Last Update:
November 8, 2024
The bet365 stadium looks imposing from afar, as it is perched upon a hill with hardly any buildings around it. It especially looks good at night when it is lit up. The ground is of a fair size. On one side is the Main Stand, which is the tallest at the bet365 Stadium.
This imposing stand has a large lower tier of seating with a smaller tier above. Situated between the tiers is a row of Executive Boxes. There are open areas on each side of this stand. On one side towards the Boothen End, a large video screen has been installed, whilst on the other, towards the Sharp (South) Stand there is the players tunnel. As unusually the teams come onto the pitch from this corner of the ground. The team dugouts are located in front of this stand.
The rest of the stadium is comprised of three single-tiered stands that extend around two corners of the stadium. The corner in-between the DPD and Sharp Stands was filled with 1,800 covered seats, at the end of the 2016/17 season, much improving the overall look of the stadium.
In the Summer of 2016, the stadium was renamed the bet365 Stadium, in a six-year corporate sponsorship deal.
Away fans are housed on one side (towards the Players Tunnel and Main Stand) of the Sharp (South) Stand at one end of the ground, where around 2,800 supporters can be accommodated. This stand is shared with home fans on the other side. At first, I was quite perturbed by a large sign advising fans that persistent standing would result in ejection from the ground, however, the facilities and view of the action from this stand are good. The concourse is adequate and there is a large choice of refreshments available such as Wrights Pies, Pasties (£3.20 & £3.10) and Sausage Rolls (£2.60).
The stadium is quite high up in an exposed position and the open corners can mean that a cold wind can whip through the stadium, so bear this in mind, especially in the winter months. I thought the inside of the stadium was quite disappointing being rather bland and lacking character, although I’m sure that this can be developed in time. Listen out though for the Stoke anthem ‘Delilah’ being sung by the home fans, they can still give a great rendition of that Tom Jones classic song.
If you want to try something a little different then on the canal located behind the Main Stand (look for the semi-circular-looking bridge beyond the car park) are two moored barges, one which sells the traditional locally produced Oatcake, whilst the other sells beer. Both are proving very popular on matchdays!
It is also worth bearing in mind though that the Stoke fans are passionate about their club and this can make for an intimidating atmosphere, so it is best to keep colours covered around the ground. Don’t be surprised if you are kept in after the game, in a fenced-off compound to the rear of the away stand, whilst the Stoke fans are allowed to disperse.
The main entrance to the Bet365 stadium is at the Franklyn Stand. This is also where media personnel are expected to enter the stadium to get to the press room and press box.
To the right of the main entrance is the ticket office and club store for anyone looking to purchase any merchandise before or after the match.
Fans can enter the stadium via all four stands, with the turnstiles as follows:
- Franklyn Stand – Turnstiles 1-14
- Boothen End – Turnstiles 15-23
- The Mountain Stand – Turnstiles 24-41
- Family Area – Turnstiles 42-45
- The Caldwell Construction Stand – Turnstiles 46-55
Away fans must enter the stadium between turnstiles 53-55 in the Caldwell Construction Stand.
In the last few minutes, Stoke fans singing Delilah. Brilliant! #SCFC #Stoke pic.twitter.com/FFXieF8Rm7
— Josh James (@JoshJames1993) May 13, 2018
- Holiday Inn – Trentham Lakes, ST4 4EG
- Harvester – Trentham Lakes, ST4 4TL
- Powerleague – Trentham Lakes, ST4 4TN
- Langton Rugby Club – Eastern Rise, ST4 8WG
- The Terrace Bar – 192 City Road, ST4 4NB
- Locomotive Inn – 21 Heron Street, ST4 3AR
- The Wellington Inn – 369 London Road, ST4 5AN
However, you may instead choose to avoid the hustle and bustle of pubs in the hours before kick-off and head straight to the ground.
If doing so, then there is plenty on offer at the bet365 Stadium upon your arrival.
One of the best spots at the venue can be found in the Boothen Quarter – a fan zone that serves food and drink before games and even plays music after the game until the ground closes.
For those that prefer a more understated matchday experience, then here are a handful of kiosks dotted around the various stands that serve street food – this is an excellent choice for fans looking to taste some unique grub.
Failing that, there is of course always the option of the stadium’s concourse, where you can get your hands on some more traditional dishes, including chips and burgers.
Take a look at the images below for a preview of what you can expect:
Chicken burger at Stoke City (@stokecity)
💷 £4.50 pic.twitter.com/MU0H7igtRp
— Footy Scran (@FootyScran) March 10, 2022
Wherever you decide to get your pre-match refreshments, we hope you have an enjoyable experience at the bet365 Stadium.
Stoke City began a £20 million five-year refurbishment project at the stadium which started in the summer of 2022. The refurb included replacing seats as well as updating Delilah’s Bar and corporate boxes.
More information on the refurbishment can be found via our dedicated Bet365 expansion page.
Over the years Stoke City have played their home games at four permanent homes. The first stadium was the Victoria Cricket Ground. Next up was a three-year spell at Sweeting’s Field before a long-term home was established with the Victoria Ground; Stoke played their home matches there from 1878 all the way through to 1997.
The Victoria Ground was ridiculed in the early days but that would soon change through a series of developments through to 1919; they included two terraces with roofing over both and a seated stand that held 1,000 spectators. Works continued to take place over the years.
The major revamp came in the eighties when the club honoured their legendary player Sir Stanley Matthews along with a two-storey stand at the Stoke End. More development was planned but instead, they opted for a relocation. The Britannia Stadium was born; it cost £15m. A couple of decades later the club opted for a small build to add a further 3,000 seats to the capacity taking it to narrowly over 30,000.
Leave the M6 at Junction 15 and then go straight across the roundabout onto the A500 towards Stoke. Continue along the A500 passing the junction with the A34.
Leave the A500 at the slip road following signs for the A50 towards Derby. At the top of the slip road turn right at the roundabout (still A50) and then move into the second from left lane (signposted Bet365 Stadium). You can see the stadium over on your right.
Turn right at the top of the slip road and then right at the next roundabout for the stadium. The Bet 365 Stadium is quite well signposted, although a few may still say the Britannia Stadium!
Parking
Car parking at the stadium is limited to supporters who hold a parking permit. These can be applied for via the Stoke City website. The official car parks open from 8.30am for a lunchtime game, from 11am for an afternoon game and from 4pm for an evening game.
There are plenty of unofficial car parks nearby for supporters who don’t have a permit. The vast majority of these can’t be pre-booked so it’s a case of first come, first served.
Post Code for SAT NAV: ST4 4EG
Stoke Railway Station is just over two miles away from the Bet365 Stadium, so unless you are feeling fit, it may be best to hire a taxi.
Alternatively, there is a shuttle bus on matchdays that takes fans from the station to the stadium. This bus operates every five minutes for the 90 minutes preceding kick-off.
Stoke operates a three-category system of ticket pricing (A*, A & B) whereby the most popular matches will cost more to watch than the least popular ones.
Adult: £20-£37
Over 65: £15-£30
U18: £12-£23
U15: £10-£14
U11: £6-£18
Official Programme: £3.50
Stoke vs Port Vale rivalry: It might not be immediately apparent from the team names but this fixture is an inner-City derby with Port Vale also hailing from Stoke. Stoke hasn’t always existed as a city though and before 1910 the two clubs were based in separate towns. Even then there was a rivalry between the duo though. Both towns had a strong affiliation with the art of pottery back in the day hence the tag the ‘Potteries derby’.
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 the bet365 Stadium:
30,022 v Everton
Premier League 17th March 2018
At the Victoria Ground:
51,380 v Arsenal
Division 1, 29th March 1937
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 22,087 (Championship)
2022-2023: 20,741 (Championship)
2021-2022: 20,966 (Championship)
2020-2021: 0 (Covid) (Championship)
2019-2020: 22,828 (Championship)
Ground Layout
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
Images
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
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
Stoke City U23s v Manchester United U23s
Premier League 2 Division 2
Monday 2nd March 2020, 7pm
John Hague (Neutral)
Stoke City v Swansea City
Championship League
Saturday 25th January 2020, 3pm
Dave Hammond (Swansea City)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I was looking forward to going to the game as the bet365 Stadium is a new ground for me and I'm somewhat of a lucky charm watching the Swans (I'd only seen two defeats in our last nineteen games) so I was hoping we could finally improve our dismal record at Stoke.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I and my mate Chris left Swansea at 8.20am in the morning and travelled via the M5 to pick up another mate Mark in Gloucestershire on the way. We stopped for pub grub in the nice market town of Penkridge in Staffordshire just after midday and got to the ground an hour and a half before kick off. The journey was quick until the M6 north of Birmingham as roadworks and average speed cameras slowed it right down. We drove past the ground and parked at Longton rugby club for £5 which had plenty of space.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Before the game, we just had a quick drink in the Longton rugby club and watched the FA cup tie between Brentford and Leicester. There was a good crowd in the rugby club with a mix of Stoke fans, Swans fans and rugby supporters as Longton were playing Walsall in the rugby union that afternoon. It was a slightly odd feeling to be in a rugby club before a football match but it is a new clubhouse with good facilities, serving food too and no hint of bother so I would recommend it.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
It was about 20 minutes walk from the rugby club to the ground and plenty of home fans were making the same journey on foot. The ground is in the middle of an industrial estate with countless car garages and warehouses so not the best location but the stadium itself was excellent. The away end was spacious and had good facilities for the 682 Swans fans that had made the trip. There is a gap between the away end and the double-decker Main Stand so the wind whistles through and I would recommend bringing a hat and gloves with you in the winter.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was a real disappointment. The Swans made a bright start in the first twenty minutes but after that, there was only one team in it and Stoke dominated the game. Ex Swan Sam Clucas opened the scoring for Stoke in the second half and ran the length of the field to celebrate Adebayor-style in front of the Swans fans which predictably wasn't well received and heated up a quite sedate atmosphere. The Swans couldn't find a way back into the game and didn't create many chances despite having four creative players in midfield. Stoke scored a breakaway goal in injury time to make the points safe and extend our miserable away record at that venue.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was no hassle after the game and we chatted to Stoke fans on the way back to the car who were of the opinion that they are working harder for their new manager Michael O'Neill. We stayed for twenty minutes at the rugby club for a drink to let the traffic clear and thought we had been clever but after leaving the car park faced 30 minutes in traffic before we got away from the ground. It was an absolute disgrace how bad the traffic was and the cause was a set of traffic lights at the South end of Stanley Matthews way only letting a handful of cars through each time onto a quiet main road. Surely this could be sorted out on matchday by changing the traffic signal sequence so the busiest road gets more priority?
