Although it opened late and was over budget, the new stadium was certainly worth the wait and the extra expenditure.
What is especially great about the stadium is that it has its own identity. From the moment you see the Arch towering over the stadium in the distance, you know that this is going to be something special, and special it is.
The old Wembley closed its doors in 2000 and was due to re-open in August 2005, but delays meant that the new stadium was not ready until March 2007. Designed by Foster & Partners and HOK Sport, the stadium, which Multiplex built, cost £737m to construct.
The stadium is enclosed and comprises three tiers, with both sides slightly larger than the ends. Although on a larger scale, these sides are semi-circular in construction and reminiscent of the similar designs at the Emirates and Etihad Stadiums.
Both these side stands have large upper and lower tiers, with a smaller middle tier sandwiched in between. This middle tier overhangs the large lower tier and has a row of executive boxes at the back. At each end, a large video screen is moulded into the third and is an integral part of the stadium.
The stadium has a complicated-looking roof that initially appears retractable. However, just over one-third can be moved so the pitch will always be open to the elements.
Unlike the old stadium, where the players entered the field of play from a tunnel at one end, the players now conventionally enter the field, onto the halfway line from the North Stand, where the Royal Box is situated.
The stadium’s most striking external feature is ‘The Arch’, towering some 133 metres above it. It is made of white tubular steel and can be seen miles across London. It looks particularly spectacular at night when it is lit up.
A bronze statue of Bobby Moore is situated in front of the stadium. The legendary England World Cup winner gazes down on fans coming up Wembley Way.
Seeing Wembley for the first time, you can’t help but be impressed with the sheer quality of the place. From escalators to transport fans up to the top tier to the ‘landscaped concourse, you can see that no expense has been spared to make it one of the biggest stadiums in the world.
In the stands, the legroom is adequate, and there is a good height between rows. Add to this that there is not a bad seat in the house (even seats at the very top of the upper tier have excellent views), and with the stadium’s roofs situated very close to the crowd, then a full house usually generates an excellent atmosphere.
The top tier (Level 5) is particularly steep, which may cause some to be a bit short of breath as they reach the top, but at least this angle ensures that the spectators are kept as close to the playing action as possible.
The concourses at Wembley are very stylish and spacious, making it comfortable for fans to have a drink and get a bite to eat before kick-off and at half-time. The stadium has plenty of refreshment tills (apparently one per 100 spectators in the stadium), supplemented by a number of ‘pop-up’ units serving everything from real ale to Krispy Creme doughnuts.
Prices have always been historically expensive at Wembley, and the new stadium certainly follows in the same tradition, but probably no more now than what most London Premier League Clubs charge,
For England International games, away supporters are housed in part of the lower tier of the East Stand.
One complaint about Wembley is that it is too ‘echoey’. This often makes it difficult to generate an atmosphere as sound travels slowly across the stadium. This results in stands singing songs at different times which can result in a disjointed atmosphere.
Wembley Stadium has a capacity of 90,000 but for concerts and boxing events, more fans can be squeezed in thanks to the floor space.
The new Wembley Stadium was built between 2003 and 2007. The first match played at the stadium was a match between England u-21s and Italy u-21s in March 2007.
Each visitor to Wembley can only take one small bag into the stadium. The bag must be no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper. Anyone who tries to get in with a bag bigger than this will be refused entry.
Any merchandise bought outside the stadium will be allowed to be taken in as well. It will be supplied in a clear, sealed plastic bag.
The only exceptions to these rules are for people with medical requirements. If you need a bigger bag for medical equipment, you must contact the stadium before you arrive and obtain a Medical Exemption Certificate.
These bags may then be subject to an x-ray scan before you’re allowed into the stadium.
Several pubs are near Wembley Stadium. For most matches, fans are allocated one side of Wembley and are therefore restricted to the pubs on that side of the stadium.
Top three Pubs on the east side:
- The Blue Check: 12 -13 Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0RQ
- Wembley Tavern: 121 Wembley Park Dr, Wembley Park, HA9 8HG
- The Torch: 1-5 Bridge Rd, Wembley Park, HA9 9AB
Pubs on the west side:
- The Green Man: Dagmar Avenue HA9 8DF
- The White Horse: 4 Wembley Park Blvd, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 0HP
- The Arch: 324 Harrow Rd, Wembley, HA9 6LL
The stadium is well-signposted from the end of the M1 and M40 and is just off the A406 North Circular Road.
From the M1:
At the roundabout at the end of the M1, turn right onto the A406 (North Circular/West Wembley). Continue along the A406 for a couple of miles, and then, after crossing a metal suspended bridge, you will pass a McDonald’s on your left. At the traffic lights with an Ikea Store on one corner, bear left onto Drury Way.
