Sixfields Stadium - Northampton Town
Last Update:
August 16, 2024
What is Sixfields Stadium Like?
On one side is the newish East Stand which was first opened to supporters in 2016, however, it still has works to be completed. This covered stand has a current capacity of 1,900 seats housed in a single tier. The rest of the stand is still very much of a shell, with large areas above and behind the lower seating tier still to be put in place. It is hoped that when the building is completed it will house Executive Boxes and other Corporate facilities.
On the other side of the ground is the large West (Main) Stand. This two-tiered affair is all seated and covered and is free of any supporting pillars. The team dugouts are located at the front of it.
Both ends are smaller stands and are of similar size to one another. Again both are all seated and covered. The South end of the stadium is allocated to away supporters. In the South East corner of the stadium, there is a large LED screen.
A large hill overlooks the ground, where small numbers congregate to watch the game free, even though they can only see half the pitch!
In 2018 the Sixfields Stadium was renamed the PTS Academy Stadium in a five-year corporate sponsorship deal, however, it reverted back to Sixfields in 2023.
What is it like for away fans?
Away fans are located in the Persimmon Homes (South) Stand at one end of the pitch, where 972 supporters can be accommodated. If demand requires it then an additional 423 seats can be allocated in the East Stand.
Food on sale inside the ground includes pasties, hot dogs, burgers and pies while alcohol is served before kick-off and at half time. You can no longer pat at the gate at Sixfields Stadium so make sure you purchase tickets before heading there.
Pubs near Sixfields Stadium
At Sixfields Stadium itself is Carrs Bar (the entrance to which is at the back of the Main Stand) which allows in away supporters. It is named after club legend, Graham Carr. Other pub options near Sixfields Stadium include:
- Sixfields Tavern – Walter Tull Way, Sixfields, Northampton NN5 5QL
- Walter Tull – Walter Tull Way, Sixfields, Northampton NN5 5QL
- The Sevens – 157 Weedon Rd, Northampton NN5 5BS
Food at Sixfields Stadium
As is normal for football grounds these days, Sixfields Stadium often serves both hot and cold food at every match, including classics such as burgers, hotdogs, sausages and pies.
There is nothing revolutionary, but the quality is good and there will be something for everyone.
Sixfields Stadium entrance
The Sixfields Stadium is fairly easy to navigate, with the ground deploying turnstiles in each of the four corners of the venue.
Home fans predominantly make use of the two areas located at either end of the North Stand, which also allows them quick access to the adjacent East and West Stands.
Whereas, away supporters are usually housed in the South Stand, making the turnstiles located at the south of the stadium the logical entry point for such fans.
Directions and Car Parking
From The South
Leave the M1 at Junction 15A and take the A43 towards Northampton and you will come to the ground on your right.
From The North
Leave the M1 at Junction 16 and take the A45 towards Northampton and you will come to the ground on your right.
Car Parking
Sixfields stadium is well signposted around the area. There is a fair sized car park located at the ground, which costs £5. Make sure that you arrive early as it has been known for it to get full for the more popular games.
Parking in the nearby cinema and restaurant car parks is not allowed, and parking there will probably result in your car being given a £60 ticket!
Near to the stadium, off the roundabout by TGI Fridays is a hard-standing area, known as Duston Mill. On matchdays, it is used as a car park, which is manned and costs £4 per car.
Post code for SAT NAV: NN5 5QA
Public transport
Northampton Railway Station is over two miles from Sixfields Stadium, so it is probably best to hire a taxi. To find the taxi tank then when you go through the ticket barriers keep to the left and go down the steps in front of Starbucks (there is also a lift if needed) to the ground floor go out of the doors. The taxi rank is across the road.
However, if you feel like braving the 25-30 minute walk then Paul Beckett provides the following directions:
“After proceeding through the ticket barriers keep to the right passing W H Smiths. Go down the steps and at the bottom turn right onto the road. Keep going past the BP garage and at the lights, with the Thomas a Beckett pub on the opposite corner, turn left into St James Mill Road. Continue down to the traffic lights with Travis Perkins on the left and turn right into Harvey Reeves Road which becomes Edgar Mobbs Way. Continue on here until you come to the Sixfields Stadium. It brings you out at the away turnstiles.”
You can also get the Number 15 bus from outside the railway station.
Hotels near Sixfields Stadium
If you are planning on staying overnight and extending your away day in Northampton, here are some suggestions for hotels near the Sixfields Stadium with good reviews:
- Travelodge Northampton Upton Way, A45 Upton Way, Upton, Northampton NN5 4EG
- The Hopping Hare, 18 Hopping Hill Gardens, Northampton NN5 6PF
- Mercure Northampton, Silver St, Northampton NN1 2TA
Ticket Prices
Ticket prices at Sixfields Stadium for the 2023/24 season are as follows:
- Adults: £24
- Seniors: £20
- Under 21s: £20
- Under 18s: £12
- Under 14s: £8
- Under 7s: Free
Ground History
Northampton first moved into Sixfields in 1994 with the ground undergoing expansion 20 years later. Before all of that though, the club had been long time tenants at Northampton County Cricket Ground. In reality though cricket grounds and football grounds don’t really work together as one venue hence the need to eventually move.
