Vitality Stadium - Bournemouth
Last Update:
July 23, 2024
What is the Vitality Stadium like?
The Vitality Stadium has been greatly improved with the addition of the Ted MacDougall Stand at the South End of the ground. Although temporary in nature, the stand which is named after a former centre forward, fills what was an open end, making the ground four-sided. The stand itself was erected in the summer of 2013 and looks quite impressive. Having a capacity of 2,400 seats it is of a decent size and is all seated. The only drawback is that it has a couple of supporting pillars at its front.
The rest of the stadium was built in 2001 in a matter of months. All three stands are of roughly the same design and height and are quite smart-looking, with the Main Stand having a row of executive boxes to its rear. Each is a covered single-tiered stand, with good views of the playing action with perspex windshields at each side.
One nice touch is that the windshields to either sides of the stands have been brightened up with the addition of some huge player photos. The stand roofs have perspex panels allowing more light to reach the pitch. There is also a small video screen installed beneath the roof of the Main Stand towards the South End.
When the new stadium was built, the pitch was rotated 90 degrees from its old position. Originally known as Dean Court the ground was renamed the Vitality Stadium in 2015 under a corporate sponsorship deal. The stadium is completed with a set of unusual-looking floodlights that are situated in the open corners.
What are the latest developments at the Vitality Stadium?
In December 2022, the club’s American owner, Bill Foley, went on talkSPORT and cited his ambition to move to a new home stating it was needed for “the whole of Bournemouth”.
Expanding on his thoughts he hit all the right notes. A marked improvement on capacity – without being bonkers – with reference to a maximum of 24,000 whilst keen to also incorporate hospitality and some additional commercial units.
In January 2024, Foley laid out plans for a new 18,500-seat venue set to be built “directly behind” the current Vitality Stadium. The club hope to be in their new stadium by Summer 2027 although work is yet to start.
The Cherries are also building a new training centre that will be completed in October 2024.
Bournemouth fan songs
The song most commonly associated to Bournemouth is “We’re on Our Way.”
The video below shows some of the best Bournemouth fan songs.
Can you do a stadium tour at AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium?
The Bournemouth stadium is not open to the public for tours. This is likely to change if and when the club relocated to a new and improved ground.
What is AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium like for visiting supporters?
Away fans are located on one side of the Energy Consulting East Stand, which is situated at one side of the pitch. The normal allocation for this area is 1,500 seats, but this can be increased to 2,000 if required.
The stand is shared with home supporters and offers a good view of the playing action. The facilities are okay and normally there is a good atmosphere. Please bear in mind though that if you have tickets for the lower rows in this stand, then at the beginning and towards the end of each season, the sun can shine quite brightly into this area, so make sure you bring your shades and a cap.
For the bigger FA Cup games then visiting supporters are housed in the Ted MacDougall Stand at one end of the ground, which has a capacity of 2,150.
Food on offer inside the ground includes a range of pies, burgers and hot dogs. Alcohol is also served before kick-off and at half time.
Vitality stadium entrance
The Vitality stadium is a four-sided ground with a North, South, East and a Main stand.
For the East stand, enter via turnstiles E and F.
For the North stand, enter via turnstiles C and D.
For the South stand, enter via turnstiles G and H.
For the Main stand, enter via the main entrance.
What pubs are there for away fans at the Vitality Stadium?
There is the 1910 Supporters Bar at the ground, but this is for home fans only. Similarly, the closest pub to the stadium, the Queens Park Hotel on Holdenhurst Road (alongside the A338 Wessex Way) also does not allow in away supporters.
Pubs near the Vitality Stadium for away fans:
- Mello Mello Bar – 677 Christchurch Rd, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH7 6AA
- Bell Inn – 915 Christchurch Rd, Pokesdown, Bournemouth BH7 6AX
- The George Tapps – 207-215 Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth BH1 1JZ
What is the ground history of AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium?
When Bournemouth were first formed their games were played on a field at Castlemain Avenue. A few years later they moved to a pitch on King’s Park. It didn’t take too long for the first real stadium to appear; it was nearby too. The club bought a plot of land that neighboured King’s Park and named it Dean Court. It was a modest start but a big step all the same.
It remained like that until 1923 when the first real works to place; those works increased the capacity before roofing was added to South Stand some 13 years later. Future development followed a similar trend with capacity largely untouched and changes only things like the addition of roofs over terracing. In 2001, a major revamp took place though. The Bournemouth stadium was completely rebuilt and was, by and large, as it is today.
Directions and car parking for the Vitality Stadium
Follow the A338 towards Bournemouth. The ground is situated on the left of the A338 in the outskirts of town. You should be able to spot the tops of the ground floodlights on the left. Otherwise leave the A338 via the slip road which is signposted Kings Park/Football traffic. You will then reach a small roundabout at which you take the second exit into Kings Park Drive. The entrance to the stadium and car park are down this road on the left.
Where to park for AFC Bournemouth
There is a car park just to the south of the ground which of a good size and costs £1 on matchdays. However, as you would expect, that fills up pretty quickly.
A ten-minute walk across the park is Harewood College on Harewood Avenue (BH7 6NZ), which offers free matchday parking. It also has the advantage of giving relatively quick access back onto the A338, avoiding a lot of the traffic around the stadium (turn left out of the College entrance road onto Harewood Avenue, then left onto Petersfield Road, left onto Holdenhurst Avenue and then left once more onto Castle Lane East – A3060, which goes up to the A338). Some fans are also parking in Boscombe itself and walking to the ground. There is the Sovereign Shopping Centre on Christchurch Road which costs £2 for 4 hours.
Post Code for SAT NAV: BH7 7AF
How to get to the Vitality Stadium by train
The nearest train station is Pokesdown which is roughly a mile from the ground and is around a 15 minute walk away. However, most trains arrive at Bournemouth Central, which is around a half an hour walk to the ground. Either try to get a train to Pokesdown or grab a cab.