Keeping the Ikea store on your right, go straight across the next two roundabouts. You will pass a Tesco petrol station on your right and then, at the traffic lights, turn left and turn into Grand Central Avenue (B4557). The stadium is at the end of this road.
The stadium has been labelled as a ‘public transport’ destination, meaning that limited parking is available at the stadium itself. A residents-only parking scheme is also in operation in the local area.
The pricing and availability of stadium parking vary per event. The official Wembley Stadium Parking website provides more information and allows for bookings.
The official guidance is to avoid ‘pop-up’ car parks in the local area. Most of them don’t have insurance, meaning that you aren’t protected if anything happens to your car.
The nearest London Underground station is Wembley Park, which is a ten-minute walk from the stadium. It is served by both the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, although it is best to take the latter as it has fewer stops.
Wembley Central is slightly further away from the stadium and has both rail and underground connections. The underground station is served by the Bakerloo line, while the railway station is on the London Euston-Milton Keynes line.
The nearest train station is Wembley Stadium, on the London Marylebone-Birmingham line.
There are 310 places for wheelchairs located throughout the stadium, including each of the levels. There is also space for each wheelchair user to have a companion helper.
If you require hotel accommodation in London, then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets, from budget hotels and traditional bed and breakfast establishments to five-star hotels and serviced apartments.
Plus, their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Just input the dates below that you wish to stay and then select the hotel of interest from the map to get more information. The map is centred on the football ground. However, you can drag the map around or click on +/—to reveal more hotels in the city centre or further afield.
The stadium offers tours on most days of the year. The 90-minute tour costs:
- Adults: £25
- Under 16s: £18
- Concessions: £18
- Accessible: £18
- Under 5s: £0
- Carers: £0
The cost of programmes vary from match to match, but expect to pay in the region of £5-£10.
- England vs Greece – 10/10/2024
As the stadium is used for multiple purposes and sports, Wembley has several different record attendances. For football, though, the record(s) are as follows:
Record football attendance
126,047* West Ham United vs Bolton Wanderers FA Cup Final, 28 April 1923.
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
89,874 Portsmouth v Cardiff City FA Cup Final, 17 May 2008.
* This was the official recorded attendance. However, as so many more people had gotten into the stadium without paying, it is estimated that the crowd was nearer 200,000.
Key to Map
Official Web Site:
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
England v Spain
Friendly Match
Saturday 12th November 2011, 5pm
Rob Lawler (England fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Wembley Stadium?
I had been to the old Wembley several times with Liverpool and once to watch a very dull friendly between England and Argentina. I was looking forward to seeing the new stadium and excited that I would see the current World Champions Spain in action.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled down by train to London Euston from Liverpool Lime Street during the day. Wembley Stadium is easy to find on the London Underground Bakerloo line or the overground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I had stayed in Maida Vale a few times previously. Me and my friend decided to stop off there and have a few pints and some food in a pub near the tube station called the Elgin. Then a few in a riverside pub nearer to Warwick Avenue station. We got the tube up to Wembley Central, the tube announcer reminded everyone that his team West Ham won the World Cup for England in 1966. We briefly had a pint in a packed pub on the high street then dashed off to the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium is impressive from a distance with the arch lit up. The side of the stand we went in had a glass front and looked very modern. The stadium inside is very impressive too with steep stands, it helped that the game was a sell out with 90,000 spectators.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere was strange as the visiting Spanish fans made most of the noise even though it was obvious from the first few moments that their team was treating the game as a training session. The price of beer was steep – £5.50 for a bottle of Carlsberg and £7.20 for a slice of pizza. We missed Frank Lampard scoring the only goal straight after half time as we were waiting that long to get served.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The last train home to Liverpool was at 8pm so we had to leave the game a few minutes early to get back on the tube at Wembley Park. Sat next to Paul Elliot on the tube and started talking to him, weirdly a Chelsea fan sitting opposite us had no idea who he was and asked me when he played for them!. Managed to get to Euston with 20 minutes to spare and got some beer from the shop in the station for our journey home. The train was quiet until Runcorn when about 200 people piled on who were heading into Liverpool for an all night session.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out but the food and beer prices were extortionate. Glad I went to Maida Vale beforehand as the pubs there are nice and no crowds are around. I will definitely want to return but hopefully with Liverpool. Would go to another England friendly but only if they were playing Germany/Argentina/Uruguay/Brazil or Italy, I can imagine going to and England game against Andorra or San Marino would be a bit boring.
