Last Update:
January 26, 2021
A fairly open ground that is dominated by the Main Stand on one side. This classic old looking stand is set back from the pitch, with the team dugouts situated in front. It is covered and is all seated, however, the seating is in the form of benches. This seated area is raised above pitch level, meaning that spectators have to climb a small set of stairs to enter it. The stand has a number of supporting pillars running across the front of it, that may impede your view as this is further impeded by the bases of two large floodlight pylons that located in front of the stand. The appearance of the stand itself is brightened a little by the painting of the Club's name in large letters on its back wall. On one side of this stand towards the North End of the ground is a modern two storey, box-like structure, with glass frontage. This serves as a corporate hospitality and sponsors area.
Opposite is a smaller but much more modern looking stand. The Harry Mizen Stand (named after a former President of the Club) was opened in 2011 and has covered seating for 300 fans. It is free of supporting pillars and the floodlights on that side are situated just behind, ensuring that fans have an unhindered view of the playing action. Like the Main Stand, it runs for around the half the pitch in length, straddling the half way line. From this side of the ground, you are able to see the top of the Spinnaker Tower in nearby Portsmouth. Both ends are undeveloped for spectators as such, being open and just having paths surrounding the pitch perimeter wall. At the South End of the ground, there is the clubhouse bar, which does have a small extended roof attached, where some fans standing at that end can take some shelter if need be. The only feature of note at the North End is a rather tall but ugly looking telephone mast which overlooks the ground. Privett Park is completed with a set of eight modern floodlights, four of which are located down each side of the ground.
Gosport Borough plays in the BetVictor Southern League Premier Division South. This is at Step 3 below the Football League (Step 7 of the English Football League Pyramid).and one League below the National Leagues North and South.
Considering that no one seems to remember when the last time fans were segregated, then this shows the friendliness of the Club. I imagine that if fans were to be segregated then the Harry Mizen Stand on one side of the ground as well as areas to either side of this stand would be allocated. Fans are allowed to take alcoholic drinks outside of the Clubhouse in a cordoned off area, which allows you to watch the game. Stewards are quite vigilant to make sure that no one steps outside this area with a drink in hand. Outside the Club shop inside the ground is a badge seller who has quite a decent number of different club badges. I did find it a bit ironic though that on my visit to Privett Park, I ended up buying a Birmingham City badge. I wonder why I did that? There is a snack bar located on one side of the Main Stand that offers Cheeseburgers (£2.30), Burgers (£2.20), Burger with Bacon (£3), Hot Dogs (£2.20) and Chips (£1.20), but alas no Pies.
There is a Club House inside the ground called 'Inn off the Post', which shows Sky Sports. Otherwise around a ten minutes walk away (from the ground entrance turn right and the pub is up by the roundabout) is the Cocked Hat pub. If arriving in Gosport town centre by bus or ferry, then there are plenty of pubs to choose from, including a Wetherspoons outlet called the Star, which is located on the High Street.
Leave the M27 at Junction 11 and take the A32 towards Fareham/Gosport. Continue straight along the A27, ignoring the turn off for Fareham Town Centre. This road then becomes the A32 where you
keep in the middle lane signposted Gosport. You will next reach a large roundabout with traffic lights, where you take the first exit (signposted A32 Gosport). Continue towards Gosport for around three miles and after passing Gosport Leisure Centre on your right you will reach a double roundabout. Go straight across the first roundabout (going towards Gosport town centre) and then at the next roundabout take the third exit onto Military Road (signposted Privett Park/War Memorial Hospital).
Continue down to the bottom of Military Road, passing by the HMS Sultan base. You will then reach another roundabout (where the Cocked Hat pub is on the left). Take the 1st exit here onto Privett Road. After passing a row of shops on the right, which includes a Co-Op store, take the third left for the ground entrance (there is small sign on a lampost opposite pointing in its direction).
There is little parking available at the ground itself, but there is plenty of on street parking available in the surrounding residential streets.
The nearest railway station is Portsmouth Harbour which is just over two miles from the ground. But to get to Privett Park you must negotiate land and sea, by first walking from the railway station to the nearby ferry terminal and then getting a ferry over to Gosport. The four minute journey on the regular ferry service costs for a return ticket; Adults £3.30, Concessions £2.20.
On leaving the ferry port at Gosport, you will see the nearby bus station over on the left. From here you can catch either a 9 or 9A, which drop you outside the ground. On Saturday afternoons they run every 15 minutes and are operated by the First Group. or there is the E2 service which runs up to the War Memorial Hospital which is a few minutes walk away from Privett Park. The bus journey time is around seven minutes.
