Last Update:
July 22, 2024
The Spotland football ground (now known as the Crown Oil Arena) has benefited greatly with the construction of three new stands during the 1990’s and year 2000. It is quite picturesque, with a number of trees being visible behind the stands.
The last of these new stands to be opened was the smart-looking Willbutts Lane Stand (Reside Estate Agency Stand) at one side of the pitch, which was opened in 2000. This single-tiered stand replaced a former terrace and has a capacity of 4,000.
On the other side is another single tier, the all-seated David Kilpatrick Stand (Main Stand). This has a number of supporting pillars and some executive boxes at the back.
At one end is the Smith Metals Family Stand (Pearl Street Stand). This is also all seated and serves as a Family Stand. It has a couple of supporting pillars that are right at the front of the stand.
The Sandy Lane End is the only terraced area remaining. It is on the small size but does at least benefit from having a roof. There is a Police Control Box located in one corner, between the Main & Pearl Street Stands.
In terms of physical development there is little going on at Rochdale’s ground. There has, however, been talk of a change of political boundary, which would see the stadium sit in a different constituency. The idea was ridiculed by one of the local officials – Andy Kelly, a Lib Dem, – as he cited it would “dilute” the club’s name and history.
Rochdale have played their home games at Spotland for 102 years now after first moving in in 1920 – 13 years after their formation. Prior to that they played games – albeit out of the football league – on the same piece of land. At that time, it was known as St Clement’s Playing Fields and didn’t so much as feature a single stand.
Away supporters are housed on one side of the Willbutts Lane Stand, where around 1,500 fans can be housed. If demand requires it, then the whole of this stand can be given to visiting fans increasing the allocation to 3,650. The stand is normally shared with home supporters with away fans being seated towards the Sandy Lane End.
The view of the action and facilities within are both pretty good. The acoustics are excellent, so away fans can really make some noise from within it. This, coupled with both home ends singing, makes for a good atmosphere.
Food on offer inside the ground includes burgers, hot dogs, pies and chips.
Pubs near Spotland for away fans:
- The Ratcliffe – Sandy Ln, Rochdale OL11 5DR
- Cemetery Hotel – 470 Bury Rd, Rochdale OL11 5EU
- Royds Arms – 158 Rooley Moor Rd, Rochdale OL12 7DQ
Exit the M62 at Junction 20 and take the A627(M) towards Rochdale. At the end of the A627(M) you should be in the left hand lane to turn left at the traffic lights. Now follow the road and with Tesco on your left, go straight through the next set of lights (approach in the middle lane) into Roch Valley Way. At the next crossroads (where the Cemetery pub is on the corner) go straight onto Sandy Lane, where the ground can be found on the right after approx 3/4 mile.
Car Parking at the ground is now for permit holders only, so it is a case of finding some street parking. However the streets in the immediate vicinity of Spotland are for ‘residents only,’ so if you are not careful you could end with a parking ticket for your trouble, so check first to see if there are street parking restriction signs, before deciding to park up.
There is street parking to be had along the main A680 (Edenfield Road) which can be found at the end of Willbutts Lane, only a 5-10 minute walk away from the stadium. Parking is also available at Oulderhill Community School (OL11 5EF), which is located about half a mile from the ground on Greave Avenue.
Post Code for SAT NAV: OL11 5DR
Rochdale Railway Station is located just under two miles away from the Crown Oil Arena, which is served by direct trains from Manchester Victoria, Halifax, Bradford Interchange and Leeds. Rochdale station is around a 35-40 minute walk from the stadium, so best to jump in a taxi, rather than walking.
Alternatively, you can shorten the walking journey a bit by catching a Metrolink tram from outside the station into Rochdale town centre.
Rochdale ticket prices 2023/24:
- Adults: £20-24
- Over 65s: £15-19
- Under 21s: £10-14
- Under 14s: £5-7
Official Programme: £3
With Rochdale being located in the North West, there are countless clubs around them that could be classified as ‘rivals’. Ultimately though, the likes of Manchester United, Man City and Burnley have all moved well beyond their sphere of bitterness now. That leaves their key rivals as below:
Rochdale vs Bury rivalry: Rochdale and Bury are only separated by seven miles. That short distance and spending so much time doing battle in the lower leagues has seen things reach feverpitch at times. Bury are obviously on the up again now as well with the club back on their feet after their collapse. The derby may well resurface.
Rochdale vs Oldham rivalry: Oldham and Rochdale share a fairly similar relationship to the Dale and Bury; they’ve both spent vast amounts of time in the lower tiers of English football and are just 20 minutes apart.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
24,231 v Notts County
FA Cup 2nd Round, 10th December 1949.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 2,483 (League Two)
2021-2022: 2,543 (League Two)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 3,632 (League One)
2018-2019: 3,582 (League One)
2017-2018: 3,471 (League One)
Official Web Site: www.rochdaleafc.co.uk
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Rochdale v Coventry City
League One
Saturday 22nd February 2020, 3pm
Frank Alsop (Coventry City)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Crown Oil Arena?
