The Pioneer Foods (East) Stand on one side of the pitch, is a covered all-seated stand, which looks quite smart. This stand was opened in 1996 and has a capacity of 5,770. A section of this stand is allocated to away fans.
The other side is an old partly covered (to the rear) Main Stand, which has seating at the back and a terraced paddock to the front. The central part of this stand was built in 1954 and the wings were added at a later stage. This stand is the biggest at the stadium with a capacity of 7,130.
The Warwick Road End is a covered terrace that has a peculiar-looking roof, which consists of three triangular sections. This is the smallest stand at the stadium.
The other end, the Petterill End (aka The Waterworks End), is largely a small open terrace, which oddly contains a small section of seating on one side. This end is only used for the bigger games. On one side of this end is a Security Control Box, which also has a small electric scoreboard mounted below it. There is also a video screen situated at the back.
The ground also has some strange-looking floodlights that don’t have the normal bank of lighting on top of the pylon, but instead have the lights mounted up the side. Outside the ground entrance is a statue of former Carlisle favourite Hughie Mcllmoyle, who over three separate spells at the club, scored 91 goals in 189 appearances.
Another unusual aspect of the ground is that the central point of the East Stand, is located just off the half way line. This means that one side of the stand extends past the one goal line, whilst the other side falls short of this. This was due to the fact that the Club intended to re-build the whole ground and move the pitch a few yards further north, but alas the development funds ran dry.
Away fans are housed on one side of the Pioneer (East) Stand (towards the Waterworks End) where around 2,000 fans can be accommodated. This all-seated, covered stand is located at one side of the pitch and the view of the playing area is good. For larger games then the Waterworks End can also be used for away supporters.
The Carlisle Rugby Club next to Brunton Park on Warwick Road has a club bar which allows in away supporters and is family-friendly. Other nearby pubs include:
- Beehive – Warwick Rd, Carlisle CA1 1LH
- The Woodrow Wilson – 48 Botchergate, Carlisle CA1 1QS
- St Nicholas Arms – 47 London Rd, Carlisle CA1 2LE
On the concourse, food on offer includes pies, burgers, hot dogs and sausage rolls. Alcohol is served before kick off and at half time.
Take junction 43 on the M6 towards Carlisle and then take first exit at the roundabout onto the 69. From here the ground is just over a mile along Warwick Road.
The turnstiles for away fans is located near the Away Ticket Office at the back of the Pioneer Stand.
In April 2024, the club announced that new turnstiles in the corner of the Warwick Road End would be introduced at the start of the 2024/25 season.
The planning application said: “The existing access to the Warwick Road Stand is via a small turnstile block which leads to a small external yard from which the stand is accessed.”
The ground is easy to find. Leave the M6 at junction 43 and take the A69 towards Carlisle. After a mile, you will reach Brunton Park on your right. The club car park which costs £3, can be found by turning right immediately before Brunton Park (it is well advertised).
Otherwise, street parking is available in the local area but be careful of permit signs.
Post Code for SAT NAV: CA1 1LL
Brunton Park is 1.2 miles from Carlisle Railway Station. Directions from the club as follows –
“Head out of the station, cross the road, and locate Nando’s Restaurant on the crescent shaped corner adjacent to the first set of traffic lights. Walk down Warwick Road for about 1 mile and you will reach Brunton Park, situated on the left hand side.”
Alternatively, you could get a taxi from the railways station as there is a taxi rank next-door.
For fans wanting to stay overnight in reasonably priced accommodation, here are a couple of suggestions.
Carlisle ticket prices for the 2023/24 season:
Seated
- Adults: £23
- Seniors: £20
- Young person: £17
- Under 18s: £12
- Under 14s: £12
- Under 11s: £9
- Under 7s: £5
Terrace
- Adults: £20
- Seniors: £17
- Young person: £14
- Under 18s: £9
- Under 14s: £9
- Under 11s: £6
- Under 7s: £0
When Carlisle were formed they played their games out of the Millholme Bank ground but quickly outgrew the stadium. Eventually – after a brief spell at a nearby rugby ground – they moved into Brunton Park. Development of the Carlisle stadium have been few and far between with calamity like instances prompting most of the works. The early fifties saw the biggest rebuild as the original main stand went up in flames. Much smaller – but still highly infuriating issues – occurred in 2005 and 2015 as floods forced the club to play games elsewhere.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendances
27,500 v Birmingham City
FA Cup 3rd Round, 5th January 1957.
27,500 v Middlesbrough
FA Cup 5th Round, 7th February 1970.
Average Attendance
2022-2023: 6,452 (League Two)
2021-2022: 4,955 (League Two)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid)
2019-2020: 4,140 (League Two)
2018-2019: 4,712 (League Two)
2017-2018: 4,609 (League Two)
In 2011, Carlisle announced that they were looking at the possibility of leaving Brunton Park and moving to a new stadium. They set their sights on a new 12,000 capacity stadium but these plans were shelved in 2016.
In 2023, the club’s new American owners stated that they wanted to develop the current stadium. They plan to develop the east side of the stadium, the Warwick Road End and the west side of Brunton Park. Planning permission was submitted in January 2024.
As part of the renovation work, Brunton Park will become more modernised while capacity will be increased specifically in the East Stand – where the club’s most vocal supporters are situated. There will also be a new museum built.
