY.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
THE GROUND IS AMAZING AND WOULD CERTAINLY STAND OUT IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. LEG ROOM IS SPACIOUS AND THE VIEW IS BRILLIANT AS THERE ARE NO PILLARS BLOCKING THE VIEW.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
A DECENT GAME FOR THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON. THE GAME WAS REFFED FAIRLY WELL AND BOTH TEAMS CONTRIBUTED TO A DECENT FREE-FLOWING GAME. GOOD ATMOSPHERE AND NICE CLEAN TOILETS. DIDNT BUY ANY FOOD AS I FILLED UP AT TESCOS PREVIOUSLY.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
EASY AS ABC ALTHOUGH IT WAS UPHILL WHICH TIRED ME OUT A BIT SO I HAD TO HAVE AN EXTRA CARTON OF RIBENA TO RECOVER!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
LOVELY TOWN, LOVELY PEOPLE, LOVELY CLUB AND FANTASTIC STADIUM. IW OULD DEFINETLY VISIT AGAIN AND WOULD RECOMMEND ANY GROUNDHOPPERS TO PAY A VISIT.