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Salford City

Peninsula Stadium

Capacity: 5,106 (Seats 2,240)
Address: Salford, M7 3PZ
Telephone: 0161 792 6287
Ticket Office: 0161 241 9772
Pitch Type: Grass
Club Nickname: The Ammies
Year Ground Opened: 1978*
Undersoil Heating: No
Shirt Sponsors: Super6
Kit Manufacturer:Kappa
Home Kit: Red and White
Away Kit: White and Black

What Is the Peninsula Stadium Like?

Peninsula Stadium SignThe Moor Lane football ground is now unrecognisable from what it was like just a few years ago. The old ground has been completely replaced by four new stands, with the corners enclosed, effectively making it a new stadium. Considering that this was all done in just ten months, it is a remarkable achievement. The last stand to be opened was the new South Stand on the Nevile Road side of the ground. This mainly all seated stand, replaced the former Main Stand and is a fairly simple affair with six rows of seats. Oddly at the back of the stand, there is a small area of standing, towards the East Terrace, which I can only think was placed there to replicate a traditional standing area from the old ground, as otherwise, you would expect it to be all-seated. At the very back of the stand, there is quite a tall retaining ‘wall’ going up to the roof. The team dugouts are located at the front of this stand. On either side of the Nevile Road Stand located in the corners are elevated boxes, which serve as security control and a television/press area.

Although this stand on Nevile Road replaced the old Main Stand, it is the new Moor Lane Stand opposite that has more facilities, with glassed corporate areas at the rear of it. It too is all-seated and is of a similar height to the Nevile Road Stand. Both ends have newly covered terraces, with the West Terrace, being the first of the new stands to be constructed of the new stadium. The East Terrace opposite is almost a replica of the West Terrace and this terrace is allocated to away supporters. The pitch has quite a noticeable slope going down from the Moor Lane Stand towards the Nevile Road Stand opposite. This can also be seen in the angle of the West Terrace roof, which also slopes.

Overlooking the ground at the North Eastern corner is the tall spire of St Pauls Church and generally, there are a number of tall trees on view outside the stadium perimeter giving it a leafy look. Probably the most memorable part of the stadium are the floodlights. Shaped as the Club badge, they are particularly eye-catching with an illuminated red outline around the light panels. The teams emerge before kick off to the Pogues song ‘Dirty Old Town.’

In October 2017 the new Moor Lane ground was officially opened by Sir Alex Ferguson. It was also renamed the Peninsula Stadium in a corporate sponsorship deal.

What is it like for visiting supporters?

Bab's BurgersAway fans are mostly housed in the East Terrace at one end of the ground, which has a capacity of around 1,200. This terrace comprises of 12 steps and is covered. The acoustics of this terrace are quite good, meaning that a relatively few numbers of fans can make themselves heard. It also helps that as the stand is prefabricated, that fans can bang the panels at the back of the stand, to make some more noise. Although above them below the roof the metal panels are mesh-like with holes in them, which certainly let the wind through, which I can only assume is to help the pitch grow at the expense of spectator comfort.

In addition, 200 seats, spread across six rows are made available to visiting supporters in the Moor Lane Stand, at no extra cost to the entrance fee. Both the seating and terraced areas are accessed via the same turnstiles and stadium entrance. Away fans are separated by the seated home fans by a small area of tarpaulin and a row of stewards. At some grounds, this would attract an element of the home support to take up the area closest to the away fans to taunt and berate visiting supporters at every opportunity. I am pleased to report that this is not the case at Salford.

With the stadium being erected so quickly then the facilities for fans have yet to fully catch up, with only basic temporary facilities in place, such as small portaloos. Food on offer inside the ground includes; a selection of Pies (all £3), Pies with peas and gravy (£3.50), Double Burgers (with cheese and/or onions £4.50), Burgers (with cheese and/or onions £3.50), Plain Burgers (£3), Hot Dogs (£3.50), Sausage and Chips (£4), Cone of Chips (£1.50) and Tray of Chips (£2, with curry or gravy £2.50). For those of you who have watched the ‘Class of 92 Out of their League’ documentary about the Club, then you will recognise the lady running the food area as Babs. In fact, judging by the sight of cameramen wandering around filming the crowd, during the game, they must be working on a new series.

Although outside the back of the stand is open to the elements, the Club does not allow smoking to take place. This is monitored by cameras with stewards being dispatched to politely ask for people to put out their cigarettes. Generally, I found the club staff and stewards to be both welcoming, polite and helpful. Away coaches are parked in Moor Lane right outside the away entrance. There was also a burger van parked outside the ground on my visit.

Where to drink?

There is a club bar at the ground, but this is for home supporters only. Although the Peninsula Stadium is situated in a largely residential area, there are surprisingly no pubs close by. Although there is a large bar inside the ground behind the Nevile Road Stand, this is for home supporters only. Alcohol is available to away fans from a unit behind the away end. It has draught Boddington’s Bitter (£3.50) and bottles of Carlsberg Pilsner, Somersby Cider, Strongbow Dark Fruits and cans of Guinness. This area behind the stand is open to the elements, so don’t complain that the Club have been watering down the beer if it is raining!

Chris Shiel informs me; ‘There is the Fairways Lodge on George Street in Prestwich is around half a mile, or a ten minute stroll on foot, along pleasant public footpaths that go through Prestwich Golf Course and over the moor, a ten minute stroll. If the weather is bad the route along the road is more preferable and is about one mile. Fairways Lodge, sometimes known locally as ‘The Village’ (from a previous name) is a hotel with gym facilities and function rooms but there is a public bar that is frequented by a few locals. It is normally fairly quiet as it’s slightly off the beaten track down a long cul de sac but it is the closest to Moor Lane’.

Jim Simpson informs me; ‘Probably the nearest pub to the Peninsula Stadium that welcomes away fans is the Star Inn on Back Hope Street in Higher Broughton. It’s a 10 to 15 minute walk from the ground. It can take a bit of finding but is well worth it. It’s a traditional old-style boozer which is co-operatively owned after being bought by its regulars 10 years ago.’

Just over a mile way off Bury New Road (A56) is the Friendship Inn. This Joseph Holt pub offers real and also does food. Whilst a couple of miles away in the Prestwich area is the CAMRA Good Beer Guide listed Church Inn on Church Lane (again off the main Bury New Road – not far from Junction 17 of the M60). The pub which is literally outside the gates of St Mary’s Church (which is handy if you want to also say a quick prayer for your team) offers up to four real ales, a couple of which are normally local beers. Opposite Church Lane on the Bury New Road is a Joseph Holt pub called the Red Lion, which also shows Sky Sports.

Moor Lane Redevelopment Plans

With Salford City’s quick recent rise up through the non-league pyramid and with ambitious owners in place, who have targeted the Club achieving Football League status by 2020. Then the Club are now showing their ambitions off the pitch as well as on it. by commencing with the building of a new stadium at Moor Lane, which will meet Football League membership criteria. This will see the construction of four new stands at the ground, as well as new changing rooms, social club, club shop, media area, plus Directors and Sponsors boxes. Both ends are to be covered terraces, with seated stands running down both sides. Work has already commenced on two sides of the ground at both the West End and North Side, with works to the other sides set to begin at the end of this current season. Once completed the ground will have an overall capacity of  5,106 capacity, including 2,240 seats. You can watch a video showing a computerised mock up of the new stadium on YouTube.

Directions and Car Parking

Salford City Parking Permit Holders SignMoor Lane is located just over two miles away from Junction 17 of the M60. The ground is not located in Salford itself, but in the nearby area of Kersal.

From the M60 at Junction 17 take the A56 towards Manchester City Centre. Keep straight along the A56 and after passing a Lidl stare on the left with a Carphone Warehouse on the opposite side of the road, then take the third turning on the right (at the traffic lights and signposted Oaklands Hall/St Pauls Church) into Moor Lane. For the main entrance take the next left into Nevile Road and you will reach the ground down on the right, after the school.

There is no parking available at the ground for visiting supporters, plus the streets around most of the ground have a residents-only scheme in operation (although I noted on my visit that a number of Salford fans seem to have acquired residents passes, judging by the number parking up). So please check signage on lamp posts for details of parking restrictions, as wardens out on patrol in force on matchdays. However, there is street parking to be had on Moor Lane itself (the same road as the away entrance) and other streets located a little further away from the ground, such as Kersal Moor Road. Parking here also has the added benefit that you can get away pretty easily after the match, as at the top of Kersal Moor Road, you can turn right towards Prestwich (for M60 North) or left towards Swinton (for M61 and M60 South).

Park & Ride

For most matches, the Club operates a Park & Ride service from the IT Lab premises, on the Agecroft Industrial Estate (M27 8SJ). The cost is £2.

By Metrolink Tram

By Train

Although there are some smaller railway stations that are slightly nearer to Moor Lane, it is not worth travelling out to them as you’ll still be almost three miles away from the ground. Manchester Victoria is the closest mainline station, which is just over three miles away and probably too far to walk. Either take a taxi up to the ground or from the Victoria Station approach you can catch First Bus No: 97 or 98 along Bury New Road towards Bury. This bus stops just after the end of Moor Lane (the road not the ground), just past the Hazeldean Hotel. The journey time is around 18 minutes. There is also the X43 Witchway Bus that also goes along Bury New Road towards Skipton. It runs every 15 minutes on Saturday afternoons. It can be caught from Manchester City Centre at Chorlton Street (Stop EZ) or at Princess Street/Arora Hotel (Stop SG). In addition from  Chorlton Street (Stop EZ) you can get the Red Express X41 (destination Accrington) that drops off at the end of Moor lane on Bury New Road. The cost for an adult is around £4 return. More information can be found on the Transport For Greater Manchester website.

Andrew Beverton a visiting Leyton Orient supporter adds; ‘We took a taxi from Manchester Piccadilly to the Salford City ground which cost £12.50. We were unable to get a taxi after the match had ended and so we walked up to the main road and caught a bus into Manchester City Centre which cost £2.50 each’.