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 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
Carlisle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
League One
Tuesday, November 5th 2013, 7.45pm
Jack Stanley (Wolves fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was a cold Tuesday night (usually the best away days), and the club had put on free coach travel for fans because not many of us were expected to make the 360 mile round trip to Carlisle and back on a Tuesday night. Plus I didn't have Uni or work the next day so I was up for it!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As previously mentioned, we used the free coach travel from Wolves. I drove us from Worcester and parked at Molineux, then the coach took us directly from Molineux to Brunton Park. It took about 4 hours overall (including the 30 min stop off at the Lancaster services I think it was).
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
There was about 12 coaches overall, and they all parked on this field right outside the away end. We got off and everyone headed straight into the stand. We had a couple of beers there and something to eat. The home atmosphere or fans weren't intimidating at all, so there was no safety concerns from any of us.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Brunton Park was actually bigger than I thought when I first got to my seat, I think it holds around 15,000 which is strange for a club that averages around 5-6,000 a season in League One. The stand we were in was quite big and all seated, the stand behind the goal to our left was a small terraced stand with a large, deep roof; I can imagine that when that stands' full a good atmosphere can be made. The 'Main Stand' opposite us had a strange lay out, the lower tier was terracing then the tier above was seating. The end to our right was again a small, uncovered terrace, but it gave me the impression that it isn't used much unless away teams take around 2,500 plus with them to Brunton Park.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Going into the game we were in 2nd place, 3 points behind surprise leaders Leyton Orient and three ahead of 3rd place Peterborough. But we had a game in hand of both teams, so the Carlisle game was our chance to pick up three points and put the pressure on. While Carlisle were struggling and just two points above the drop zone at the opposite end of the table. We had endured a solid if unspectacular start to the season under Kenny Jackett, winning most of our games but far from the finished article and playing free flowing football.
As I expected, it was a scrappy start to the game with both teams struggling to take control. I should mention that the pitch was immaculate, and any team that plays good football would have loved it on there. Leigh Griffiths was allowed time to swivel and play in Bakary Sako through on goal, and he let loose from just outside the edge of the area and the ball swerved into the far bottom corner. We were right behind it, and it was a sweet strike. However as what happened a lot this season when we went 1-0 up (we scored first in most of our games), we didn't press on and Prince Buaben curled a beautiful effort from 20 yards into the far top corner giving Ikeme no chance after he was allowed the time to turn. However, James Henry curled in a terrific cross from the left and Leigh Griffiths' nodded it back across goal off the far post and it eventually rolled in on the stroke of half-time. From where we were stood, it looked as though it had hit the post and rolled away, so we were surprised when the players ran off celebrating. I thought to myself 'right we're 2-1 up at HT, let's really press on 2nd half and cruise ahead'.
The hosts' came out determined in the second half and deservedly drew level 10 mins into the second half when Liam Noble fired home from the spot after Lee Evans had chopped someone down as they were about to score from about 5 yards out. It was yet another set back, and I have to admit Carlisle played some decent football, as do most teams in this league do to be fair. We were very poor second half and hardly created anything, we even had to turn to Jamie O'Hara to try and save the day, and he and Jake Cassidy both went close near the end but it wasn't to be. Although we didn't play well at all in the second half (mainly resulted to lumping it up to our strikers), you have to credit Carlisle who were determined and dogged, and stuck right in there to take a deserved point, and they certainly didn't look like a team battling relegation. If they play like that for the rest of the season they'll finish comfortable mid table. I thought Buaben and Amoo stood out for them, a lot of Carlisle's dangerous moments coming through these two. Max Ehmer was a rock at the back also, and won everything in the air.
As it always is at Wolves' games, the atmosphere from our fans was very good, apart from a spell in the second half when we were under a bit of pressure. This wasn't helped by our teams' play either, who failed to create anything clear cut in the second half, and to be honest we only looked like scoring maybe twice.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We were that disappointed with the second half showing that we were going to applaud the players at the end of the game but decided not to, so we walked out with a couple of minutes to go and sat on the coach. The coach pulled away from Brunton Park at approx 9:50 (15 mins after Full Time), and the traffic around Carlisle wasn't bad at all. We got back to Molineux at about 12:30am which wasn't bad at all, I was expecting 1am at the latest. I then drove us back from Molineux, and we got back home to Worcester at about 1:30am (could have been sooner but for police patrolling the A449).
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Considering we left Worcester at about 12pm on the Tuesday afternoon and didn't return till 1:30am on the Wednesday morning, it had been a very fun day out, and everything was very good barring the result (as usual). I did say after the game "well at least we probably won't have to come back here again next season", but if we play like that for the rest of the season we will be! (unless Carlisle get relegated). I said that though in the heat of disappointment after the game, but if we did play Carlisle away again I'd probably go back.
Carlisle United v Newport County
League Two
Tuesday 10th March 2020, 7.45 pm
Phil Ball (Doing the 92)
Carlisle United v Bradford City
League Two
Thursday 26th December 2019, 3pm
Harry (Bradford City)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Brunton Park?