Liverpool v Everton
FA Cup Semi Final
Saturday, April 14th, 2012, 12.30pm
By C Moss
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Was my first trip to Wembley (old or new) and was looking forward to the chance to see something a little bit more impressive than the average Premier/Football League stadium. Plus the tantalising chance to book our ticket for the final and annoy Liverpool fans, all at the same time.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Due to the FA's bright idea of holding a semi-final between two teams from the opposite end of the country at half 12.30pm, then I had to get a 7.30am train down from Sheffield, to make sure I had plenty of time to get to the ground. Those coming from Liverpool left even earlier. That said, once you're in London, getting there's a lot easier than you assume. Metropolitan Line underground train from St Pancras to Wembley Park was quick and efficient, if a little crowded as you'd expect. From there it's a short amble towards the stadium along Wembley Way. Was probably improved by the fact that both sets of fans get on reasonably well, there was a nice carnival atmosphere, and police, though out in force, were perfectly friendly. If you're getting the train down, I recommend getting a zones 1-4 Travelcard with your ticket, will save money if you're getting the tube there and back into the city.
3. What you did before the game?
Hung around outside Wembley Park station for a bit milling with the fans and having a sandwich. As a general rule I don't drink until the afternoon. Didn't see or hear of any trouble though. Police had allocated different pubs to both sets of fans, and these had been announced by the two clubs beforehand.
4. What you thoughts on seeing Wembley Stadium?
Coming up Wembley Way, it's an absolutely fantastic sight, definitely befitting a national stadium. Effort definitely went into the fitting out, everything's very tidy and clean, both as you enter the ground and in the concourse areas. No cold brick-lined or breeze block areas here. Concourses and tunnels are spacious and everything is well sign-posted.
I was sat at the back of Block 545, in the West Stand's upper tier slightly to the left (from your view) of the goal. Even being that far back, the view is truly impressive and you can see pretty much the entire stadium without any restricted views.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc.
Being a derby and a cup semi-final the atmosphere was pretty intense as you'd expect, though no trouble. Both sides observed the minutes silence in memory of Hillsborough impeccably and the banter was pretty good-natured, though you'll always have the odd idiot on both sides. Stewards were definitely some of the best I've seen. A few drunk lads meandering around the stairways were dealt with non-aggressively and politely directed to a seat rather than the throw out first, ask questions later style you can see at some grounds.£5 a programme seems a bit steep, but I was willing to pay for the memento. Probably wouldn't if I was there for just for an International though. Drinks and food are pretty expensive, but that's looking through the eyes of a Northerner. Didn't sample myself but the guy sat next to me seemed to enjoy his pie.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Not too bad. Walking back to Wembley Park takes a while due to the crowds, and the Police briefly held us back as the ticket hall overran. Was still on my train back to St Pancras within a little more than half an hour after the final whistle. Didn't see any trouble between fans leaving, both sets mingling without incident or any need for segregation.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Well worth a visit, even if we did lose. Well designed stadium, and actually has an atmosphere unlike many other recent new builds. £30 for a ticket is also pretty good value, considering I normally pay £31 or more for a seat in the Gwladys Street End at Goodison.
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur
FA Cup Semi Final
Sunday, April 15th, 2012, 5pm
By Daniel Gosbee (Chelsea Fan)
1) Why were you looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be:
I have never been to the new Wembley (or the old one for that case) so I was looking forward to going to the stadium that has seen Chelsea win FA Cups and where England legends have also played. I was also really looking forward to seeing this London derby of Chelsea v Tottenham.
2) How easy was you journey/finding the ground/ car parking?
I live a little outside London so I first got the train to London King's Cross, before making my way to the London Underground Metropolitan line for a tube to Wembley Park. On the platform there were a load of both Chelsea and Tottenham fans, and we all piled onto the tube train. On arriving at Wembley Park station there were officials showing you the way towards the stadium along Olympic Way. I joined the thousands of Chelsea and Spurs fans walking towards Wembley, which looked amazing from a distance. On the whole travelling to Wembley by tube on this line was easy.
3) What you did before the game?
I arrived a good hour before the kick off, and bought the obligatory matchday programme. I was a little surprised that I had no change from a £5 note (and the programme itself wasn't that great too). I got a hot dog from the outlet on the walk up to the stadium, which looked a bit up market, when at a football game all you want is a basic hot dog, burger or pie. Also the hot dog was rather expensive. I had little change left from another £5 note. The Tottenham fans seemed rather quiet, where as the Chelsea fans were loudly making the Spurs fans aware that we were "the last team in Europe" and playing Barcelona in mid week.
4) What your thoughts on seeing Wembley Stadium for the first time?
Walking into the stadium and through an entrance gate, I had to go through some security checks, which was rather surprising I then had to go up about five escalators to reach the upper tier. The concourse was actually very boring, plenty of space but I prefer the Stamford Bridge concourses.
When I got out into the stadium it took my breath away, it looked fantastic! I found my seat easily. On TV Wembley looks massive, but seeing as it is near enough twice the size of Stamford Bridge, it didn't look it. The stadium looks symmetrical which I don't like. Stands add character to the Stadium, where as one bowl (albeit large) doesn't.
5) Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The first half was nervy, Spurs played well, but Wembley King Drogba scored. At half time the concourses as you would expect, were busy, and the food on offer was pricey.
The second half of the game was fantastic for Chelsea, we scored 4 goals and the game finished 5-1, The atmosphere was electric, the Tottenham fans started leaving when we were 3-1 up and by 4-1 there were about 1,000 spurs fans left, by 5-1 their end of Wembley was virtually empty.
6) Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Walking down the steps out of Wembley was amazing, Chelsea fans were going wild chanting about the Barcelona game on Wednesday. Because half of Wembley had already left, leaving Wembley was actually incredibly easier than I thought it would be. Getting to Kings Cross was easy despite Transport For London making everybody get off at Baker Street and getting the Hammersmith & city line to Kings Cross, but other than that it was straightforward.
7) Summary of overall thought of the day out:
The tickets weren't cheap, however it was worth it, on the whole Wembley is fantastic, I love it! Chelsea played brilliantly and the game was amazing. Next time I go I will remember to bring more money, as the prices are way too expensive. But on the whole it was a great day out.
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
FA Cup Semi Final
Sunday, April 15th, 2012, 6pm
By Luke Burton (Chelsea Fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was looking forward to this game very much as it would be my first visit to the new Wembley and I was obviously hoping to see Chelsea beat Spurs to progress into the final.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Being a West Midland based Chelsea fan I always go by either coach or train from Birmingham. This time I opted for the train as I could get a direct train to the station and then a nice short walk straight to the stadium.
3. What you did before the match?
I arrived well before kick off, but this was not a problem as there were plenty of other fans around and plenty of food and drink vendors. I had a nice walk around the stadium and got a match day programme for £5 (rubbish by the way).
4. What were your thoughts on first seeing Wembley Stadium?
The first impression I honestly had of the new Wembley was, is this it? I just didn't feel that there was anything special about it, don't get me wrong, the stadia itself is impressive in terms of sheer size and height , but apart from that, I felt it is over-rated. Onto the prices inside. Well I expected it to be expensive, but even so you can't help but think how do they get away with it? I paid £4.50 for a normal bottle of Budweiser only to discover a bit further down the concourse was you could get a full pint for £4.70. Cheers Wembley!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
First half was very nervy. Spurs hit the post and John Terry cleared off the line, then just before half time against the run of play it must be said our main man Drogba turns on the style and hits a beauty , 1 – 0 Chelsea. Okay I have moaned about the prices but here is a bit more moaning , I was starving at half time having not eaten all day , so I decided I was going to get something to eat … One cheeseburger please … That will be £5.80! and for that price it was very poor. Anyway second half and the atmosphere was electric, with Chelsea scoring 4 (okay 3 really but shh…) goals.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I waited a little while for the crowds to die down a little before I made my way out , about 15 minutes after the final whistle I made my move and headed for the train where there was a huge waiting line at the station , thankfully for the London line! The Birmingham queue had a fairly average line and I waited about 10 minutes before I was nice and warm on the train.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Wonderful day in terms of football , 5-1 at Wembley , what more do I need !! In terms of prices , well , next time I will either come well prepared …. Or rob a bank!
England v San Marino
World Cup Qualifier
Friday, October 12th, 2012, 8pm
By Tim Sansom (England fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to Wembley Stadium?
If you are a football fan, and have no excitement in your soul about visiting England’s national football stadium, then you really should give up on following the national game, and consider snooker, or rugby; maybe even horse racing. My club team last headed up Wembley Way in 2000 for the Nationwide Division One Play Off Final, and before that, Ipswich Town were FA Cup winners in 1978.
I may have been to the old Wembley in 2000 but I was not even born in 1978! I was probably not even being talked about in the family planning clinic. So if you support a club that has currently got more chance of getting to Wembley via your computer game, you really should take the chance to make a physical trip to Wembley if the opportunity presents itself to you.
I had been told that a trip to Wembley was an ‘awesome’ experience, and ‘unforgettable,’ and I was looking forward to that Friday evening from the moment that I had been told that I was going. Sick with excitement? This was a trip to national stadium to watch a full England International for the first time ever. Of course, I was going to feel more than just a bit queasy.
2. How easy was your journey/ finding the stadium/ car parking?
I know that it is part of the romance of football but I am sorry to say but there has been a lot of guff written about Wembley. If you did not know much about the game, you would have thought that the only match that was played under the twin towers were the 1966 World Cup Final. There may have been a white horse on the pitch sometime in black and white history, and a Scotsman might have jumped on a goal cross bar back in 1977. However, it would seem that everything that has happened within Wembley has been the football equivalent of eating a Flake within an overflowing hot bath. This is football’s equivalent of Buckingham Palace, the Taj Mahal, the White House, your favourite curry restaurant and Copacabana Beach rolled in to one. That is what you are told.