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a good day out at an impressive stadium and another ground ticked off the list but the Swans were poor, the stadium is in a poor location and the traffic after the match needs looking at by the authorities.
Stoke City v Millwall
Championship
Saturday 11th January 2020, 3pm
Norman Wilson (Millwall)
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
Stoke City v Queens Park Rangers
Championship
Saturday 3rd August 2019, 3pm
Ben Preston (QPR)
Stoke City v Norwich City
Championship
Monday 22nd April 2019, 3pm
John Holland (Norwich City)
Stoke City v Rotherham United
Championship League
Saturday 13th April 2019, 3pm
Ross (Rotherham United)
Stoke City v Reading
Championship
Saturday 16th March 2019, 3pm
William Biss (Reading)
Stoke City v Bristol City
Championship League
Tuesday 1st January 2019, 3pm
KP (Bristol City)
Stoke City v Brentford
Championship League
Saturday 11th August 2018, 3pm
Simon (Brentford)
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Pre-Season Friendly
Date: Wednesday 25th July 2018, 7.45pm
Aimee Henry (Wolves fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
Who doesn’t love pre-season!? After a fantastic last year, culminating in our promotion back to the Premier League, it has felt like a lifetime since the season finished in May. The World Cup was a nice distraction, It’s Coming Home and all that, but there’s nothing quite like proper football. Having spent the early part of pre-season taking on the likes of FC Basel, the Young Boys of Bern and VFL Bochum, Wolves were finally getting their domestic friendlies underway, with a trip to the Potteries. The land of Robbie Williams, Phil Taylor, and…well yeah, the Potteries. Stoke were relegated last season but had up to this point retained many of their better players, Joe Allen, Ryan Shawcross etc, so it promised to be a good work out for Nuno’s Wolves team.
It was going to be my third visit to the beautifully named bet365 Stadium (does it become the bet366 Stadium in a leap year!?), and I have quite fond memories of a Helder Costa-inspired 2-0 FA Cup win a couple of seasons back. Also crucial to our success that day was goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who received the great news in the summer that his leukemia is in remission. Keep fighting Carl.
I found it surprisingly difficult to assemble a travelling party for this one. “£15 quid to watch a glorified kickabout” was my dad’s way of politely declining my offer. I won’t tell you what my uncle said. At one point it was looking like I’d be flying solo, but an old school friend came to my rescue when an off-chance facebook message confirmed he was also going and was looking for someone to go with.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
After quickly deciding that the thought of me driving up the M6 in Wednesday evening rush hour would not be pretty, we decided to use the trains for this game. A return ticket from Wolverhampton to Stoke-on-Trent cost a smidgeon over £8 each, so probably worked out cheaper than petrol anyway. We enjoyed a trouble-free, if sticky journey to Staffordshire. Now before you get any ideas, it was the middle of the afternoon, in the middle of the biggest heatwave we’ve had in England since 1976. Sitting on a packed train…not ideal! It was a relief to get off and into the fresh air. Then it was the case of walking the 2 miles to the ground. Woah, wait, what!? two mile…Walk…In this weather!?
I have to say, although it took us a good 35 minutes, it was one of the most picturesque walks I’ve had to a football ground. We took the scenic route, along the Trent-Mersey canal. The canal runs pretty much outside the station, and the towpath takes you right alongside Stoke’s ground, so if you’re looking for a direct route to the ground and don’t mind a trek, go for it. The ground is signposted, and visible, once you get close, so I can’t imagine people getting lost.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Having arrived at the ground just before 5pm, we had a couple of hours to kill before kick off. After having a mooch around the ground, we stopped to admire the brilliant Sir Stanley Matthews statue. You don’t have to have seen him play to know just how much of a legend Sir Stanley was/is, and he’s especially lauded up in Stoke, where, according to Wikipedia, “he became indelibly known as one of the all-time greats of the British game”. Too right. They don’t make them like him anymore.
We decided to grab something to eat before going into the ground,and found a Harvester next to the stadium. With it’s warm atmosphere, nice wallpaper and unlimited salad refills, who could possibly say no!? I noticed whilst in there that there were already fans of both clubs, mingling together without a hint of trouble. The power of a carvery…
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The bet365 Stadium (Or the Britannia as it used to be known) is a really interesting ground. On the outside, it looks quite similar to a number of other stadiums, with the metal panelling and roof supports. But what’s interesting is that two of the stands are joined at the corner, but the other two stands, including the away end, are left separate. The dreamer in me says this was a planned move to help with policing, atmosphere etc. The cynic in me thinks they ran out of money after filling in the first corner. Answers on a postcard please…
The away end, named on the ticket as The South Stand, is a large, single tiered stand. I’m led to believe that during League games it’s split between home and away fans, but with it being a pre-season game, the home fans were just housed in their other two bigger stands. Just over 2000 Wolves fans were there, a decent turn out for a friendly I think.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
If I just say it was a “typical pre-season game”, will you all know what I mean? Just saves me writing a couple of paragraphs describing a dull and dreary 0-0!? To be fair, there were a couple of decent chances, for both teams, but it was never going to be a thriller. It was more minutes in the tank for the players, and we got our first look at new goalkeeper Rui Patricio. He looks like he should be appearing in a perfume advert, draped over some rocks on a secluded beach somewhere, shirt unbuttoned, giving himself a good squirt out of a funny shaped bottle. Handsome devil. And a decent keeper by the looks of it too.
A couple of our younger players also impressed, namely Ryan Giles, Morgan Gibbs-White and Benny Ashley-Seal. I like mentioning these guys now because if you’re interested/sad enough to read this in 5 years’ time, hopefully these players are big stars and I can claim what a good eye for talent I have!
Not really fair to comment on atmosphere, there wasn’t really one, but there never is for a friendly. I remember it being a decent atmosphere back in the cup game though. Stewards were fine, facilities clean and tidy. My mate enjoyed his half time pie, but his coffee was very hot apparently. Hottest week since the 70s and he’s tucking into a coffee. No wonder we’ve not kept in touch since we sat by each other in Geography…
Only moan from me was that Stoke didn’t bother with a match programme. I mean it didn’t spoil the day, obviously, but I like a little memento from my away days. I read an article on BBC Sport suggesting that Football League clubs are no longer required to produce programmes for every game, which I think is a real shame. I think in our hi-tech, instant download world, the programme’s a real throwback to the football your grandad used to tell you about, “where you could get a ticket, programme, cup of tea and the bus back to town after for less than 1p”. Shame to see it go.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Straight out the ground, back along the towpath, back on the train, home. Easy!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed my day out. With the match ticket, travel, food etc, it probably cost me less than £35, which is not too bad for a day at the football. My Dad was right to avoid it for footballing reasons, but I’m so utterly infatuated with football and Wolves that given half a chance, I’d probably travel to the Outer Hebrides to watch our Under 18s play. So seeing the first team in Stoke-on-Trent was no hardship. The bet365 Stadium is a good place to watch football, you get a pretty good view of the pitch from pretty much anywhere in the away end, and when it’s full and bouncing, it can get noisy. The closest we got to that was a smattering of applause when Nuno appeared from the tunnel, his beard now threatening to read Gandalf proportions. The game itself won’t live long in the memory, but to go into cliché overdrive just for a moment, it was a good workout for the boys, more minutes under their belts, and its all about building up to that opening game.