It was a new ground for myself and with us selling over 1500 tickets it was bound to be a good day out.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground is just off the motorway which makes it very easy to find.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I travelled on a supporters coach and with there being four other coaches they had pre-booked a large pub a couple of miles outside the town centre. Unfortunately upon exiting the M6, we were instantly pulled over by the police and then escorted to The Magpie pub near the ground. The pub was great and great staff but its definitely not designed to fit 6 coaches of football fans inside it. Whoever from Cumbria police had that idea needs to rethink next time there's a decent away following. Shortly after arrival at the pub, the empty coaches were then escorted to the ground meaning everyone had the 10 minute walk to the ground even some OAP's and children.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
It's an old fashioned stadium which I love. With each stand different from each other its was certainly a unique stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A 0-0 draw which sums up our season with the lack of a goalscorer. Stewards seemed friendly enough and didn't mind a decent proportion of us standing throughout the game. The only criticism I'd give of my experience inside the ground was the fact they refused to sell us beer until half time which was strange.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The coaches are parked right outside the away and after a 20 minute hold up by the police we were escorted back to the M6.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A decent day out ruined by the police really and I think if I went again I'd definitely drive so we have more freedom of where to drink and when to leave.
Carlisle United v Lincoln City
League Two
Friday 19th April 2019, 3pm
Matthew McCaughan (Lincoln City)
Carlisle United v Lincoln City
League Two
Friday 19th April 2019, 3pm
Leo C (Lincoln City)
Carlisle United v Mansfield Town
League 2
Saturday 5th January 2019, 3pm
Jack Richardson (Mansfield Town)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Brunton Park?
I hadn't visited Carlisle since 2003 so a visit was well overdue, it was set up to be a cracker as well as we were heading into this as the only team in the top four divisions not to lose away from home yet. Carlisle had also just put together five wins on the bounce.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We opted to drive and left Mansfield shortly after 10am. A 170-mile journey via A1, A66 and M6 had us arrive in Carlisle shortly before 1pm. There are many streets around the ground which were all permit holders only for parking, however, we did find space on a modern development near the Premier Inn. We did notice the local Rugby Club had parking available at £3.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We headed to the Beehive which is opposite the stadium. It is a Greene King pub which had good food available and was popular with home and away fans (there was a sign stating no away fans however the doorman let us in). I spoke to a few home fans who were friendly and all seemed very miffed at manager John Sheridan leaving the club only the day before.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
It hasn't changed since my last visit and one of the few grounds left in the country that has character. The away end is good, the stand in which away fans are housed does overlap the length of the pitch but you get a big enough allocation to ensure this doesn't hamper your view. Only three stands are in use, the open terrace is closed. Home fans occupy the covered terrace behind the goal, the main stand which has a mixture of standing and seating and also share the modern all seated stand in which we were.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game got off to a quick start, two quick Carlisle goals on the counter saw us go into half time 2-0 down. We had a man sent off at half time so it was pretty much game over. We did come back into it in the second half but unfortunately went onto lose 3-2 against an excellent Carlisle side. The home fans didn't make much noise but there were a few pockets of fans attempting to generate an atmosphere. If home fans were to have grouped together they could have made a right racket. The facilities were good, stewards low key and friendly. Alcohol was available in the ground as well as a range of hot food.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was easy, a 5-minute walk back to the car and we were on our way. A little bit of traffic getting out as everyone seemed to be heading along Warwick Road towards the M6 but it wasn't a hold-up. We arrived back into Mansfield shortly before 8pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite the result an enjoyable return to Brunton Park. One of the better grounds in League 2 which is full of character. Given the performance by the home side I think we'll be seeing them very soon (hopefully with us both in League 1).
Carlisle United v Crewe Alexandra
League Two
Saturday 13th January 2018, 3pm
Ian Rose (Doing The 92)
Carlisle United v Sheffield Wednesday
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 6th January 2018, 3pm
Adrian Hurst (Sheffield Wednesday fan)
Carlisle United v Coventry City
League 2
Saturday 30th December 2017, 3pm
Frank Alsop (Coventry City fan)
Carlisle United v Morecambe
League 2
Saturday 25th November 2017, 3pm
Stuart (Morecambe fan)
Carlisle United v Plymouth Argyle
Football League Two
Saturday 13th August 2016, 3pm
Louis Sanderson (Plymouth Argyle fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Brunton Park Ground?
Normally I wouldn't have considered such a long trip to see Argyle, but my mate's friend had spare seats in his car as he was travelling up, so I decided to pop along and watch. Proper dedication for the longest trip in the Football League!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was quite long but straightforward. We left on the Torpoint ferry next to Plymouth at 6am, from which on we took the A38 to Exeter, M5 to the Midlands and then the M6 up to Carlisle. We left the M6 at Junction 42 if I remember correctly and worked our way to the ground. We parked in the section at the ground for away supporters (£2.50). Simple stuff.
Back Of The East (Away) Stand
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We took in the sights before we went in. This was the furthest North I've ever been! We didn't speak to any home fans before we went in really. We picked up the programme for a reasonable £2. I was searched on entry and had my cans of energy drink taken away; should have brought my coffee flask!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
I thought that Brunton Park was very nice in my opinion. A very nice mix of old and modern giving it an interesting feel/look. The away stand was reasonably sized and we had a pick of where to sit.
Inside Brunton Park
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was poor from Argyle's point of view, little chances created, and even poorer at the back. Carlisle got a worthy 1-0 win.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We got caught up in the traffic leaving the ground lasting around twenty minutes, but as soon as we got out of the ground it was plain sailing back home, getting back to Plymouth around 12:30pm and home at 1am.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I really enjoyed the trip despite the result and would recommend Brunton Park for anyone. Don't let the distance put you off!