If you do arrive at Pokesdown Station (which is served by trains from London Waterloo), then exit the station (there is only one exit) and turn right down the main Christchurch Road (A35). Proceed for about 400 metres and then turn right into Gloucester Road. Dean Court is located down the bottom of this road. Thanks to Andy Young for providing the directions from Pokesdown Station.
If you arrive at Bournemouth Central, then leave the station by the South exit, thereby facing an Asda Supermarket. Turn left and walk down to the main Holdenhurst Road. Turn left (going away from the town centre) and then keep straight on along Holdenhurst Road for around 25 minutes, reaching the Queens Park pub (recommended by this Guide).
Continue straight on past the pub until you reach a roundabout at which you turn right into Kings Park Drive. The ground is down the bottom of this road on the left. Alternatively you can catch a Yellow Number 33 bus to the ground, normally a half hourly service. Come out of Station again by the South exit, facing Asda and turn left until you get to a Texaco Garage.
There is a bus stop with shelter on the same side of the road. Ask the driver to be let off near Kings Park Drive. Please note that if you decide to use the same service coming back, take a yellow number 2 bus as this is a circular service’. Latest bus timetables can be accessed by visiting the Yellow Buses website. Thanks to Richard Barnes for supplying the directions from Bournemouth Central.
Ticket prices at the Vitality Stadium
Bournemouth ticket prices change on a match-by-match basis depending on category. Their categories range from A to C.
Category A tickets for the 2023/24 season at the Vitality Stadium:
- Adults: £37-53
- Concessions: £26-34
- Juniors: £9-16
What is the price of the AFC Bournemouth matchday programme?
Official Programme: £3.50
Who are AFC Bournemouth's biggest rivals?
Bournemouth are one of very few clubs that don’t really have a nailed on rival. Their main derby matches come against Portsmouth and Brighton but neither of those clubs lose much sleep over the Cherries. Why? Well, they have much bigger games to concern themselves with namely Southampton and Crystal Palace respectively.
Vitality Stadium fixtures
Disabled facilities at the Vitality Stadium
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record and average attendances at the Vitality Stadium
Record Attendance
11,772 v Real Madrid
Friendly, July 21st, 2013.
Before the ground was re-developed:
28,799 v Manchester United
FA Cup 6th Round, 2nd March 1957.
Average Attendance
- 2022-23: 10,290 (Premier League)
- 2021-2022: 9,634 (Championship)
- 2020-2021: N/A (COVID-19)
- 2019-2020: 10,510 (Premier League)
- 2018-2019: 10,532 (Premier League)
- 2017-2018: 10,641 (Premier League)
Map showing the location of the Vitality Stadium, railway stations & listed pubs
Club links
Official Web Site: www.afcb.co.uk
Vitality Stadium Bournemouth Feedback
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
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
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
Bournemouth v Norwich City
Premier League
Saturday 19th October 2019, 3pm
Sebastian Lock (Norwich City)
Bournemouth v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday 28th September 2019, 3pm
Ian Ford (West Ham United)
Bournemouth v Everton
Premier League
Sunday 15th September 2019, 2pm
Craig Milne (Doing the 92)
Bournemouth v Newcastle United
Premier League
Saturday 16th March 2019, 3pm
Ryan Dodds (Newcastle United)
AFC Bournemouth v Brighton and Hove Albion
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 5th January 2019, 12.30pm
Andrew Walker (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Bournemouth v Manchester City
Premier League
Saturday 26th August 2017, 12.30pm
Stephen Welch (Manchester City fan)
Bournemouth v Manchester City
Premier League
Saturday 2nd April 2016, 3pm
Stephen Welch (Manchester City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Vitality Stadium?
I hadn't been to Dean Court since the late 1980's so I was intrigued to see how it had changed. Plus it was a game that City really needed to win.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was very easy, but very long! M6 M42 M40 M3 and M27 motorways plus a couple of 'A' roads. We left Manchester at 7.30am and after a couple of stops and driving a minibus that was limited to 62mph, we arrived at the stadium at 12.50pm. On arrival we were informed by the stewards that if any alcohol was found on the bus that it could be impounded by the Police, which seemed a bit over the top. A steward then proceeded to look around the bus, but didn't find anything. On the plus side the minibus was allowed to park in the club car park for free!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to a Wetherspoons which was around a 10-15 minute walk away. This Guide advised that away colours were not allowed inside the pub, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that this wasn't the case. In fact the pub was packed with City fans, with hardly any home fans in attendance. Plus at £1.79 for a pint of the guest ale, you couldn't go wrong! There were so few fans walking up to the ground that you could easily have assumed that there wasn't a game on. Still the few Bournemouth fans that we did encounter, seemed friendly enough.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Vitality Stadium?
The Vitality Stadium is probably the smallest ground that I have been to for years. It was unrecognisable from the Dean Court of old and I had difficulty in figuring out how the new stadium had been turned around 90 degrees, compared to the old one. Still it did make a change from other Premier stadiums, it was more like a League One ground. Inside it was very welcoming, with none of the hatred that you sometimes get at away grounds. My guess is that there are less arrests at Bournemouth than there are at any of the other Premier League football grounds.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
City romped to a 4-0 win. City supporters made the atmosphere, I hardly heard anything from the Bournemouth fans. Still I guess they didn't have much to shout about! I wish I had brought sunglasses, or a cap, as the sun shone directly into our eyes for most of the game. At half time I went to get something to eat. They had no steak pies, so instead I had a chicken/mushroom pie which cost £3.50. It was nice and contained large chunks of chicken.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Although there was only 11,000 there, it was quite difficult getting out of the car park away and back on the A338. It must have taken at least 20 minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Memorable day, great result, no trouble at all, cheap beer and I am already looking forward to returning next season. However Bournemouth really need to extend their ground, it is far to small for the Premier League.
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Premier League
Saturday 26th December 2015, 3pm
Laurence Page (Crystal Palace fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Vitality Stadium?