Due to work commitments this would be my first game of the season after watching virtually every game home and away for the past few years.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was windy with heavy rain on the way up but the traffic wasn't too bad. It was roughly a 2 hour journey from Nuneaton. It was very easy to find the ground. I parked in Denehurst Road a 5 minute walk away.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went to the Willbutts Lane chippy. The chips and gravy from there are a must for every visiting fan. I then went into the pub at the ground to keep out of the wind and rain. I didn't sample any of the alcohol though.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Crown Oil Arena?
It is a great old fashioned ground. The pitch was shocking though with sand all over the place. The away end was good with great views.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
It was not a great game. Mainly down to the conditions and the poor pitch. I reckon we just about deserved to win, but we have to start putting our chances away.The atmosphere created by City fans was superb all the way through. The stewards were very friendly.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game;
No problems. I was on the motorway within 15 minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out. I will definitely go back to Spotland. City came away undefeated again with a 2-1 win and we can possibly start thinking of automatic promotion.
Rochdale v Ipswich Town
League One
Tuesday 5th November 2019, 7.45pm
Kieran (Ipswich Town)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Crown Oil Arena?
Trying to tick off as many grounds as I can this season as I'm hoping we will only be here for the one season, and not much more. I also had annual leave to use up at work so why not take a day off for a trip to the north on Tuesday.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left Suffolk at around 1:30 arriving at about 6:30. The traffic wasn't too bad – we parked in a cul-de-sac just up the road from the Cemetery Hotel Pub. Parking closer to the ground looked a bit hectic.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went into said Cemetery Hotel for a pint before the game. A decent pub with plenty on offer drink wise. We left at about 7:15 to get to the ground which is a good 15 minute walk away.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Crown Oil Arena?
Being a night game it stood out from a distance with the floodlights. A proper old-school ground from the outlook – inside it's got 4 reasonably decent stands, the biggest of which we are slotted in along one touchline which seemed odd – there was a terraced stand to our right full of home fans.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Both sides had chances in the first half but it was 0-0 at the break. Town stepped up a gear after half time and scored soon after. It could have been 2 or 3 but we hung on for another 1-0 win! The atmosphere was pretty poor from the home end, but we had 900 strong away following which kept it going. Stewards were some of the most laid-back I've ever come across at an away game so fair play to them, and I had a peppered steak pie which was very good.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took about 15-20 minutes to get back to the car and had we parked closer to the ground we would have been caught in the backlog of traffic. The journey back was horrendous. The M62 was shut at Leeds and the A14 also at Cambridge. I rolled into bed at 3:45 am in the end!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A long day but fully worth it! Town back top of the league with another 3 points and a class atmosphere from our lot. On to the next one!
Rochdale v Coventry City
League One
Saturday 9th February 2019, 3pm
John Scott (Doing the 92)
Rochdale v Coventry City
League 1
Saturday 9th February 2019, 3pm
James (Coventry City)
Rochdale v Barnsley
League 1
Tuesday 21st August 2018, 7.45 pm
David Crossfield (Barnsley)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Crown Oil Arena?
I hadn't been to Spotland for over 30 years so I was looking forward to seeing how the ground had changed.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I usually travel by train, but that wasn't practical for a midweek evening kick off, so I got a lift with a friend. Finding a parking spot wasn't easy. We managed to squeeze into a space near a small parade of shops up the road from the Cemetery Hotel.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After we parked we walked back to the Cemetery Hotel. A great pub with good real ales. Sandwiches and pies were also available and it was showing Sky Sports. The ale and sandwich went down well. The pub actively encourages away fans and gives a discount on beer on the production of your season ticket. The home and away fans inside the pub mixed without any problems.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Crown Oil Arena?
I was impressed by the improvements. It's a neat little ground now. My memory was of paying extra to stand under cover under what was virtually a barn. I like watching from around the halfway line rather than behind the goals, so I was pleased with my seat.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The stewarding was friendly. Barnsley sold around 1400 tickets so the atmosphere in the away area was rowdy. Barnsley romped home 4-0 with Keiffer Moore scoring a hat trick.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was a nightmare. Getting from our parking spot on to the road and then onto the main road was difficult. It took us 45 minutes to get back to the motorway.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good away trip. I enjoyed revisiting Spotland. The Cemetery Hotel was excellent. I hope our next fixture is on a Saturday so I can travel by train and have a pint in the Town Centre.
Rochdale v Portsmouth
League One
Saturday 7th April 2018, 3pm
Neil Oakshott (Portsmouth)
Rochdale v Shrewsbury Town
League One
Saturday 31st March 2018, 3pm
Mark Ball (Shrewsbury Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Crown Oil Arena?