You still want to believe that thought as you try to work out what train will be the next to be heading out to Wembley Park from Baker Street. Baker Street should not be a complicated station. On the map, the station seems to make sense, but in reality, the station seems to be a fudge of random platforms; London Underground’s equivalent of Spaghetti Junction. Trains seem to be going to a range of random destinations such as Uxbridge, Chesham and Watford. Some trains are ‘fast’ to Watford. Some trains are ‘slow’ to Chesham and Amersham, or you can give up totally and go ultra ‘slow’ to Stanmore on the Jubilee line.
I went ‘ultra slow’ to Finchley Road and then caught the Metropolitan Line to Wembley Park. The Jubilee stops at a range of stations in North West London that are in no doubt interesting, but when you are on your way to the football, you want to be on your way to the football via the quickest route possible. You will see Wembley Stadium on the left hand side of the train and Wembley Park Underground Station takes you directly on to the iconic Wembley Way. Compared to other London grounds where the underground train can only get you so far, it is difficult to miss Wembley stadium from the Wembley Park tube station.
3. What did you think when first seeing Wembley stadium?
Having been to Wembley before, I had already enjoyed the first impression moment of the Stadium from the start of Wembley Way. It is a champagne moment and if you arrive at the right time of day, your pictures can bathe Wembley in a late afternoon sunset. Apart from that it is difficult to get the idea out of your mind that England’s national football stadium is situated in a large industrial estate. It was difficult to gauge how big the stadium was from the outside.
There is no doubt that the Wembley Arch is impressive but as the sun set on this Friday afternoon, I was starting to compare the Stadium to trips to the Emirates and the Etihad Stadium. Ok, the stadium was greater in size, but my first impressions of Wembley seemed very familiar to some of the new Premiership football grounds. It felt a bit like the Emirates with growth hormone. There were big impersonal grey doors to get through, with as much atmosphere as a multi warehouse storage facility.
You then headed into a concrete tunnel akin to the concourse at the Emirates, or the Etihad, where England fans were standing around drinking larger, looking a bit awkward and self-conscious. Endless other fans were heading to the toilet in nervous anticipation. The old character of the stadium, which had remained in my memory since 2000, had apparently been replaced by a bog-standard stadium that you can see, and ‘enjoy,’ across the whole of the country. What was ‘awesome’ about this stadium?
To be fair, there was a ‘Wow’ moment inside the stadium. I was sitting virtually opposite the dug outs and there was a certain atmosphere inside the stadium. The pitch looked like a green from the Augusta National. The big video screens at either end of the ground, looked like a homage to New York’s Times Square. The new Wembley had a special feeling about it but it was not football’s Tower of Babul. For me, the Nou Camp has a much more ‘special’ quality about it.
4. Comment on the game itself:
After the inexplicable entry of a Royal Marine with the match ball to kick off the ninety minutes, and the customary period of England games, when the first ten or twenty minutes of 0-0 makes you start to question whether England are a respectable football nation, the game seemed to become a training exercise for the home side. San Marino were undertaking damage limitation after a few seconds on the clock, and I struggle to remember a shot from the away team throughout the whole of the ninety minutes. I accept that the game was a difficult sell to the English public. To be honest, it has been difficult to sell England since the 2010 World Cup, and to maintain a crowd at Wembley during this period of economic recession and national team apathy is a credit to the FA. However, it was difficult to really accept that you had learnt anything about England during this ninety minutes, or be assured that the national team will be at World Cup 2014. The minutes ticked buy. I marvelled at the leg room that I was able to enjoy from my seat, and even read the programme during the action. The goals mounted up. People did not really stand up to cheer. It felt that I was at a very refined awards ceremony and exhibition game. In the end England won 5-0.
I felt honoured to see Wembley and I welcomed the chance to see a full England international. It was not quite the ‘awesome’ experience that I expected it to be.
5. Comment on getting away from the ground:
Getting away from Wembley has become the stuff off urban legend. I had been fully briefed that Wembley Park Underground Station, after a match at the stadium, becomes a log jam of people wondering if they will ever get back home before the next World Cup. It is advised to leave about five to ten minutes before the end of the game- something that does not feel right to me at any ground, but you sense that there is no other option.
Being closer to the other end of the ground, I opted to head to Wembley Stadium station to catch a train back into London. People were running for the trains. I wondered if people thought that they would miss the last ever train back to London. It is a military operation outside this particular station with carefully lined crash barriers to guide you into the station as if you were waiting to board a fair ground ride. The train was waiting in the platform to head to Marylebone and was not especially busy either.