The nearest Metro Tram stop to the Peninsula Stadium is at Crumpsall, which is approximately one and three-quarter miles away to the east and would take about 35 minutes to walk.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Ground History

Although Salford were founded back in 1940, they didn’t move into Moor Lane until some 38 years later. The stadium remained largely untouched for decades but a major revamp in 2016 took the capacity of the Salford stadium up to 5,108.

Admission Prices

Adults £10
Concessions £5
Under 5’s Free*

Concessions apply to those who are aged 60 and over, Under 16’s and Students with ID.

*When accompanied by an adult.

Tickets for the home areas are available to buy online at: http://bit.ly/SalfordCityTickets

Programme Price

Official Matchday Programme £3 (It is also available as a free download from the Salford City website).

Fixtures

Salford City FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

Biggest Rivals

Salford vs FC United of Manchester rivalry

The rivalry between these two clubs has been ‘created’ somewhat but it still attracts a fair bit of attention – especially in Greater Manchester – when meetings occur. Salford are owned by a number of the famous ‘Class of 92’, who shot to fame with Manchester United. FC United of Manchester meanwhile was a club created in protest of Man United. As such, there are plenty of little subplots to the game albeit with Salford now operating at a much better standard. The game has been dubbed a ‘mini-Manchester derby’.

Salford vs Curzon Ashton rivalry

Salford and Curzon Ashton formed what is best described as a friendly rivalry in their shared non-League days. Salford have pulled well clear in the pyramid now but with just 12 miles between the two clubs, any meetings – friendly or otherwise – will always pull in a decent and banter-full crowd.

Fixture List 2019/2020

Salford City FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

Record and Average Attendance

Record Attendance

4,518 v Leeds United
League Cup 2nd Round, 13th August 2019.

Average Attendance
2019-2020: 2,997 (League Two)
2018-2019: 2,489 (National League)
2017-2018: 1,611 (National League North)

Club Website Links

Peninsula Stadium Moor Lane Salford City Feedback

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, then please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Will Moorcoft of Salford City Football Club, Dave Hollands and Dwayne Owen for providing the photos of the new stands at the Peninsula Stadium Moor Lane Salford City.

Reviews

  • Salford City v Southport
    National League North
    Monday 28th August 2017, 3pm
    Stephen Calvert (Neutral fan)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Moor Lane Ground?
     
    This is the first league game of the season I have been able to attend at the newly rebuilt Moor Lane Ground. As there were no Football League games this Bank Holiday (I'm a Bolton Wanderers fan) and the weather was nice, it seemed like a good idea to get a Salford game in. I did go once before in a Pre-Season friendly against FC United of Manchester, but the ground then was very much still a work in progress.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I live in Swinton so it's fairly local but a friend of mine drove us down anyway. We parked on the hill on Moor Lane as there are still no parking restrictions on that road.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    We got into the ground an hour before kick off, as I was aware that they sold beer from the local Seven Bro7hers Brewery in Salford and I was not disappointed. Others had clearly had the same idea and the ground was already fairly busy.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Moor Lane Stadium?
     
    The two end terraces are both exactly the same and a fairly standard all metal prefabricated construction. The Moor Lane stand along one side is all seater and is seven rows deep. There is what appears to be a corporate area at the back of the stand which looks out onto the pitch. The Main Stand as of yet is still missing and construction has yet to start. The changing rooms are still shipping containers.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The game was decent with Salford winning it 2-1 late on due to a terrible own goal from Southport near the end. Salford probably just shaded it. The atmosphere was friendly and a bit of singing would break out, but as expected Salford are still to create a strong number of core fans and are a lot of people's 'second team', just like myself, so the atmosphere is still a bit lacking. It is getting better though. It must be said though that plenty of noise was created in the fairly crowded terrace when Salford scored. The facilities are brand new with four shipping containing for the bars, food and club shop and the same for the toilets, which are a HUGE improvement from the old ones. There are two bars. One selling your usual stuff (Carlsberg etc.) but there is also a separate Seven Brothers Bar. The beer is brewed in Salford and must be some of the best in English Football. Massive Kudos for this especially at £3.50 a pint!
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Easy even with a crowd on 1,750.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    I very much enjoyed another visit to Moor Lane. It was helped by the fantastic weather, result, and beer. Obviously!

  • Salford City v Leyton Orient
    National League
    Saturday 4th August 2018, 12.30pm
    Jeremy Gold (Leyton Orient fan)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    This was the first game of the season for my team Leyton Orient and my first visit to Moor Lane. Plus it was actually the nearest game of the season for me being based about 15 miles away.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    It’s a simple journey for me but coming from Manchester if you’re using public transport it is a little bit more tricky. I actually walked in from town which takes around 50 minutes or so.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    There is absolutely nothing to do around Moor Lane so I just caught up with friends. The sun was shining so it was okay to just be sat outside, on a bad day and many of those we get in the North West it might not be so great. Didn’t really interact with many home fans at all but there was no hassle with anyone at the game.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The Peninsula Stadium is very simple in its design, more than adequate for this standard but feels very temporary. You can see how they managed to put it together so quickly, it has been constructed in the main instead of being built. There are terraces behind each goal and seats along the side. They say the capacity is just over 5,000, there was 2,100 in there and I’m not sure where another 2,900 or so would actually fit in.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The stewards were very friendly and did their job quietly but efficiently. There are portable toilets in the away end that are shared between males and females, not great in my opinion. The food was from a burger van, I didn’t have any but was told by those that did it was okay. There was no beer for away fans which didn’t go down very well with people at all. They obviously have the money to be splashing out on a good team so I think they need to be investing quickly in the facilities for visiting fans. As there is nothing around the ground I feel this is a bit of a priority. The game was pretty good to be fair, two sides who played decent football and could have both won it. The O’s scored a late equaliser which obviously went down well with the travelling faithful and sent us away happy.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    It was very easy as we just walked back into town. Moor Lane itself was quite busy with cars just after the game so may have taken a while to get through if you were in a car.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    I’d rate my experience at say at 6.5 out of 10. Salford have come on leaps and bounds in a few years and the ground is okay but still needs a few more things doing to it to get a higher score from me. They obviously have the money to invest in a good team but part of having a great club is having great facilities as well. There is nothing really wrong with the facilities, they just could be improved. Some non-Orient supporting friends of mine went onto watch a game at Ashton United in the afternoon and said that was a better experience, that sums it up rather nicely I would say. Good luck to Salford in their quest to climb the leagues, undoubtedly with the money they have they will get there. However, will they have run before they can walk in terms of the fans facilities.

  • Salford City v Maidstone United
    National League
    Saturday 9th August 2018, 3pm
    Brian Scott (Neutral)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I have nearly completed all the grounds in the National League. I had left Salford City to one of the last to be visited so that I could see the new stands, having seen the old ground on television. Also Manchester is a difficult journey for me from Ipswich by train, but there is some good scenery to take in when crossing the Pennines.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    The direct train got into Manchester Piccadilly a few minutes late. I had intended to then catch a through train to Victoria but I was told that they weren’t running due to yet another driver’s strike, so I had to use a tram. It was teeming with rain in Manchester (doesn’t it always rain there?). I had done my homework well and so was none too pleased to find the bus stops for the 97 and 98 buses to the ground closed due to roadworks. I realised that it was hopeless trying to find the alternative stops as I was getting soaked so I returned to the station and got a taxi. It cost me £8 and of course, I then didn’t have a walk in the rain along Moor Lane.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    As the facilities at the ground are all outside of the stands anyone not undercover was getting very wet but I had my usual walk around before selecting a seat on the Moor Lane side. The actual stands look impressive but all the other facilities, including the dressing rooms, are in containers, which will no doubt be replaced next. I spoke to all the people around my seat and surprisingly none of them were local, and no, I wasn’t in the away area! Three with Scottish accents, three from Crewe and others. Clearly, this helped boost the crowd to 2,272.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    As I’ve said above although the stands are a vast improvement on what was there before, it is still very much a work in progress. Luckily by half time the rain had eased as there were very long queues for food and drink.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Salford had the ball in the net within two minutes but it was offside. Both sides had chances throughout the first half but it remained 0-0. The only goal of the game came in the 47th minute. Salford took a corner and the Maidstone number 15 rose high above everyone else and powered a header directly into his own goal. Maybe he forgot that they had changed ends! His incredible own goal decided the match.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    I left the ground slightly early and walked along Moor Lane to the bus stop. It took about 15 minutes to Victoria station. The direct trains from Manchester to East Anglia are hopelessly slow in the evenings and it was much quicker to go via Leeds. Two fast trains and one semi-fast got me home at bed time!
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Had it not been for the uncertainty over the trains and bus stops in Manchester and the rain it would have been a good day out. Only one left in the National League.

  • Salford City v FC Halifax Town

    National League

    Tuesday 14th August 2018, 7.45pm

    Michael Cromack (FC Halifax Town)

     
    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Another ground not yet visited and a warm summer evening, so good for a footy game.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I went in the car with it being an evening kick off with a friend from work. The ground is not far off the M62. I didn't have a clue where to park until we saw a line of cars parked up on the left on a quiet road about 10 minutes from the ground.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    Could have and maybe should have set off earlier and had a quick pint in a pub on the way to the ground as there are none near the stadium at all.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    This is a very strange and unique ground as all the stands give the impression of "temporary" as if each one has been made in kit form. Very much the same stands on all four sides but the ground is colourful, bright, spacious and appealing but I think it is only a matter of time before the stands will be replaced with more permanent structures.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Town were top of the table and yet to concede a goal going into this game. The atmosphere was good as a decent crowd had turned out on a decent night. Salford took what was a deserved lead on 11 minutes after going straight for the throat from kick off. To the appreciation of the away support, Matty Kosylo equalised on 73 minutes only for the home team to grab the winner on 83 minutes which was probably deserved as they just about edged it overall.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    AWFUL. Took a full hour from the ground to the motorway due to road works. Then approaching Leeds we were directed off the motorway because of more road works so after dropping my workmate at home in Pontefract I wasn't in bed until gone midnight and I had to be up at 6 for work the next morning!
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Another away ground visited and town brought back down to earth with a bump. I knew our good start to the season was too good to be true!