A new ground and opponent for me, I can't say I was looking forward to it that much as Boxing day away games mean hours sitting on a dry coach for a non driver like me!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Club coach from Selhurst Park, easy enough, the coaches park straight outside the away end.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Normally I would have got the train and probably had some beers and fish and chips on the seafront. But with no train services running on Boxing Day, I was at the mercy of an official coach which meant I was stuck within the immediate area around the Vitality Stadium. The surrounding area is quite residential and a steward told us the best/only place to eat and drink was in the ground so we queued at the turnstile. Strangely though, these didn't open until one hour before kick off meaning a lot of thirsty people waiting impatiently outside. I didn't encounter too many home fans apart from a couple trying to goad the away support from the comfort of their seats for most of the game, they did eventually sit down and shut up as instructed.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Vitality stadium?
My first thought was that it looked completely out of place in the Premier League, more so than Selhurst Park even. That isn't a bad thing though at all, it's a proper local community stadium. The away end is in one end of a side stand, very close to the action.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was fairly nervy and finished goalies, neither team taking many risks and I was relieved to see our former hero Glenn Murray get a great reception from the visiting fans and also miss a very presentable chance. They sell John Smith's or Foster's in cans which they pour into plastic cups and I think there was cider, it was £3.50 a go which was pretty cheap by football ground standards, it was fine getting served as well.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took half an hour to get out of the car park in the coach due to the bottleneck into the main road outside.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a fair point and an average day, I would like to go there again on a day when the trains are running and experience a bit more of Bournemouth town itself.
AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle United
Premier League
Saturday 7th November 2015, 12.45pm
Stephen Harvey (Newcastle United Fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Dean Court Football Ground?
It was one of the first fixtures I looked for, when the Premier League fixtures were released in June. I had previously visited Dean Court when Newcastle last played there in 1992. I had made a weekend of it on that occasion and remembered that we had a great time on the South Coast.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled down on the day before the match. The drive took us the best part of seven hours from County Durham. We got parked opposite the hotel and decided to leave then car there.and make our own way to the ground the next morning.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We took a ten minute walk from our hotel to a Wetherspoons pub called the Christopher Creek. We go there early as those wonderful television executives had decided to make the longest journey in the premier league this season to a game, an early 12.45pm kick off. We had breakfast and a coffee as this Wetherspoons didn't serve alcohol until 9am. This wasn't a problem for some off us as we were a bit worse for wear from the previous night our. Round about midday we caught a bus just outside that took us to within ten minutes walk from Dean Court. So we popped into the Sir Percy Florence (another Wetherspoons) which was packed with noisy Toon fans on there best behavior as always. There were Bournemouth fans drinking in there as well, but both sets of fans seemed to be getting along fine.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Dean Court?
I couldn't remember much of my previous visit to Dean Court. But what I do remember was the weather was the same. Teaming down with rain!. But this time we were under cover. I had a great view from Row P.near the back of the stand and could have few complaints.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Newcastle fans were quite noise throughout game.We managed to steal three points, after a first half strike from Perez became the only goal of the game . But we won't complain. Stewarding was never any problem.I didn't use facilities. I don't normally do even at home games, as they always have long queues and I like to be able to watch the full match.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After match we walked away from ground speaking to Bournemouth fans in away felt a bit sorry for them as they played well and dominated the match from start to finish with no reward. But that's the cruel side of football. And we had our fair share over the years. We managed to get into the Queens Park Hotel, near to the ground, where the locals were fine. Had a couple of pints and then out for another great night in town. We travelled home early Sunday morning, arriving at 2.30pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great friendly place and nice fans. We will be back again next year!
Bournemouth v Watford
Premier league
Saturday 3rd October 2015, 3pm
Stephen Barrow (Watford fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting the Vitality Stadium?
First trip to Bournemouth away with both clubs in the Premier. A chance to collect another ground and with an Indian Summer's day in prospect by the seaside, it was one to look forward to.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Advance warning of terrible roadwork trouble on the way into Bournemouth persuaded us to opt for a car and train combination. Drove to Southampton Airport Parkway (easy to get to and loads of parking) followed by a 45 minute journey to Bournemouth.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Arriving early we strolled down to the promenade in lovely warm sunshine and had lunch overlooking the sea. The walk from the seafront to the ground is quite a trek and all uphill so we grabbed a taxi. Traffic towards the ground was very bad, so we were dropped off and walked the final half mile through the park to the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Vitality Stadium?
The Vitality Stadium sits in the suburbs near a large park so very few facilities nearby. The surroundings are pleasant enough but don't really lend themselves to a big match atmosphere. In my opinion this extends to the atmosphere in the ground. The view etc.. is perfectly good but the stadium is just too small for this level.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Bournemouth impressed in the first half, took a deserved lead via a clever header from Murray, before a terrible error from Boruc gifted Watford an equaliser just before half time. The second half was much more even before Bournemouth got a controversial penalty. Fortunately for the hornets Gomes came to the rescue of the team, and the referee. Atmosphere was ok, only really picking up in a frantic final ten minutes with both sides looking for the win.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was very straightforward. The away end is convenient for the walk across the main car park, along the side of the local cemetery and into Pokesdown where there are a couple of trains that stop at the local station en route from Bournemouth to all parts east. We had to be on our toes, but made it in time to catch the first train back to Southampton.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Lovely weather, an okay game with plenty of incident, but overall only an average match day experience for me. Another ground ticked off, but won't be at the top of my list. I hope that Bournemouth continue their top flight adventure but I'm not sure if I would go every time.
AFC Bournemouth v Blackpool
Football Championship League
Saturday 14th March 2015, 3pm
Stuart Griffin (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Dean Court Ground?
Bournemouth were riding high in the Championship, experiencing their most successful season ever. Plus being a local club I wanted to go see what all the fuss was about. For me it was an easy ground to do with Dean Court being my fifth ground visited out of the 92.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The drive was easy, driving through the New Forest and parking at a friends house in Boscombe. I then walked to Dean Court, taking around 20 minutes.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Dean Court?