When you arrive into the north west part of Central London, you struggle to really know where to go next. There are underground lines but each line does not really seem to be going where you want it to. If you were trying to get to Liverpool Street, like I was on that Friday night, it is another half an hour of underground journey with a possible change. The carriages were full of fairly happy and slightly merry England fans heading to wherever they needed to be. There was a feeling of collective experience that you had seen the sporting event of that Friday night, but the match lacked the Olympic fever that I had enjoyed in the Summer when moving around the city of London.
6. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I do want to stress that I did enjoy my trip to Wembley. If you are from the UK, and like you football, and you have the opportunity to get to Wembley, then you should go to England’s national stadium. The opportunity to catch the cream of England’s football talent was welcomed, and the fact that San Marino were not really at the races, says more about the bloated nature of World Cup qualifying rather than any physical defect of Wembley Stadium.
The new Wembley is still very new and it takes a while for any new stadium to gain the atmosphere and the character that makes it a well-loved ground. None of us were around when the old Wembley was being built so it is difficult to think how that version of the ground began to be loved by the football-going public. You have to go, and you may like your time at the stadium but you may be thinking that you wanted a bit more when you jump on the underground train, car or bus for the journey home.
York City v Newport County
FA Trophy Final
Saturday, May 12th, 2012, 3pm
& Championship Play Off Final West Ham v Blackpool
By Owen Robson
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
My first visit to the new Wembley as a spectator (I had a look around a few years ago just after it opened). Born in York, I am nevertheless a West Ham fan, but I see York now and again and became an official part-timer for the day!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
A friend drove five of us down. He had booked a car parking space at the stadium in advance (for £30!). The ground is a little like an optical illusion. It’s further away than you think when you approach it by car. Several local traders offered cheaper parking at their (presumably) premises, but they looked well iffy.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We went to a pub called the Torch. Typical pub near a football ground. Strangely, they claimed to have run out of draught bitter just after 12 noon. There are several fast food outlets between the pub and the Wembley Park tube, although pricey compared to home. The locals seemed rather indifferent about the match.
4. What were your thoughts on seeing Wembley Stadium?
I would defy anyone not to be impressed by the size of the stadium. We went through the automated turnstiles, to be met by several stewards who insisted on searching us. This consisted of a quick pat on the arms. One of us had a rucksack with him, and although no search was made, he had a plastic bottle of water in an outside pocket. This was confiscated, and the contents put in plastic cup for him to drink. No matter where you looked, there was a steward of some description. The toilets were a little better than your average Prem ground, but not much. The beer was expensive (£4.70) and it was extremely poor quality.
We were at the back of the lower tier next to the press box. An excellent view, plenty of legroom, and the stadium looked magnificent. Just under 20,000 were dwarfed.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
An excellent game. Newport missed a good chance early on, but York got stronger as the half progressed and had some good chances themselves. York improved in the second half, and the result was never really in doubt, Newport looked toothless up front after the break, even though they hit the post late on. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see the presentation from our seats, so some of the fans climbed into the front of the empty press box to get a better view. A Jobsworth steward started trying to stop this, but I think he eventually let them move (I watched the presentation on the big screen).
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I assume it must be a nightmare getting away. We stayed until the players left the pitch, and we decided to go back to the pub for another drink to let the crowds disperse. Once we were clear of the car park , we were funnelled to Wembley Park tube, with no possibility of going anywhere else. We left the tube station and returned to the pub and they now had bitter back on. Strange.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
The ground is a million miles better than the old Wembley, and I’m looking forward to going back to see it hopefully full for the play-off final. I can imagine the atmosphere being something special when ‘Bubbles’ or any other clubs’ song is being belted out. If I have a couple of criticisms, the PA, like at a lot of grounds, was hopeless. If the fans were quiet, you could just about hear it, but the clarity and quantity was terrible. And the ticket price. £30 for a game between two Conference sides was a bit steep.
West Ham United v Blackpool
Championship Play Off Final
Saturday, May 19th, 2012, 3pm
By Owen Robson
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
My first visit to the new Wembley as a West Ham United fan. I went to the 1980 FA Cup Final but I was in the Arsenal end. I was looking forward to watching a big match with my own fellow supporters with me.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I live in York. My journey was uneventful. Simple day return on the train.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I knew it was going to be exceptionally busy, so I went to central London for a drink or 4. A quick 30 minute ride on the tube brought me to a seething mass of people at 2pm. I regret to say that on the way to the stadium people were urinating quite openly. There doesn’t seem to be any toilets between the tube and the ground, but you’d think people would have some dignity. I must have seen well over 50 people doing this. It took me half an hour to get to the stadium, purely because of the amount of people there.