Carlisle United v Oxford United
Football League Two
Saturday 30th April 2016, 3pm
Rob Pickett (Oxford United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Brunton Park?
This was the business end of the season and a must win game to stay in the automatic promotion places. I had never been to Brunton Park and was real ly looking forward to visit.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Coming from Sheffield by car, my journey should have been easier than many Oxford fans. However, on the M61 northbound a major traffic incident had the motorway closed for an hour. Finding Brunton Park is very easy, being near the motorway and I availed myself with parking at the ground itself for a reasonable £2.50.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Being late I couldn't meet at the pub my friends and I had planned. So went into the home supporters only Beehive Pub on Warwick Road, as I didn't have colours showing. This was packed, but easy going atmosphere. Decent real ale on tap.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
Brunton Park is fairly impressive. The two side stands were large. Each end the terracing was more limited, If Carlisle were to progress up the leagues, then the stadium has room for expansion.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Good game and as Oxford had taken 2,300 fans – the atmosphere was cracking. Whilst Carlisle were not going to make the play-offs, they still gave it a go and looked useful going forward. However, Oxford had the impetus for most o f the match and were good value for the win. I chatted to a few stewards during the game. Whilst visible, they were low key. Other facilities were typical League Two standard.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Parking at the ground meant, surprisingly, a reasonably quick getaway. I'd recommend that for visiting fans.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
From an Oxford perspective – great. That said, Carlisle is worth the long journey for away fans and is to be recommended.
Carlisle United v Stevenage
Football League Two
Saturday 20th February 2016, 3pm
James Walker (Stevenage fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Brunton Park?
It's difficult to say whether I was looking forward to this game or not. This was especially as it meant nearly a whole day of travelling just to watch us at a ground where I've never known us to do well. However it was another one of the 92 to tick off the list so that's one positive about it. Also it had been well known that Carlisle had been badly affected by the floods recently and I was looking forward to seeing how the locals had recovered from the devastation a short while ago. But the pre-match mood was mixed with some people thinking we would be able to pick up another win in the post-Teddy Sheringham era, but others (including me) were already accepting another defeat at a ground where we have lost on every visit since 2005.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey was easy as I took the supporters coach. An 8.30am departure from Stevenage saw us arrive at Brunton Park for just before 2pm, and the coach parked right outside the away end.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went for a walk around the ground to get a look at it, stretch my legs and find the club shop, which I eventually found around the other side of the stadium. There are some steep steps that lead up to the shop but a ramp around the back for disabled supporters. In the shop I bought the badge (£2.95) and several copies of the matchday programme (£2 each) as well as a copy of the recent Carlisle v Everton FA Cup programme for my Everton supporting mate. The shop staff are among the friendliest around, as are the locals.
View From The Away Section
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
The away supporters are housed in the big modern stand along one side of the stadium that's also shared with home supporters. There is a section in front of the seated stand and another one next to the terrace for disabled supporters and carers. The home goal is a decent sized terrace, whilst the stand opposite us reminded me of the stand at Bristol Rovers with the top terrace being all seating and an uncovered terrace below either side of the tunnel.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was poor from both sides with the first half being a tale of few chances, us having the better of them. However the Half Time whistle sounded with the game still goalless. The second half continued in the same poor fashion and our defence seemed to fall asleep,which finally cost us in the 59th minute as Jabo Ibehre somehow found himself in miles of space in the 6 yard box to head home a long throw. We finally seemed to wake up with 10 minutes to go and had several good chances to equalise but couldn't seem to turn our good play in t goals, and Carlisle held on for the points. The toilets were spacious and clean with good working hand dryers which seems to be a bonus in this league, but the catering was very poor as they only provided sandwiches for the away supporters. No hot food at all. The stewards were simply brilliant, and were chatting with a few of us through the game and were very interested in hearing all about our season along with tales from previous seasons. Very pleasant to talk to.
The Petterill Terrace
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away was easy as we came out of the away end, turned right and the coach was there waiting for us, leading to a very quick getaway for a long journey home, eventually arriving back at the Lamex for just before 11pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall this was an average away day with not too much to cheer about but this was to be expected. However there were positives including the friendly locals & stewards and seeing how well the town looks after the flood damage. Apart from the odd bit, you wouldn't be able to guess the scale of the damage if you didn't know about it based on how good it looks now. Well done to all involved in picking the town up again, and not just the football club.
Half Time Score: Carlisle United 0-0 Stevenage
Full Time Result: Carlisle United 1-0 Stevenage
Attendance: 4,780 (118 Away Fans)
Carlisle United v Everton
FA Cup 4th Round
Sunday 31st January 2016, 1.30pm
Bobby Rooney (Everton fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Brunton Park ground?