  • Salford City v Hartlepool United
    National League
    Tuesday 25th September 2018, 7.45pm
    Tony Smith (Doing the 134 + 24)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    An (unexpected) overnight in Manchester meant an earlier than the anticipated visit to see two teams challenging near the top of the table at a ground/team apparently rapidly developed beyond recognition with substantial high profile cash injections. In contrast, the away team, transported by Compass, seem to be finding their feet in their second season in this highly competitive league despite financial issues. A well-weathered Stockport County sticker on a lamp post, being a salutary reminder of what can happen!
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    This site highlights the relative isolation of the Peninsular Stadium and I chose the reliability of a tram (Prestwich) and 30 minute walk whilst double checking at the local bus stop for options afterwards. Car parking in the vicinity is heavily restricted and there is a park and ride scheme although the tannoy announced problems with this on the night.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    I had eaten earlier but passed various fish &chip shops etc on my walk but anyway my needs would have been met in the Fans Zone.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I entered the ground at Gate B on Neville Road, built long before the involvement of brothers by that name and other ex-Man United ‘millionaires’. I had always presumed there was a minimum National League ticket charge applicable so was pleased to only be asked for £10, reduced to £5 for over 60’s. The comprehensive 60 page programme was only £2 and I scored badly on the “You’re the Ref” feature. As a segregated fixture, I was unable to walk fully around the stadium where there is no transfer charge to access the two sides of seating. Correspondingly the Fans Zone, comprising four modified freight containers each split into two units, was not accessible to Hartlepool fans. Food available included curry, burgers, Grandma’s Spicy and Grandad’s Sausage (no innuendo intended I presume) and local craft beer from Seven Brothers, but I only had a £1:50 cuppa. Eventually, I found an unmarked gents in another such unit and I think the players occupy similar. Some steps at the end had the painted slogan “There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs”. Whether an attempt at wit or nauseating slogan it had a personal negative impact then reinforced by the Peninsular & “Success starts here” branding throughout the roof façade inside. Not having watched the television documentary series about the rise of the club I don’t know their motivational practices nor how the ground has developed. The associated cost whilst no doubt substantial has however created a very uniform look similar to when Scunthorpe became the first Football League club with a (larger) new build. It made me initially think of the Monty Python lyric, “..as much imagination as a caravan site..” but the presence of corporate boxes/facilities eliminated my initial simplification.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The very impressive following of 558 visitors in a crowd of 2,420 mostly stood behind the goal with their self-effacing “Monkey Hangers” banner and were vocal. The home end had Ammies, Salford and Dirty Old Town banners. The latter song, associated/descriptive of old Salford, was used prior to kick-off and similarly Matchstalk Men on the final whistle. With apparently over one thousand season tickets sold the club are clearly working hard to establish an identity to go with their metal kit stadium. The better team won but it took over 60 mins for the deadlock to be broken and having allowed an advantage to be played I thought the ref missed a blatant push which made space for the scorer. Within about ten minutes it was all over at 3-0 and unfortunately some of the away contingent who left early then disgraced themselves with fighting and throwing behaviour.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    I exited as police back-up arrived whilst admiring the red lighting emphasising the (hexagonal) club badge shaped floodlight lamp holder units. At 22:12 about twenty of us caught the x43 bus, running about 10 minutes late but reaching the centre of Manchester within a further 10 minutes. There was friendly chat comprising about ten away fans and news that Man United had been defeated on penalties in the League Cup.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Earlier in the summer, I completed a charity trail of 101 large bee statues including bespoke ones at The Ethiad and Old Trafford. I remain none the wiser about the geographical boundaries between Salford and Manchester (unlike the Newcastle/Gateshead divide) but always enjoy my visits including a decent competitive match on this occasion. Up to second in the league, I would not begrudge Salford City further success but don’t feel it will happen.

  • Salford City v Shrewsbury Town
    FA Cup 1st Round Replay
    Wednesday 21st November 2018, 7.45pm
    Danny Davies (Shrewsbury Town)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    This was a new ground and indeed it's now put me onto 81 out of the 92, so getting there.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    I travelled on our away travel coaches and it took around 1 hour 40.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    There isn't really a lot near to the stadium, so ventured straight into the ground. The floodlights are pretty cool and very noticeably in the shape of Salfords club badge. There was temporary food and drink bars at the rear of the stand. I had a pie and a tea which did the job.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    The whole ground was new, but all very modular. You could see how it was constructed in such a fast time. The terrace floor was steel rather than concrete, so each segment of the stands was pre-made before installing it on a concrete base. The atmosphere was pretty good, better than some much larger grounds I've visited.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    The game was a proper cup tie, Shrewsbury won 3-1 so the 500 hard-core travelling fans went home happy after just sacking their manager days before.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    We had no problems leaving the stadium and we were home just before midnight.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    A cool little ground that I imagine will improve over time.

  • Salford City v Bromley
    National League
    Saturday 30th March 2019, 3pm
    Richard Mackey (Bromley)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    Manchester is a great city for a football weekend away, and I have a friend who lives there and is willing to give me a bed for the night – so I was always going to travel up for this match and then stay over.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    A train from London into Manchester Piccadilly. Then a twenty-minute walk through the city centre to the bus stop on Great Ducie Street. Got off at Moor Lane, then it's a short walk to the ground.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    I had a beer and then some food beforehand in Central Manchester. I was surprised not to see any fans at all on the bus I got, but there was a reason for this. There are hardly any facilities near the ground as it's in a residential area, but there are a range of bars and food options behind the home end, and clearly, the home fans get to the ground early to use these facilities. What was on offer looked pretty good and was notably cheap for a football ground. If I visited again I would eat and drink here rather than in the city centre.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    I was impressed by this ground – Salford City have a lot of money behind them but they've spent it well in constructing the best non-league venue (discounting clubs that used to be in the league) I've been to. It's a compact 5,000 at the moment, but there's enough room around three of the sides for the ground to be expanded if the club continues to prosper. The away end has a roof to help fans make some noise, and seats were available too along the side as there wasn't really any segregation for this match. I particularly liked the floodlights in the shape of the club crest – touches like that show the architect has put some thought into the design and hasn't just churned out an identikit box of a ground.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    Salford were on top for a lot of the game as expected, but Bromley defended well to keep the score goalless. Strangely it all went wrong for Bromley after scoring in the 85th minute – we immediately shifted into ultra-defensive mode, invited a lot of pressure and let Salford score an 88th minute equaliser and then a 93rd minute winner. Had Bromley not taken the lead they probably wouldn't have lost the game.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    The away end is at the 'right' end if you're getting a bus back into town, so I managed to get near the front of the bus stop queue. Lots of buses go down Bury New Road so you wouldn't have to wait too long in any case.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    I'd happily visit again, but Salford are clearly heading for the Football League and will stay there when they arrive, so the chances of future visits with Bromley are slim. I'd expect this to be a popular trip for other away fans.

  • Salford City v Stevenage
    League 2
    Saturday 3rd August 2019, 12:30pm
    James Walker (Stevenage)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    As much as you have to be looking forward to the first game of the season, if you had offered me a dull boring 0-0 before this game then I would've taken it and ran. I was fully expecting us to lose this curtain raiser. However this game was a chance to witness history, with Salford playing their first ever game in the Football League, and a new ground to take me back up to 91/92.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    The journey was simple enough, an early morning drive to Milton Keynes Central station with some friends and a train to Manchester from there, and onwards in a taxi to Salford City. This journey saw us arrive at the Peninsula Stadium for about 10.30am.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    As Salford hadn't sent any tickets pre-match, we just went straight inside. There were only 2 bays for wheelchairs in the away end, and these were on a first come-first served basis. Luckily we managed to get one of the bays, the other was taken very quickly too so just as well we got in early! £10 and £5 cash entry on the turnstiles, it reminded me of the good old days back in the Conference! Once inside, a programme (£3 was the cover price but we were only charged £2) and a special pin badge for their first League game (£3) were purchased!
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The stadium looks quite nice around the home areas, then you look at the away end. I'm not saying it's a terrible away end, but it's certainly the only away end I've been in where screws have been falling out of the roof and where cracks in the supports have been duct-taped over!
     
    The Peninsula Stadium
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Now where to even start here… Stewards: mostly untrained and unsure of what to do. Out of all of the stewards in the away end, only one had actually worked there before. All of the others were a mixture of agency and brand new! Facilities: The Gents were clean and tidy, nothing over special about them! The hand dryers didn't work properly, but they just about got the job done! The disabled toilets bemused me, normally the easiest to access with no difficulty. This one has a great big ledge on it! No idea how a wheelchair user who needs a lot of assistance will be able to access this! Food: How to even start here..there wasn't a great number of options – pies or chocolate bars. They had to stop selling pies during the first half as they were undercooked, over a month out of date (yes that is accurate!!) and the tills stopped working. You'd think the billionaire owners could help them afford some new tills and get in staff who didn't undercook out of date food… Game: Poor from Salford, absolutely woeful from us. A goal either side of Half Time from Mani Dieseruvwe saw Salford pick up the easiest points they'll collect all season. Atmosphere: You'd have been forgiven for thinking this was a pre-season fixture. Not a single bit of noise from the Salford fans, even after they went in front! After they went in front with their first-ever Football League goal, their fans were just clapping. You'd have thought they'd be going mad with celebration!
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Getting away was simple enough, a train back from Manchester for just after 5 allowed us to get back to Manchester and get some food before heading off, then getting home for just before 8pm!
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Terrible game, but otherwise not a bad day out. Definitely a nice away day with a good Conference feel, but nowhere near the levels of hype surrounding it from other Football League clubs.