4. What were your thoughts on seeing Wembley Stadium?
This time I was in the upper tier. The view was very similar to the Newcastle away end. The Blackpool end wasn’t full. Apparently, because they had sold their full allocation the last time they were there, they asked for the same allocation. Because of the segregation policy, they couldn’t return any unsold tickets. This was Blackpool’s fault, since they sold tickets randomly. If they had sold the tickets in blocks, they could have returned a few thousand seats to let more Hammers into the ground. As such, the crowd was a little over 10,000 below capacity. The atmosphere was a pleasure to behold. Everyone I saw stood up during the entire game, and none of the stewards made any attempt to ask us to sit.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
For some rather odd reason (this is West Ham after all!), I was extremely confident we would win, and win easily. We could have been 3 down within 20 minutes, but we got better, and when Carlton Cole put us ahead, I looked forward to my hopes being proved right for a change. Amusingly, the guy next to me missed the goal, as he had to go to the toilet. Blackpool equalised shortly after the break, and then caused us a few anxious moments. Three minutes from the end Ricardo Vaz Te scored and the West Ham end went ballistic. Almost straight from the restart a cross went across the West Ham box and to safety, and a half hearted penalty appeal later we had won. Cue celebrations that will last in my memory forever. Overall, swap the strikers around and Blackpool would have won. The tannoy belted out several songs we could clap and sing along to, and an impromptu party started.
I tried to join the queue for the toilets at half time, but I had no chance unless I had half an hour to spare. So (sorry all), I sneaked in through one of the exits. People were ram packed waiting to go. A fan next to me said ‘Here we are in what is supposed to be one of the premier stadiums in the world, and we are four deep waiting to go to the toilet.’
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Because of the party, most of the West Ham fans stayed for a good 30 minutes after the final whistle. On leaving, everyone was funnelled up to the Wembley Park tube station. When I got to the platform, after about another half an hour, I had to wait a good 10 minutes for a train (why don’t they put on extra trains for big events?), and we were all packed like the proverbial sardines. I got back to central London in about 20 minutes.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Unforgettable. I keep watching the DVD and still get quite emotional. My ticket cost me £58, which I think was too expensive. Something between £40-£50 would have been more acceptable. Having said that, it was one of the best £58 pounds that I’ve ever spent!
Hull City v Sheffield United
FA Cup Semi Fnal
Sunday, April 13th, 2014, 4pm
Matty Desforges (Sheffield United)
1. Why you were looking forward to visiting Wembley Stadium?
After visiting the new Wembley three times in the past for two (rather unfortunate) play off finals and the 2012 Olympics, then a chance to watch my local club compete there again was a dream. I had been excited since the day of the quarter final victory and that semi final couldn’t come quick enough.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We set off from Sheffield about 9am in the morning. The trip down the M1 was surprisingly quick and we arrived at the stadium about 12:3pm0, this included a half an hour stop at a Blades fan packed service station. We had bought parking at the stadium in advance for £30 (worth the time it saved at the end of the game), however unfortunately we accidentally bought parking in the area reserved for Hull City fans!
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We had two hours before the stadium gates opened which gave us time to make a trip up and down Wembley way and stop off on the Arena Square for a quick pint. We walked all the way around the stadium and one side we enjoyed views right into the centre of London. There was no trouble between fans outside the ground before the game.
4. What were your thoughts on seeing the stadium?
We entered the ground an hour before kick off which gave us time to find our seats while the stadium was still empty. Event though this was my fourth visit, I was still impressed and I would say that it is easily the best looking stadium in England. Our tickets were for seats in the upper tier. There was plenty of leg room, however there was a very steep gradient to the stand, which may not go down too well with the faint hearted.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A fantastic eight goal thriller resulted in a Hull victory. However League One Sheffield United didn’t go down without a fight taking the lead twice in the first half. I managed to purchase a pie from the concourse before kick off which was extremely nice, however slightly overpriced. The concourse was extremely busy during half time (maybe due to Uniteds 2-1 lead) with many fans smoking in the toilet which could be seen as a hazard to some. However our day was ruined by a bunch of Blades fans scrapping between themselves during the second half!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game exiting the ground was very quick and smooth, we made a dash for the car park to avoid the swarms of club coaches leaving, driving through the Hull car park in our United gear may not have been the best idea but nothing too serious.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Wembley is a fantastic stadium to visit and it will be a day for me to remember for the rest of my life, United being knocked out of the cup with pride after a 5-3 loss. I Would certainly recommend making the effort to visit this stadium at some point.
Crystal Palace v Watford
Championship League Play Off Final
Monday, May 27th, 2013, 3pm
Jack Laws (Crystal Palace fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to Wembley Stadium?
This was to be my first visit to the new Wembley watching Crystal Palace. I had heard lots about Wembley Stadium and I was looking forward to comparing it to the old Wembley with and my last visit with Crystal Palace in 1997. Not only that, it was huge match for Palace which if they won, would have secured them promotion to the Premiership. A league that Palace had not been in since the 2004-05 season. With suffering administration and almost being liquidated 3 years previously in 2010, this match was one to show how far the club had come in 3 years.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled via the tube to Marylebone Station. After some pre match beers we travelled on the train from Marylebone, to Wembley Stadium station. The train was only one stop so was a simple straightforward journey.