Alternatively Fareham Railway station is located five and a half miles away from the ground. The regular E2 bus service (every 12 minutes on a Saturday afternoon) runs from the railway station to Gosport, again stopping at the War Memorial Hospital which is close to Privett Park. The bus journey time is around 20 minutes.
See the First Group website for timetables of the above bus routes. Both railway stations are served by trains from London Waterloo, Victoria and Cardiff Central.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Gosport Borough FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).
Adult £11
Concessions £7
Under 16's £3
Under 10's Free (When accompanied by a paying adult)
Official Matchday Programme £2
Havant & Waterlooville
Record Attendance
4,770 v Pegasus
FA Amateur Cup 1953
Average Attendance
2018-2019: 280 (Southern League Premier Division South)
2017-2018: 263 (Southern League Premier Division South)
2016-2017: 461 (National League South)
If you require hotel accommodation in Gosport or Portsmouth then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Just input the relevant dates and click on "Search" below or on the hotel of interest on the map to get more information. The map is centered on the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/- to reveal more hotels in the town centre or further afield.
Official Web Site: www.gosportboroughfc.co.uk
Unofficial Web Site: Any recommendations?
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I'll update the guide.
Gosport Borough v Hemel Hempstead
Conference Premier League
Saturday, October 4th, 2014, 3pm
Myles Munsey (Groundhopper)
1. Reason for going:
I have a friend who lives in the Portsmouth area, who being retired and of mature years shall we say, does not enjoy big crowds and noisy venues too much. He tends to prefer, as do I these days, football at a more modest level. For both of us we are just looking for a trouble-free day To make a change from our usual outing to Havant and Waterlooville, I consulted this very website and of course found Gosport nearby. So that settled it.
Besides, there have been very few fan’s reviews on this website at the moment for Conference South, so I could be starting a trend here. Let’s be having more of them!
2. Getting there:
A fairly simple train journey for both of us. Via Reading and Basingstoke for me and two stops from Cosham for my companion got us both to Fareham, from where we caught the bus. Service E2 took 25 minutes or so along the purpose made busway (the former Gosport branch line) to the hospital near the ground.
3. Before the game:
Because eating venues in Gosport are thin on the ground round Privett Park we ate in Fareham before catching the bus. Once at the ground time was profitably spent taking pictures, buying a
programme and studying the facilities.
4. First impressions:
I was very taken with the ambience of this ground, positioned as it is next to playing fields and in a quiet unassuming residential district. Inside I was impressed with the playing surface which has been re-laid using the proceeds of a recent FA trophy final Wembley appearance. The ground itself is a relaxing and attractive venue but what really sets it apart is the wonderful wooden Main Stand dating from 1930's with its superb rickety looking press box. This is something which is hardly seen these days so I made a point of taking a couple of pictures of it.
The Main Stand
Just visible over the roof of the Harry Mizen Stand is the top of Portsmouth’s new landmark, the Spinnaker Tower. Privett Park also has a rather nice traditional caterig kiosk in the form of Jock’s snack bar.
Some sample prices:
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soup £1.00, Bovril £1.10.
Burger, hot dog and bacon roll, sausage & chips £2.20
Chocolate bar £0.70, Crisps £0.60.
5. Game:
After a rather soggy morning, it got brighter as the day wore on and by 3pm the whole ground was bathed in glorious early Autumn sunshine. We sat in the Harry Mizen Stand for two reasons. No pillars to interrupt vision and as a result a great view of the action. Also fewer steps to climb to get in and out of our seats near the halfway line.
An entertaining encounter ensued. The visitors had a good 20 minute spell of bright passing football, nice to watch but lacking penetration, before the Borough got their noses in front on 27 minutes, Bennett heading in unchallenged from an in-swinging corner.
That Press Box
Hemel are clearly finding their feet at this level as the second half was rather one-sided. We hadn’t even taken our seats when Bennett scored again on 47 minutes with Patterson netting the third on 74. Bennett completed his hat trick on 85 minutes pushing his personal total as the club’s record goalscorer up to an impressive 208.
6. Getting away:
No problem whatsoever getting back to Fareham and then on to Reading and I was indoors for 8.30pm.
7. Overall:
The good day out we were looking for was duly delivered with no hassle whatsoever. This ground has a nice all round feel to it and if you value the old or traditional then the Main Stand with its antiquated press box is a sheer delight. Not so the corporate hospitality building (yes I know it brings in much-needed revenue) that looks like a giant plastic hatbox. This I’m afraid jarrs horribly with the look of the Main Stand next to it. Never mind, overall this is an excellent venue for the ground enthusiast. Well worth a visit!