  • Salford City v Stevenage
    League 2
    Saturday 3rd August 2019, 12:30pm
    Andrew Bartlett (Doing the 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    Along with the new Spurs stadium this was all I needed to complete the current 92. I took a cruise along the Manchester Ship canal last year and had a brief glimpse of the stadium so wanted to see it close up.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    Living in the Midlands it was an easy trip via the M6 and M60. We arrived very early for the 12.30 kick-off and parked on Kersall Road. It was deserted when we arrived, but packed when we got back after the game.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    There is literally nothing to do around the stadium. So after getting in for a very reasonable £10 adult and £5 concession we eat and drank inside. Had very nice curry and chips for £5. Sadly the craft beer concession was shut. So had a pretty good pint of Tetley's for £3. Didn't really speak much to home fans – there was a large contingent of people like us though doing the 92.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    It is a bit of a shame that the ground is totally fenced off – so before the turnstiles open you couldn't access the ticket office or club shop. Once inside we found it a pleasant, modern if modest stadium, well suited to league football especially as it has cover on all four sides.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    The game itself was rather low key, Stevenage might have had two penalties early in the game. But once the home side took the lead it was an easy victory. Not fantastic football, but I have seen worse.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    As suggested on this website, after the game we headed away from the stadium by turning right out of Kersall Road and then left at the roundabout. Eventually, after missing one poorly marked exit, we were back on the M60 and home in the Midlands in just over two hours.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    A very pleasant day out at a new stadium. The only negative comment is that Salford City didn't seem to recognise that there would be a good number of neutrals attending. For example, you couldn't buy a ticket before the day, and then they shut the ticket office at 10.00 am. We were told that all seats were sold out. Looking around during the game they clearly were not. Will be interesting to see how they handle the arrival of Leeds in the League Cup.

  • Salford City v Stevenage
    League 2
    Saturday 3rd August 2019, 12:30pm
    John Scott (Doing the 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A chance to tick another ground off and it being Salfords very first Football League game, witness a bit of history.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    On arrival in Manchester by train I tried to follow the club website instructions and take the 97/98 bus from Shudehill interchange to reach the ground. After speaking to a driver on the 97 he said I'd be better getting the 93 from the same stop as it actually went onto Moor Lane. I wasn't convinced but thought he should know best and after twenty or so minutes, and for the price of a £5 daysaver bus ticket, arrived a short walk from the ground. I had a South Stand ticket but arrived at the North stand. Stewards didn't seem like regulars as they just suggested asking at the turnstile when I asked the quickest route to my stand. In turn, the turnstile operator didn't even seem to know which stand he was working on and tried to pass me back to the steward. After a five minute walk around the houses, I reached the South Stand.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    A Wetherspoons breakfast at the 'Printworks' in Manchester before leaving for the ground. I arrived in good time and expected to get a pre-match pint but the bar I could see was out of bounds to all but South Stand season ticket holders…I think. It was blocked off by a manned gate where a gathering of thirsty impatient fans lobbied to try and get access. Finally, about 15 minutes before kick off that came, so a bit of a rush. I feel the club missed out financially with this arrangement and no doubt tainted the matchday experience for some.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A nice, neat, bright ground which looked ideal in the sunshine. Seating down either touchline, then almost identical standing terraces behind each goal.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Salford grew in confidence as the game went on and won 2-0 and quite comfortably in the end, although a Stevenage player looked to have been pulled in the box at 0-0
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    A bit unsure of the bus stops I walked about half a mile downhill, to Littleton Road until I reached a 93 bus stop to get back into Manchester.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A pleasant day out on a lovely day. The Peninsula Stadium is a tidy ground. The fans I met were friendly. There seemed to be a lot of fellow groundhoppers there. Many shirts were visible. Brighton, West Brom, and Preston to name a few.

  • Salford City v Stevenage
    League 2
    Saturday 3rd August 2019, 12:30pm
    Thomas (Stevenage)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A new stadium to visit and an opportunity to be on Sky Sports.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    The journey was easy on the Supporters Coach which parked a 20 second walk from the one turnstile.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    Went straight into the stadium.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Awful. From the outside, it looks lovely but inside it is poor.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The game was poor from a Stevenage point of view. However, the hype around Salford didn’t help. The away end was held together with gaffer tape and really sharp screws. If you sit on the ledge it’s easy to hurt yourself. Salford fans made no noise at all. Very disappointing food service, in which they sold out of day pies and we could only give correct change for drinks (which is all they had left). The disabled toilets entrance has a lip at the bottom, making it hard for wheelchair users.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Getting away was easy enough though the journey home dragged.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Overall it was a pretty awful day out. The only good parts were the journey at the atmosphere from the Stevenage fans.

  • Salford City v Leeds United
    Haribo cup or whatever it’s called!
    Tuesday 13th August 2019, 7:45pm
    Shaun (Leeds United)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A chance to see a new ground plus the proxy rivalry due to the Salford City owners!
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    Very straight forward. Having flown into Manchester airport it was just a quick nip round the M60 to our hotel which was just a mile away so we could walk to the ground.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    We arrived at the ground about 15 mins before it opened along with quite a lot of other Leeds fans and so went in when it opened and grabbed an average pie inside. I didn’t really have much interaction with the home fans although there were a couple of Man Utd banners in the ground so I think the genuine home fans were infiltrated by others there just to sing anti-Leeds chants.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Salford are being bankrolled which must be gutting for Bury fans who are only 10 miles up the road. As a result of this money, they have a smart new ground although the pitch has a noticeable slope across it. My son liked the floodlights in the shape of their badge with LED edge lighting. The away end has no seating but has uninterrupted views and you’re very close to the pitch.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    It was a potential banana skin for us (Colchester, Histon, Sutton, Newport etc.) but Bielsa surprisingly named a fairly strong team, and we got a comfortable and deserved win. That said Salford were unlucky not to get a consolation goal and maybe 3-1 rather than 3-0 would have been a more accurate reflection of the game. Atmosphere was good although with the couple of dozen die hard home fans being behind the other goal meant there wasn’t any real banter. Even the Neville’s got off lightly with the chants! Stewards were fine, and the facilities are basic but new.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Well for us it was simple, just a walk back to the hotel, but the traffic didn’t seem too bad. After all, it is a small ground! Some residents have yet to get used to match days though, as two cars were trying to get down the road towards the ground without much success.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A good day out, a new ground ticked off, there for Nketiah’s first ever goal and Barardi’s only ever second goal, and in the end a comfortable win.

  • Salford City v Port Vale
    League 2
    Saturday 17th August 2019, 3pm
    Alex Thomson (Port Vale)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    It’s relatively local and a first encounter with Salford City.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    The streets around the stadium are very narrow residential affairs so it’s a bit tight squeezing through. Those travelling on public transport need to be organised.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    We had complimentary tickets and were sent from pillar to post to get these. The stewards didn’t even know which stand they were on and were less than helpful, we were eventually let in with no tickets by a high up steward, missing the first 10 minutes.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The stadium is very tidy but lacks organisation, we couldn’t find any ticket outlet. It is surrounded by a high black fence making it look like a prison, plus there is no signage of where you are!
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The game was a bit of a duff affair in the first half but came to life in the second. Vale should have held on but conceded a late equaliser. Half time at the kiosks, no milk for brews, no change and no cup carriers with 3 hot drinks, basic requirements sadly lacking.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    We left a tad early to avoid the scrum. Got a parking ticket to make a rubbish day even worse, one ticked off never to return.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    It is still very much non-league and Salford need to up their game concerning the matchday experience.

  • Salford City v Port Vale
    League 2
    Saturday 17th August 2019, 3pm
    Ian Bradley (Neutral)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A new league ground that HAD to be ticked off.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    By train from my Rotherham base. Train from Meadowhall to Manchester Piccadilly then the X43 bus from Chorlton Street to Moor Lane then a five minute walk to the Peninsula Stadium.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    I ate in Manchester City Centre as I refuse to do stadium catering (overpriced). Chatted to some Ammies fans who seem delighted to be in the EFL.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    A tidy little ground that has been completely rebuilt in the last few years to meet EFL standards.  The facilities could be better but I'm sure as the season progresses so will the club infrastructure. A decent covered away end that houses over 1,200 with another 200 seats for visitors in the North Stand.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    It was a poor game for the first 70 minutes then both clubs made substitutions and then it was end to end for the last 20 minutes. The game ended 1-1 which was harsh on Vale who deserved to win.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Dead easy. Back on the bus to Manchester, a meal in the City Centre then a pleasant train ride home.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    As always I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

  • Salford City v Leyton Orient
    League 2
    Saturday 31st August 2019, 3pm
    Tim Scales (Leyton Orient)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    A new ground to tick off for me and there is something of a rivalry between Orient and this lot after we beat them to the title despite the money that they have spent.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    The journey from my house in Norwich was a long but relatively plain-sailing one. The A47 and A17 are among some of the worst roads known to man but they were clear. Up the A1 until Leeds, then M62 pretty much all the way to the ground. Car parking was difficult as there was little street parking on matchday but we did manage to find a space not too far from the ground.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    We visited the Friendship Inn for a pint before the game and it was decent enough. The home fans were more often than not converted from Manchester United to Salford and it showed in this pub. We didn’t really speak to any of them but they were harmless enough.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    Having been practically rebuilt in the past few years, Salford’s ground is clean and tidy enough but lacking in character and it is very uniform. It feels slightly makeshift – built so that it can be expanded easily should Salford continue to improve and add to their fan base.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    It was a game of two halves as it has been on several occasions already this season for Orient. Salford started out the stronger side, scoring the opener on 13 minutes when no defender closed down Ritchie Towell and he thundered home a volley from the edge of the box. Dean Brill made a huge save to keep the East Londoners in it and Orient improved after half time. Louis Dennis squandered the best chance for Orient when he blazed over a rebound despite an unguarded net. Orient weren’t to be denied, however, and it was a howler from Salford keeper Chris Neal that gifted a point. James Brophy drove down the left, put the ball into the danger area and Neal failed to claim before swiping a leg at the ball to attempt to clear, only to put it into his own net. It was a delightfully ugly yet beautiful goal for Orient and the point was well-earned. 