Dean Court itself is a modest tidy affair, set in beautiful park surroundings. Although not intimidating, it is quite a symmetrical stadium, with only the temporary South Stand providing any differentiation. Still with space to develop in a great town, you could see the potential of the place.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere was very relaxed (partly down to the the fact it was top vs bottom), with the home crowd expecting an easy victory. They were not to be disappointed as the Cherries demolished Blackpool 4-1, with the Blackpool goal occurring only after a mistake from Boruc (he made a few near howlers). Still Bournemouth demonstrated their flowing attacking football, and even on a grey day in Bournemouth, the atmosphere at Dean Court was bright and sunny as fans contemplated the clubs first ever promotion to the top flight.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy, walked back to the car amongst jubilant atmosphere, where I then caught up with my friend for a couple of hours. Drive back through the New Forest was pleasant with little traffic.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good day out at the second nearest 92 ground to my home. Bournemouth were set up for success, with the only negative being the quiet fans (however I willing to forgive them as the game was not a very competitive one).
AFC Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest
Championship League
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014, 7.45pm
Gary Exton (Nottingham Forest fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It is a ground I have never been to. Plus a Tuesday night game to a ground 215 miles away, then what was there not to look forward to?
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was a very easy drive down to the South Coast. There were no traffic problems and it took almost fours hours to get there. The stadium itself is located just off the main road as you enter Bournemouth. We chose not to park at the ground car park as it looked like it might be a pain to get out of at the end of the game. Instead we found some street parking about five minute walk away and that was about an hour before kick off.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We drove in to Bournemouth as we were a little early and stopped at the car park on the sea front and visited the Harry Ramsdens for some overpriced fish and chips. I had my Forest shirt on an had no problems there were a few Forest fans around and we had even had one Bournemouth come up to us for a quick chat which was nice.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is small and compact but set in a really nice setting, it couldn’t be any more pleasant. Away fans are housing in half of the East Stand running along the side of the pitch. Great view and very close to the action and fans can really drum up some noise from this stand.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
For the first 65mins of the game were a non-event for Forest fans as Bournemouth passed us to death, got one nil up and really should have out the game out of sight for us. But somehow we found from somewhere a goal to get us back in it and before you knew it we were winning 2-1 and that’s how it stayed. It felt good to win 'ugly' for a change not normally the type of game we get anything from. The stewarding was very relaxed which and pleasant which is how it should be. In my experience half the problems are sometimes caused by a steward wanting to throw his weight around. The atmosphere inside the ground was good, with plenty of banter between the two sets of fans.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Parking on the street was a huge benefit on getting away. It took only 5-10 mins to get back on the main dual carriageway, then we were off and we didn’t stop again until we arrived home at 1.30 am
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was a really good away trip. There is something about going a long way for an away game at night that gives you a real buzz. We didn’t play great but somehow won and that’s what it is going to take to get out of this league.
AFC Bournemouth v Middlesbrough
Championship League
Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 3pm
Alex Royal (Middlesbrough fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Another away-day, another ground to tick off on my quest to do the 92.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went with the official club coaches which left from the Riverside at 05.15am. We stopped twice on the way, once at at Leicester Forest Services on the M1 and and then at Rownhams Services on the M24. This was about 40 minutes drive from the ground where we arrived at 12.30pm. We were greeted by parking attendants who directed us to our coach park, just next to the away end.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
As we arrived at the ground quite early, I decided to go and along and meet some of the Bournemouth players, who were arriving at the stadium. All of whom I met were quite happy to have a 'selfie' taken with me. We also to gave the 'Boro players a warm reception off the team coach, when it arrived just before 1pm. I also got chatting to quite a few of the home fans who turned out to be very friendly, I was wearing my Middlesbrough shirt so there was some good banter. My main highlight of the day was getting a warm welcome off Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn, who congratulated me on making the long trip south!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Dean Court is a neat little ground, and is now 'complete' with the introduction of the Ted MacDougall Stand. Away fans are housed in the East Stand, towards the Ted MacDougall Stand, where up to 1500 fans can be allocated. One of the nice features of the ground is that all the stands are the same size, one stand doesn't stand out like other away grounds I have been to. The only real downside of where we were sat was that the sun was right in our eyes! I would recommend bringing a hat as I had to use my programme as a sun visor!
Steve Fletcher Stand
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was pretty abysmal, Middlesbrough were abysmal, and Bournemouth deserved to win 2 or 3 nil, they wanted it more, and had 2 good chances, both of which brought the best out of our veteran goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos! I honesty don't think Boro had one shot on target all game, that's how bad we were, a point was lucky in my opinion. The atmosphere around the ground is good, and is boosted by the presence of a drummer in the Steve Fletcher Stand, there is little segregation between home and away fans, so there was plenty of banter.
On the bright side, Middlesbrough played in a one-off third kit, after referee Fred Graham deemed both our kits to be too similar to Bournemouth's home colours of red and black. At the end of the game most of our players threw theirs into the crowd, and I was lucky enough to get Albert Adomah's!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took out 45 minutes to get out of the ground after the game, it was a bit of a mad scramble to get out of the car park. We eventually got back on the motorway at about 1730, we continued along the motorway until a brief stop for a driver change at Leicester Forest services at 2045, back onto the coach at 9pm, arriving back in Teesside at quarter to midnight!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Fantastic away day, real shame about the result, Middlesbrough were absolutely dreadful, and we were lucky to come away with a point to be quite honest. Will be returning next year! 9/10.