Stoke City v Everton
Premier League
Saturday 17th March 2018, 3pm
Rob (Everton fan)
Stoke City v Newcastle United
Premier League
Monday 1st January 2018, 3pm
Adam (Newcastle United fan)
Stoke City v Liverpool
Premier League
Monday 29th November 2017, 8pm
Russ (Liverpool)
Stoke City v Liverpool
Football Premier League
Saturday 8th April 2017, 3pm
Gary Draper (Liverpool fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I had no particular enthusiasm for visiting Stoke nor the bet365 Stadium. However, I have heard reports of how noisy the Stoke support is, So I was a little expectant.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I drove to the ground. The bet365 Stadium is easily accessible from the M6 motorway. I headed to the nearby Longton Rugby Union Club to park, based on the recommendation of other reviewers on this website. I can only echo their plosive comments. The Rugby Club is only a ten minute walk away from the bet365 Stadium. It has a big screen sport, showing the 12.30pm televised match, has relatively cheap beer and they serve basic hot food. Parking cost £5. You can park across the road for the same price but can you get beer, TV sport and sit down to a hot meal there?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Although loads of Stoke fans use the rugby club, there wasn't a hint of a problem with either the home fans nor the rugby club crowd. Very welcoming all the way through from the man who takes your car parking money off you at the gate to the bar staff.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The bet365 Stadium to me can be best summed up as; modern, dull but functional. The away concourse is subdivided into sectors corresponding to the seat block number.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Passed loads of elderly and very young home fans on the way to the ground in a family mix often seen at lower league clubs. This is good some respects but I could not believe this was going to be a raucous crowd. It was not. A disappointing home atmosphere largely matched by the visiting fans witnessing a poor away performance in the first half, with Stoke going into the interval 1-0 up. Things improved in terms of atmosphere, performance, and result in the second half for the away fans, with Liverpool scoring twice to win the game 2-1.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
From south of the ground it is not possible to follow sat navs back to the M6 past the bet365 Stadium but it does not matter because either way, access to the M6 takes about the same time. A slow crawl for a couple of miles to the M6 but at least it moves continuously unlike trying to get out of Southampton, for example.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Simply underwhelming.
Stoke City v Middlesbrough
Premier League
Saturday 4th March 2017, 3pm
Stewart (Middlesbrough fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I'd been to the Victoria Ground in days of yore when Boro were in the top division, but I had never been to the 'bet365' Stadium which I'd hitherto thought was the Britannia Stadium, I also fancied the novelty of walking from the railway station along the canal to the ground.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I had done my research so had an option of getting a bus or walking from the station depending on weather. In the end roadworks seemed to have moved the shuttle bus stop to somewhere else anyway so I walked as it was a nice day, but it took longer than I thought around 30/35 minutes, and I'm no slouch. I didn't have my colours showing but there weren't many Stoke fans choosing the same option as me until you hit a crowd coming from the right near the Oatcake canal boat and bridge across to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went to the Terrace pub straight from the train station but it was heaving and much farther from the station than I'd imagined. I wish I had never bothered and I'd advise people not to bother unless you get there early. I had a snack and coffee at the Oatcake, a canal boat converted to a snack bar/takeaway which is moored near the ground, Not many fans as customers most were walking by, but it was good value. It was okay for me but I wasn't obviously an away fan.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
I found the separate gated/fenced compound to the away end intimidating and not a very friendly welcome. Inside I was surprised there were three open corners which would make for windy conditions. The Riverside Stadium was like that originally when it was built but the corners were soon filled in. The players came out onto the pitch from one corner of the ground which seemed a bit odd and it also made me realise that this corner would never probably get filled in.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was poor. In my opinion the worst Boro performance since Barnsley away in the Strachan era. Over-stewarded perhaps as well to add to the sense of intimidation. Stewards were friendly enough but they were even entering the mends toilets. I have never seen that before – and stood outside the ladies toilets. I could only speculate why. Boro fans showed some disquiet to the team and manager as they went in for half time and during the second half. I even heard comments like 'we're making Crouch look like Messi'.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The Police kept everyone who were on public transport (coaches and shuttle buses) kettled in the compound behind the stand for quite a while after game. There weren't enough shuttle buses so you had to decide whether to wait until they came back or walk. I walked back along canal again. It took about 40 minutes this time as there were more people doing the same and it took a while to get across the bridge from the stadium because of numbers. There were even two Police on the train to Manchester, which seemed well over the top.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Not great as we lost. The Police and stewards were a bit much. If I went again I'd probably have a wander around Hanley beforehand and get a bus to the ground.
Stoke City v Middlesbrough
Premier League
Saturday 4th March 2017, 3pm
Thomas Maggs (Middlesbrough fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I always enjoy away days following the Boro and the bet365 Stadium was a ground that I had never been to before.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled to the game by private supporters bus, which set off from Middlesbrough at 8.30am. We parked virtually 100 yards away from the visitors turnstiles.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were told beforehand that that there are not many pubs by the ground and what ones there are for home fans only so we stopped off at a pub beforehand, which was located just outside Uttoxeter for food and drink.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The bet365 Stadium looked okay from the outside as we approached it. It seemed to be in the middle of a retail park with some car showrooms dotted around.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The first thing that struck me going to my seat was that the bet365 Stadium looked smaller than I had imagined. The ground reminded me of the Riverside Stadium before we filled the corners in. But this may change soon as I believe that Stoke are going to fill in one of the corners during the Summer. I was in row 31 so my view of the playing action was very good. The concourse seemed a bit small and not really adequate for the 2,900 away fans. The game from our point of view was terrible. Stoke really didn't have to try that hard to beat us. I was disappointed with the atmosphere from the home fans, they didn't get going until about 15 minutes into the second half.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
With our bus being parked so close there was no bother getting on fairly quickly. After the away buses were full we were given a Police escort to the motorway home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Not the first time a Boro match has been the only bad point in a good day out, not to mention us slipping into the bottom three. At least the bet365 Stadium is another ground off my list and I would be happy to revisit one day.
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 7th January 2017, 3pm
Richard Fletcher (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I'm not usually one to go to the cup games, but I knew Wolves would take a strong following to Stoke, so two mates and I got our tickets along with the other 4,600 Wolves fans
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I live in Rugby so it was just over an hour up the M6, and I had pre-booked a parking spot on someone's drive, so we did that, although it was a 20 minute walk to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There are not too many dining options around the ground, so we decided to head for the concourse early doors and get a pie and a pint.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 stadium?
The bet365 stadium is a smart ground, however is reasonably bland looking, and looks amateurish in the way in which it has huge gaps between each stand. The away end was fine though, with a spacious concourse and good views of the pitch.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Wolves were fantastic and won 2-0 to cause an upset. Stoke played a strong team but didn't look up for it at all. The atmosphere in the away end was absolutely superb, we out-sung the Stoke fans for the entire game.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We were only allowed out of a very small gap due to Police fencing which caused a bit of a bottle neck situation, but we eventually got out and returned to the car.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great away day with Wolves performing so well, and a cracking atmosphere in the away end. Wouldn't rush back to Stoke, but fair play to them, they've come a long way and now have a good selection of international players.
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 7th January 2017, 3pm
Ashley Wood (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
The third round of the FA Cup is always special. With Wolves struggling to gain consistency in the Championship League, the sold out away end of 4,600 Wolves fans felt this was as close to the Premier League as we were going to get for at least another season. No one expected anything from this game but to cause a cup upset against an old rival would of course be nice!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Travelling on the official supporters coach, the bet365 Stadium was very easy to find although you can't miss it when driving either. We were driven onto a big coach park behind the away end which was sealed around us.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had organised to meet a Stoke-supporting friend before the game but with the away fans being penned in and him running late, we decided to give it a miss. Instead I ate a burger from a van directly outside the away end and headed straight inside.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The ground doesn't look that striking from the outside with the exception of the Main Stand which has a curved middle section. Inside, the away concourse was spacious but relatively plain. Walking out into the ground however, this ground does look nice. I also found it a little bigger than I had expected, from the pictures that I had seen of the stadium beforehand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Wolves were exceptional, coming away 2-0 winners. Mark Hughes had named a strong Stoke team with the intention of seeing us off but Wolves deserved the win undoubtedly. As the goals went the away went berserk which was good fun. As for the stewards, YouTube clips of them crowd surfing the away fan say everything there is to tell- they accepted what this victory meant to Wolves and managed it accordingly.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We were held in the ground for a while and then on the coach park for a little while longer. We were then given a Police escort to the M6 motorway to prevent any damage to the coaches.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A magnificent day that will live long in the memory of those who were in that away end.