Disabled facilities
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Fan songs
We’re all together today. We need you, Shoe Army, these lads deserve everything you can give them on that pitch.
Loud and proud as always! 🙌 #ProudToBe | #Together | #ShoeArmy 👞 pic.twitter.com/slLNlhWnnH
— Northampton Town (@ntfc) April 10, 2023
Record and Average Attendance
Record Attendance
At Sixfields Stadium;
7,798 v Manchester United
League Cup 3rd Round, 21st September 2016.
At the County Ground;
24,523 v Fulham
Division One, 23rd April 1966.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 5,845 (League Two)
2021-2022: 5,467 (League Two)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 5,101 (League Two)
2018-2019: 5,100 (League Two)
2017-2018: 5,830 (League One)
Latest Developments
For a long time, the East Stand of Sixfields Stadium has been categorised as ‘in progress’ after initial work was completed in 2015. However, in late 2023, GRS Group were awarded the contract to finally finish the stand after Buckingham Group, the previous contractor, collapsed.
New hospitality areas will be built above the current seats in the East Stand which will raise the capacity at Sixfields Stadium to slightly over 8,000
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
Northampton Town v Exeter City
League Two
Saturday 22nd February 2020, 3pm
John Baker (Exeter City)
Northampton Town v Cheltenham Town
League 2
Saturday 29th December 2019, 3pm
Rob Phillips (Cheltenham Town)
Northampton Town v Notts County
FA Cup Second Round
Sunday 1st December 2019, 2pm
John Watson (Notts County)
Northampton Town v Leyton Orient
League Two
Saturday 5th October 2019, 3pm
Tim Scales (Leyton Orient)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the PTS Academy Stadium?
It was a new ground for me as we headed to Northampton in need of three points after a fairly disappointing start to the season. This is one of the last relatively local grounds I have left in the 92 so the task is all uphill from here!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
With two of us coming from Norwich and one from Essex, we met in the middle in Cambridge. A fair bit of traffic on the road on the A11 was not ideal, but the leg from Cambridge to Northampton was painless enough. We parked on a side-street near the ground, which was busy but not jam-packed.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After stopping off in Cambridge, we decided to go to the Golden Hind for a couple of beers before heading towards Northampton. Once in Northampton, we didn't have masses of time but ended up in the TGI Fridays just across from the ground. It's not ideal but it serves beer, I guess, although at £5.20 a pint, it is on the expensive side.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the PTS Academy Stadium?
It's a relatively bog-standard League 2 ground, built this side of the Taylor Report with very little character or architectural inventiveness. The away end is decent enough although it only holds 900 fans maximum. One thing I would say is that there didn't seem to be many bad views from any seat.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself wasn't great but Leyton Orient started out the stronger side, with several chances falling to the fast-improving Conor Wilkinson, as well as Matt Harrold having a shot blocked on the line. Northampton had a couple of chances of their own with the hosts hitting the post about 5 minutes after the restart. However, Orient took the lead three minutes short of the hour mark. Harrold played a delightful ball through to James Brophy who outpaced the defence and calmly placed the ball beyond the on-rushing David Cornell. The visitors looked more likely to add to their lead than to concede an equaliser with Harrold heading over the bar from a Wilkinson cross. The Cobblers did try to push for an equaliser late on but never really threatened the Orient goal. It was a great win for a side who needed to learn how to see out games.
The atmosphere at Sixfields was really poor, with the home fans rarely making much noise. The away fans weren't great either until we scored but it wasn't helped by the lack of home noise to bounce off of. The stewarding was incredibly heavy-handed and they actually made more trouble than they prevented. One fan got on the pitch after the goal and sent about 6 people after him, at which point they, in my opinion, disgracefully manhandled the bloke out of the ground. I understand that entering the pitch is illegal but it just seemed so unnecessary and a by-product of getting security guards who mainly work at night clubs to deal with football matches. As for the facilities at Sixfields, the kiosk serving beer in the away end was a bit of a shambles. A relatively small queue at half-time took until the second half had started to be served, mainly because of the problems with the pumps.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After stopping at TGI Fridays for a celebratory post-match pint, we headed back to Cambridge. The roads were quiet and after tea at the Golden Hind where we started in, we headed back to Norwich.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Our second away win of the season and a great day out.
Northampton Town v Crawley Town
League 2
Saturday 21st September 2019, 3pm
Stephen Webb (Crawley Town)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the PTS Academy Stadium?