I was actually quite disappointed to be visiting Carlisle, but solely for the of having my heart set for playing Yeovil, who Carlisle defeated in the replay on penalties. However, this had all the makings of a classic cup tie, with a fairytale feeling too it, given the very sad scenes, which resulted in Carlisle being engulfed by a flood, just a month prior to playing this fixture. This meant that Carlisle United had to play 'home' games, in neutral venues across the North-West. A sell out crowd for this FA Cup tie showed how united their town was and it was great to see. I was still excited to visit Carlisle (despite what I'd just said), as a few years earlier, they had ran us close in the 3rd round, at Goodison (with Everton needing two goals in the last five minutes to avoid a replay), and on that day their fans were very boisterous, so it would be nice to visit a ground I hadn't visited before, and a very old one at that, the open terrace was an added bonus and I was as a result, very excited.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Our journey was a very simple one, leaving my house at 9:30am, we collected a friend on the way, and were well on our way, just under two hours later we'd reached Cumbria, and after a quick stop, we arrived in Carlisle by 12:30. Brunton Park is located quite close to the M6 motorway, so it was very easily to find. With a sell out crowd, all of the street parking adjacent to the houses on the main road, was full (this should not be a huge concern when playing in League, I'd imagine), so we settled for a paid car park (£3), and were within a stones throw of the ground, which was ideal.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We decided beforehand we'd try and stop on the way, so we could enjoy breakfast and a pint, without any possibility of not getting in anywhere in Carlisle itself, due to colours/overcrowding. So we decided to stop in Penrith, only a few miles before Carlisle (when approaching from South), where we'd found a Wetherspoons in advance. However, to our dismay (we should have known really!) we were not the only ones with this idea, with six Evertonian coachloads already outside, so we continued into the town, and stopped for Breakfast at the Board & Elbow, where we all bought a Large Breakfast (£5), which was actually unfinishable (However, it was delicious, and highly recommended!), beer prices were approximately £3 for San Miguel and £2.90 for Carling.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
Upon first viewing of the ground, I saw exactly what I was expecting, a traditional old ground, with great character, set within the boundary of plenty of greenery. We walked around to the away section, to be greeted by a very tinny tannoy, which for me, was another stereotypical feature of a classic cup tie, at a much smaller club. The ground didn't disappoint. Steeped in history, Brunton Park oozes character and I almost felt like I was stood in the 1950's when looking at the 'Main' Stand, with a very noisy terrace guarding a very tight players tunnel, and the terrace behind the goal seemingly going back a fair distance with more noisy Carlisle fans, this is what the cup is all about. I couldn't wait for the game to start. 3,600 away fans were housed behind one goal, and along the side of a fairly modern single tiered stand (I was curious to why the stand overran the away standing terrace, yet stopped short of reaching the home supporters side of the ground).
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was over before it really began, Everton scored within the first 90 seconds, capitalising on some slack Carlisle defending, and whilst Carlisle pushed again to try and get straight back into it Everton scored again through Aaron Lennon, 2-0, and Everton effectively killed the tie. Carlisle continued to try and cause a few problems, but they were all easily dealt with by Everton. The most amusing moment of the match was probably when the Everton fans in the seating area decided to start a singing match with the Everton fans on the terrace. The second half pretty much followed same suit as the first, with Everton just holding their own, and eventually scoring a third through Ross Barkley, via a deflection. Asamoah caused problems all day for Everton, he was a real handful, and probably their man of the match on the day, but it finished 3-0, and Everton comfortably qualified for the 5th round, where we'll face Bournemouth, out to seek revenge for the agonising 3-3 draw, back in November.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting back to the car was very simple, and we were straight into the queue for leaving and getting onto the motorway, but annoyingly got stopped by police waiting for the official Everton fan coaches to leave, and had to wait 15 minutes before getting back on our travels, 2hours later, we arrived back in Liverpool.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall we've had a very enjoyable day out in Carlisle, aside from getting soaked on the terrace, Everton ran out comfortable winners, and we got to experience a different stadium, oozing with character. Onwards Evertonians as the saying goes… lets see how this cup run goes! Thanks for the amazing website again Duncan! A necessity before visiting any new ground!
Carlisle United v Portsmouth
Football League Two
Saturday 21st November 2015, 3pm
Steve Burghard (Portsmouth fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Brunton Park?
Carlisle's Brunton Park is one of the longest journeys that Pompey supporters have to make and, in thirty plus years of supporting the club, it was one trip I had never made. So my son and I decided that this season would be the one where we made the effort.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
After a six and a half hour drive, having left the M6 and turned onto the A69 (Warwick Road), just a few minutes later we passed the ground on our left. We had booked into a nearby hotel (The Cumbria Park) for the night, so parked in the hotel car park and walked back into town. The ground was very easy to find again from there.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We spent a few hours before the game in the William Rufus, one of the two Wetherspoons pubs in the town centre (the other being the Woodrow Wilson, about three doors along)! Amongst the large mix of Carlisle and Pompey fans, the home fans, as well as the bar staff were very friendly, most being impressed that so many of us had made the long trek north.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Brunton Park?
Being a Pompey fan, I'm not too enamored with the "flat pack" modern stadiums we are all used to seeing around the country, with Fratton Park being as far removed from them as it is possible to be. Therefore, with Brunton Park, it was great to see one the older type of stadiums oozing with the same old school character which our own ground possesses. Away fans are seated at one end of the impressive Pioneer East Stand and, although the sun was quite blinding in the first half, as it began setting behind the end Pompey were attacking, the view was still very good. The rest of the ground is very similar to Fratton, although the open terrace end (Pettrill End) looked a little bit sorry for itself.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a slight travesty, as Pompey dominated it for large periods only to be denied an obvious penalty, given a dubious penalty against them, and then having to settle for a 2-2 draw, after a "worldy" lob from about 40 yards out from the Carlisle full back, with virtually the last kick of the game, denied us a 2-1 win. The stewards could not have been friendlier throughout the entire match, and the food kiosk staff were very well organised and polite.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As we were on foot, the walk back to the city centre afterwards couldn't have been easier. Brunton Park is very well situated for both travellers by car, train or foot!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out amongst some of the friendliest locals I've ever encountered on a Pompey away day. It is a bit upsetting, by the way, to think that just a few weeks later, Warwick Road (which is what we traversed to get back to town) was deluged under all that flood water, along with the ground itself of course. The people of Carlisle don't deserve such bad luck, and I wish them all the very best of luck as they recover from this.