Stoke City v Southampton
Football Premier League
Wednesday 14th December 2016, 8pm
Alex Squires (Southampton fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
As northern exiles, Stoke isn't a million miles away and the thought of travelling a midweek game gave us a proud and loyal feeling. In addition, Saints and Stoke were similarly placed in the table meaning an interesting encounter was on offer for my third visit to the ground.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was a nightmare! Initially we joined the M65 near Burnley before the satnav insisted on taking us down towards and along the M60, encircling Manchester, and you can imagine what that was like at rush-hour can't you?! It started playing up again and told us to exit near the Trafford Centre and through Altrincham and Sale's town centres before we eventually joined the M6 near Knutsford. I'd never been so glad to see it in my life! After a short hop along the A500, we parked up at Longton RFC, costing £5, eventually arriving at 7:40pm and arrived at the ground after a 10 minute walk. What a pain.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Nothing due to the time! As for the home fans, they have a somewhat poor reputation though they kept to themselves and we received no hassle from them.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The bet365 is just another, functional though slightly boring modern stadium, though it is a very strange affair as three corners are left untouched. Though I read the club are working on filling them in, hopefully improving the overall internal look. The away end was located in its usual spot in the South Stand and the allocation was fairly small given the date and time of the kick off.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I must mention the balti pie as this was the best part of my visit! Absolutely unbelievable, simply loaded with meat and well worth the £3.20. As for the game, Saints were ridiculously dominant and should've left the ground comfortable victors if it wasn't for Lee Grant's inspired goalkeeping, which kept the score at 0-0. Arnautović was given his marching orders just after 20 minutes for a foul on our record signing, Moroccan winger Sofiane Boufal. This was met with disgust by the Potters fans, who were constantly displaying this with booing. After that, the home side dropped back and more or less stuck their 10 remaining men behind the ball with occasional breaks going forward b ut never really troubling Fraser Forster in the saints goal. The second half consisted of more of the same with Lee Grant frustrating us every time we stuck the ball in the Stoke box and Jay Rodriguez somehow failing to make connection with a cross from the right wing, the ball agonisingly slipping beyond his studs. In all honesty, we could've played all night and not scored, the final score being no goals apiece.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Exiting was far easier than it has been in previous years and we were heading back up north on the M6 in no time, arriving home little before 1am. I strongly recommend parking at Longton Rugby Club!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It's always nice to watch Saints play away from home and would've enjoyed it more had we won and the journey there not being such a pain! Overall it was a good night out and I'd be more than happy to return
Stoke City v Swansea City
Premier League
Monday 31st October 2016, 8pm
Joe Hughes (Swansea City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
Although an unplanned visit, the bet365 Stadium has quite a reputation. As a big game for the swans I quite fancied the came so when my college was closed that morning I decided to head up for the game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was relatively straight forward but took a little longer than it should have (4 hours 15 minutes) due to road works on the M5. The stadium was easy to find and the car park was close by and easy to access. The £6 parking was expected. Overall it was very easy to park and find the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As the stadium is out of the way, there aren't very many places nearby to eat or go for a drink. There were a few burger vans about but nothing other than that. We decided to just eat in the stadium. The pastie was poor but the pies were good quality. The home fans weren't overly friendly but weren't any problem.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The away end was small but that was to be expected of a Monday night game. The stadium isn't particularly pretty and the lack of corners certainly take away from the ground. The back off the away stand is just corrugated steel and gave the impression of a tin shed. There was only one large screen which is in the corner, which makes it difficult for away fans to view the screen. However, the view of the pitch was very good.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a bad one for Swansea. We didn't play badly and had chances but some poor defensive play seriously let us down. The Swans fan's were okay for the first half but there weren't very many of us so we were not the loudest. Having said that, for most of the game the Stoke fans were quiet. The rumours of an intimidating atmosphere were not true and the home fans only started singing at 3-1. They didn't seem to have one group of home fans who got behind the team when they weren't playing too well. Having said that, when they finally got going the fans did get quite loud.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was lots of traffic on the way out of the car park, which we were stuck in for about 15 minutes. But straight after that we were onto the A500 and away. Eventually got home to bed at 3am and then up for college at 7am!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good unplanned day out. Despite the result still enjoyed the game (if just the first half). Expected better from the stoke fans who were a bit of a disappointment not that the swans fans were at our best.
Stoke City v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 19th October 2016, 3pm
Paul Sheppard (AFC Bournemouth fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
Stoke-on-Trent is a reasonably short journey from my home in Manchester.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was a nightmare journey as there were hold ups on the M6 (for a change) so journey seemed to take forever and we decided to come off the motorway and only got to the ground about half an hour before kick off. We parked about a mile away from the stadium, but I couldn't be any more specific than that, I much prefer getting the train to and from Stoke as it's not great going by car.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Given our horrendous journey we had a quick pint and pie/pastie in the ground before the game. Walked to the ground with a couple of Stoke fans we encountered and they were friendly enough.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
We had been to the bet365 Stadium before so no real surprises here other than the fact our seats were in the very front row. Not really keen on this as I like to be higher up but it made a change being so close to the action and we could sit down every now and then and still be able to see the action unimpeded. The bet365 Stadium is a pretty standard modern ground.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was pretty good even though there was only one goal, a header by Bournemouth's Ake in the first half. Both sides had plenty of chances and Wilshere was the stand out performer. We were denied a clear cut penalty and Bojan missed one for Stoke and the 1-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of the game ultimately. I find the bet365 Stadium a bit like Anfield in that the atmosphere never quite lives up to what you expect and hope (in comparison to, say, Middlesbrough, where the atmosphere generated by the home fans is always great). Stewards and toilets fine. I have to say (as a non meat eater) the cheese and onion pasty I had was probably the best thing I have had at a football ground so bravo to the caterers!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Last season I got the shuttle bus that is laid on to the ground from near the railway station. Only after the game to not get a place on the one solitary bus going back as the Staffordshire police (who were/are responsible for this service) did not put enough buses on and we ended up walking back to the station with other Bournemouth fans in the same situation. My friend was driving elsewhere after this game so as I had booked a train for an hour after the game finished and this time I was told by a steward there was no shuttle bus at all for away fans and if that was true (I have no reason to disbelieve the steward) then I knew I had walk the 2 miles to the railway station, luckily I arrived at the station with just over 10 minutes to spare.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The stressful journey to the ground and lack of a shuttle bus going back to the station was more than compensated by the one nil victory, which might have been the first time I have seen us win at Stoke, especially as it was the first points and goal I had seen us secure away from home this season (at the fourth attempt!).
Stoke City v Sunderland
Premier League
Saturday 15th October 2016, 3pm
Jack Talbot (Sunderland fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
I had heard that the bet365 Stadium was a ground that generated a loud atmosphere and that Stoke fans are famous for there noise, it's also one of the shorter away trips of the season!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
There was few problems getting to and from the stadium. It's easy to spot the ground as it stands out on a hill near a few hotels and a business park.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I bought a programme from outside the ground which was fairly priced at £3.50 and we made our way into the ground with about an hour until kick off. The Stoke fans seemed fairly friendly, the odd Adam Johnson song here and there was as much as they had to say to us.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The Britannia Stadium or newly named "bet365 stadium" is a fairly tidy ground with two stands behind the goals of equal size and stands either side of you, the left of which had two tiers. The away end was 3/4(ish) of the Marstons Pedigree Stand which entitled us to 2913 tickets which sold out fairly quickly due to the importance of this fixture for us. I was in row 8 and a block left of the goal which gave me a fairly decent view of the pitch.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was the worst performance I've seen this season from us . We allowed Stoke far to much time on the edge of the box and were punished twice for it in the first half and once again in the second half however this was ruled offside. Despite this the Sunderland faithful were very loud throughout the game for the full 90 minutes and outsung the home fans, however they didn't really need to get behind a team who was winning so comfortably!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was no issues getting away from the ground. Stoke fans seemed very optimistic about there next few games which was fair enough considering how easy they made winning the game look.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was good away day despite the result, and the red and white army were in fine voice as always. We lost the game 2-0 but the fans stuck with team and really deserve better as Niall Quinn once said "if Sunderland produced a team as good as the fans, they'd be in Europe every year" which I'm sure few people can disagree with.
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Saturday 24th September 2016, 3pm
Steven Roper (West Bromwich Albion fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the bet365 Stadium?
Stoke City are our nearest rivals in the Premier League this season, and with Stoke's fiercely passionate fans this would make for a good derby atmosphere.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went by coach from The Hawthorns. After being met by Police motorcyclists on the A500 we were escorted up to the stadium and then led straight into the away fans compound behind one end of the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The away fans area outside the ground is fenced off to keep the fans apart. The turnstiles weren't open on our arrival so it was a case of hanging around for twenty minutes until they were. There was a burger van there which also sold hot and cold drinks.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the bet365 Stadium?
The bet365 Stadium looks good when approaching along the A500 from the motorway. Inside though I think its starting to look a bit dated. Four decent stands, though the position of the ground standing four square to the elements means that the slightest breeze can feel like a gale, and today was no exception. We were seated on one side of the south stand nearest the players tunnel. Rival fans in this stand are separated by a sterile area in the seats, but there were no problems.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Stoke fans always create a good atmosphere and today was everything I expected. The stewards were easy going and we stood all through the game without being told to sit. Leg room in the stand was adequate and the view was good. Food and drink prices were much the same as at the Albion, with pies and sausage rolls being the hot food option.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The coaches park in the away fans area so it was literally out of the gates and walk fifty yards to the coach. The special buses back to the railway station were also on this car park. Police motorcyclists escorted the coaches back to the A500 then it was a few minutes back to the M6.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The 1-1 draw was a fair result and the atmosphere was good. I expected the atmosphere to be intimidating but it was fairly good natured with the usual banter. But the one thing that stands out in my mind about the day was the cold wind……..visiting supporters beware.