A new ground and with both teams in good form, I was expecting a good game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled up by train via Euston, no issues on the journey up, though delays returning home. Caught a bus to the ground from outside the station, didn't take long and only waited a couple of minutes, and same on the return. All dead easy.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Went straight to the ground and some home fans started chatting to us on the bus and in the bar at the ground. All very friendly indeed, even the bar staff were pleased to see us.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the PTS Academy Stadium?
For some reason, I was expecting an old dilapidated ground, but I was very impressed with the look from the outside and the way it was built in the dip. The away end was okay behind the goal, with a good view but nothing special.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game wasn't bad, spoilt by poor officials. Not a great atmosphere although the home fans did make some noise. The stewards were firm but friendly, had a bit of friendly banter with a couple and a decent handshake at the end. Only had a tea from the kiosk so can't comment on that. The Club bar was good if a little expensive, though they had my favourite brewery, Adnams, on, so was happy.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Hung around for a bit to let the home fans disperse then back to the same bus stop as we'd got off and in a couple of minutes bus turned up.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out, an easy journey, not a bad game and in the end a 2-2 draw was a fair result.
Northampton Town v Arsenal U21's
EFL Trophy Group Stage
Tuesday 27th August 2019, 7.30pm
John Hague (Neutral)
Northampton Town v Crawley Town
League Two
Saturday 16th February 2019, 3pm
Dan Maguire (Crawley Town)
Northampton Town v Grimsby Town
League 2
Saturday 24th November 2018, 3pm
Kevin Dixon (Grimsby Town)
Northampton Town v Forest Green Rovers
League 2
Saturday 13th October 2018, 2pm
Thomas Inglis (Neutral visiting Dundee United fan)
Northampton Town v Lincoln City
League 2
Saturday 4th August 2018, 3pm
Matt M (Lincoln City)
Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
League One
Saturday 21st April 2018, 3pm
David King (Plymouth Argyle fan)
Northampton Town v Plymouth Argyle
League One
Saturday 21st April 2018, 3pm
Bryan Davis (Plymouth Argyle fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Sixfields Stadium?
A relatively close ground for us and potentially an important game for Argyle in an effort to get into the playoffs.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was easy enough travelling across country on a lovely sunny morning, the ground is on the edge of Northampton, was well signposted from our direction and is easy to get to. There is a large gravel car park which is the official parking area at a cost of £4. The tarmac surfaced car park adjoining the stadium is reserved parking only. There is also parking available in the field off Dunston Mill Lane which looked like a good option at £3. The adjoining cinema and eateries carparks have signs up prohibiting parking for the football, I certainly wouldn’t take a chance on this.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to TGI Fridays for lunch, which seemed the venue of choice for the Argyle supporters, but there is a big choice of eateries. It was a lovely sunny day, more like mid-summer than spring, so there were lots of fans for both teams wandering about and it seemed to be a friendly place.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Sixfields Stadium?
Sixfields Stadium is in a bit of a natural bowl so the roads and footways on the West and North sides are much higher that the stadium and give a clear view of the incomplete East Stand and parts of the playing surface. Approaching the ground from the A5076 you see the backs of the Main West Stand and the much lower and smaller Moulton College South Stand, which is the default away end, however additional away seating is made available at the Southern end of the East Stand when required. We had tickets for the Moulton College stand which was good except that we were in Row J, which is the back row and whilst the seats were comfortable enough there was very little leg room, about 10cms less than the other rows! The Main West stand is quite impressive, the North stand a mirror image of the South stand and the East stand will probably be impressive if/when it is finished. The views of the action are good; the stands are reasonably steeply banked and quite close to the touch/bylines. There is an electronic score board in the south east corner.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
Argyle had some squad changes forced on them by injuries which was less than ideal. So to the game – well it quickly became apparent that Argyle had forgotten how to replicate their recent excellent performances. Meanwhile, Northampton Town were very clearly up for it, they had plenty riding on the game as they were trying to get out of the relegation zone.
The first half was pretty much one way traffic with Northampton creating lots of chances but somehow not managing to score until just before the break. I hoped that the half-time talk would work some magic and for the first couple of minutes of the second half it looked like it had. But it wasn’t to be maintained and Northampton were quickly back on top, getting a second goal on the hour via an own-goal. Argyle did rally towards the end and created their best chances in the last 15 minutes but couldn’t score. Thanks to a fantastic performance from the Argyle keeper Remi Matthews the score at the whistle was 2-0, it could have been much worse.
The atmosphere was quite good for a while but it sort of petered out as the game went on, not surprisingly the Cobblers fans made plenty of noise as the game ended. The stewards were unobtrusive. I can’t comment on the food or drink as we didn’t have any, the stand was full and the queue for refreshments looked a bit long.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The traffic from the game seemed to disperse quickly and it didn’t take long to be on our way home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A lovely sunny day out. But as far as the football went it was not great, not a bad ground to visit though.