Shrewsbury were in a great league position for the play off's minimum.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Poor because the M62 was closed but luckily the Sat Nav got us out of trouble. The car parking wasn't too bad, I found a side street about half a mile from the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There are two bars attached to the ground so we went into one of those as away fans were welcome. Very friendly and reasonable ale.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Crown Oil Arena?
It's small. The away fans are unusually sat down one side of the ground but have a good view and are close to the action. No clock to keep track of the match time.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Rochdale have wasted £500k relaying their pitch as it was slippery, turf giving way, bumpy and uneven. It didn't make for a footballing feast. Shrewsbury took a deserved lead but then our superb center half was accidentally felled and broke a cheekbone. We were threadbare before the game but this made it worse and we were dire after that incident. Rochdale aren't a bad side, I can't believe they are in the bottom four, and they duly fought back to lead 2-1. The referee gave Shrewsbury a penalty, he was 10 yards from the foul but the linesman (50 yards away) overruled him. All very strange. With our keeper up for a corner, Rochdale punted the ball into an empty net. Result 3-1. The Chicken Balti pie I had was awful. If that had been the first CB pie I'd been given I'd never buy another. But it was cheap and served with a smile.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Easy. The M62 was open again and we got home in good time.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Rochdale is a friendly club, a very small ground but an enjoyable place to watch a game.
Rochdale v Fleetwood Town
League 1
Tuesday 20th March 2018, 7.45pm
Christopher Smith (Fleetwood Town fan)
Rochdale v AFC Wimbledon
League Two
Saturday 17th March 2018, 3pm
Alan Birch (AFC Wimbledon fan)
Rochdale v Oxford United
League One
Saturday 16th December 2017, 3pm
Matt Brain (Oxford United fan)
Rochdale v Doncaster Rovers
Football League One
Tuesday 12th September 2017, 7.45pm
Jack Jones (Doncaster Rovers fan)
Rochdale v Blackburn Rovers
Football League One
Saturday 9th September 2017, 3pm
Christian Lyth (Blackburn Rovers fan)
Rochdale v Oxford United
Football League One
Saturday 21st January 2017, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Spotland Ground?
In the past I have always enjoyed visiting Spotland. Good little ground with decent views. And as a Northern Oxford fan it is fairly close to my adopted home of Sheffield.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
In the past have always driven, but as I was meeting an old colleague on one of his ground hoppers, I took the train via Manchester. The Spotland Ground is fair distance away from the station.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We took a taxi to The Cemetery Hotel – good real ale and lunches. Well worth a visit and about 600 metres from the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Spotland?
Easy to find and prominent in the locality. And for away fans, a great view from the side.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Rochdale had been on a 10-match winning run in League One. On the day they fell apart and Oxford played very well for a 4-0 win. Catering facilities are friendly and the ground has a relaxed feel.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A lot more tricky. As we had to get to the station, it was a 30-minute walk on a cold evening.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
From an Oxford perspective – great! However, I would recommend a visit to Spotland to any away fan, one of the better days out and if you like real ale, head to the Cemetery pub.
Rochdale v AFC Wimbledon
Football League One
Saturday 27th August 2016, 3pm
Brian May (AFC Wimbledon fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Spotland Ground?
This was the first time I had been to Spotland and as I live in Edinburgh, going to watch Wimbledon play is a rare treat for me these days!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train down to Rochdale, (just one change at Wigan) and the journey was very easy. We had heard that there was a bit of a trek to the ground from the station but as we arrived in plenty of time, we decided to walk it. It is a fairly straightforward route but it does have a couple of hills and we found the Google maps estimate of 27 minutes to be a bit optimistic – it took us around 35 minutes at a reasonable pace.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As I had my kids with me, the pub wasn't really an option, so we stopped off in a park for lunch and some local kids challenged my boys to a friendly match. A few 'robust' challenges and lots of goals later, it was declared honours even and a bit of good-natured banter followed as we headed to the ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Spotland?
If walking from town you arrive at the away stand (with the convenient chippy opposite) so it's very easy to find your way in, and the club shop is also easy to find if you want to pay a visit. On entry, the stewards were polite enough but the kids and I had to go through separate turnstiles for some reason although they lead to the same place on the other side. On heading into the seating area, I was surprised to see that we appeared to have the biggest stand – albeit with the middle third roped off for us to sit in. The Dons had a couple of hundred supporters so there was plenty of room and the absence of pillars was a bonus. The ground has obviously been upgraded in recent years so the seated stands were tidy and the home terrace looks quite new too.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Toilet facilities were basic but fine, the catering staff were very friendly and the meat and potato pies are highly recommended! During the game, the Dons fans made up for our small numbers by making plenty of noise (buoyed by an early goal) but the Rochdale fans didn't really get going until they started pressing for an equalising goal late on. The atmosphere overall was decent and the stewards kept a watchful eye on us, but were not at all overbearing. Both teams were at the foot of the table and the game was predictably tight. Wimbledon started the stronger and took the lead early on, but Dale had the better of the second half and deserved their equaliser.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The ground emptied quickly and both sets of fans mingled on the streets without a hint of trouble. With no obvious sign of taxis or buses, we set off for the long walk back to the station, stopping off at Asda on the way for supplies for the journey. The problem with attending games in England whilst living in Scotland is usually with getting home – we had to return via Leeds (as there were no connections via the west coast line) but still needed only one change.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a good day out. Good view of the game, easy access to the ground and not a threatening atmosphere at any time – very important when you're taking kids to a game. Disappointed that we let 2 points slip deep into injury time, but a draw was probably about right. My overall impression was that both teams faced the proverbial 'long hard season', but I'm pleased to see that both have climbed into the top half at the time of writing.