    The atmosphere was distinctly lacking from the home end, although Salford’s seemingly most vocal support was at the other end of the ground. I’m not sure that made too much difference and the ground was hardly rocking when they scored either. The facilities at Peninsula Stadium aren’t great in the away end, with barely anyone in the one kiosk for food and drink. I went down 5 minutes before half time but gave up as the queue had barely moved.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    There was a bit of commotion outside the away end which I stayed well clear of and I’m not sure what caused it. After picking up a burger from a stand outside the ground and walking back to my car, there was not too much traffic on the road as I headed to my hotel in Salford Quays.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    A good point from a goal down at a tidy enough ground.

  • Salford City v Forest Green
    League 2
    Saurday 4th September 2019, 3pm
    Steve Smytheman (Doing the 92 again)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Although I had completed the 92, Salford were not in it so this visit was to preserve the full list as well as to add a new ground.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I drove as I needed to leave straight after for work so needed a near spaceman sparked in a side street 5 minutes walk away having made sure it was not residents restricted.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    Got very wet! Despite being a ground called Moor Lane the on the day cash entrance is off Nevile Road, so a walk in the rain through side streets to start. Once in the steward shepherd you to the concessions at the rear in the rain, not the shelter of the terraces.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I know its been rebuilt on the same location in a short time, and they've done a good job, not too ambitious but all sides covered and if fortunes favoured they could do it again on a larger scale. There is a considerable slope left to right which is vey off putting.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Stewards unhelpful, see above, game as a neutral was really good and four goals away from home is always encouraging, and as the rain had stopped was good value. Im really not sure about cash on the game with no ticket given out as being acceptable.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Quick walk, bang on the final whistle put me in good stead. Not the largest traffic but you get some leaving the city centre anyway.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    They need to wise up a bit for the fan experience. As the concessions are outside in the open a bit of flexibility, but I don't want to be over harsh. There is a bit to learn but they've come a long way in a short time.

  • Salford City v Cheltenham Town
    League 2
    Saturday 14th September 2019, 3pm
    Ian Howitt (Doing the 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    With Salford’s promotion to the Football League, it was needed to re-complete the 92 (Again)!

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    A simple journey from my home in Essex. The ground itself is surrounded by houses and no parking areas, however, the club runs a fairly good park and ride scheme. This costs £2 to park in what appears to be a factory car park and a bus then ferries you to the ground which about 8 to 10 minutes away. Collected at the end of the game and dropped back for 2 quid was not to be sniffed at. A warning, however, the premises is not that big, I was there just prior to 2 and got one of the last spaces.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    As stated the area by the ground is residential with little in the way of watering holes, cafes, take always in the vicinity. However, within the ground there is a good selection of drink, eats etc. All reasonably priced. Whether this extends to the away end I don’t know as I was in with the home fans. The home fans seemed friendly enough although there is not really a huge hardcore fan base as would be expected from a side that has flown through the leagues. Many of those present were sporting the colours of other local sides, big and small.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    The ground is a very tidy ground, a lot of though I think has gone into its design. As stated the facilities behind the home end are highly impressive, all made from containers with one being the club shop. Both sides are seated although there is a smattering of standing space behind the seats on one side, both ends are terracing with a decent rake to allow for a good view.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    The game was okay, and the visitors, Cheltenham won comfortably with a goal in each half. The atmosphere was more akin to a pre-season friendly as although Salford’s younger element behind the goal tried to make a noise it generally was snuffed out by apathy. To be fair their side's performance would not have helped. It was all friendly to be fair, and a pleasant environment. Stewards were more of the type to smile and say hello and were hardly noticed.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    A 5-minute wait for the bus, ten minutes to the car and I was away heading southbound.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    I enjoyed it. A lot has been written about the owners and their ‘Project’ and I understand why. I am not a fan of smaller clubs being bankrolled through the leagues in a similar way to Rushden, Fleetwood, Forest Green etc but Salford I feel are a little different. Mai lay as the guys putting the money up are footballing people and some of the vast amounts swilling around at the upper echelons has filtered down, albeit indirectly. What impressed me the most, however, is the admission price of £10 has not increased since the Conference North days of 2 years ago, with concessions only £5. That has to be applauded and I think is commendable. It was noticeable how many parents were in the crowd with youngsters, with a visit here being so much more affordable.

  • Salford City v Swindon Town
    League 2
    Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
    Peter Pleasants (Neutral Visiting Barnsley Fan)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I have never been to Salford City and this was as an opportunity because of the International Break.
     
    How easy was yo ur journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I walked from Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station. It took about 80 minutes and was mostly uphill, but I didn't mind. I like walking, but after the game I got 98 bus back to the centre of Salford, which took ten minutes.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    I could see no pubs or eateries near to the ground. There was an outdoor bar at the stadium, but it didn't open until 1.30 pm. There were plenty of Swindon and other supporters like myself twiddling our thumbs outside waiting. It was the second biggest league attendance of the season, so I think the Club missed a trick with loss of potential revenue.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The Peninsula Stadium is a neat, tidy ground. That looks modern but as a proper football feel.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Salford City lost 3-2. The stewards were friendly and the facilities average.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    It was a two-minute walk to Bury New Road, where there was a frequent bus service back into town.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    An enjoyable day, but a shame that there are no pre-match pubs or eating places near to the ground.

  • Salford City v Swindon Town
    League 2
    Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
    Erik Williams (Doing the 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    This was the last of the 92 for me. Now I can relax a bit.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    I arrived at Piccadilly station. I'd bought a PlusBus ticket with my railway ticket. I took the tram to Shudehill (on the way to Rochdale and Bury) from Piccadilly. Then I got a 97 bus to Moor Lane. The bus journey time was about 25 minutes. As the stadium isn't far down Moor Lane, there's no point in waiting for a 93 particularly. The Hazeldean Hotel sign, although large and red, isn't easy to read, so keep your wits about you or ask the driver to put you off.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    Although I got there at 13:10, there were already people milling about. The turnstile gates were marked 'tickets' or ' cash'. There was no sign of a ticket office. But perhaps I'm unobservant. Some people had tickets. Two other neutrals and I were directed to the Neville Road entrance. I stood with the Salford supporters in the West Stand. I'd have preferred to sit, so I should have gone in through another gate. I'll have to read the signs more carefully in future. The turnstiles opened at 13:30. The few home fans I talked to were friendly enough. If non-Midlands teams are playing, I support the home team, at least notionally.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    I can believe that the ground was constructed in 10 months. It's a rectangular, metal structure and looks the same on all sides, especially inside. This fact, the steel fences, and the containers used as food outlets gives the whole stadium an impersonal, industrial appearance. There's none of the quirky scruffiness other stadiums have.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    There were pies, hot dogs, pasties, and beer. A steward let me through the gate to use the toilet in the North Stand area even though there were toilets in the West Stand area, which he presumably didn't know about. I could see inside a ladies' cubicle. So be careful, girls. The East Stand was full of Swindon supporters. Most seats were taken. Rooney scored an early penalty for Salford after a foul by the Swindon goalie. Doyle soon equalised with a shot from the left. He scored a penalty soon into the second half Then Yates scored for Swindon after the Salford goalie dropped the ball. Rooney scored a from a penalty with literally the last kick of the game. So 2-3. Swindon were now top of the League.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    I walked along back along Neville Road, which leads into Moor Lane. The first two buses on the main road were full. I finally got a 97. Buses seemed reasonably frequent. Traffic in central Manchester was heavy. It took me about 70 minutes to get from the stadium to Piccadilly, although I could have shortened this by getting a tram from Victoria (towards Newcastle-under-Lyne) instead of Shudehill.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    A decent game of football after some confusion getting into the stadium. A sense of achievement having done the 92. I've been to places I wouldn't normally have gone to. I like to have a look around a town if I have time rather than just go to a football match. So I've seen quite a bit.

  • Salford City v Wolverhampton Wanderers U21's
    EFL Trophy Second Round
    Tuesday, 3rd December 2019, 7.45pm
    Josh Gripton (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    After seeing the Under 21's progress from the group stage and having been to 71 grounds of the current 91/92 the majority of grounds to visit now consist of lower league teams who we haven't played for a number of years. A trip to Salford was very pleasing as this was the first team any Wolves team had played there.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    As we drove from Wolverhampton the M6 was fairly quiet. Driving around Manchester was another story completely! One hour to do 8 miles! Parking was easy to find by the ground. Note that a number of cars did look like they had tickets on.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    As the guide suggests there really isn't anything to do near the ground. We went straight in and used the "facilities" inside the ground!
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The ground is small and compact. Going into the away end was an experience. It must be said that I would imagine for a following of more then 500 it would be a nightmare trying to get in.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    In the away end is the famous Bab's Café. Friendly service and a decent hot drink. The toilets in a cabin type structure with 2 urinals and 2 toilets left a bit to be desired. As there were 150 Wolves fans it wasn't a massive wait but can imagine that would be very different for a league match. The game itself was poor with a poor atmosphere for these games! Worst of all was the 3-0 defeat and missing the chance of further grounds to visit.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Getting away from the ground was very easy and we were back on the M60 within 10 minutes.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A nice little ground. The facilities leave something to be desired and would definitely need to be improved if Salford move further up the leagues! On a side note be aware that the ground is quite high up so wrap up warm in winter!

  • Salford City v Exeter City
    League 2
    Saturday 14 December 2019
    Steve Ellis (Exeter City)

    Why were you looking forward to going to the Peninsula Stadium?

    As for so many this year this was a new ground and for me completed all the League 2 grounds for another season.

    Peninsula Stadium How easy was your journey and finding the ground?

    I travelled up on the supporters coach for this fixture, leaving Exeter just at 7.30am and arriving just before 2pm

    What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?

    On arriving at the ground we had opted to go straight through the turnstiles and make use of the bar area behind the stand, not ideal with a cold wind. Unfortunately, the club shop cannot be accessed pre-match as that is beyond the home turnstiles so only accessible post-match if you have time. Programmes are on sale just inside the turnstiles.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    From the outside, the ground looks like a do it yourself job, inside it’s all under one roof, the view is excellent with no supporting pillars. Leg room is also good if you choose to sit.

    5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.