Northampton Town v Southampton Under 21’s
Checkatrade Trophy 3rd Round
Tuesday 7th November 2017, 7.45pm
Wayne Pithers (Southampton fan)
Northampton Town v Bristol Rovers
Football League One
7th October 2017, 3pm
Jerry Williams (Bristol Rovers fan)
Northampton Town v Bristol Rovers
League One
Saturday 7th October 2017, 3pm
Barry Chandler (Neutral fan)
Northampton Town v Bristol Rovers
Football League One
Saturday 7th October 2017, 3pm
Yaz Shah (Bristol Rovers fan)
Northampton Town v Portsmouth
Football League One
Tuesday 12th September 2017, 7.45pm
Richard Showers (Portsmouth fan)
Northampton Town v Fleetwood Town
Football League One
Saturday 12th August 2017, 3pm
Erik Williams (Doing the 92)
AFC Wimbledon v Northampton Town
Football League One
Saturday 11th March 2017, 3pm
Alex Compton (Northampton Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Kingsmeadow Stadium?
This was mine and my son's very first visit to Kingsmeadow ground, so we were both looking forward to it.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Fairly easy run down considering we had to use the M1 and the M25. Finding the Kingsmeadow Stadium was really easy and parking next to the ground was free which was brilliant.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We got to the ground very early as there was a big England Rugby game going on down the road at Twickenham so we didn't want to get stuck in that traffic as well as the normal London congestion. The friendly stewards let us in to the ground to put our flag up, then we had a walk about 2 minutes up the road to get some Fish and Chips (sorry can't remember the name of it) The home fans were very friendly and were happy to talk about our mutual dislike of MK Dons.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Kingsmeadow Stadium?
I was quite impressed on arrival considering it was until a few seasons back a non league ground. Outside there was a guy selling the biggest selection of league and non league club badges I have ever seen. The away end is quite small and you can't quite see the corner of the pitch but you can make a lot of noise as the roof is quite low. We were given about 100 seats behind one goal which is shared with the home fans and it virtually no segregation which I thought was great as that is very rare in today's stadiums.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, steward s, pies, facilities etc..
The game wasn't the most exciting in the world and a draw would have been a fair result but we were given an 86th minute penalty which we scored to win 1-0. The facilities were very basic but clean, the stewards were very friendly, helpful and very chatty.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground took about five minutes which considering there is only one exit out I thought was really good. Also the traffic all the way home was very light and I was back home by 6.45pm which I was well pleased about.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it was a good day out at the Kingsmeadow Stadium. The 1-0 win helped and I'm sure we will stay up this season. So I'm looking forward to our trip there again next season.
Nothampton Town v Charlton Athletic
Football League One
Saturday 4th March 2017, 3pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Sixfields Stadium?
The Sixfields Stadium was new ground for me to visit, so in that respect yes. Although its out of town location is a bit boring, but I had an open mind as these vary, often according to the weather.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We went on one of the free club coaches, via a breakfast at the Valley having been picked up at Bexleyheath just before 9.00. We left the Valley at around 11am arriving in extremely good time at the Sixfields Stadium just after 1pm.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We were dropped behind the Main Stand. We then went up the hill behind the ground and had a coffee in the cinema. Sorry we are a bit boring and have long since stopped watching Charlton in a state of alcohol induced haze. However there were plenty of options to get a drink or something more substantial to eat. Sure nothing very original, TGI, Frankie and Bennies, but safe enough all the same.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Sixfields Stadium?
The Sixfields Stadium is a neat ground albeit a bit small. The Main Stand must be over half of the overall capacity. Both ends are similar and quite small, with neither stand fully extending the width of the pitch. They both only around 15 rows high. The other side is the half finished stand, this will be quite smart when done, but it does not currently even seem to be a work in progress. At least the lower tier is open so the ground is not three sided.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
On arrival an Northampton Town steward came on to the coach, welcomed us and gave us a run down of all facilities that were available in the area. Nice touch. The game it self from our point of view was awful. Northampton took the lead around 20 minutes which we leveled ten minutes later. Despite the scrappy nature of the game the atmosphere was pretty good from both sets of fans, been so close to each other always does this. Northampton got a second goal mid-way through the second half, we never looked like get back from that. Four defeats on the trot, no wins since I can't remember when (2/1/17).
The stewards and Police were excellent. The Charlton support was more than a little tetchy. There is plenty of fans unrest with the Charlton owner and our team is rubbish. None of this however is the fault of the people who job its to keep order at the ground. Faced with some fairly provocative behavior they dealt with it calmly and indeed with a certain amount of good humor. When the Police did have to get involved, this again was swift and efficient. By the end the home fans were in full voice, whilst the away end was in full toxic mode, with some fans abusing and yelling at some of the Charlton players. Another match to quickly forget.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Very good. Sixfields Stadium is pretty close to M1 and we were back on M25 by 18.30. Then the coach driver went into some strange parallel world and got us lost, even asking us the way at one point. Now we knew why the coaches were free! When you've just witnessed your teams latest capitulation and there is a pint with your name on it in the pub near home then this was a little trying.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Football awful, Journey, odd. Northampton Town FC excellent from the stewards and fans right down to the girls in the club shop. Example of how good the fans were. Charlton bought Ricky Holmes from them last summer and this was his first trip back. He went to take a corner by the main vocal body of home fans and was warmly applauded. Ex-players who were adored at Charlton, but leave for so called "bigger clubs" are mostly slated on their return to the Valley. Will go back in hopefully happier circumstances next time.