Rochdale v Swindon Town
Football League One
Saturday 30th April 2016, 3pm
Mike Weston (Swindon Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Spotland football ground?
We don't normally go to many away games. Plus this season had been really challenging and most away matches are quite a drive away. But with the season safe for us, we made a late decision to go along for the day out and have a bit of a laugh.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The usual M6 nightmare made it a challenge and we eventually arrived in Rochdale around 2pm. I had read on this site and others that parking was an issue, but we found the opposite.We drove past the ground (by the Cemetery) and at the main road junction turned right. There was loads of free unrestricted parking on the main road. Less than five minutes walk from the ground. It very easy to get in and out.
What you did before the game pub/hippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had planned to visit the intriguingly named Cemetery pub, but with time running out we decided just to get parked and walk up to the stadium. We ended up being invited by a helpful steward into the Dale Bar at the ground, and despite being virtually the only away fans in the bar we were welcomed and treated well. I didn't hear one negative word toward us. Nice people and decent bar, well stocked and the service was excellent.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Spotland Stadium?
I was quite surprised and happy to find ourselves seated not at one end of the ground (I detest the rubbish views from behind goals) but right on the halfway line. With an excellent viewpoint that rivaled the one we chose to have for home games. Rather weird to see the areas behind the goals on both ends populated by home fans. The pitch however wasn't pretty – mostly I guess as they play rugby league on it as well. it looked bare and bumpy all over the place.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The home fans were quite quiet and sparse, despite the fact that they still had a mathematical chance of making the play offs. It made for a rather odd atmosphere, not that this affected our enjoyment. With us taking the lead after 90 seconds made us a little more boisterous than usual. The famed meat and potato pies were sampled, and were excellent. They were however a little more expensive than we have seen claimed on this site, two pies and two teas set me back a tenner. However the quality of the pies were good. When we went back for seconds at half time I opted for a balti pie, just for a change – it was a mistake. Watery filling and lacking in taste, If you're going, stick to the meat and potato version.
The game was a humdinger, us being two up and eventually hanging on with nine men for a draw. A special mention to the stewards – they were excellent. An altercation with one of their players during the game incensed one of our fans in the front row so much that he was climbing over the barrier to get at the player. He refused to sit down for some 20 minutes, continuing to harangue the player concerned. In most other grounds (ours included) he would have quickly found himself on the pavement outside the stadium. The stewards however gently and patiently persuaded him to sit down, and then kept an eye on him and reminded him of this each time the offending player came near and he decided it was time to have another "chat" with the player. Very patient and professional stewarding.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Absolutely easy. No trouble, very little traffic, we were back on the M6 in no time at all. I guess the low numbers of home fans contributed to this.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Very good. Welcoming and friendly locals, decent view, decent grub, easy to get in and out. No complaints at all and a far better experience than many away grounds. Just a shame they had Grant Holt playing for them, still it gave us someone to hate like a pantomime villain.
Rochdale v Port Vale
Football League One
Saturday 28th November 2015, 3pm
Daniel Turner (Braintree fan and Groundhopper)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Spotland ground?
It was a trip up to my family who live in Rochdale. I had already previously visited Spotland and was intending to take in another game in the area, but poor weather put paid to those games, so as Rochdale was still on, I decided to go there again.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
From my Auntie's house it was around a one mile walk to Spotland, which took around 30 minutes. For anyone driving it's fairly simple to park in nearby streets.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I visited the chip shop in Wilbutts Lane prior to the game, which is well known for being extremely popular for both sets of fans. I also enjoyed a pint of Somersby Cider in the Radcliffe bar before the game.
What you thought on seeing the stadium, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Spotland Ground?
I sat in the Pearl Street Stand behind one goal. The view was okay, but they had left the poles up where the training goalkeeping net was, but this didn't bother me too much.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was entertaining as we saw Port Vale go 1-0 up but Rochdale ended up winning the game 2-1. Thanks to the excellent drainage system we managed to see a game as the surroundings of the pitch were flooded but the pitch wasn't.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It's a bit busy as you have cars coming out the ground all at once and the traffic backs up half a mile due to some traffic lights down the road, but walking was fine.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Another good day out at Rochdale, a whopping great hot dog at £3 is well worth the price plus I bought a scarf programme pin badge and key ring for my personal collection. The Wilbutts Lane Chip shop is a must visit!