Carlisle v Exeter City
Football League Two
Saturday 17th October 2015, 3pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to visting Brunton Park?
This was my third visit to Brunton Park and almost certainly one I do enjoy, even though being an Exeter supporter the travelling takes up most of the day!
2. How easy was your journey and finding the ground?
The journey to the ground was straight forward, as aways I travelled up on the supporters coach, leaving Exeter at 6am, arriving in Carlisle just before 1pm. The coach dropped us off right outside the away turnstiles.
3. What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?
On arrival I was able to purchase my programme, (those who run the supporters coach are given a number so a pre order of those can be made and a Carlisle official will meet the coach). The bar of the rugby club next door is available for visiting fans and I've been told it's quite reasonable. Myself and a few others took the 15 minute walk along Warwick road, turning left into Botchergate where there is the Woodrow Wilson Wetherspoons, the William Rufus Lloyds bar which was our choice on this occasion, and the Griffin, all of which do good ales. All three pubs can also get busy on match day. The home fans I encountered were friendly.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of ground?
The stadium is very traditional in appearance, the away fans are housed in the far end of the modern Pioneer East Stand which is covered and with no supporting pillars offers a good view of the pitch. For larger away followings the Petterill End can be made available, this is an open terrace which also includes an area for disabled supporters. The Warwick Road is all terraced, the main stand has terracing on the lower tier with seating above and also more extended seating at each end of the stand.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.
The game was a not a classic match, chances few and far between going in at half time locked at 0-0. Carlisle eventually went on to win 1-0. The atmosphere was good, with both sets of supporters singing. The stewards were good and very low key. Refreshments were averagely priced, alcoholic beverages priced at £3.90. The toilets were also clean
6. Comments on getting away from the ground after the game.
Getting away afterwards, the coach was waiting behind the east stand where it dropped us off. As you'd expect, traffic is slow when leaving the ground but once back on the motorway it was easy going. We got back to Exeter at around 11.30pm
Attendance: 4,021 (130 Exeter fans)
Carlisle United v Oxford United
League Two
Saturday, October 25th 2014, 3pm
Jake Hardiman (Oxford United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
At 280 miles from my house, Carlisle would be the furthest league away day of Oxford's season. This would also be my first away day with the yellows, and the start of my family holiday in the countryside of the border counties.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Although it was a long trek with an early start, the journey (on the train via Birmingham New Street) was a smooth and comfortable one, and we arrived into Carlisle's impressive station just after 11am (somewhat earlier than most (if not all!) of the travelling contingent, due to having to pick up a hire car for the holiday which followed). After a leisurely lunch, we had ample time to walk to the ground, which we found easily enough.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy….home fans friendly?
Having already eaten, we simply walked around the ground in order to take in the different stands of varying ages. It was also interesting to see a statue of Hughie McIlmoyle outside the ground, and not legendary goalkeeper Jimmy Glass, whose famous last minute winner saved the Cumbrians from relegation to the conference in the '90s (then again, he was only a loan signing). The home fans seemed friendly enough, and, along with the staff, were very helpful in directing us round to the away ticket office.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of the away end then other sides of the ground?
I was impressed and interested by the variety of different stands present at Brunton Park. Away fans are housed in the East "Pioneer Foods" Stand, a large, all seater stand which, interestingly doesn't line up with the pitch. This stand is shared with home fans, and to the right of it is the Petteril End, which is a low, uncovered terrace, which can be used by away fans if demand is sufficient. On this occasion, the away fans were housed solely in the East Stand, but plenty of yellow and blue banners were hung on the terrace railings. Opposite the East Stand is the Main Stand, which runs along the pitch's West touchline, and is made up of a terraced lower tier and a seated upper tier. Behind the other goal, to the left of the away end, is the Warwick Road Terrace, which is covered by an obscure roof made up of three triangular sections. This was where the most vocal of the Carlisle fans seemed to be situated.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a slow burner, and it was easy to tell why Oxford and Carlisle were two teams at the wrong end of the table in the opening exchanges, with many a pass going astray. However, both teams eventually settled into the game, with Oxford's leading scorer Danny Hylton bagging the game's first goal right on half time. Frustratingly, Oxford were unable to hold the lead, conceding in the 73rd and 89th minutes and condemning themselves to yet another away defeat. An impressive 362 yellows fans (in a total attendance of 4,392) made the long journey up from Oxfordshire, and we created a decent atmosphere, more than making up for the lack of noise emanating from the home end (until they scored, when this pattern was effectively reversed!).
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
This was quick and easy, with both sets of fans able to mix freely without any trouble whatsoever. The traffic outside the ground wasn't exactly flying along, but this was more down to some very harshly timed traffic lights, and so not really worth complaining about.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out, if somewhat frustrating, but, once again, one that I really enjoyed-hopefully the first of many away days with the Yellow Army!