AFC Bournemouth v Watford
Championship League
Saturday, January 18th, 2014, 3pm
Thomas Murphy (Watford 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 this match because I saw the ground photos on this website first and it looked like a nice stadium. It was also a new ground for me as well, along with most other Watford fans who were going down to the game, so I was buzzing to go. Last time Watford played Bournemouth we won 6-1, although Bournemouth had played well in that match and didn't deserve to lose that badly, therefore I could see it being a really close game.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I went down by supporters coach. The two hour journey was straightforward enough, as there was little traffic. We arrived at the stadium around 1.45pm, which was good. The ground seemed well sign posted and easy to find.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Before the game I walked around the stadium and the local area, the home fans seemed friendly enough and seemed to be in good spirits, especially after their Liverpool tickets went on sale that morning. After that I decided to go into the ground about half an hour early, and I got myself something to eat and drink before the game started.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I thought the ground looked like a good League One/okay Championship ground. It was quite small, but I though that was good because it made the atmosphere all the better. The away end was very small and us Watford fans were only allocated with about 1,300 seats. You can get a good view of the pitch from where ever you sit in the ground, and as the away end is on the touch line you could have an even better view. On the left of the away stand is the temporary stand, which really completes the stadium, and makes it look all the more neat and compact.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game its self was stacked with controversy. Two penalties were given against us (the second one in my eyes a blatant dive) and for the first penalty, we also had a player sent off! Watford were first to score, through a headed goal by Angella, right on the stroke of half time, however Lewis Grabban scored for the home side from the spot to make it
1-1. Goalkeeper Almunia then stopped Lewis Grabban's second penalty and made a fantastic double save after that. The match ended 1-1, which I probably would of took before the match started.
The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic in my opinion, there was good banter with the home fans, and it was our best atmosphere in a long time. The stand is also quite small, which adds to the occasion as it means the fans are closer together. There were loads of stewards in attendance after the referee gave the second penalty.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was alright, we had to wait for everyone to get back on the coach. it took a bit of time trying to get around all the traffic, and then out of Bournemouth. it didn't take long to get away from the ground at all.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I thought it was a fantastic day out, and probably my favourite away day of this season. cracking atmosphere from our fans and a good match. Nice ground and I cant wait to go back there next season.
AFC Bournemouth v Blackburn Rovers
Championship League
Saturday, September 28th, 2013, 3pm
David Windridge (Blackburn Rovers fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground:
Any awayday at the seaside is always something to look forward to. It makes a change from the usual town-to-town journey. Bournemouth had the added attraction of being a “first visit” ground. I was keen to see how the stadium had been redeveloped.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My journey was fine, pretty much motorway/dual carriageway all the way into the town itself. I found the ground okay, although I had to turn around and drive back away from the ground to park. Sign-posting detailing the parking close to the ground was non-existent. I parked at the Sovereign Shopping Centre, about a 15 minute walk away. Although I have to say, priced at £2.50 for over three hours, this was a bargain.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I was with my two daughters therefore before the game they wanted to see the beach and then go into town, so no pub. Didn’t encounter any home fans around and about, most football fans in the town centre were either wearing Spurs or Chelsea tops looking for somewhere to watch the lunchtime TV game. The fans we encountered around the ground were neither friendly or unfriendly, just fans walking around!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
From the outside the ground looked tidy and compact but it must be the first time I have never seen any burger vans etc in close proximity to a stadium, maybe we didn’t look hard enough. We were reliant on a good “footy burger” for eats but were disappointed. Upon seeing the inside of the ground my impression was that of compact but tidy, enough to keep the home fans satisfied with the size of the fan base. The ground looked the same on all four sides, but the view was fine. The seats were somewhat compact for a modern new-build stadium though. The pictures and statistics from various Bournemouth games which were posted on the inside end of each stand, covering the walls, was an impressive touch
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was fantastic from Rovers point of view. We were 3-0 after 40 minutes which always settles the nerves and makes any very long journey worthwhile. The second half was slightly more subdued, given that the home team had to do all of the running to chase the game. A red card for a Bournemouth player early in the second half really didn’t help their cause, and although the game ended 3-1 to Rovers, it really could have been a lot worse for the home team. The atmosphere was great in the away end. The 997 Rovers fans in an attendance of 9,441 made a huge noise at times and coupled with the score it lead to a party atmosphere at times. The home support was very muted, perhaps understandably so give how quickly Rovers took the initiative. The stewards were fine with me, friendly enough and this always helps at any away ground. Catering was appalling inside the ground. The only hot food was a lame hotdog, which simply isn’t good enough these days. There is an expectation that a range of warm food should be available for all fans, especially ones who had travelled for over 6 hours, so very show for Bournemouth regarding this. The toilets were equally poor, functional would be the kindest thing I could say.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We were fine getting away from the game, the car park was empty when I got back to my car. The local roads were not as busy as around a lot of grounds so access to exit town was fine.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A long day out but a fantastic team performance made the many miles home pass quickly. If the food offered was edible then my day at Bournemouth would have been complete.
AFC Bournemouth v Charlton Athletic
League One
Saturday, August 3rd, 2013, 3pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic fan)
When this fixture came up as our first game of the season it was, for me, a must go to match. Newly promoted team, albeit one we knew quite well of late from our time in League One, in a beautiful part of the country.
Normally we would go by coach, but a combination of my new car and getting my companion Del Boy out of the proverbial with his wife meant we went by car. Still a simple journey, no problem, except August is of course holiday season and a brief look at the route from North West Kent to the Dorset Coast will tell you all you need to know about how the traffic could be at that time of year. May be 3 ½ hours to do a 135 mile journey is not that bad, but it’s not good either. Thanks to good old Google I had extensively research the surrounding area and discovered a nearby leisure centre where the parking is free and almost empty. I can’t remember the name of the centre, but for anyone who is interested; come of the A388 at the Bournemouth hospital exit, go down to the huge set of lights by the hospital, turn right into posh housing estate and follow signs to leisure centre. From there it is just over a mile walk through a very pleasant park, bringing you right to the ground by the away turnstiles.
Outside the away stand Bournemouth have created a wall of fame depicting teams and scenes from the past. A great idea, fascinating to see how many famous faces have played/managed in this part of the world. By this time, an hour before the kick-off we needed food and drink, here the park land location of the ground comes unstuck. The only option was the ground itself with the normal fayre on offer. The beer at £3 pint was reasonable, although I doubt it was actually a pint, but I am sorry I don’t do football ground food. The bad traffic had meant that we had to abandon our plans to have a nice lunch in the New Forest beforehand.
The ground is neat and tidy with three almost identical stands, which whilst not huge, offer a perfect view of the game. At £22 per ticket offers great value for money, other clubs, including Charlton, take note, Palace hang your heads in shame. New for the this season is the Ted MacDougall stand behind the goal to our immediate left, this has a very temp look about it, but it does the job.