Stoke City v Norwich City
Premier League
Wednesday 13th January 2016, 7.45pm
James Walker (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
This was one I was looking forward to as it gave me a chance to take in another game of Premier League football with some friends, and the ticket only cost me £5 so I would have been stupid to turn the offer down!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My friend drove us for this as as he's a Stoke member and therefore knows the way to the Britannia Stadium, where to park and everything like that. I had just come back from the Masters Snooker at the Alexandra Palace and so met him at a local train station. The journey from there up to Stoke took us 2 and a half hours with no stop offs. Car parking also was straightforward as we parked in a local car park that's free. Apparently there are quite a few car parks around the Britannia but this is the only free one, and just a 10 minute walk from the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went straight to the club shop to purchase programmes (£3.50) and then made our way round to our turnstile, stopping on route to grab a hot dog from the vans outside (£3). Inside the ground they have a range of pies, all priced at £2.90 but I have personally had much nicer pies elsewhere than the Chicken Balti that I sampled.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Britannia Stadium?
I was in the Marstons Pedigree Stand for this fixture at one end of the stadium. This stand is shared between home and away supporters. The stand to the right of this curves round to join the stand behind the opposite goal, whilst the stand to our left is a double-tiered stand.
The Britannia Stadium
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was an interesting affair with Norwich coming closest in the first half and being reduced to 10 men. Jon Walters gave Stoke the lead early in the second half before Jonny Howson leveled things up 6 minutes later. Joselu gave Stoke the lead again before a late own-goal from Ryan Bennett sealed the points for Stoke. The atmosphere was quiet early on but started to pick up once Stoke were winning and kept at a reasonable level throughout the second half. The facilities were of good quality and clean and the stewards fine.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was simple. A 10 minute walk back to the car ensured. We passed a van selling fish & chips on the way back so decided a bit of late night snacking in order as we sat in the car waiting for traffic to get going. I eventually got home around 1am.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall this was a fun night out. Plenty of goals, a straight red, lots of talking points and Match of the Day on record when I got home. What more could I ask for!
Half Time Score: Stoke City 0-0 Norwich City
Full Time: Stoke City 3-1 Norwich City
Attendance: 27,274 (1,277 away fans)
Stoke City v Crystal Palace
Premier League
Saturday 20th December 2015, 3pm
Laurence Page (Crystal Palace fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
This would be my first trip to the Britannia Stadium. I'd been to the old Victoria Ground years ago and was expecting a good atmosphere. I was also going with my brother who was going to his first game in six years since he'd emigrated to Australia. This was his first game back visiting the UK and I thought he'd notice a vast improvement in the Palace team since he left.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Train up from Euston was fine. Upon arriving at Stoke railway station we decided to jump in a taxi. It took about ten minutes to get from the station to the Harvester near the ground and cost £6.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The Harvester is what you'd expect in terms of food and drink, nothing too exciting but did the job. It gets packed so we ended up braving the elements in the beer garden on a December afternoon. There was a mix of home and away fans and the home fans where friendly and happy to chat football even if I got the feeling they thought we were an easy three points. They also disliked Tony Pulis a lot which surprised me a bit.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Britannia stadium?
It's a typical identikit out of town ground, it reminded me of St Mary's but without all the corners done. At least you can get a drink/bite to eat nearby though so could be worse.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game saw Palace get outplayed for the most part but somehow escape with three points thanks to our usual resolute defending and an absolute belter right at the end from sub Chung Lee. I had been expecting really loud home fans but they were strangely subdued, the tannoy is also turned up to a ridiculous level before kick off, but like it or not that did not keep us quiet during the game. The only pie, or food of any type left at half time was a pretty boring meat and potato variety, better though was beer, cider, wine and spirits being sold even though there were signs saying no alcohol at half time!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There were buses waiting outside to take fans back to the railway station but they were packed and the queues were long. As we had pre booked tickets on the 19:10 train so decided not to risk waiting for a bus, but decided instead to walk along the canal and through the town to the station. It took about 40 minutes, which was a bit of a pain but we were not too put out due to the three points!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
These type of grounds will never endear themselves to me that much but it's a good day out and pretty quick to get to if you are coming from London. It was a lot less moody than I had remembered from that first trip to the Victoria Ground as well. Personally it was a memorable day as my brother got to see us win after six years living down under.
Stoke City v Manchester City
Premier League
Saturday 5th December 2015, 12.45pm
Ian Dewar (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
This was my first ever visit to Stoke City. Plus it was an opportunity to meet up with an old friend to watch the game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We had driven up from Cheltenham and experienced no delays. After driving around for a little while I spotted a private car park by the Michelin roundabout, which cost £5. It was then about a 20 minute walk to the Britannia Stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Being hungry I decided to look for somewhere to eat, but not seeing anything on the way I decided to grab something inside the stadium. I wish I hadn't bothered. Poor service and the hot dog I purchased was tepid in temperature to say the least. Two bites and I threw it away. The home fans and stewards that I encountered were friendly and helpful.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Britannia Stadium?
We enjoyed a great view of the Stadium which is elevated, as we walked up from where I had parked. We had tickets for the Main Stand, which has an impressive reception area. I didn't mind the security patdowns on gaining entry to the ground. The other three stands were smaller than the Main Stand and looked plainer in comparison.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Stoke scored twice early on in the game, which enthused the home support. It was a great atmosphere which was sustained throughout the match. Stoke deservedly held out for a memorable win.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
By the time we got back to the car, most of the crowd had dispersed. We were back on the M6 within ten minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out, even my non-footballing wife enjoyed it!
Stoke City v Watford
Premier League
Saturday 24th October 2015, 3pm
Hornet-Fez (Watford fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
I have not been to Stoke City since they left the Victoria Ground some years ago.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Took a train to Stoke; then a five minute walk to the Terrace Bar (as mentioned on this website) and then a shuttle bus direct to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the Terrace Bar on Leek Road which is opposite the university for several beers. Excellent staff, they even looked after some medical kit for me whilst I was at the game. It had decent facilities with a pool table and tellies galore. It is a dedicated away pub so no home fans to speak of. We then took the shuttle bus to the Britannia Stadium from outside the pub, all very efficient.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Britannia stadium?
A typical modern stadium located away from residential areas. Steel and concrete, a tad Spartan. Nice though to see open corners and views across the locality.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The bar area was a bit small but efficient service (take note Watford!!). Surprisingly good pint of Marston's Pedigree. Took my own food. Stewards helpful and friendly as were the police. W/Cs adequate, hot water and soap aplenty though. Atmosphere brilliant from Watford, non-stop, loud and proud. To be fair, Stoke fans had nothing much to sing about, losing 2-0 and lucky to get nil after three successive wins. Excellent view as befits a modern stadium.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A pity there were not more buses laid on post match, had to wait for a second run. Only five buses in total, could have done that in one go rather than wait 20 minutes or so. Still, if that's all I have to complain about….
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
As a middle aged fella in not exactly the tip top health this could not have gone better: very decent pub; excellent transport; excellent policing and stewarding; fantastic view and atmosphere in the ground and a 2-0 win. What's not to like?
Stoke City v Watford
Premier League
Saturday 24th October 2015, 3pm
Stephen B (Watford fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
Watford back in the Premiership and finally enjoying the kind of financial backing that gives a realistic chance of staying there……so the opportunity of visiting a few new venues for an away day. Stoke City was to be one of these new ones for us. Plus we were encouraged by having heard positive things about the atmosphere etc.. inside the Britannia Stadium.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We decided to drive to Milton Keynes and then take a direct train to Stoke. Total journey time less than two hours and buying the train tickets in advance ensured good value and guaranteed seats.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Stopped in Stoke town centre for a quick bite (where there was very limited choice) then follow d the advice of the footballgroundguide and took the canal tow path out of Stoke towards the Britannia which you can see looming over the town itself past the incinerator. We saw plenty of locals making the same journey and I must say they were a decent bunch, encountered no hostility even though we had club colours on. Big bonus was the two barges moored next to the bridges to the ground selling beer and delicious oatcakes. Great idea.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Britannia Stadium?
The stadium from the outside is imposing, albeit the anonymous surrounding area is a let down. Like lots of out of town stadiums, there is little sense of occasion as you approach. Inside the ground facilities were very basic for a new stadium but the view from the away end is excellent. As everyone else comments, it is very exposed, so be prepared.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Stoke controlled the first half hour but created very little. Watford then sprang into life, hitting the bar twice before Troy Deeney marked the occasion with a smart finish to open his Premiership account following a clever flick from Ighalo. Second half Watford reduced Stoke to long range efforts and scored a second with a rasping drive from Abdi following a mistake by Wilson. Cue the stands emptying and Stokies filtering out silently matching the mood of their teams performance. The fabled Britannia home support atmosphere was a bit of a let down, whereas the away support was vocal and very lively. Perhaps the Potters fans needed their players to ignite the he game, which they basically failed to do.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We decided to walk back the same way we had come, which takes about half an hour. Certainly better than being stuck in the car park for 45 minutes. We weren't sure the buses back to Stoke would get us back in time for our 17.50 train. The home fans were subdued, no doubt puzzled by a lacklustre home team performance. Probably, on the back of four straight wins they had expected to roll Watford over.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
An away win the the Premier League, our talismanic captain opening his account and straightforward logistics contributed to a top day out. Would definitely go by train again, even though the town centre itself offers so few options for food etc.