Northampton Town v Bradford City
Football League One
Monday 2nd January 2017, 3pm
Mark Stanhope (Bradford City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Sixfields Stadium?
I have been to the Sixfields Stadium about five times before but my son who's eight has also caught the travel bug and wanted to tick Northampton Town off .
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We live in Sheffield & the 1hr 20min car journey was a breeze . Sixfields has a number of restaurants around and we parked for free at the Pizza Hut where we enjoyed a pre-match meal.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The Northampton Town fans as always are a friendly bunch and even invited my son into the children's fan area to take part in a penalty shoot out competition .
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Sixfields Stadium?
I'm not very keen on these out of town stadiums. My only lasting impression of Northampton's ground is if you ever played them on the last day of the season and needed three points to win the title and only got 1000 tickets 8000 could still stand outside for free and see three quarters of the pitch!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Top class pies and piping hot bovril on a cold winters day The stewards were great in looking after 1200 traveling supporters. Everything was clean and tidy.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy we were on the M1 within ten minutes of leaving the Sixfields Stadium.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
We would happily visit the Sixfield Stadium again. My son who's been to over 20 grounds says it's one of his favourites (but I still prefer the old County Ground)
Northampton Town v Stevenage
Football League Two
Saturday 24th October 2015, 3pm
James Walker (Stevenage fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Sixfields Stadium?
To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to this away day at all. I had previously visited the Sixfields Stadium four times before and hadn't even witnessed a Stevenage goal there, so naturally I wasn't at all confident of netting a result today against a Northampton team in good form (despite all the off-pitch problems).
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As is the norm for me, I took the Stevenage supporters coach to Sixfields. The journey was fairly straightforward and we got to the ground for just after 1.20pm. Getting to the ground from the M1 motorway was simple as it's all signposted.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As I had time to kill before the game, I went in to the club shop to purchase a badge (£2.99) and programme (£3), then in to the Carrs Bar for a drink and take in the second half of Blackburn vs Burnley in the early kick-off. The few locals I spoke to seemed pleasant enough.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Sixfields Stadium?
I already knew what to expect, having being here numerous times before. The away end is a small stand with a raised disabled platform in the middle (but bear in mind there is no shelter for disabled supporters) and tea bar located over in the far right hand corner. There is a big scoreboard over by the right corner flag. The stand opposite us looks exactly the same as the away end, whilst the stand to our left is the Main Stand which houses the majority of the home support. The stand to our right is the one that is still supposedly being built (off the field problems has meant that construction has stopped a couple of times) and is currently just a shell.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was poor from our point of view. Northampton started the stronger and forced quite a few early corners but couldn't convert any. Then on 25 minutes, Steven Schumacher had a first-time shot which flew in to give us a thoroughly undeserved lead, but it was the first ever time we had scored a goal at Sixfields! The second half, however started disastrously, and the Cobblers were level within 4 minutes of the re-start. Both teams had some chances to try and get the second goal, before Northampton countered after a dismal Tom Conlon corner and a series of defensive calamities saw the hosts score the all important second (and decisive) goal. The catering here looked very good on the whole. I had my usual Chicken Balti pie (£3.10) and it was lovely and hot. Just what the doctor ordered on a miserable day weather wise!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away couldn't be simpler. We came out of the away end, turned right then walked along the path and the coach was right there waiting for us. We were out of there just after 5pm, and a very simple journey saw us back at the Lamex Stadium at 6.20pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Well on the plus side, we finally scored at the Sixfields Stadium. But on the negative side, it's another loss here for us. I guess we can't complain with the result though, given how awful we were on the day.
Half Time: Northampton Town 0-1 Stevenage Full Time: Northampton Town 2-1 Stevenage Attendance: 4,492 (334 away fans)
Northampton Town v Exeter City
League Two
Saturday, August 30th, 3pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground?
This was my first visit to the Sixfields stadium, and another to tick off for the 92. I ws again travelling on one of of the official supporters coaches that the club had organised. The journey was easy, leaving Exeter at 8.30am and arriving in Northampton just after 1pm.
2. What did you do before the game?
On arrival at the ground I went upto the Sixfields Hungry Horse pub, about a 5minute walk up the hill, where I paused to take a photo of the football ground down below. Drinks seemed reasonably priced and home and away supporters mixed well.