The atmosphere as the game began was great. The home fans made there noise and as usual the away fans made even more. As is the norm the home fans settle to watch the football, the beer fueled away fans sing. It seems the same up and down the country. The game itself was okay. Neither side was great, but neither was bad, some statue defending by the Charlton defence gave Bournemouth the lead mid-way through the first half. Strangely the game then just continued in the same vein.
Second half started with a wonder volley from Yann “the beast” Kermogant, Leicester’s favourite son. This cranked the atmosphere right up in the away section, but did nothing again for the game in general. Twenty minutes from the end a good strike form Bournemouth saw them retake the lead, which they never look like losing. The home fans now sensing an opening day win found their voices. The Charlton fans now a little deflated and a degree more sober slowly drifted away as we were reduced to 10 men. The stewarding was friendly and efficient. We were larger than any away contingent they had seen the whole of last season. They were relaxed about standing, perhaps a little too relaxed with regard to some infringements into the gang ways. The police videoing the away fans was a little weird, but then again the smoke bomb thrown by the Charlton fans as the teams came out was completely unnecessary and may have provoked the videoing. They lost interest at half time anyway.
After the match we were back in the car inside twenty minutes and home indoors by 7.30pm, journey time 2hours 5 mins. That’s more like it!
Great day out despite the result, but you can’t and won’t win them all. Bournemouth is a lovely town in a beautiful part of the country, weather help on our visit. The crowd was 10,000, which is a good turnout in these parts, if a crowd of this size is expected for your visit I suggest you find the leisure centre, not the club car park which looked an absolute nightmare. Supporters coaches are parked right by away exit, they made a quick get way. Train seemed overly complicated for such a small town, go to Bournemouth, take a local train, you get enough of that rubbish in London. I would certainly return and recommend Bournemouth to any fan in the Championship, although I realise that the geographical location does not make it an easy visit for clubs further afield than Charlton. Make the effort it’s worth it.
AFC Bournemouth v Swindon Town
League One
Saturday, January 12th, 2013, 3pm
Ronan Howard (Swindon Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Our away allocation had sold out quickly and with 1400 town fans making the trip, it was set up to be a good day. On the downside Bournemouth is not a place to go in January – such a shame we couldn’t have been playing them in August when the weather would have been better!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Travelling from Basingstoke, so I took a direct train which took around an hour and a half, some nice scenery on the way down too. Bournemouth’s ground is well outside the town itself – some had opted to head for Bournemouth itself to sample a better range of pubs and get the train out to Pokesdown later, however I’d opted to go straight to Pokesdown rather than doubling back. The ground itself is around 10-15 minutes walk from Pokesdown station and is fairly easy to find, although not particularly well sign posted for the uninitiated.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Decided to go for a couple of pre-match pints in the Mello Mello bar, which is a fairly short walk from the ground. Beer reasonable and had a good range of ciders, perfect for us from the west country! Met up with some other town fans who were in good voice, and headed for the ground just gone two.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Frankly for a relatively new stadium Dean Court manages to be both soulless and underwhelming – with only three stands and sitting in the middle of a suburban residential area, it had the look of an athletics stadium rather than a football ground. We were sat on one side of one of the stands which runs the length of the pitch – views decent, seating adequate, not particular complaints.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The weather played more than a hand in the eventual quality of the match, and it was a credit to both teams that they attempted to actually play football. It had been raining all day, and before commencing the second half there was a delay as the referee and assistants had to do a pitch inspection which eventually, by some miracle, passed, although it was clear to all the pitch was waterlogged.
As said the weather meant little decent football was played – the town went behind to a sloppy goal in the second half before a late rally and some calamitous goalkeeping by former England keeper David James gave us the opportunity to level with a few minutes remaining. 1-1 and with the away support urging them on, Swindon tried their best to win the game. Unfortunately this wasn’t to be our day, and had to settle for a point. Prior to the game I would’ve been satisfied with just that, and had to say it was a fair result come ninety minutes.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The car park which unfortunately you have to walk through to get back towards the train station was in a shocking condition after the rain, and a few cars were having difficulty getting out. One suggestion for AFC Bournemouth before they put in their fourth stand would be to invest in some tarmac! Cold and wet and with the trains being problematic, I spent an hour or so in the Seabourne pub opposite the station. The pub seems to have a fairly poor reputation judging by the comments online but have to say the locals were very friendly, and chatted to several Bournemouth fans about the game and our respective prospects for the season. Good banter and all in good fun.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Decent result under difficult conditions, reasonable, functional ground, had the game not been in the freezing January rain it would have been an excellent day out, but you can’t have it all. Weather notwithstanding, still a decent away day.
Bournemouth v Crawley Town
League One
Saturday, December 29th 2012, 3pm
Matthew Cowdrey (Crawley Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Since Crawley’s rise to the heady heights of League One the average journey to an away game is now 185 miles. This made Bournemouth a veritable local derby. That combined with the helpful timing of the game between Boxing Day and New Year and the fact that I have family in the area meant that it was an easy game to pencil in.
The family visit took place in the morning and I realised that the family members I was visiting only lived three quarters of a mile from the ground. With hindsight I should have walked…!
Crawley had been in a good run of form recently with two good away wins (Including Portsmouth on Boxing Day) so expectation was high.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The drive to and From Bournemouth was extremely easy. Despite warnings of localised flooding near Chichester, there were no delays to speak of. Heavy rain on the way home made the drive hard work, but at no stage was it difficult or painfully long. Door to door was easily under two hours.