Rochdale v Peterbrough
League One
Saturday 8th August 2015, 3pm
Gavin Roger (Neutral fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Spotland?
Simply Spotland was a ground that I hadn't visited before.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got the train from Glasgow to Preston and then from Preston to Manchester Piccadilly. I then had the choice of the metro link from Piccadilly direct to Rocdale or the train from Victoria to Rochdale train station. I opted for the metro link as it's a shorter distance from to the ground than Rochdale train station. However the metro tram took just under an hour to get to Rochdale, so I decided that after the game that I would get the train back instead, as this took just 20 minutes to reach Manchester City Centre. I found the ground easily, it was around a 20 minute walk from Rochdale town centre.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had a couple of pints in the Wetherspoons pub in the town centre and then headed up to the Spotland football ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
First impressions were of a neat and tidy lower league ground. I was sat in the Main Stand which had a good view with the exception of a few pillars that did slightly obstruct your view. The away fans are situated directly opposite in a more modern looking stand, that I noticed was free of supporting pillars. The Peterborough fans were are allocated the whole stand but only filled about a third of it. Behind the goal to my left was a small covered terrace and a larger all seater stand opposite that both house the home fans.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game wasn't bad with Rochdale deservedly winning 2-0, the Peterbrough fans created a good atmosphere as did the Rochdale fans particularly from the covered terrace. The stewards were friendly and although I didn't sample the pies I had a drink in the bar at the back of the stand at half time.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Getting away from the ground was easy and I was lucky to hail a black cab back to Rochdale train station and then make my way back to Manchester.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Great day out for the opening game of the season on a warm sunny day.
Rochdale v Southend United
Friday, April 18th, 2014, 3pm
League One
Tom Raffan (Southend United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
With us in sixth position in the League and hoping for the play-offs and Rochdale in second hoping to cement their place in the automatic promotion places, it was going to be an interesting encounter. In spite of the League standings, Southend tend to do well against teams at the top yet not against teams at the bottom (we had lost to Wimbledon the previous week who were fighting relegation) so it was even more important that we got maximum points.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took the supporters' bus to the game, which should have taken about five hours but due to an accident on the M1 ended up being closer to six, arriving at Spotland just before two. Obviously one of the benefits of going by coach is that parking is not an issue and we were dropped off outside the away stand.
3. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
This being my first visit to Spotland, I was surprised how different it was to how it looked television. It was peculiar that the gave what was, in my opinion, the best stand in the ground. It was by far the largest and was the one free of supporting pillars. The terrace spoiled the look of the ground somewhat, being significantly smaller than the other stands. Overall it was quite a nice ground, reminding of Roots Hall, although slightly less rundown! The
4. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Southend made a mockery of the league positions by beating winning comfortably 3-0, with goals in the 12th minute, 44th minute and 11 seconds after half time. As you would expect, with match like that the away stand was rocking, but very little noise from other areas of the ground. While the stand was not shared with home fans, but the 421 of us were put at the end closest to the terrace which could have generated a really good atmosphere had the game not been so one sided.
The stewards were generally friendly, with some banter between us and them, although in the back row, next to the netting, they seemed to get very agitated that somebody was standing in the aisle, in spite of the fact that he was obstructing nobody.
With regards to food, I intended to have a hot dog, however I was told that for that particular match they were only serving pies which was a bit of a disappointment.
5. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Although the coach was parked a little further away than where we were dropped off, it was easy to find and there was not too much traffic driving out of the city, and we made slightly better time on the return journey, arriving back home at about 10:45pm.
6. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A brilliant day, I agree with what it says in the guide that it is one of the best away days in the Football League. Certainly eleven and a half hours on a coach well spent and definitely one I'll do again!