    The game was good to watch with Exeter running out as 1-0 winners in what was an entertaining end to end match. Plenty of noise was made from the away end but did not hear much from the home end. The stewards were friendly and helpful. Beer is available in the away end priced at £3.50, there is choices of pies with peas and gravy for £4 which I was told were tasty. As for the toilets, they are cabins, small, cold and not very clean nor pleasant to walk in.

    Comments on getting away from the ground after the game.

    Getting away afterwards was easy as I was on the supporters coach, an easy run out to the motorway and back in Exeter just after 11 pm

    Attendance: 2,992 (692 away fans)

  • Salford City v Exeter City
    League 2
    Saturday 14th December 2019
    John Baker (Exeter City)

    Why were you looking forward to going to the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    First-ever meeting between the two clubs and a chance to go to a new ground.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I travelled on one of the supporters coaches with the coach pulling up on the main road right by the entrance of the away end.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    We arrived at 1 o’clock and I went for a short walk around the area. With not much to see, I went back to the ground and enjoyed the hospitality of a burger van parked near to the away end. I found the Salford people welcoming and friendly.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The ground itself is in a somewhat unusual location with a 15 minute walk to any real amenities. Inside both the standing and seating sections are accessed by the same entrance. A small clean and tidy stadium with decent legroom in the seating area. Both ends of the ground are pretty similar with a covered standing terrace. A special mention for the pitch that looked dead flat with a good playing surface.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    It was a good game from our point of view as Exeter won the match 1-0. Catering facilities were typical League 2 standard pies, sausage rolls, tea, coffee etc.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    We got away quite quickly with little hold ups and were soon back on the motorway southbound.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A good day all round with Exeter claiming the three points and a friendly welcome from Manchester locals on a cold dark December afternoon. The stadium location was the only downside.

  • Salford City v Crewe
    Alexandra League 2
    Thursday 26th December 2019, 3pm
    Roger (Crewe Alexandra)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Like everyone else, it was my first occasion to visit this ground and over the festive period.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    Nightmare. Crewe fans informed by Salford City to use a Park and Ride service, as car parking in nearby streets is forbidden. There was no signage at all for the Park and Ride. We managed to eventually find it and caught the bus to get to the ground.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    After the Park and Ride dropped us off at the ground the only option was the catering onsite. The food was surprisingly good but extremely slow to get served. Just two makeshift boxes, one selling food one selling drinks.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Very poor first impression. It looks very homemade with modern corrugated iron and containers for toilets. The seating numbering system is very confusing.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The away fans weren't allowed to bring in a drum so the atmosphere was muted despite over 1400 in the away section. Only 1700 in the home sections. The stewards very surly and have great power in a Hi-Viz. The queue for the food was told to move all of 6 inches as the queue was in the wrong place. No markings or barriers to suggest where any queue should be in the first place.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Exceedingly poor getting away. The Park and Ride bus didn't turn up for the journey back after being assured it would return. Therefore we, along with a number of other fans, had to walk back to the Park and Ride car park, which took over 30 minutes. This on a very dark wet night, along unlit roads with wet leaves on them, with children was dangerous. Also, I noticed that despite being informed of no street parking, home fans were parked in the side roads. 
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A very poor day out. Not a pleasant place at all.

  • Salford City v Walsall
    League 2
    Saturday 4th January 2020, 3pm
    Gazman (Walsall)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    First time visit to Salford. I had read the reviews and seen the photos on this site but I needed to take a look for myself. Added to that it's another one off the 92 list.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    A nice easy journey of about an hour and three quarters up the M6 on the supporters coach from the Bescot though there didn't seem to be too many signs pointing the way nearer to the ground. The last sign I saw was about a foot square and strapped to a traffic light post!
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    Not a great deal to do around the immediate area so I just went straight into the ground. When I go to a new ground I like to have a good walk around and take a few snaps. Sadly it wasn't possible to do so as the home end of the ground was inaccessible to away fans. Whether this is a regular thing I don't know but it was a bit disappointing. The home end was open after the game but obviously all but the club shop was closed.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The Peninsula Stadium is built just off the very narrow Moor Lane and is at a lower level from the road. First impressions were of a non-league ground. Every stand was the same :- about 20 foot high, constructed of red-painted steel cladding with mesh near the top, presumably to allow light in. Two turnstiles give access to the away end but a piece of advice:-once you're in,  you are in for the duration and even though you're outside there appears to be a no smoking policy. Outside the away stand there are a couple of burger/beer stalls. I didn't bother with those so not sure of the goods on offer or prices. There are also a couple of grim toilet blocks. 
     
    Inside, the ground is what would be best described as functional. It's an all covered affair which is completely enclosed. Both ends are terraced of about 11 steps high which are made of steel plate and have a bit of a temporary feel to them. The ground has a massive slope which can be easily seen from the terrace. The sides of the ground are all red seats with SCFC picked out in white in the North Stand. As I say- functional. At least the four corner floodlights are interesting; in the shape of Salford's club badge.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    Not a bad atmosphere to be honest and the thousand or so Walsall fans make a lot of noise. The stewards were friendly and helpful enough. Not a great game and having been to the reverse fixture which Salford won 4-0 I was expecting a similar scoreline but Walsall dug in and keeper Liam Roberts made some great saves.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Again a fairly easy journey back through Salford and back at the Bescot by about 7:30.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Given the cash injection from some of the Class of 92 and the amount of media attention the club get I was a bit disappointed by the ground. Very non-league I felt. That being said it's a decent ground and there didn't seem to be too many spare seats so unlike some clubs who spend big when they gain some success, build bigger stands that they can't fill and then find themselves in debt and free-falling back through the leagues, I suppose Salford are very satisfied.

  • Salford City v Port Vale
    EFL Trophy 3rd Round
    Tuesday 7th January 2020, 7.45pm
    David Adams (Port Vale)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Although I'm a Wolves Season Ticket Holder the Vale are my second team and in fact, I live 10 minutes walk from Vale Park. Anyway, Salford had knocked Wolves U-21's out in the previous round so I wanted the Vale to go one better. Also, it was an opportunity to go to a ground I had not been before that wasn't too far away.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    Busy driving up the M6 especially near the Thelwall Viaduct and the Croft Interchange due to road works and rush hour traffic but other than that it was fine. Due to the low attendance, it was easy to park in a side street near to the ground. Note that there is a residents parking scheme all around the ground rigorously enforced by traffic wardens, even at this game I saw somebody's vehicle being ticketed. Fortunately, I knew about this before I went and parked in Oaklands Road away from the ground. There is no car park at the ground except for staff etc.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    I went straight to the game so I didn't use any facilities near to the ground.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    The ground is obviously a newish construction rather like a Meccano set with all-metal construction. The roof level is uniform on all four sides and covers all the four sides including the corners. Identical terraces on both ends and seating on both sides with the away fans using the East Stand terraced end and some of the adjacent seating in the Moor Lane Stand. All very neat and tidy and no obscured sightlines or posts, however with the uniform roof level and a small number of rows in each stand there is nowhere to get a higher view of the pitch. Confusingly the Moor Lane stand with its hospitality boxes is not where the dressing rooms are and so the teams run out from the Neville Road Stand opposite and it's also where the dugouts are. Interesting floodlights with club logo on the back of each light lit up in red. The ground itself is in a nice residential area and thIs could be a problem in the future if the club gets promoted and needs more capacity as it is a small stadium.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    With only 630 fans in attendance of which 287 were Vale fans, you could say the atmosphere was a bit subdued but in fairness, both sets of fans made some noise from time to time. The stadium may be neat and tidy but there are no facilities within the stands themselves for away fans. The toilets are a couple of portoloos and the refreshments are in a small kiosk situated outside the back of the East Stand. These are seriously not up to league standard but being a small attendance there were no queues on the night. The stewards were okay and friendly enough. The game itself was a scrappy affair which the wind didn't help especially given the amount of hoof ball both sides indulged in. Salford nicked a goal near half time from a corner and whilst Vale improved after the break by trying to pass the ball on the ground instead of hoofing it Salford are a very strong physical side who press hard and eventually this wore the Vale down and they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. So no revenge for Wolves being knocked out in the previous round.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Beware of potholes on the pavement outside the ground on Moor Lane! The pavement itself is quite narrow and I stepped in one to avoid some Salford fans coming in the opposite direction only to fall over! A couple of Salford fans were very helpful in getting me back up again and one remarked that he fell in the same pothole going to the match. Apart from that mishap, it was easy to drive away from the ground without any delays.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A disappointing game with a poor performance from the Vale who had performed heroics against Manchester City just a few days before. The effort was there but with several key players rested the quality wasn't and against a big physical team they struggled. Apart from that, it was another ground ticked off although my right foot has now got some bruises which have given me a less than pleasant memory!

  • Salford City v Crawley Town
    League 2
    Saturday 8th February 2020, 3pm
    Clive (Doing 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    It is the second time I’ve had to visit a ground to get the full set of 92 once again.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I travelled by train and walked from Kesal Station. It was pretty hard. It’s easy enough to go up Bury New Road to get to the vicinity of the ground but the area has lots of private roads/cul de sacs so Google Maps was no help. I finally spotted two tiny, grimy signs to take you up the appropriately named Nevile Road and then follow people going to the game.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    Nothing really, I, got a pint at the ground from one of the converted containers selling a decent pint of locally brewed Pilsener for £4 (excluding a voluntary tip). The staff were friendly.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Functional, largely made of corrugated iron and concrete terraces. Very sloping pitch. Small capacity. No proper toilets though, only temporary cabins. Not good. Nice floodlights though.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The game was very poor, which was not helped by a bumpy pitch and high wind. Crawley offered nothing but long balls and to be fair. Salford created enough chances to have won comfortably. But it ended goalless.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    Not a problem – the area between Victoria station and where Kersal starts is pretty ropey, to say the least. I walked but wouldn’t have done if it were a night match.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Okay, but it is hard to see how they can progress without better facilities.