Finding the ground was simple enough and car parking was ample despite the warnings the day before. Having said that, we arrived early (12:20) with a view to having lunch before the game. Car parking cost a pound and our early arrival secured us a space within 20 feet of the exit and pointing in the right direction.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
On a normal home game as an away fan you have the choice of lunch at the pavilion in the park or the Legends Café and Bistro at the ground. The 1910 Supporters Bar at the ground is for home fans only. Sadly as the game fell during the holiday period the Pavilion was not open. We made our way to the Legends Café and Bistro at 12:20 and attempted to order some food. At this point we were told we couldn’t order food because they stopped serving at 1pm on a match day. When I pointed out that it was only 12:20 I was told that “well we’re stopping early today. You can get a burger in the ground later if you want”. It wasn’t exactly the warm welcome I was expecting to a Café and Bistro on match day. Stopping food at 1pm on a normal Saturday seems a bit odd. The bar itself was somewhat lifeless and a little clinical. The bar ran out of draft bitter by 1pm and keg bitter by 1:15. The bar was poorly understaffed and when the Crawley support arrived (all 380 of us) they seemed woefully underprepared.
The few home fans in the Legends Bar weren’t particularly friendly or talkative and most seemed to resent the presence of away fans in their bar. Whilst not hostile I wouldn’t class the atmosphere as welcoming.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Three sides of the ground look very impressive, but without a South Stand of any sort it looks a bit odd. The away fans are put on the South end of the East Stand next to the open end of the ground which gave you the added pleasure of feeling detached from the main atmosphere whilst at the same time being blasted in the face by a strong South Westerly wind coming straight in off the channel. This is definitely a ground to wrap up for as an away fan. Seating was comfortable enough and being well over six foot myself this made a welcome change to most seated grounds.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Despite the promise of burgers in the ground, no food was available. There is a bar though which is great if you’re 40 but not so good for my 8 year old son. The stewards were clearly embarrassed by the lack of food and one of the female stewards even let us back out of the ground and walked us round to the outside of the North Stand in the middle of the home fans so we could buy a couple of hot dogs. She then walked us back round to the away end and let us in through a side door. All of the stewards were welcoming, polite and friendly.
Prior to the game the referee Lee Probert who was the referee when Crawley played Man Utd at Old Trafford came over to speak to the Crawley fans during his warm-up. A nice, unexpected and unusual gesture.
A few of the slightly more inebriated Crawley fans (clearly too much Christmas cheer) gave some of the stewards a fair bit of stick until the other Crawley fans told them to shut up, but not once were they greeted with anything but a smile from the Stewards.
The game itself was something of a damp squib. Crawley captain Gary Alexander won possibly his first header of the season to score after 16 minutes, sadly however in the wrong net. A sleepy defence at a free kick towards of the end of the first half sealed our fate and the lacklustre performance continued throughout the second half to tee up the inevitable third goal.
The biggest round of applause all day from the Crawley fans was for former Crawley talisman Matt Tubbs as he came on as a late substitute for Bournemouth. Crawley were well beaten by a revitalised team that surely must be favourites for promotion to the Championship now. The speed of play (and thought) left Crawley in their wake and Crawley simply didn’t have the ability to deal with them.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Although only 20 feet from the exit of the car park and not hanging around once the final whistle went, it still took nearly 30 minutes to get as far as the main road. The ground is down a single road and there would appear to be many who saved the £1 car parking fee to park in side roads as the exit did seem to take a while.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Whilst easily accessible on the way in, the exit wasn’t smooth and the lack of any food matched with surly service and a breezy, three-quarter stadium didn’t exactly get us in the mood for a happy day out. The performance of Crawley was the final nail in the coffin, but Bournemouth in their current form are a delight to watch. I’m sure that once the new South Stand is completed and somebody works out how to order food that the experience will improve significantly.
AFC Bournemouth v Notts County
League One
Saturday, January 14th 2012, 3pm
James Spring (Notts County fan)
As a Notts County fan living in Weymouth, I tend to only get to games in the South, and Bournemouth is only an hour away from me. I was looking forward to the trip to Dean Court as I'd been there three times previously and it had been an enjoyable experience on each of these visits. Add to that, the fact that both sides have play off ambitions and it was set up to be an interesting game.
We caught the 11:24am train from Upway Station and arrived at Bournemouth station at around 12:20pm. Having looked at the route from the station to the ground on Google Maps, the plan was to grab a bite to eat in a KFC on the way to Dean Court. But it turned out that what is shown as KFC on Google Maps is now a Ladbrokes! We did get a bit lost at one point, as this was the first time we had caught the train to Bournemouth. But a friendly local pointed us in the right direction and we arrived at Dean Court just before 1pm.
Having arrived at the ground two hours before kick off, we decided to wait to welcome our team coach into the ground. I bought a matchday programme for £3 and waited with some other visiting supporters. Once the players had been welcomed we walked around to the away end. The home supporters seemed friendly enough with one stopping to shake our hands, welcoming us to Bournemouth and wishing us good luck for the rest of the season. The turnstiles opened at around 2:10pm, and after buying a cup of tea we went and found some good seats.
This was my fourth visit to Dean Court and I had been impressed with it every time. It's a nice little ground, and although it only has three stands, there is usually a good atmosphere about the place. Away supporters are housed in one area of the East Stand. All three stands are covered with wind shields at both sides, which seems to keep the atmosphere locked in a bit. We sat right in the back row and the view was perfect.
The match was an entertaining one to say the least. It all started so well when Notts took the lead thanks to a Hamza Bencherif strike early on, but within around 20 minutes the hosts had equalised. Both sides had chances to go ahead but half time arrived with the score level at 1-1. The second half was very open and Notts always looked more likely to score the winner, but having missed three great chances, the inevitable happened. Six County defenders in the area and not one made a tackle, leaving the Bournemouth man with time to find an unmarked team mate running into the area to crash home the winner with just 5 minutes to go. Heartbreak for the travelling supporters, full time – 2-1 to the Cherries. On a positive note – the atmosphere was pretty good from both sets of fans, the stewards were friendly and had no problem with people standing up in the back three rows.
Getting out of Dean Court usually takes some time by car, as everyone is trying to leave the ground via one road that leads straight onto the main road. So we were thankful to be heading back to the train station, although the 40 minute walk seemed a lot longer.
Overall a good day out with a bitterly disappointing/frustrating result. Would recommend the trip to anyone and will definitely return again.