Attendance 3,884 (421 away)
Rochdale v Southend United
League One
Friday, April 18th, 2014, 3pm
John and Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I visited this ground many years ago and I had heard reports that the ground had been improved since then. Rochdale were in 2nd place in the League and Southend 6th with 4 games to go so we expected a good match. Southend had managed to stay in a play-off place despite a 12 match winless run. Rochdale is only 60 miles from where I live in North Wales as a Southend exiled fan so a comfortable journey for me compared to the other Southend fans long trip up from Essex.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My son and I travelled to the game with my brother and his daughter as they had travelled up to us on the train the day before for an Easter visit. The trip was short work along the M56, M6, M62 and M627 and just over 1½ hours. The ground was easy to find and we arrived early and we even managed to park in Willbutts Lane, opposite the away fans entrance.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We were early so visited the Ratcliffe Arms on the main road, Sandy Lane which is within the car park entrance. We had conversed with local fans in Willbutts Lane and again in the Ratcliffe Arms whilst watching a premier rugby league match on a large tv screen and they were all particularly friendly, including the bar staff. It was a sunny dry day so we then sat in a little park opposite the ground and met up with another brother who had travelled up on a supporters coach.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground came into sight on our left having followed an easy sat nav route and it is a neat compact ground. The ground appeared clean and smart. The Sandy Lane end terrace is small and unusually, both ends behind the goals are occupied by home fans. Away fans sit in the Willbutts Lane stand with good seating and plenty of leg room. The Main Stand opposite appeared modern, with hospitality boxes incorporated within. We away supporters sat in a large stand but it was sectioned off for us to occupy half the stand from corner post Sandy Lane end to the halfway line. The views of the pitch are superb. The commentators area is high up to the rear of the Willbutts Lane stand and Ian Dowie was seen making his way up the stand on duty for Sky television. The pitch was dry and ground staff watered it just before the game and at half time, and it played well allowing both teams to play good football. The pitch looked good, given that rugby is also played at Spotland.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was played in warm sunshine. The atmosphere was a bit subdued as Rochdale started tentatively and a defensive slip led to Southend grabbing the lead. Rochdale were playing a fast passing game and hit the bar, but their threat was reduced when their leading goal scorer Hogan was injured and had to limp off. Southend scored a 2nd just before half time and then straight from the kick in the 2nd half to go 3 up. Southend fans were in good voice throughout given a much needed away win. There is a food service area within the stand, offering the usual pies and drinks at reasonable cost. I can recommend the hot and tasty meat and potato pies at £3, and the beef pies were also popular. The stewards were relaxed and particularly friendly, and you could sit anywhere. The only gripe I have is that the sound system is poor and no one around me could understand any announcements including the team list being read out. The match program of 70 pages was £3 and a reasonable read.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was no delay in getting away from the ground and we relied on satnav to take us on the short motorways journey back to North Wales.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
This was a good day out with a result that left Rochdale in the automatic promotion 3rd place and Southend still 6th with 3 games to go. Rochdale is a traditional football ground and good to visit with the most friendly fans and stewards I have ever met at an away ground anywhere.
Attendance 3,884 (421 away)
Rochdale v Sheffield United
League One
Tuesday, April 10th, 2012, 7.45pm
Kev Gascoigne (Sheffield United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had read the other reviews on the Football Grounds website and it sounded as though all visiting fans had enjoyed their visit, and the information on the site said that the acoustics on the away end were very good. As we were charging towards promotion, we quickly sold out our allocation of 3,700 tickets, so I was looking forward to a lot of noise and a good performance from the Blades to keep us ahead of our local rivals, Wednesday, who were hot on our heels for the promotion place back into the Championship.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
There were a few problems on each of the routes across the Pennines, which caused a few of our fans to be late, but my TomTom complete with Homer Simpson voice got us there in just over an hour (good old Homer!!). We arrived at about 6-40pm and found a very sneaky parking spot next to a now closed pub right alongside the away end. As we got out of the car, one of my passengers was finishing off his bottle of beer, and a couple of policemen came straight over, which we thought would mean trouble, but they were really good, telling him to finish it & leave the bottle in the car, then they advised us to head for the Studds bar attached to the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
The Studds bar is quite unusual, in that you actually enter the home area of the ground to get in to it. There was a good mix of home and away fans, and we quickly got served by a very friendly young lady behind the bar. We had a good chat with the locals, all of whom were expecting us to win, and were philosophical about their own chances of staying up. I truly hope that Rochdale get back up again quickly as it was a lovely bar with really friendly people and they are passionate about their team. We wished them well, and warned them that Ched Evans was on fire, and would need to be watched very closely.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Having only been once before to Spotland, back in the dark days of the 80’s when we slipped into the old 4th division, it was great to enter the ground and find it to be a good old traditional ground with a modern feel. The away end was packed with Blades, and there was a brilliant atmosphere. There were very few Rochdale fans in the 5,200 crowd, but they kept singing and enjoying the banter throughout, which is a great credit to them.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Although we always thought that this was a winnable game, you always have that niggling fear that it could turn out to be a banana skin, especially with the Dale needing the points to have any chance of staying up. The Blades looked really up for it though, and Ched hit the post in the first minute. Disaster then struck though, as our worst fears were realised and Dale broke away to score, a good header from a good cross. I personally wasn’t too worried, but there was definitely a tension amongst the fans, but this did not last long, as Kevin McDonald smashed home a half volley within two minutes of Dales goal. It was not too long before the Blades fans were in full voice and football ecstacy, as we built up a 4-1 lead before half time, with super Ched getting his 33rd and 34th goals of the season, and Willo scoring a tap in after good work by Quinny.