Carlisle United v Southend United
League Two
Saturday, August 23rd 2014, 3pm
John & Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
We had visited Brunton Park before but not for a whilere and it was nice to have a chance to make the trek in good weather rather than the depths of winter.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As we live in North Wales it was a simple trip via M56, M6 and A69, and it must be one of the easiest grounds to find. It was still a 300 mile round trip for us, but so much easier than for Southend fans, making the round trip of 680 miles. This was a Bank Holiday weekend, so roads were busy with some traffic congestion at the link roads to Blackpool and Lake District.
On nearing Brunton Park, we ignored a car parking sign for £3 on the right just before the stadium, but elected instead to park at the ground itself which cost £2.50p. The car park is situated alongside a golf club and is a pleasant area. The only downside is that stewards deny exit for about 15 minutes at the end of the game to enable pedestrians to make their way out safely. There are also signs warning of it being liable to flood!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
It was a pleasant sunny day apart from the odd light rain shower, so we sat in our car for a packed lunch, and listened to sports and football updates on the radio, and read the 48 page official match day programme, costing a reasonable £2.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The outside of the ground behind the Story Homes Stand has been tidied up and landscaped from the car park with plenty of grass and sets of steps leading to the turnstiles. On entering the stadium, you notice the scruffy open terrace behind the one goal. This used to be the away end, but nowadays it is rarely used. The old Main Stand has been developed over the years with smaller sides added to each end. Away fans share the Story Homes Stand opposite, which is clean and modern with good viewing of the pitch. There is ample leg room too. As it was August, the pitch was pristine and lush looking.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a hard fought draw, typical of early season games, with plenty of effort, but players still settling in for the long haul of 46 league games. Southend were playing good neat football but went behind on 43 minutes to a cracking header from Anthony Sweeney after good work on the wing and a sublime cross. Carlisle had a loan player Jack Marriott constantly worrying the Southend defenders.
On the stroke of half-time Conor Clifford hit a 25 yarder just inside the post to level the game. The atmosphere was subdued as not too much to get excited about for the relatively small crowd. The Story Homes Stand has good acoustics and Southend fans led by a drummer did their best. The food area below the stand was popular and the usual selection of pies, burgers and hot-dogs were not the cheapest I have seen but they seemed to being selling well. The stewards were hardly noticed which is always a good sign, and pleasant when spoken to.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
There was a delay of about 15 minutes before we could drive from the ground Road was heavily congested with traffic from the city centre as well as football supporters.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A pleasant day out, spoiled only by the frustration of losing two points in a game that Southend edged in terms of attacking chances. We also omitted to book our tickets in advance, which could have saved us £3 each, worth bearing in mind for other travelling fans.
Attendance: 3,847 (269 away fans)
Carlisle United v Sunderland
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday, July 22nd 2014, 7.30pm
Rory Murphy (Sunderland fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
From the images it looked an interesting stadium and it would be my first trip there. It would also be a chance to check out our new signings
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
It was relatively easy to find Brunton Park, parking was £3 and it was a 5-10 minute walk from the stadium
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
There wasn't many pubs around, so we headed straight to the stadium, no trouble from the Carlisle fans.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Ground was really interesting and had loads of character, The Warwick Road End was terrific with an unusual roof, the Main Stand also was unique with a top tier of seats and a terrace on the bottom. The away end was fairly modern and there were no problems.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game from a Sunderland fans point of view was disappointing with no regular first team players, or our new signings being included to play. After an hour we made nine changes, bringing on mostly Under 21's. On of these subs, Mikael Mandron scored the only goal of the game, giving the away side a 1-0 win. The atmosphere from the 1,100 Sunderland fans was good, but Carlisle's support was poor considering they brought 6,000 to Sunderland earlier in the season. Stewards wouldn't let us stand which I thought was strict considering it was only a friendly. We queued for half an hour to get a burger before the game.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No problems getting away and it took us only an hour and half to get home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was an interesting ground to visit with plenty of character. Although it was disappointing not to see our first team players, it was interesting to see some of the up and coming youngsters.
Carlisle United v Preston North End
League One
Tuesday, March 20th 2012, 7.45pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
For most fans of Preston North End, a trip to Carlisle isn't ridiculously far, but for my noble self living in Kent, my sanity was called into question for attempting this fixture!
However as a self-confessed driving enthusiast, the drive up north on a Tuesday for a midweek derby under the floodlights was all part of the anticipation and fun. I departed just after the morning peak to allow plenty of time for a relaxed drive with no pressures, and once the M6 winds north of Preston towards Lancaster and beyond the scenery is most delectable, especially through the Lune Gorge and Tebay.
Once I descended towards Carlisle, I found that junction 43 off the M6 leading onto the A69 was pretty gridlocked, so using local knowledge and expertise gained from previous visits, I quickly wheeled round the roundabout and popped back to Junction 42, gaining access to Carlisle via the A6. At a major set of traffic lights I turned right (signposted Hexham A69) , followed it to the end and then turned left onto the A69 and almost immediately found a place to park car on a raised piece of isolated pavement to the left within sight of the ground. This route was trouble free, and parking as I did saved the £2-50 wanted at the ground, although such a price does compare favourably with other stadiums.
Rumour has it that Carlisle are to entertain a new ground out of town; if so, this is a shame, as Brunton Park is a wonderful mix of stands, with a new stand along one side of the pitch, part of which is given to away support, the 'home' terrace at the Warwick Road End with its quirky 3 pitch gable roof, the middle one being larger than the others, the Grandstand opposite the new stand with its terraced paddock in front of it, and winged additions either side, and finally the uncovered Petterill Terrace that seems largely unused these days.