AFC Bournemouth v Torquay United
Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Tuesday, August 31st 2010, 7.45pm
Mark Horler (Torquay United fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had not been to Dean Court, as it was known back then since the Stadium was rebuilt in 2001
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
One of Torquay's nearest league teams, but still a difficult 2.5 hour journey dodging the Summer tourist traffic. Our route took us on the A30 past Exeter airport, Honiton, Dorcester. Very little dual carriageway and too many caravans. The Sat Nav took us straight to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The ground is near Boscombe beach so we made our way down there in search of a chippy. Even though it was an August evening the place was very quiet. Two cafes we found were both closing (6pm!) and so we made our way back to the ground after a walk along the sea front. Boscombe town centre appears very run down in comparison to neighbouring Bounremouth, but not nearly as much as Cleethorpes. The area around the ground was very friendly. There seemed to be quite a surprise that Torquay had brought around 300 fans for a Johnson's Watching Paint Dry Cup Match.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Dean Court?
The first thing you notice about Dean Court is the sheer amount of space surrounding it on three sides. It is set in a park, which is obviously highly used by the local community. The other thing you notice is the high percentage of middle class supporters in relation to other lower league clubs. This is clearly a wealthy area, similar to the supporters at Cheltenham or Crawley. The turnstiles did not open until 7.15pm, 30 minutes before kick-off. Bournemouth had done an excellent job of playing down the match on their website with comments such as "Only 2 stands will be open due to the low crowds traditionally experienced at JPT games" and "Manager will make 5 changes to team". Prices were cut to £10 for adults and £5 for concessions. Around half of what they usually charge.
Dean Court, as I will call it for old times sake was completely rebuilt in 2001. This is certainly not the ground for a football ground enthusiast. Bland is an understatement. The designers got a lot right, good legroom, excellent views, large toilets, large exit gates. What they missed out on was an sort of character….and I mean any sort at all. This ground could be anywhere and more disappointing than anything is the state of disrepair it is in already – in less than 10 years after being built. The roofs of the stands and the sides of the stands have perspex sheeting, which is fading to a tobacco brown colour, the seats, once bright and colourful, have started to fade, the walls outside parts of the ground are green with algae. 10 years on, it needs a good spruce up to be honest.
We were put in the East Stand. To our left was the temporary open end, which despite closing the ground on all 4 sides, still gives it a very open feel. Once again, as is so common nowadays, we were so far away from the home fans you would have thought we were Leeds United! Torquay's away support is quite loud, but was met with little from the North Stand, where most of the louder Bournemouth fans stood. Opposite the Main Stand looked like a subbuteo stadium with no one moving for what seemed like the entire match. Had the away fans been moved towards the North Stand the atmosphere would have been so much better.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The stewards were clearly bored and overstaffed, but, to be fair, friendly. We had disabled supporter with us, so asked for parking and it took no fewer than 3 of them to decide where to put us, moving us three times before eventually putting us as far from the away turnstiles as it was possible to get! The car park was only one third full! There was also this awkward disbelief from the stewards, that you only seem to get at football, that because our disabled guest did not have a wheelchair or a stick….how could he possibly be disabled! More training needed I think! Once inside the ground this same fan sat in the front row "You can't sit there…that's for disabled supporters"…and so the saga continued.
The stewards were overall a laid back bunch. The singing fans stood the whole match with no issues. The flags were allowed up, but in the far corner…which sort of defeated their purpose. Pasties, pies, burgers were £3. Very commercial food with branded staff and signage and as always a complete rip off. Torquay won 3 – nil on penalties. The match was not bad, but I think the whole crowd was relieved when there was no extra time. The way in which Bournemouth took their penalties did make me wonder if they truly wanted to win the tie….which, if they missed deliberately would have been so unfair to their 3,000 supporters….but that linked to the club statements before the game did make me wonder…
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The crowd was 3,140, half of Bournemouth's average. It still took us a good twenty minutes to get a mile from the ground.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good evening out, yet another Torquay clean sheet and a chance for a pop at Exeter or Plymouth in the next round….now that would not be watching paint dry!
AFC Bournemouth v Portsmouth
Pre-season friendly
Wednesday, July 28th 2010, 7.45pm
Martin Hewitt (Portsmouth fan)
My trip to Bournemouth was my first visit for nearly twenty years. Remarkable really as it is only 52 miles from my front door. This was a freindly on a Wednesday evening and was never going to be end to end action, and it wasn't! It ended 1-0 to Pompey with a disputed penalty.
I travelled by car, with my wife and son aged seven. As it was also my friends stag night on the Friday night in Bournemouth, we decided to make it a five day break. We stayed at the Wessex Hotel in West Cliff and it was excellent for the price we paid.
On the day of the game my wife dropped me and the boy off at The Queens pub a stroll of approximately 5 minutes from the ground. I only drink Stella which was £3.45 a pnit which I thought was a bit inflated. Friendly bar staff and felt safe all the time we were in there.
One thing that did stand out was the way things were organised when we got to the ground albeit even my son had his ruck sack searched.
Inside was very neat and tidy and considering it only took months to build was impressive. The view was excellent (we were in Row J) and organised. Unfortunately i can't comment on the atmosphere because i had the pleasure (????) of sitting four rows in front of John West and his Band so thats all I heard throughout the game!
I though the prices inside the stadium were also on the steep side. A bottle of beer was £3.50 for a 275ml bottle, a stone cold hot dog was also £3.50. If i'd seen a price board beforehand I wouldn't have bothered. After the game we met my missus back at the pub and returned to our hotel.
Just a brief summary of the week. Bournemouth is fantastic for a few days away, loads of cheap hotels, excellent food places and really cheap prices. Two nights we ate at the Harbour Lights overlooking the sea and next to the pier 2 meals for 10 quid. The Bar on the Beach was great for fresh seafood. The beaches were clean and always kept clear of mess, the views were fabulous. Nightlife was great and to my surprise was in the town centre and not near the coastal strip and again it felt safe.
To end don't just go for the footy, make a weekend of it. It's great!!