Stoke City v Leicester City
Premier League
Saturday 19th September 2015, 3pm
Callum Rose (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Britannia Stadium?
I was looking forward to seeing Leicester play, who were second in the league, and also Stoke City Manager Mark Hughes who is a United legend.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove down from out home in Manchester. The Britannia Stadium is only an hour down the motorway.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were going to go in the Harvester pub by the ground, but decided to go to Delilah's Bar, which is situated on the corner of the ground. It is for home supporters only, but as we were neutrals they allowed us in. It cost £2 for adults to enter and £1 for kids. Inside they were showing the live Premiership early kick off game, plus they also have a betting facility in there if you fancy a bet. It was of course run by BET 365 who sponsor the Club. Hot and cold food in the form of pies, chips etc… was also available.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
The ground stands out on the drive up towards the stadium as it is built upon a hill. Although the stadium is of a good size, having three corners open to the elements, means that it could be improved further by filling these in at some point in the future. I think this would also help boost further the atmosphere inside.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
This was a game of two halves. Stoke raced into a 2-0 lead by half-time, but Leicester came roaring back to draw 2-2. The atmosphere was in itself volatile at times, with the locals enraged by some of the referee's decisions. The half-time pies were spot-on. I would highly recommend the steak and kidney pie.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We was aiming to go to the Harvester pub by the ground, but upon arrival, the place was shut!!! As we were staying at the local Holiday Inn, we had no problems getting away from the ground after the game.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed it, it was my 24th football ground. All the Stoke fans that we spoke to were nice enough. The Delilah's bar was a nice touch, plus an entertaining game.
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
Saturday 9th May 2015, 3pm
Mark (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to the Britannia Stadium?
I had never been to the Britannia Stadium before, plus it was an opportunity to meet up with my Brother-in-Law for a few beers.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We set off from Scunthorpe in plenty of time after a breakfast in our local McDonalds, The journey down was steady following the M1, A38 and the A50. The stadium was very easy to get to and we parked at the Harvester pub just off the A50. We were charged £7 for the privilege,
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went into the Harvester where I met up with my brother in law, up from Dudley and fellow Scunthorpe Spurs. I took note of warnings I'd seen on the web not to wear club colours near the Britannia, but there were plenty of Spurs, in their shirts in the pub and not a hint of trouble.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
First impressions once inside were slightly disappointing. The open sides at our end ensure, even in May, that it was drafty and cold. I don't know why the didn't enclose the corners like they have in one section and it would have been a lot more impressive.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The police and stewards were all very friendly and as usual we filled our allocation. Facilities were what you'd expect in a ground at this level. The game itself was one to forget, a 3-0 defeat when the Spurs players looked like they were already sat on a beach somewhere. As a result the atmosphere in our end was pretty non existent. Even the Stoke fans seemed laid back and we didn't even get a rendition of Deilah. Respect to their fans though when every stand joined in the minutes applause for our legend, Jimmy Greaves who recently suffered a stroke. Highlights for me were when a heron flew over the ground and I had an excellent pie at half time. The wrapper was plain, but I believe they are made by Wrights. We even had the ignominious pleasure of getting the mickey taken out of us by a group of 8 year olds heckling us from the corner of their stand. The young lads, in their junior football club's tracksuit tops, certainly enjoyed their day.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting out was easy and the police were directing fans who travelled by train to their shuttle buses, There was no trouble outside at all as we trudged back to the Harvester to drown our sorrows. Once there we were told the pub doesn't open until 6pm after a game, even though it used to! After that we gave it a few minutes for the traffic to clear and then were swiftly out of Stoke via the A50.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was great to sink a few pints of Guinness and catch up with my brother in law. The day out is always governed by your team's performance and to that end it was poor. Paying £40 plus your travel to watch your team not even trying is a kick in the teeth.
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Sunday, December 28th 2014, 3pm
Lee Jones (West Brom fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Stoke v Albion is a fixture that has existed since the inauguration of the Football League and has developed over recent years as a “needle game” between the two sides. We habitually lose to Stoke but wins are very enjoyable on the rare occasions that they do happen. I have been to both the Victoria Ground and the Britannia Stadiums many times but have always driven up so this time I decided to go on the train. This would give us a chance to visit Stoke centre for the first time.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was fantastically easy as we travelled from Wolverhampton to Stoke in around 40 minutes. The connections from the local station were ideally timed and we had no hassle of car parking. I will add that I have had parking fines in Stoke before and advise caution when parking as the wardens come out in force when fans are inside the ground watching the game!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We stopped off in Wolverhampton for a beer while we were waiting for the connection to Stoke and met a few other Baggies fans on their way. We all joined the train and headed to Stoke. I don’t know where the other lads went but they all headed in different directions to us when arriving at Stoke station! I will say, there was only two of us on this trip which may have helped. Stoke town centre is exclusively for home fans only and every Policeman on the way asked us if we were Baggies fans. I think they would have directed us to an away fans pub so we kept quiet.
I am a keen real ale fan and as a CAMRA member went into the locals on that basis. I heard that Stoke was pretty bleak but found it okay and visited a couple of places before meeting with my nephew who lives not far away. We chatted to some “Stokies” before the match and all seemed friendly enough. Some advising where to park at the ground. You really do need to allow enough time if walking as it is a trek from Stoke centre to the stadium. Catching a bus or taxi would be my suggestion but we got a lift down.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Stoke ought to be named the Cold Blow Lane Stadium (not Millwall‘s old ground) because it can be the coldest of stadiums, not helped by its elevated and exposed position. The corners on 3 sides are open which allows a cold swirling wind in, which can be biting. It is quite an impressive sight however for a new stadium and can be seen from some distance away when you drive past on the main road. The away end is accessed through the away Coach park and has a burger van which is available pre match AND at half time which is unusual. Away fans are housed at one side of the “Marstons Pedigree (South) Stand” and is adequate as far as the view and leg room are concerned and there is never a problem with standing. I know the Stoke fans are situated immediately to the side of our supporters but have never had any problem with them or felt that they have been over the top.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The concourse for the away supporters is not that big and does get congested, though this is eased at half time by the stewards opening the gates to allow supporters access to the Coach Park area primarily for smokers and the burger van! Annoyingly there was no bitter on sale (as we were in the Marstons Stand) so had to settle for lager which wasn’t great. We didn’t try a pie but the burgers were fine and not too badly priced.
The atmosphere was good as always but it seems to be a theme this year that the home fans don’t seem to be as loud as they used to be. They only started singing after their first goal. It is always better to travel away with the Baggies as the atmosphere is usually good though this time there was serious abuse given by some to our management team.
As far as the match is concerned, it went the usual Stoke v Albion way. We were just the better team. They broke and got a goal. We hit the post and they got a lucky second from a rebound! It was just Alan Irvine’s luck really and he was “relieved of his duties” shortly after the game. We never really did that much after conceding for the second time and went on to lose 2-0.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Normally we join the traffic on the way home but as we were going back to the station, we jumped on a special bus laid on for away fans to get there. It cost £2 one way and though there is a 20 minute or so wait, when it does depart it is then non-stop to the station. The Police close all the routes on the way to the Station allowing the bus, unhindered progress. We were back there in no time and jumped straight on a train. Really easy and convenient.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
As always, it’s always better when we win but this wasn’t a bad day. We even had an incognito drink in a Wolves pub in Wolverhampton while waiting for our connection home. Hopefully a new man at the helm will give us the impetus to stay up and return to Stoke next year. It is a real derby atmosphere given the dislike of each other by the supporters and is a good day out. On the drinking front I might try Hanley next time.
Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
Saturday, April 26th 2014, 3pm
Colin Huxter (Tottenham fan)
I always enjoy any away day but I was more excited than usual as it was the my first time going to the Britannia Stadium, plus Stoke City have a reputation to have loud and proud fans so I was looking forward to a good atmosphere.
I live in Manchester so had a fairly good idea of how to get the ground on the M6. Me and my two sons set off at about 12:30pm and the journey was straight forward enough until the last 20 minutes or so as we there weren't a lot of sign posts indicating where exactly to go to get to the ground. Despite this, we parked up outside the stadium, 35 minutes before kick off which cost £5, a reasonable price in my opinion.
It took about 10 minutes to walk to the ground from the car park. There were a few Spurs fans walking up but the vast majority were Stoke fans although they were friendly enough and didn't make us feel intimidated. We didn't get anything to eat or drink before the game as we met up with a friend in the concourse before heading up to our seats at about 2:40pm.
Our seats were about five rows from the pitch so we had a great view of the match and it looked as if the rest of the away fans had a good view as well. The away section took up most of the particular stand and the rest was took up by Stoke fans. The other three stands were filled with Stoke fans, not many empty seats at all, and the stand to my left (the West stand) stood out because it was two-tiered and looked very impressive.