The atmosphere in the concourse at half time was electric, and as loud as I’ve ever heard during a half time break, as the Blades fans continued to sing and thoroughly enjoy the evening out. The second half was a bit of a damp squib football wise, with Doyle smashing in a 30 yarder to keep the Blades fans happy, but Rochdale must be commended for continuing to fight and make a game of it right to the end, scoring a second goal, which was cheered by the Blades fans who were thoroughly enjoying the banter with the home fans. They deserve great credit, and they are true football fans, as they are situated in an area with some big teams that they could support, but they are loyal to their team, even when they are rock bottom and getting a drubbing at home to a far superior side. The stewards and police handled the game very well, joining in the banter, and not trying to make 3.700 people sit down, which they had no intention of doing!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We got a flyer out of the ground and we were quickly back in the car, with the Homer telling us our estimated arrival time back in Sheffield was 11pm. Little did he know that we would still be stood in a queue of traffic within a mile of the ground some 40 minutes later! It appeared that every single Blade had brought their own car and were all heading in the same direction. Eventually, and very belatedly, a police car blocked off a set of lights that was causing all the hold ups, and within minutes we were back on the M62, but this should have been done much sooner. We didn’t really mind though, as we were all in very good moods having gone back to our rightful place above Wednesday!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A brilliant night out, with great local people, a great venue to drink in, fabulous atmosphere in the ground with good banter being exchanged with the brilliant Dale fans, and only 4 games to go, knowing that 3 wins and a draw would seal our promotion. These are the days that true football fans love, and the way that all games should be. Good luck to Dale, and hoping to meet you all again one day – in the Premiership!
Rochdale v Preston North End
League One
Monday, January 2nd, 2012, 1pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
In some ways, after a decade of Preston mixing things with the 'big boys' in the Championship, a visit to Spotland is a reality hammer blow that you really have come back down in the world. That said, it is also a derby match to a certain degree, hence a reasonable degree of anticipation.
Driving to the ground I found very straightforward following the directions on this website, and having got to Spotland in plenty of time, I found suitable parking almost right outside the ground on Willbutts Lane itself.
The clearly excellent chippy had too great a queue already, so due to the cold temperatures and young family in tow, I decided to get inside the ground and grab a hot drink. Although the seating is not unreserved, the stewards seemed to leave us well alone even though we were clearly not in our allocated seats; common sense perhaps prevailing that we had chosen our spot early to try guarantee our little one a half-decent view of the action.
The ground itself is a well modernised and tidy affair , and a healthy allocation for away supporters in a stand with no pillars to hinder the view, which is always a plus. Despite the 1pm kick-off, which I find often dampens an atmosphere, both sets of fans were quite vocal, and the banter flowed fairly freely between the home and away supporters.
I was glad however that we had dined before the match; anyone looking forward to a pie at half-time was to be sorely disappointed, as food stocks had run out. This seemed poor planning on someones part, as they would surely have expected a fairly high turn out. To have run out before half time seemed pretty unbelievable. As for the much vaunted pies, the one I ate before kick-off was okay, but nothing to justify the fuss they seem to get.
As a footballing spectacle, the match was average; bettered in every department by the atmosphere. Preston displaying exactly why they are so inconsistent, and the 'Dale struggling to get some points to lift themselves out of the dreaded drop zone. For the record, the match finished 1 – 1; but in truth, much as it pains me to say it, the Dale were the better side on the day and deserved all three points.
Traffic did not disperse too easily after the game, although whether that is in part due to the high number of away fans is hard to tell. It took at least half an hour before we reached the M62 and started to head over the Pennines in the twilight on the first part of our journey back to Kent.
Did I enjoy the day? I must have done; otherwise I wouldn't keep coming back for more after all these years!
Rochdale v Colchester United
League One
Saturday, October 15th, 2011, 3pm
Martyn Stimson (Colchester United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I first came to Rochdale with a Dale supporting friend of mine when doing the 92. He got us tickets for the play-off game against Darlington a few years ago. It was a great day out. A superb supporters’ bar, terracing and we got 120 minutes of entertaining and competitive football with goals, a sending off, then a penalty shoot out and a pitch invasion all for £12. It was one of my most memorable football trips and certainly the best value for money.
Rochdale is a proper football club and you know that any Rochdale fan is a true football fan, living in the shadow of so many other clubs but persisting with a team that continues achieving mediocrity. It’s what football is really about for me so this fixture was one I was really looking forward to.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Bus replacements around London made the train journey very unappealing so my wife and I decided to go by car. Relatively easy journey there coming off the M62 at J21 and heading towards the town centre. Rochdale council appear to have made all council car parks free at weekends, so that proved to be a bargain. The car park was about 10-15 minute walk from the ground and just on the edge of the town centre (near the Baum pub).