  • Salford City v Crawley Town
    League 2
    Saturday 8th February 2020, 3pm
    Stephen Webb (Crawley Town)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    Like most fans, a new ground and club to the league and on paper two well-matched teams should have made for a good game.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    Straight forward train up to Manchester then taxi to the ground. Taxi's were pre-booked using the Street Cars app and cost around £8 each way. The Taxi journey was about 20 minutes from and to the Printworks.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    Met up in Manchester at the Printworks as there is nothing near the ground. I didn't come in contact with any home fans at all.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    On first appearances, it looked quite a nice ground in a rather posh leafy suburb of Manchester. Definitely not in Salford. The stands are small and just aluminum though at least they are covered. The pitch is sloped towards the dugouts.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    The game itself didn't live up to expectations, a 0-0 bore draw, though the lack of any noise or atmosphere from the home fans probably didn't help. The 290 away fans were making all the noise. The stewards and staff were all friendly and helpful. As for the facilities, the toilets are the worst I've experienced, housed in containers. Even Gillingham's trench is better. The pies were awful. I had a meat and potato pie. It weighed a ton and could have used it as a brick. The filling was just mashed, well not sure what it was, but certainly couldn't find any meat. My daughter had chips that were cold.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    Getting away from the ground was fine as we'd pre-booked a taxi.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    Overall we had a good day out, but as for going back, it's ticked off now, so probably won't bother. A ground to forget, not remember.

  • Salford City v Crawley Town
    League 2
    Saturday 8th February 2020, 3pm
    Dan Maguire (Crawley Town & Doing the 92)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Another awayday with Crawley Town and also the final League Two ground that I have not visited.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I went on the club coach leaving Crawley at 7:30 and made our way up to a pub stop (The Kilton in Knutsford) for a beer and a spot of lunch. Leaving Knutsford around 2pm made our way around the outskirts of Manchester arriving at Salford for around 2:20pm. The coaches were able to park immediately outside the turnstiles so no chance of getting lost.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    As mentioned we stopped off at The Kilton in Knutsford who put on a buffet for us Crawley fans (which as always is paid for in the £20 we pay for coach travel!). A really nice pub with a very relaxed vibe.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    From outside the stadium looks low and very red and a bit of an eyesore within the surrounding countryside. Inside it has an enclosed feel but with the back walls of the stand being wired fencing the cold air circulated around us making us pretty cold! Also, the stadium feels very temporary which makes sense with the hope of a sudden rise through the leagues.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The game was a 0-0 draw and Crawley were probably fortunate to get a point. The away end was a little rowdy but the home fans seemed uninterested in creating an atmosphere. I did not venture to try the food or drinks as facilities seemed pretty basic….
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    After the game, the coaches got away fairly quickly back onto the M6 and we arrived back in Crawley at around 22:30.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Overall a good day out especially as we took a vast number of fans which is always nice to see. Plus I got to meet up with the creator of the amazing website who came in the away end with us. I think the experience has converted him into a West Sussex Red Devil 😉

  • Salford City v Plymouth Argyle
    League 2
    Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45pm
    Colin (Plymouth Argyle)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    Historic day….first time ever we have played here. Lots of hype around Salford and the Class of 92 so I wanted to see the stadium and gauge what they have achieved so far in their short life.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    Travelled up from Plymouth on the train and arrived at 2pm in Manchester. The Peninsula stadium does not have a clear route to it, the metrolink doesn't pass by it, so I went to Shudehill Interchange (the central bus station) and got bus details. The No 97 and 98 go past Moor lane which is less than half a mile from the stadium.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    I did a quick tour of the City and had a cream tea in Debenhams (it was not real Devonshire cream just whipped!!) and then went to the Seven Stars Wetherspoons which was 2 mins walk from Shudehill bus station and had a couple of pints (£1.29 a pint!) and a curry. Excellent.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    It looked good in the dark all lit up but more like a sports complex than a football ground. Nevertheless, it looked smart and modern not like the rusty gantrys and shabby roofs I had expected. The toilets and food kiosks were in old shipping containers and cabins.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    It was a bitterly cold night, very windy with gusts of sleet driving across the ground. We took over 1,000 fans which was virtually half the attendance and we sang our hearts out all match. Considering the conditions the game was good and two of our goals were directly in front of us. Pandemonium when we scored in extra time to win the match.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    My feet were frozen, but the bus was at 9.58 so legged it as best I could to the bus stop. A taxi rolled up and said 6 can travel for 3 quid each so I got a taxi back to the city centre. I then realised the other 5 were City supporters…..oops!! I went to Wetherspoons for a celebratory pint and then back to the Easyhotel where I was staying overnight. I caught the train back to Plymouth the next morning at 10 am and got home at 5 pm.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Its a 2 day event for Argyle supporters! I enjoyed every moment….it was a great atmosphere and another precious historic moment in Argyle's history…..off to Macclesfield next Tuesday for another 2 day extravaganza!

  • Salford City v Plymouth Argyle
    League 2
    Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45pm
    Ivor Ough (Plymouth Argyle)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I was looking forward to doing another new ground and particularly because Salford are the latest non league club to join the EFL.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    I live in Cornwall but had already travelled up to Manchester and was staying there overnight. There didn’t seem to be much information on how to get close to the ground by public transport so I did my own research and found that a bus was the best bet. You can catch the X41 or X43 from Chorlton Street (Stop EZ) and it takes about 25 minutes and drops you off at the junction of New Bury Road and Moor Lane which is only a short 5 minute walk from the ground.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    As Salford is in the middle of a residential area there aren’t many options so just went into the ground and got a beer from the kiosk.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    It’s a quaint little ground and although I understand that they have improved it significantly it still seems a bit like a non-league ground. Because Argyle had taken over a thousand fans they had all of the end behind the goal as well as some seats on the side. I sat on the side and thought it was a reasonably good view.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    The conditions were awful with strong winds and some heavy hailstorms which didn’t help the teams to play good football. However, it was entertaining and ended up with a 3-2 win for Argyle with the winning goal coming in the 92nd minute which is always great. The atmosphere was good with Argyle having over 1000 fans in a crowd of 2297. I thought the stewards were fine but there was an incident in the Argyle end when one of the stewards celebrated when Salford scored an equaliser. It ended up with him being escorted out of the ground so certainly an unusual event.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    It was very easy with just the short 5 minute walk back to the bus stop and about a ten minute wait for the bus which had plenty of room on it.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A great day with a famous last minute victory for Argyle which will remain in my memory for a long while.

  • Salford City v Plymouth Argyle
    League Two
    Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45pm
    Kevin Nash (Neutral) 

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?

    I have been to the ground before to watch my local non-league team Maidenhead United when they were both in the National League. I was working in the area and fancied watching an evening game.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    I stayed at a local hotel just a mile or so away, the drive was simple. Parking last time was a nightmare but this time I managed to park in St Pauls Road, which is a turn off Bury New Road just before the Moor Lane. You don't need a permit and its as close to the ground you can get.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    The queues at the ground put me off eating there this time, but the food at the ground looked good.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?

    I have been before and was a bit underwhelmed. As this was an evening match it was cool to see their floodlights which are shaped like their club badge. It is a very tidy and smart stadium, it just seems so anonymous. There is no mention that I could see of Salford FC, inside or out. Just the Peninsula Stadium which could be any sort of sports complex. 

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    I decided to stand with the Plymouth fans. I was amazed and applaud their fans, a 600 mile round trip on a freezing February evening. They filled the stand and must have had half of the total attendance. It was a fantastic atmosphere and a fabulous game. At one point Plymouth went 2-1 up and it was total chaos in the stand, but amongst all that Salford equalised within a minute. One of the Salford stewards seemed to annoy some of the Plymouth fans and it became very heated. It was only calmed down when this particular steward was deployed elsewhere in the ground. The other stewards kept order well in that powder keg of emotion. 

    Plymouth scored the winner in the 92nd minute and it was complete pandemonium, it was one of the best-celebrated goals I have ever been amongst, fans hanging off the barriers – Excellent game & atmosphere! We had high winds, snow, hail, everything really. Both teams played well, but after that, I hope that Plymouth get promoted. I still can't believe how many fans they brought up midweek. I had thought as a League Club and a wealthy one, that they would have installed a scoreboard, but it is still great to be so close to the action.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

    It was easy, I ran back to the car and drove back to the hotel.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

    As a neutral, it was one of the best games I have ever been too – The atmosphere generated by the Plymouth fans was fantastic. As on my last visit, the Salford fans seemed very quiet and only made noise when they scored. They didn't sing at all, I have seen the Class of 92 TV show and thought that they would be more noisier, they do have good support though and a decent team.

  • Salford City v Plymouth Argyle
    League 2
    Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45pm
    Thomas Inglis (Neutral Visiting Dundee United Fan)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    This ground would be No. 92 of my personal count of English stadiums. Still, 13 grounds of the current set up to go though.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    My wife and I had driven down to Manchester on the Monday for a 3-night break. Having had some wine with Tuesday evening's meal, we took the recommended No.97 bus from Shudehill Bus Station towards the ground, then followed the fans through a housing estate to the stadium.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    A teatime meal in our hotel before braving the elements. There were quite a few Plymouth fans also staying in our hotel and they were pretty confident pre-match.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    We had seats in the back row of the South Stand near the halfway line. Opposite was the similar North Stand. To the right, there were the massed Plymouth fans (around 1,000) on the terrace behind the goal. The Salford fans were on the terrace behind the other goal. It is a quite smart small stadium with lots of metal being used as the steps of the stands. The bar behind our stand again looked like a big metal garage. Everyone has mentioned the crest shaped floodlights.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    A fine game played in pretty dreadful conditions – gales, rain, hail and two teams going for the win. Plymouth took the lead on about 20 mins when Moore slammed home from about a yard. Salford had more of the ball first half and a lot of off-target shots so it remained 0 – 1 at half time. I didn't sample food, but we both got a hot drink from the metal hut before using the toilets which were housed in a cabin type temporary structure, not the best of facilities. Salford made a double substitution on the hour mark, and this paid off instantly. Wilson headed the equaliser into the top corner. Five minutes later Plymouth retook the lead with Sarcevic smashing in a great shot from outside the box. Another couple of minutes later super-sub Wilson grabbed his second with a neat swivel and shot from about 12 yards. As the game moved into injury time Plymouth grabbed a sensational winner from Ryan Hardie's rocket shot. Tonight's attendance 2,297. Great backing from the hardy 1,005 Plymouth fans on a freezing Tuesday night.
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    We followed the fans back to the bus stop and this time we got the X43 bus back to town with our £4 return ticket. As advised by the locals.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    Enjoyed this 5 goal thriller and got to my 92nd English ground, although the quest to get all the grounds will continue.