The game was filled with more controversy than goals but Danny Rose scored a great header in the first half to give Spurs a 1-0 win. In the second half the atmosphere was fired up when Rose was the victim of a bad tackle from Shawcross who was sent off and Rose was booed by Stoke fans. The Stoke fans then proceeded to get on his back and Geoff Cameron came in late on him and Rose reacted by shoving Cameron. He was booked by the ref but then quickly substituted to avoid any further incidents which would surely have lead to a red card. The Stoke fans to my right were particularly passionate and were very loud when the incidents with Rose happened. At half time we bought a pie which weren't too expensive but I have to admit they were over cooked, being dry and hard.
Getting out of the stadium wasn't too bad compared to some stadiums. We were out of the ground and walking back to the car park under 10 minutes after full time. It took though about 45 minutes to get back on the motorway due to a lot of congestion from all the various car parks around the stadium but we didn't mind much after a Spurs win.
The game wasn't the greatest but was much more interesting with the fiery atmosphere in the second half. As long as Spurs were going to win, it was always going to be a great day out. The stadium was great and I liked how the Stoke fans were friendly but passionate so I would definitely go back again next season.
Stoke City v Chelsea
Premier League
Saturday, December 7th 2013, 3pm
By Daniel Gosbee (Chelsea fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to going to Stoke because every football knows that the Britannia, despite being a small stadium, has a fantastic atmosphere. Part of what makes football matches so good, is a great atmosphere. I was also looking forward to the game because I've never been to the Britannia, or Stoke and its another away game for Chelsea.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Finding the Britannia Stadium is really easy on the road and car parking is easy, literally 500m away from the stadium there is a car park that cost £5 and is open until one hour after the full time whistle. However leaving afterwards takes a very long time.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy….home fans friendly?
Not a lot really, other than a burger van and car retailers there is not a lot around the Britannia, well if there is I obviously missed it. Getting there early wasn't really a mistake but there is nothing to do before the game if you drive straight to the stadium. If you want to go to the pub I would advise going on the train, going to a pub in the city and then getting the bus from near the station. The home fans before the game did give me some dirty looks but other than that it was fine, I didn't feel intimidated.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions on the away end then the other sides of the ground?
The exterior of the ground looks incredibly modern and new, but not that big. Getting into the ground was easy, and from the away end the stadium looked alright, not that impressive but had character. There are certainly better looking stadiums in the Premier League but there are certainly worse too.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was fantastic, very end to end, open, feisty. In the first half Chelsea were on top, good goal from Schurrle and Chelsea should of gone into the dressing room 1-0 up, but before half time Cech made a terrible mistake and allowed Crouch to score easily. In the second half Stoke scored first taking the lead, but Schurrle had another great goal, but late on in the 90th minute Stoke won the game with a fantastic strike.
The atmosphere in the first half was pretty flat and all us Chelsea fans were making the majority of the noise, but in the second half from about 60 minutes the Stoke fans started to sing and they got louder and louder, by far and away the best home fans I have ever seen despite there not being a lot of them in an open stadium! When they scored the last goal they were so loud, and the final whistle they were unbelievably loud, however there was no banter and it's a shame they were so quite in the first half. The stewards were good and helpful and I didn't need to experience the facilities.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A quick back to the car was easy but getting out of the car park was hard and the police put one way systems so getting away was a lot different to getting in and it was dark. We didn't really know where to go but following the traffic put us back on the right track. It took a good 50 minutes to get out of the car park!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a shame about the results, I would like to go next season and hopefully see Chelsea win. It was a good day, not a lot to do around the Britannia which was a shame, so it wasn't really a day out, more of travel, football, travel.
Stoke City v Sunderland
Premier League
Saturday, November 23rd 2013, 3pm
By Rory Murphy (Sunderland fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I read that the Britannia was a very vocal stadium and a neat and tidy ground. After home wins against Newcastle and Man City I thought that Stoke was a winnable game judging by the confidence under Poyet (in the end I was to be wrong about the result).
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Me and my friends left Darlington at 10am hoping to get to Stoke at 12:30. The journey down was fine and there were no problems. There was car parking at a warehouse which was a 10 min walk from the stadium which only cost us £6. I'd recommend this ahead of the stadium parking which was £10.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Since we got there two and a half hours before kick-off we needed something to pass time. There was only one pub around the ground which I wouldn't recommend going to because the queue was out into the car park 2 hours before kick-off so I couldn't imagine what it would be like nearer to the match. We settled for a burger van where the prices were ridiculous but the food was great. After walking round the stadium we headed to the away section where we had to wait in a compound until 1:45 for the gates to open. We got searched on the way in which is normal in most away grounds.I did though have plastic bottle of tango on me and and the lid was taken off me which was rather inconvenient. The home fans were quite friendly and didn't bother us.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground stands out on top of a hill although looks tiny compared to the Stadium of Light which is nearly twice it's size. It was good-looking with three stands of the same size and the Main Stand was slightly bigger. We took our seats, comfortable leg room and a good view.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Well this has to be one of the worst refereeing displays in the history of the premier league and even a neutral would admit that. After Sunderland dominated the first half hour playing Poyet's slick passing football but Stoke scored a well taken goal through Charlie Adam. Five minutes later, the most stupid red card I've ever seen was given to Wes Brown for a clean tackle which was later rescinded. This made the Mackems go ballistic. The Stoke fans were surprisingly disappointing and 1,300 Sunderland fans outsang them the whole game. Sunderland gave a good go after the break and should have been given a penalty for a challenge on Fletcher. Steven N'Zonzi scored in the final few minutes to really ruin our day. The stewards were fine and didn't mind us standing up. The toilets were a bit to small though and were cramped after the game
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Stoke fans weren't rubbing in the defeat and just minded their own business. The traffic out wasn't to bad and when we hit the motorway the two and a half hour journey back to the North-East was trouble-free.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Stoke was a great away day and the Sunderland fans made a great atmosphere. The ref was a joke and cost us the game. I would go again (that's if we stay up).
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Saturday, March 16th 2013, 3pm
By Patrick Bird (West Bromwich Albion fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Been to Stoke a few times. Albion usually lose but the atmosphere at the ground is usually fantastic. I generally slope off a few minutes before the end with the Stoke fans in full cry giving a rendition of ‘Delilah’ bellowing in my ears. Highlight of the day for me is generally a few beers around Burslem before the match.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy, special buses are laid on for visiting fans that run from right outside the train station direct to the Britannia. Cost £3 return. Buses drop you off and pick up from right outside the away end.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
When we bought our train tickets we paid the extra £3 for Stoke Plus Bus tickets. After arriving in Stoke we took the number 23 bus from outside the railway station to Hanley bus station. Then took the number 20 bus to Burslem. At Burslem there is a choice of several decent pubs selling real ale. It is a bit of a trek to Burslem but there are no pubs worthy of a visit in the vicinity of the Britannia in my humble opinion. After the requisite number of pints we got the 20 and 23 buses back from Burslem to the railway station (allow 30 minutes for this journey) in time to get the special buses to the Britannia laid on for visiting fans. Note the Plus Bus ticket does not cover you for the special buses from the railway station. Can’t honestly say that I didn't come within 30 yards of a Stoke fan either before, during or after the match.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Much like most modern, out of town grounds. Nothing memorable other than the fact it is on the side of a hill and seems to be cold and very windy.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Pretty average if I am being honest. Leg room was OK, view was good but the game was awful to watch and not much atmosphere created by either set of fans. Toilet facilities and concourse areas are adequate but nothing to write home about. Didn’t try the catering.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Excellent, buses were waiting in the car park outside the away end after the match. They then had a police escort back to the railway station.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Highlight was definitely the beers before the match. The police operation and buses used to transfer visiting fans to/from the ground were good. Other than that the day was pretty average. I paid £30 this year for a match ticket. I refuse to pay more than 30 squid for a footie match. If Stoke increase their charges next year I will happily give the Britannia Stadium a miss.
Stoke City v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday, March 2nd 2013, 3pm
By Philip Peagram (West Ham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had never been to Stoke City before. I had heard that it was a good Stadium to visit. Plus I always love travelling away with West Ham.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We stayed in Stoke for the weekend. We stayed north of Stoke in Hanley and travelled to the ground by bus. Very good service and cost £1.90 each. Goes from Hanley Bus Park, stops at Stoke Railway Station then drops you right near the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We had a few drinks and food in Hanley centre before the game plenty of pubs to choose from. Couldn’t see many pubs in the area of of the Stoke train station. On arriving at the ground we went to the Harvester Pub right opposite the ground. Mixture of home and away fans. £2.90 a pint of lager. Got very busy quickly and when we left about one hour before kick off, there was a very long queue to get in.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The stadium looked very impressive as we got close. It sits slightly up on a hill. Away fans were at one end of the ground behind the goal. Very good view of pitch and right next to where the player’s tunnel is. Very nice stadium and was well worth the visit.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Game was very good and an away win for West Ham. Very good atmosphere and the away fans kept singing for 99% of the game. Facilities were also very good in the ground. Alcohol was available at £2.90 for a pint of lager. They also served Bitter, Guinness and spirits.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game we weren’t sure where we had to catch bus back to Hanley. As it happened they laid on buses from the ground for away fans that went to Stoke train station. £2 each. Police escort all the way. Six police motorbikes, two riot vans and two police cars! It was a very quick journey as they stopped traffic to let us through. Not sure if they do this for every away team? We then got a taxi from the Train station back to Hanley. Just over £4.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out: Game attended:
My overall thoughts for the day were very good. Had a great day / week end, football was good, food and drink was reasonable. Would recommend any one to go for a visit Stoke FC.