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Having parked up we walked back towards the station to meet up with others who had come by train (and bus replacements). We took in the Cask & Feathers, a short walk from the station, where they have a choice of ale and friendly service. From there we took in the Flying Horse Hotel which also had a decent range of ale and friendly staff and customers. Then we walked back to the Baum, which is my favourite pub in Rochdale with an excellent range of well kept ale. We got a couple of large taxis from there to the ground to speed things up – the taxi, which was a minibus, cost £5 between 9 of us! There is an excellent chip shop right outside the away turnstiles but the (friendly) stewards told us that the club weren’t allowing fans to take chips into the ground as from this year – the suggestion from the stewards was that the club should just buy the chip shop instead!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It’s a good looking ground with terracing behind the goal at the Sandy Lane End and three other all-seated stands. The away fans get one side to themselves. The view from the away end is excellent and it cost £20 to get in. Pies looked fantastic but I didn’t actually try one and there was Thwaites available inside (although unfortunately only smooth flow from cans).
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
I think Rochdale were without a key midfielder and have recently lost a striker so it may have been the right time to play them. Either way, Colchester started at a fantastic rate, dominating play and scoring 2 goals in the first 15 minutes with the Dale not actually making any attempt at our goal in the first 20 minutes. Unfortunately one of our centre halves was sent off after about 20 minutes (and we had no replacement on the bench) – it seemed harsh but certainly met the laws of the game, he was the last man the two players got their legs tangled and if the referee (or linesman in this case) sees it as a foul then the defender has to go.
This changed the game completely and allowed Rochdale to get back into the game a bit. They pulled one back just before half time and then 1 minute into the second half our only remaining centre half hobbled off injured – this was going to be a tough day. We had what seemed like a perfectly good goal disallowed and then a number of attacks broken down by what felt to me to be poor refereeing – I think it’s still a contact sport. Then Rochdale scored with a few minutes to go to earn a draw. Although it was hard on a Colchester team that I felt deserved far more from the game, I don’t begrudge Rochdale their point. However, they’ll need to improve on their performance today to compete effectively this season but I think (and hope) they’d be alright.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We walked back to the car amongst friendly fans from both clubs. It took about 10-15 minutes. We then drove back to the M62 without any real hold ups.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Rochdale town centre is a little run down but it has a lovely welcoming feeling about the town and in the pubs. The club itself represents what it really means to be a football fan in my opinion. It is a friendly club that continues to compete without throwing millions of pounds around and I highly recommend a visit for all true football fans whether it be supporting their club or just as a neutral as it really is a good day out. If I were to move to the north-west then Rochdale would be the club I’d visit more frequently that the others.
Rochdale v Northampton Town
League Two
Saturday, April 17th, 2010, 3pm
Tyler Jason (Northampton Town fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to this one, a proper ground! One of those long distance games where we wouldn't take a great deal, in terms of travelling support. Towards the end of the season, with us needing points to stay in the play off hunt and Rochdale needing a draw to seal promotion for the first time in 40 years. After Rochdale’s stumble in form it was more or less a given they’d wrap it up against us!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Went on a coach, set off at 9.30am and straight up the M1 and M62. Was easy enough to get up there, only slight hindrance was minor roadworks on the M62. Was there for 12.30pm in time for the Manchester derby. Ground situated in a residential area so somewhere to walk around pre match.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Booked a pub stop in the Ratcliffe Arms behind the Sandy Lane end to watch the derby. Very spacious and a good mix of home and away fans. The chippy outside the away end was fantastic but long queues! The home fans were very friendly and were in a very good mood, I suppose the prospect of finally being promoted helped!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Circled the ground a few times out of boredom and time killing. Smallish ground but very homely, unlike some of the out of town places that pop up everywhere now. The away end along the side of the ground was quite nice. Seemed a bit eerie with about 200 of us in a 4,000 stand however! Prices were a bit excessive also. £12 for a junior to watch League 2 football was by far the most expensive in the division, luckily we bumped into someone who had some complimentary tickets for free so it wasn't a problem! The TDS stand, which was the seated stand to our left was bigger than I expected from seeing it on the TV and fullish, the most imposing stand in the ground and made the most noise. I thought for a terrace the Sandy Lane end was very quiet.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game had a tinge of excitement and anticipation to it, with Rochdale expecting to wrap up promotion at Spotland. We were without the talisman Bayo Akinfenwa through injury (Was asked about four times before the game by Rochdale if he was playing, think they seemed a bit worried!) We started the better and had a couple of good half chances but midway through the first half we failed to clear a corner and Chris O’Grady rifled in a goal. Both sides had chances after that but neither could make them count and Rochdale won, and got their promotion, which was fully deserved as they were the best side I saw us play throughout the season. The stewards were fantastic throughout and we made some good atmosphere, as did they although surprisingly there wasn’t much of it flying between the two sets of supporters. Didn't eat inside the ground or use the toilets so couldn't comment.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was a bit tricky at first with the obvious promotion party but once we were out of Rochdale and a pub stop later, we were back home by 9.30pm finishing off a thoroughly enjoyable away day
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Was fantastic and would love to go back at some point. Only downside was the result but after whats been made of Rochdale and their lack of promotions in recent (and not so recent!) years it was nice to be there when they finally did it.