Even the floodlights are worthy of particular comment; most traditional floodlight pylons have a square or rectangular shaped frame mounted at the top to which the lights themselves are fitted. Not so at Brunton Park, the floodlights are just fixed to the top, of the tapered pylons themselves, giving and extra dimension of quirkiness to the ground at this northern outpost of English League football.
There is nothing quite like a derby match at night under floodlights; watching your town's mercenaries take on another town's mercenaries in gladiatorial combat with the crowd baying in anticipation. This fixture did not disappoint, with the away support in full voice making full use of the acoustics in the new stand, and plenty of full-blooded tackles on the pitch. It being a derby game too, there was a fairly noticeable police presence , but fortunately the atmosphere which was crackling, never boiled over so the police had little to do.
As a spectacle, the match was poor on quality, but pride counts for far more in derby games, so we North Enders took pride in a 0-0 draw garnered through some pretty desperate if brave defending.
After the match. I retraced the route i took, which seemed a wise call as most traffic was staying in a queue on the A69, so I exited Carlisle fairly traffic free towards Junction 42 of the legendary M6 and back south.
I loved every second of it.
Carlisle United v Southampton
League One
Saturday, November 13th 2010, 3pm
Aaron Kempson (Southampton fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was very much looking forward to this game. After several years of visiting Premier league and Championship grounds I knew that this game wouldn’t be the prettiest game at a world class Stadium, however something about travelling the length of the country on a cold November's day somehow appealed to me and those I travelled with.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We used the Southampton Supporters coach to get to the game. And despite the huge distance travelled it didn’t seem like a bad journey, due to traffic being fairly kind and leaving early in the morning. However when we got to Carlisle it took an age to get the short distance from the motorway to the ground. Mostly due to traffic. However it seemed fairly easy to find.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
A group of us tried to get into the Beehive Pub and then the Rugby Club for a couple of beers before the game. However because we where wearing our ‘colours,’ we were turned away. This was very disappointing after craving a beer for the whole seven hours travelling up. Nevertheless we did get a beer in the ground. A pint of Fosters from the pump was only £2.50 or a can of Strongbow was the same. We managed to sink a couple of beverages before the start of the game and indulged in a rather disappointing burger in the process. However at half time they had ran out of all drinks (even soft drinks). As they clearly couldn’t cope with the demand of a thousand away supporters.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground itself is abit weird looking. The stand that the away fans are located in over runs the length of the pitch, meaning that a number of fans had a disappointing view. However we where quite close to the home supporters and our seats weren’t too bad. There are two lots of terracing behind each goal. One is for away fans when needed. Which was empty for this particular match. The other is for home fans at the far end of the ground, this stand looks very dated and old, but is very different to anything else I have seen on my away travels. The Main Stand opposite also had a ‘different’ look about it. With some terracing in front and what looked like seated stands that had been dumped on top.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The game itself was a shocker as far as we’re concerned. Sloppy defending and an own goal cost us dear in a 3-2 defeat. Saints fans created a good atmosphere but Carlisle supporters where quite disappointing, with only a handful actually making any noise, and when they where singing it was usually abusive towards the Saints supporters.
The stewards where very reasonable and allowed us to stand all game and where quite helpful. The toilets and concourse where of a reasonable standard and fairly clean and tidy. We where even allowed out of the ground at half time for a cigarette.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game we got away fairly easily from the ground and embarking on the long trip home after a disappointing game. We would arrive home in the early hours of Sunday morning.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Although the match was bad from our point of view I enjoyed the day out. The coach trip was quite fun, with onboard entertainment as well as good company. I‘m sure that one day Saints will rise again into the Premiership and I will be able to look back on this day as a good experience. Despite the result, I certainly don’t regret attending this match.
Carlisle United v Newcastle United
Pre-season Friendly
Saturday, July 17th 2010, 1pm
Tom Whitehead (Newcastle United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to going to the ground, as despite it not being a very large stadium, it would be my first away day and I’d also heard good things about the grounds character.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got the train from Newcastle and an hour and a half later I arrived in Carlisle, which surprisingly had prepared a heavy police presence. I walked out the station, around the curved road and onto Warwick road which I followed until I saw the floodlights. I then walked around the ground until I saw the away end and made my way into the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Didn’t do much before the game, as I went to the ground via a housing estate so there weren’t many shops, however on the way back I stopped in a newsagents for a quick snack, as the food from the ground was scarce. No problems encountered with any of the locals/home fans and a few of them stopped me on the way out to ask how I found the game.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It’s a very different, unique ground. No stand was the same as the other and it looked quite lopsided but definitely had character and I found it quite cosy in the uncovered terrace in the Petteril End.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The first half was like watching paint dry from a Geordie point of view, but the second half picked up and saw us net three decent goals. The atmosphere was quite good for a pre-season friendly and we managed to shift our entire 3,200 allocation which saw the terrace packed and the other section of the Cumberland stand full as well. The stewards were helpful and informative and the toilets were standard quality.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No bother, filed out the entrance and made way back to the station without any fuss.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good first away day, and I can recommend Brunton Park for a visit. However next time I would punt for the more modern, covered stand as when it rained we got a bit wet.