Stoke City v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday, December 29th 2012, 3pm
By George Reeves (Southampton 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 the game as I had purchased the tickets as a Christmas present for my son who is also a passionate Saints supporter. Also I knew that Stoke's home support was good so I was looking forward to the sing-off.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was fairly easy by car and finding parking was very simple as there was an industrial estate with signs pointing to the parking spaces for £5.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The home fans were friendly and did not receive any stick on my way to the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I thought that the Britannia stadium is a decent ground similar to St. Mary's apart form the open three corners and was aesthetically good. The view from the away end was excellent and I could see all the pitch and stands.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere was very good from the Southampton perspective and towards the end Stoke's atmosphere was also very good. The game was a thriller as Southampton went 1-0 up through Jay Rodriguez then Stoke equalized and we went 2 up into half time the scoreline being 3-1. Then Stoke came out fighting and got a goal but then got N'zonzi sent off. Even after all this drama there was still more to come as Cameron Jerome scored an abosolute rocket of a shot. The facilities were average with the normal football ground food.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the Britannia was the same as any other ground taking a bit to start moving but then you got going.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I thought that it was a very enjoyable day but would of have been more happy with a win though!
Stoke City v Queens Park Rangers
Premier League
Saturday, November 19th 2011, 3pm
Ben Buckingham (QPR fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
After another pointless international break, I was looking forward to seeing some proper Premier League action. Two weeks without seeing the Rangers is always hard, so imagine what I’m like in the summer months! In the previous game, QPR battled well and we enjoyed seeing Man City come to Loftus Road, unfortunately we didn’t get the point we deserved. To be honest, the thought of going to Stoke wasn’t something that excited me too much but I knew it was a ground where Rangers have done really well at in the past. My only previous visit to the Britannia was a 2-1 win back in 2005 with some ugly scenes on and off the pitch. This was the first time we had met in the Premier League so I was expecting a good atmosphere and a tough game.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Originally it was myself Mark and Chris all set for the trip to Stoke. Chris pulled out due to … (wait for it)… ‘tiredness’. ‘The worst excuse not to attend a football game ever!’ Other than our old mate getting bit on the head by a tarantula spider! Obviously big Chris has taken plenty of stick for this and rightly so! The third ticket wasn’t to popular to sell and we thought we might have to sell it on the day. Late on the Friday Mark’s mate a Charlton fan John decided he would tag along!
We headed off around 11am from Ickenham after a brief stop at a garage and the usual Tesco extra for the essential supplies. Mark did the honours to drive which was a nice change for me! We arrived at the Britannia Stadium at 1pm and took the advice of the guide and headed for the Harvester next to the stadium (there was very little else to choose from!!). The guy who sold us our parking ticket for £5 made us laugh, he insisted we parked on the ‘Brow of the Kerb’ as we might not get away at the end of the match. By this he meant the space next to the kerb! When we returned there were just 4 cars left!! No idea what he was on about to be honest, but he had done the job for 6 years (he kindly informed us) so who were we to argue!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Other than look around the different car showrooms there is very little to do before the game here. We opted for the Harvester to grab something reasonable to eat and drink. It was at this point we came across ‘The Cretin of the Year!’. The guy working on the door here was a complete jobsworth idiot. We put our name down for table for 3 and were told to wait 20 minutes and to go to the bar which we did (wearing our QPR colours). It was pretty hot inside so we went out the side door for some fresh air (well foggy cold depressing air in-fact) and enjoyed our beers. I walked off to grab a programme and then decided to go back inside when I came back ten minutes later. The attitude we got from this guy was incredible, he said we had been called and that he had to walk through the pub to find us. We apologised and he said he would add us to the list again. For twenty minutes we watched him letting other people in in-front of us so I approached him. He then had the cheek to say he called 5 more times over a microphone (which didn’t exist) so I had a few choice words with him and then the security staff stepped in. All was resolved and we got our table….eventually! A salad cart at an away day was a strange thing! Not something big Chris was impressed with when we sent him a picture message. Had no bother with home fans and enjoyed the next hour in there enjoying more beers and our pub grub.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Approaching the stadium, it looks impressive enough like most newer stadiums do. Other than the West Stand, the rest of the stadium looks the same all around. No real character or features that stand out but its functional enough. I did think the West Stand was also too far away from the edge of the pitch but was the nicest looking side of the ground. QPR were only given literally a block and a half for this game (1200 Seats) which sold out. The away end had decent enough views of the action and there was plenty of leg room. The problem with the out of city centre stadiums (like this one) is the lack of things to do before the game (or shall I say, lack of places to drink!).
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
After just 8 minutes QPR went behind to a Jon Walters tidy finish. I did fear the worst at this point as Stoke were on a bad run and thought we would be on the end of a backlash from them. After 20 minutes Heidar Helguson scored a stunning bullet header which the Stoke keeper didn’t even move for. A great cross from Armand Traore (I might add too). Just before the break Jamie Mackie and Shaun Wright-Phillips played some lovely link-up play before Mackie teed off Luke Young to smash us in front 2-1. 10 minutes after the re-start Heidar was at it again and increased our lead to 3-1. The atmosphere here is said to be ‘intimidating’ and ‘the best in the country’. I would agree it is pretty good but when we scored our first and second, the Stoke fans seemed more interested in abusing the ref. It wasn’t intimidating in my opinion but loud. With 20 minutes to go Stoke got back to 3-2 and gave us a few nervy moments but we held on for another great away win. The facilities here were reasonable enough, nothing spectacular but adequate. Didn’t even see a steward during the game and there were no problems. In the 89th minute the guy sitting next to me made me crack up. His tactical knowledge was brilliant and kept shouting out crazy things. He was adamant Paddy Kenny should be substituted because he kicked the ball out too quickly – hilarious! I think he missed 2 of our goals and was wearing an all brown 2-piece hoody tracksuit. Neil Warnock be ready – this guy wants your job!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was a little bit of a queue trying to get away from the stadium, probably took half hour to reach the main road leading to the motorway. Luckily though ‘we parked on the Brow of the kerb!’. We were all in good spirits (even the Charlton fan) after they won too. Took two and half hours to get back home with no hassle either way on the motorway. One thing I did find a bit poor was the policing on leaving the ground. As you come out of the away fans section there were stewards and police for 100 yards going both ways along the road about 2 metres apart. Once you pass this stretch of police/stewards there was nothing anywhere else. So making your way back to the car park or around the ground you were really exposed to the home fans where anything could kick-off but I didn’t see any trouble.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out :
Any Premier league away win is brilliant and enjoyable. The game was very entertaining and end-to-end but at 3-1 I was confident we would keep hold of the 3 points. It wasn’t a game I was overly excited about going to, kind of a routine away day really. It’s a stadium with a good atmosphere like your attending a proper football match, unlike our trips to Fulham and Wigan this season (which felt like entering Lords Cricket Ground). The locals weren’t exactly welcoming with open arms but this time we didn’t see any problems around the ground. It wouldn’t be a place I would go back to year after year but definitely worth the visit if you haven’t been. The lack of places to drink near the stadium really lets this away day down. Looking forward to our trips to Anfield and the Emirates coming up! You Rs!!!
Stoke City v Manchester City
Premier League
Tuesday, January 26th 2010, 7.45pm
By Jack McLellan (Manchester City fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to mainly hearing the mighty Potters support. They were the loudest fans in the league by statistics, and they definitely proven this. The noise that the home fans produced was amazing, on a few occasions in the match I think the blue army matched it!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground is really easy to find! Straight off the M6 junction and it is there. I travelled by car and it took about 45 minutes from Manchester. There was plenty of parking that cost £5, only a few minutes walk from ground and right near the away stand.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
There is a pub right next to the ground called "The Harvester", it is very family friendly, with a mix of home and away support. I didn't see any trouble in the pub, or outside the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I liked the look of it, it looked very modern from the outside. The entrance to the away end is closed in, so only away fans can get near the turnstiles. There is one way into the ground for away supporters, and one way out which made the fans feel safe. I thought the stadium looked bigger on the outside than it actually was on the inside.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game was quite poor (the referee sent Adebayor off for a nothing! Which upset the City fans!). It finished 1-1, but it was a boring game really. The atmosphere was fantastic, both supporters got behind there team and were singing the hearts out. There was a scuffle between a few young Man City supporters and the stewards, which I thought was handled well by the stewards. The stewards were friendly, me and my cousin got talking to one of them and he was friendly. I didn't have a pie, but I had a sausage roll and that was delicious! The toilets were a bit scruffy but did the job! Also, there were a few queues to wait for the food, but you have to wait everywhere nowadays!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
This was probably the worst bit of the day! It didn't help drawing 1-1 in a win-able match, but there was lots of traffic on the way out. As there is only one way out it was a bit of a wait, but when you get going it flies by! There was no trouble leaving the ground, and I didn't feel intimidated by the Stoke supporters as they were all fairly friendly!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Fantastic day out, perfect for taking young children! Fairly cheap ticket prices!