3. First impressions on seeing the ground?
For a stadium that is 20 years old, it still looks new. The Alwyn Hargraves (East) Stand is currently being updated, so it was closed. Away supporters are housed in the South Stand, at one end of the stadium, which offers good views of the playing action.
Sixfields Stadium
4. Comment on the game, atmosphere, refreshments, stewards and toilets?
The game was a fairly even encounter, but ended as a 1-0 win for Northampton but neither team seemed over threatening, the atmosphere was mixed with both sets of supporters periodically singing. Stewards were helpful and non abtrusive, toilets were clean. The refreshments were in a cabin the opposite end of the stand from the turnstile and looked expensive, meal deals were also offered but again probably not worth it when you see prices of individual items.
5. Comments on getting away after the game?
Very easy getting away after the game, the coach parked just outside the turnstiles. We arrived back into Exeter just after 9pm.
6. Summary of the day out?
Despite the result, I had a good day out.
Northampton Town v Dagenham & Redbridge
League Two
Saturday September 24th, 2011, 3pm
Nick Murphy (Dagenham & Redbridge fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to the ground?
First and foremost for me, it was a new ground that I hadn't visited before. It looked a decent stadium and sounded it from what others had said. So with money spare and my team visiting, I thought why not tick another one off of the list. Add to that it seemed a plausible place to gain some points and end a bad run of form, it seemed like an ideal choice. Also it wasn't that far away which meant I didn't have to wake up early and the coach trip wasn't all that long either!
2. How easy was your journey/ finding the ground/ car parking?
Although we were on the coach, it is still very easy to find, signposts are clear and as you come off the motorway, you can't really miss the place. The car parking was good, with plenty of spaces around the stadium. There was also plenty to do for the early arriver, as well as the usual have a look around the ground, there were a couple of pubs, a KFC, TGI Fridays and a McDonalds.
3. What did you think when seeing the ground/ first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I thought it looked like a nice ground. The first thing you notice is the Main Stand, as you may expect a mix of metal and concrete which isn't particularly appealing. However it still looked relatively decent from the outside. The ticket shop wasn't very classy, effectively a portacabin located outside the away end, although the club shop looked very nice and well positioned near the away stand.
As you walk in, you're greeted with the sight of a fairly open ground as no sides are joined together which gives it an open feel, more free, add to that the hill that lay behind the opposite home stand and you have a very unique looking stadium. The stands all looked very plain to be honest, but I liked it, but it could do with more character, something that's needed in a football ground. However, It's all very modern as you may expect.
4. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies and toilets:
A very poor start to the match. There were hardly any chances and then from nothing Northampton score, a corner not cleared well enough and they smash home from a few yards. They deserved to be ahead going into half time. The score could have been more if it weren't for our keeper Chris Lewington who made one fantastic reflex. The second half was a lot more open and could have gone either way, with the Daggers attacking from the off and hitting the bar just minutes in. However, predictability I suppose, Akinfenwa scored a header up the other end thanks to poor marking, Lewington had no chance and that was 2-0 to them, 30 minutes left and we could still salvage something. More attacking but yet no end product, the Cobblers keeper was called into action more than once to deny us, but Northampton continuously looked dangerous on the break. On 90 minutes or so Damien Scannell got down the left, put in a neat ball along the floor for Ollie Lee to slam home to make it 2-1, however it was too late and that's how it finished. A very disappointing game to add to the run and make it five straight defeats and keep our 100% losing streak against Northampton.
The atmosphere was very poor, the 230 odd Daggers were unusually quiet, probably because of the lack of a drum, for some reason the Northampton stewards didn't oblige to it. However the fact that we were losing for the majority of the game probably didn't help; Northampton fans were also very quiet, only being heard when they scored, not a single song, they were very disappointing. Their mascot had a drum, but his attempts at creating an atmosphere were in vain. The stewards were fine, a couple raised a smile and had a decent chat with some of our fans. They were also very lenient on whether you stand up or not which was good. The food was fine, I had a hot dog which was very tasty and I heard good reports on the pies. However, your wallet will have somewhat of a hole in after a visit to Sixfields. The toilets were very bog standard if you pardon the pun, very modern, running hot water, up there with what you expect from a modern ground.
5. Comments on getting away from the ground:
Wasn't particularly bad, the coach picked us up and we only encountered a bit of traffic getting out, due to the amount of cars trying to get round a single roundabout and a single road out of the stadium complex, it wasn't particularly well thought up by the designers I don't think! Fairly easy enough though and you're back on the motorway in no time.
6. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Apart from the disappointing result, I very much enjoyed my day at Sixfields. Good facilities, a nice, welcoming stadium if slightly dull and even the stewards had a smile on their face. A good view of the pitch helps the action, but the prices of the food and drink need to improve, that would be my only real criticism. Everything around the ground is top notch, location is good and if I had the chance to go back their again, which I probably will in the future, would I? Definitely, although I'd hope Dagenham improve on their recent record against Northampton first!