  • Salford City v Plymouth Argyle
    League 2
    Tuesday 11th February 2020, 7.45pm
    Tony MacRae (Plymouth Argyle)

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    I am a Bristol City fan but was an honorary member of the green army for this one. A Plymouth supporting workmate offered a lift and I was only too happy to accept.
     
    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
     
    We left Bristol around 1.30 pm. With a quick stop at the services we got to the suggested Park and Ride just as it was opening at 6.15. Two pounds to park was a bargain as there was no additional charge for the bus.
     
    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
     
    It was very dark and very cold so we headed straight in. Didn’t see any home fans but the stewards and kiosk staff were friendly.
     
    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Peninsula Stadium?
     
    You could see into the ground through slats in the side of the stand which was unique. The ground was small and uniform but very tidy. I liked the club crest in the floodlights. There was seating to the sides and terracing behind the goals. It was a nice change to get to stand on a terrace again, albeit a shallow one.
     
    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
     
    We bought a beer and a couple of snacks before we went into the away end. Pretty decent standard stuff although it was clear they couldn’t cope with the big away following at half time judging by the length of the queues. Although it was bitterly cold it was a fantastic game. The terrible conditions did have an effect on the quality at times but it was end to end with loads of excitement. 
     
    After a strong start by Salford Plymouth took the lead and went in 1-0 up at half time. Salford equalised only for Plymouth to retake the lead. With over 1,000 Plymouth fans there were crazy scenes when Plymouth scored at our end. Salford equalised again within a minute of Plymouth equalising but Plymouth kept looking for a winner and deservedly got it in the 92nd minute to spark some fantastic celebrations in the away end, with bodies flying everywhere. It was interesting that a number of Bury fans were in the away end supporting Plymouth. They really didn’t like Salford it’s fair to say!
     
    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
     
    The wild celebrations continued onto the streets outside. Although it took a few minutes for the Park and Ride bus to return nobody seemed too bothered as spirits were high. It was then a short ride back to the car for the long journey home.
     
    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
     
    A great game and huge respect for the fantastic Plymouth support. Over 1,000 on a bleak Tuesday where many would have got home around 4 am. At only 10 pounds for an adult ticket and a crowd of only 2,300, it’s clear that Salford needd rich benefactors to keep going.

  • Game Attended

    Salford v Forest Green Rovers

    Competition

    League 2

    Date

    05/03/2022

    Kick Off Time

    3pm

    Team Supported

    Doing the 92

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

    I was looking forward to updating the "92", after Covid interruptions... This was to be my 91st club/stadium!

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    About 50 miles from my house in Wakefield, but what a trek... The journey there went well! Train to Manchester Victoria (packed but on time). Bus 93 from outside the station. I was at the stadium in two-and-a-half hours! Thanks to the Football Ground Guide for hints and tips!

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    Arrived 12.30, but no entry until 1.30pm... I went across Moor Lane and had a lovely stroll over Kersal Moor, in the sun! Entered the South Stand and went straight for lunch: pie, chips, mushy peas and gravy, washed down with tea. Beautiful! Cost £7. Then I went in Bucks Bar where a pint of Carlsberg was £4, and chatted to some friendly fans. Salford are moving to a new stadium next season!!

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

    I had a great view from the new South Stand. The stadium as a whole is nice but compact. To progress upwards, Salford do need to upgrade. Eating from a van, with a wheelie bin as a table, was ok today, because it wasn't raining. And half the bar was closed off as it was a makeshift gym!!

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    A poor game overall, but some good singing from both sets of fans. Rovers were dominant but Salford took a shock early lead. Rovers stayed calm and controlled, and went home with a point from a 1-1 draw. Forest Green Rovers look certainties for promotion based on this performance.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

    An incident occurred during the match. A supporter needed medical treatment in the home end. I think he was ok in the end, but it added 10 minutes to the game. I headed off at 4:45 to find a bus and begin my trek home... By 5:30, no bus... I headed down the Moor Lane hill to the main road of Littleton Street, hoping for more buses. Eventually, just before 6pm, I was on a bus. By 6:30 I was on a train back to Yorkshire.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

    It was sunny but another very cold Saturday. I'm glad I went, and I can now cross Salford fc off the list. I'll probably visit the new stadium one day, but it's a difficult journey. It took me nearly 4 hours to get home!!

    Images

  • Game Attended

    Salford v Forest Green Rovers

    Competition

    League

    Date

    08/02/2022

    Kick Off Time

    1500

    Team Supported

    FGR

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

    RoB Edwards, FGR manager, is my nephew and I attended with his Dad.

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    Sat navy took us straight there.

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    Went straight into ground and greeted warmly and made to feel at home.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

    I was struck by what an attractive small ground it is and how practical it is given the space available.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    Enjoyed the game which was clean and competitive. Result was fair but in the end I thought FGR were the better team.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

    A doddle. we waited for FGR manager and took him to the team hotel before driving home.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

    Super day out! Great hospitality and we were made to feel very welcome.

    Images

  • Game Attended

    Salford V Harrogate

    Competition

    League 2

    Date

    09/04/2022

    Kick Off Time

    15:00

    Team Supported

    Neutral

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

    Ticking off 80/92, got free tickets through Sky Bet and thought it would be a good tick, also 2 of only 4 of the 92 I hadn’t seen in the flesh

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    Me and my daughter drove up from South Lincs, Took approx 2.5 hours with a stop. Took a look at the Mark E Smith mural which is close by as I’m a massive Fall fan, then street parked at St Paul’s Street approx 10 min walk away. There was parking by the church on Moor Lane which has no restrictions (most of that road does have them though)

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    Went to The Star Inn which was excellent, not much near the ground re. food so we went in pretty early and had a drink/food at the back of the terrace. Everyone friendly

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

    Feels like a top level non league ground but perfectly pleasant. Fanzone good but got pretty crowded.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    Game want great but Salford won to keep their play off charge up. Their ultras were boisterous and tried to get things going. Food decent and a good choice.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

    Very easy we took the scenic route back via Sheffield, was out of Salford on the main road in minutes.

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

    Great day, friendly people well worth a visit

    Images

  • Game Attended

    Salford City V Tranmere Rovers

    Competition

    League 2

    Date

    17/09/2022

    Kick Off Time

    1500

    Team Supported

    Tranmere

    Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?

    This was a local away game for most Tranmere fans and having been to Salford last season for a midweek game I was interested to see what it is like on a Saturday

    How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

    I travelled on one of the club official coaches. Very easy journey arriving at the ground at 1 o`clock the journey itself taking just over a hour and a quarter

    What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

    I together with a number of other Rovers fans off the coaches took the scenic walk through the trees and across the moor to the Fairways Lodge. Has to be one of the more bizarre strolls to a pub at an away game in my travels especially as several of us got lost and had to ask a local walking for his dog for directions. The pub itself which was more like a large bar attached to what looked like a hotel was pleasant enough with outdoor sitting and it got quite busy as more Tranmere fans arrived. Didn`t have any food but what I saw looked pretty good. The usual pub grub burgers etc. After an hour in the pub took another scenic route back to the stadium via the golf course. Can`t comment about Salford`s fans as I didn`t actually met any.

    What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?

    The ground itself looks fairly modern although the construction materials used, metal terracing and red wire walls, are unusual. It also has unique floodlights which are shaped like the club`s badge. Quite a nice touch IMO. It looks neat enough but looks tiny for a FL ground but given Salford`s currently small fanbase it is adequate enough.

    Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

    The game itself was reasonably good but without a great deal of goalmouth action with Tranmere controlling much of the play despite Salford having the ball for the majority of the game. Rovers took the lead in the first half though Josh Hawks and could have added to it in the second when denied by the width of the cross bar and 2 good saves from the home keeper, whereas Ross Doohan in the Tranmere goal didn`t have a shot of target to deal with for the entire game as Salford created very little due to excellent performances from both Tranmere centre backs. Most of the atmosphere was provided by the thousand or so Rovers fans who, as usual, were in good voice for the full 95 minutes. The home fans it had to be said were extremely quiet. Didn`t really notice the stewards other then seeing a number of them at the turnstiles patting people down before entering the ground and standing across the front of the away end during the game. They seemed friendly enough and I didn`t see or hear of any issues. Having had a late breakfast prior to travelling and taking some food with me for the return journey I didn`t have any food or drink in the ground but the single refreshment kiosk did had a long queue both times I passed it. The toilet facilities at the away end, which consisted of a converted shipping container, were somewhat inadequate for a large away following and this led to a long queue at half time.

    Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

    Getting away after the game was extremely easy. It was a case of walking out of the stadium going up a few steps and getting back on the coach which was parked right outside. There was some traffic on Bury New Road heading back to the motorway but once out of that it was a quick return journey back to the Wirral and we arrived back at Prenton Park at 6.30

    Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

    All in all a pleasant enough visit although I feel Salford should consider doing something about those away end toilets and to provided more facilities for visiting fans especially given the lack of pubs etc near the ground. There was talk since the turn of the year of them moving to the City`s much larger Rugby League stadium which is near the huge Trafford Park shopping centre but how that would benefit the club given their lack of support other then allowing more away fans and those fans having a larger choice of match day parking and refreshment opportunities is beyond me. Maybe the owners think that given Moor Lane`s lack of parking and public transport access that local support will increase with such a move . It will be interesting to see if this actually happens and the effect it has on the club`s attendances

    Images

Updated 3rd May 2022
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