Northampton Town v Southend United
League Two
Saturday 11th September 2010, 3pm
Tim Sansom (Neutral fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to the ground?
Visiting the Sixfields stadium in Northampton had been on my personal agenda for the while. Having recently moved to the town, I wanted to really feel that heart beat of the place that I am calling my home for the foreseeable future. Football and rugby battle for the attention of the town's folk and it is not that far from the Sixfields stadium to Franklin's Gardens where the Northampton Saints play.
To a large extent, I sensed that Northampton is far more a rugby town than football town in a similar fashion to Bath or Gloucester. However, Northampton Town Football Club does attract a fair amount of attention in the local media and the club does try to make itself to be more than a passing interest to the football loving public. For a long period over the summer, the club had adverts across the town to encourage people to forget about what was happening at Old Trafford or Anfield and watch their football closer to home. It was a brave advert in these strange football times.
As well as wanting to visit to get more of a feeling about Northampton as a town, I also wanted to check out a lower league match and that is something which I shamefully fail to do as much as I like. It is natural to become more focused on the soap opera of your own team, and in my case, and at the time of writing, my team was doing surprisingly well in the Championship. You can also be extensively diverted to the Premiership with a particular focus on the top teams in the league. You can forget that there are lower league teams and a whole galaxy of clubs below the Premiership that are trying to make sense of the game that we call football.
I hoped that this particular game would be a decent match. Although I knew that Northampton had been struggling to get their first win of the campaign, and that Southend United had been equally fighting to avoid financial oblivion for most of the past summer, I did not walk into Sixfields with an intimate knowledge of every player�s strengths and weaknesses. I could take my seat as a true neutral and hope to be entertained by some exciting football on an impressively warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. I had a steely determination to enjoy this game come what may, to justify to a friend that paying to watch lower league football was money worth spent.
2. How easy was your journey/ finding the ground/car parking?
The British road system is famously unpredictable but it is fair to say that the journey to Sixfields is fairly easy from any direction. I took an impressively direct bus to the ground from the horrific bus station that is probably the worst bus terminus that I have ever visited in the UK or the world. It is everything that you would expect a bus station built around 1976 to be full of stained concrete, bus exhaust fumes, dying hanging baskets and dark wood panelling straight off a seventies game show.
This town of shoes and brewing does have a very bustling feeling about it and you can easily kill some time in the town before your afternoon game. The buses to the stadium also stop to the west of the town centre. At the time of writing, there was going to be a revision of the buses that went to Sixfields but it was just down to a change of operator. Daventry bound buses go pass the railway station, and stop at a bus shelter on top of a hill that overlooks the stadium. St Giles Park buses also stop near to Sixfields.
Sixfields is not a stadium that is penned in by a mass of dreary warehouses and carpet showrooms. After passing a small range of chain pubs, burger bars and restaurants that want you to eat masses for only £5:95, you will come to the top of a hill and Sixfields is in the valley below.
It is fair to say that the stadium would not win many architectural awards but this ground does look smart. Car parking is nearby in a number of car parks that are within walking distance of the stadium. I visited the stadium on a pleasant Saturday afternoon in the warm half of September. You get a decent view of Northampton including the large chimney looking tower used to test lifts. However I have been to Sixfields in dramatically difficult conditions. When there is wind and rain in the air, the whole area is particularly bleak and choosing the wrong seat in the stands means that you could be buffeted by wind for a solid ninety minutes. However, I guess that is what some people describe as atmosphere.
3. What did you think when seeing the ground/ first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Some people would argue that by the time that I got to the ground, I was rather over excited for a Northampton versus Southend game. I was excitingly texting anyone who would listen that I was at this league two game. One friend seemed particularly bemused and mentioned that he was watching Everton versus Manchester United and that was where the action was taking place. In hindsight, he was watching an exciting game. However, I was determined to enjoy my League Two action, enthusiastically brought the ticket and sat in the Main Stand towards the end where the Essex fans were sitting. Inside the ground, there continues to be a very neat look to the stadium with perfectly shaped stadiums coloured in maroon rather than a mass of iron, steel and garishly coloured seats.
I spoke to two local people who gave conflicting reports about whether there was any atmosphere in Sixfields. Apart from a fairly loud vocal element in the away end, the Main Stand seemed to be where the atmosphere was most evident with singing that lasted virtually throughout the game. A large amount of the songs came from the younger element of the home support which was surprising comforting. Despite the dreadful football from kick off to half time, people still kept on singing and we can all think of those grounds that turn into a library when the football collapsed from being even slightly exciting.
4. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies and toilets:
The football was truly awful throughout the first 45 minutes. I was not especially upset about the action in front of me. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon. There was some atmosphere in the ground and I spent most of the first half noting how many tackles and fouls went unpunished when similar incidents would have been certainly punished in the Premiership. Although it was a close run thing, Southend edged the action in the opening half, and you began to sense a feeling of uneasiness and frustration amongst the home fans. It was Saturday 11th September, and at 3:45pm, Northampton Town Football Club had yet to win their first game of the 2010/2011 season.
If you are a neutral at the game, the best way to find out about the mood of the crowd is to visit the toilets at half time. If the team is playing well, there is a carnival atmosphere (if there ever can be a carnival at the urinals,) but if the match is awful or the team are playing badly, the toilets are a morgue with everyone going about their business without looking at each other. You feel as if you are on the London Underground where the slightest brush of an arm will get evil killer looks. This was the atmosphere in the Sixfields toilets at half time and if by some remote chance you are interested in toilets at football stadiums, I can report that there was nothing different in Northampton compared to other stadiums across the UK. There are concrete walls and adverts for betting and ticket deals. It is soulless and functional. Nothing more can be said.
Food seemed to be fairly expensive in price but was very popular with the locals. The half time entertainment seemed to consist of local school kids kicking balls into a net, whilst most people stood transfixed in front of the concourse televisions looking for the latest afternoon scores. There was no opportunity to kick balls into the back of Fiestas or Minis, which seemed to be the fashion in the seventies and have a brief renaissance in the last couple of years.
The second half of the game was much better. Both teams seemed to want to score goals and win the game. The frustration of the home fans seemed to be lifted when Northampton scored two goals that won the match. Once goals began to be scored, the home team seemed to relax and play some flowing football that was dramatically absent throughout the first 45 minutes. The final whistle was blown and there was a happy celebration in a very British sort of way. Within a couple of weeks, Northampton would be playing Liverpool at Anfield in the League Cup, and there were many announcements and mass excitement in advance of the trip to Merseyside.
5. Comment on getting away from the ground:
Getting away from many grounds can be a nightmare that can ruin the day out as well as the match regardless whether the action had been exciting. Delayed and unhealthily packed trains, a lack of buses, closed underground stations due to "overcrowding" have all become a sad feature of travelling to watch football in the UK at the weekend.
Travelling away from Sixfields was not a problem. On a sunny day and if your team has done well, it is not that far to walk into the town centre of Northampton as well as the railway station. This particular match had not been watched by a full house so there were enough seats on the bus back into Northampton. The road system around Sixfields is fairly advanced so car drivers will find it easy to start their journeys home. I can not promise that you will avoid any traffic jam but getting away from this particular ground is fairly easy. I certainly did not experience any problems.
6. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed the match and my visit to the home of Northampton Town Football Club. I was made to feel welcome at Sixfields and enjoyed the atmosphere during a game that will go down as Northampton Town's first home league win of the season. When you visit lower league clubs, you do feel more part of the club and closer to the action. I felt extremely close to the pitch and was waiting for the moment when the ball would be kicked towards me, and I would make a spectacular catch that would be shown on national television. I do not have any regrets in going. Although the intensive specific details of the football action may not live that long in the memory, I can now swap some anecdotes about the local football club and Sixfields stadium in the local community. Having discovered one of the sporting hearts of Northampton, that is a result for me.
Northampton Town v Shrewsbury Town
League Two
Saturday 25th April 2010, 3pm
Andy Saunders (Shrewsbury Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had been to Northampton's old County ground but have never got the chance to visit the new one. Because Shrewsbury was battling for a play off place with Northampton it had added extra spice to the occasion.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy, I had a sat nav but did not need it in the end as the ground was well signposted from the motorway. It is on the edge of the town on a Leisure park. Car parking was good and there was lots of spaces but had to pay �3 for the privilege, Northampton rugby club was playing on the same day and I fuond Car parking was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, We bought a lot of fans too.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I arrived early for the game as I was worried about parking so I found myself getting very bored as the only things around the area were a few fast food eateries and a Cinema. I had a KFC and a burger at a van parked at the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?:
Looked to me when I first saw it was that It looked smaller than I imagined it to be, The three stands around the sides where tiny with an overpowering main stand which did look good from the outside (not as big as Crewe's main stand though). Seats were not cramped and I had comfortable leg room.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Game was awful. Our manager putting only one striker up front in a 4-5-1 formation, which was getting us nowhere fast. In the second half he pushed more men forwardm but we were undone and Northampton scored two goals. We was chasing the game after that and in the end lost 2-0 which ended our hopes for a play off place. Atmosphere was good and the main bunch of vocal home support came from the end of the main stand closest to the away fans. The stewards where the friendliest I have seen for many a year, always helpful and good to have a chat with.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The exit was a bit tight getting out of the leisure complex as there was only one small roundabout to cope with a lot of traffic but once you get on to the open road its is a peice of cake.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day out (apart from the result) was very sunny but not much to do on the leisure park though. Stewards and fans where very friendly but a big overkill with the amount of Police in attendance.