3. What you did before the game?
We stopped of in Marylebone and had some pre-match beers in The Allsop Arms on Gloucester Place. Beer was reasonable priced here, however it was really busy and generally took about 15 minutes to get served.. There was also a Tesco’s just around the corner which some fans took advantage of to buy some cans to drink outside the pub. Police didn’t hassle the fans at all and generally let everyone do their own thing. After this we headed back to Marylebone Station to et the 13.55 to Wembley.
4. What were your thoughts on first seeing Wembley Stadium?
At first view the ground is very impressive. Certainly very imposing and you don’t realise how big the “Wembley Arch” is until you see it up close. Once inside the stadium we went to the bar to get one more nerve-settling beer. I was impressed with the bar’s queuing system in place, which got rid of the free-for-all you see at most other grounds. I was less impressed with the price of £4.70 a pint!
Our seats were in the front row of block 531 (upper tier). Despite being up in the gods, I thought the view was fantastic. Inside the seating area itself Wembley is certainly very impressive. Great views of the stadium all round with loads of leg room. Even for the taller people such as myself.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was tense from the start with both teams not settling into the game until about 15 minutes in. There were not too many attacking opportunities with the game being a mainly midfield battle. The Palace fans produced a great atmosphere throughout the game. This was helped by the organisation of a “singing section” behind the goal, which was led by the “Holmesdale Fanatics”. Watford on the other hand were extremely quiet and barely made any noise for the entire 120 minutes of the match.
Once the game went to extra time I had a feeling it was going to be Palace’s day. The fans and they players just seemed up for it more. Palace finally found the net in the 105th minute when former Watford man Phillips picked out the top corner from the spot after Cassetti had needlessly brought down Zaha. Once 1-0 up Palace cranked up the atmosphere even more and there was never going to be any doubt about the result.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the game and post match celebrations by the team. we headed to a bar called “Metropolis” which was on “The Junction, Engineers Way”. This was right by the stadium and wasn’t too busy. This let the crowds die down and gave us a hassle free journey home back to SE25.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
All in all a great day out for obvious reasons! I really enjoyed my first new Wembley experience. Didn’t come across any trouble and experienced no transport problems at all. If travelling to Wembley for a match I would definitely recommend hanging around for a drink afterwards to let the crowds die down.
France v Japan
Womens Olympic Football Semi Final
Monday, August 6th, 2012, 5pm
By Peter Gordon
Football wasn’t initially top of my list of Olympic events that I wanted to attend but given that most sports were sold out but were available for the Womens’ semi final for £20 and I’ve always wanted to see inside Wembley stadium it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. There is unlikely to be another Olympics in my home city in my lifetime.
I go past Wembley stadium several times a week when travelling into Marylebone. Getting there was very easy – the train took eight minutes from West Ruislip. I was rather concerned about the pre match publicity advising against taking any bags whatsoever on pain of possibly missing the match, which seemed rather unreasonable. As it was there was absolutely no queue whatsoever so I when through the “Males with bags” entrance where my bag was manually searched. This can’t have taken more than two minutes, indeed I was through security within thirty minutes of leaving home.
My first impression was favourable. My cheap ticket was in the top tier which required going up three escalators. There was a large foyer that went around the complete stadium (indeed I walked the whole way around, apparently is about one kilometre. Presumably it can be segregated for cup finals and other such matches. There were plenty of toilets, both male and female. Presumably the stadium was designed to cope with a Barry Manilow concert as well as football matches. There were queues outside the ladies’ at half time but it appeared to be moving fast.
Catering was expensive (as with other Olympic venues) but I brought sandwiches. There were long queues for the water fountains although one very helpful catering assistant was taking peoples’ bottles and filling them, which was a nice touch.
I was in the back row. The stadium is a large bowl and the top tier is quite steep so all seats give an unrestricted view. Obviously the back row in a 90,000 seat stadium is not ideal if you are short sighted – I had trouble reading the big screen, but overall I was very impressed by the stadium. The seats themselves were comfortable with reasonable leg room.
Unlike other Olympic events most stewards were provided by the stadium rather than the Olympic organisers. They were friendly and everything seemed well organised but then you don’t expect any agro at an Olympics Womens’ football match.
There were a surprising number of French & Japanese fans given that it was not clear who would be playing until the results of the quarter finals – I don’t know whether they were sold at the last minute or if the fans just struck lucky. The bulk of the fans not surprisingly were British. I would estimate that about 75,000 of the 90,000 seats were filled – certainly better than matches held outside London though not the full house of the final. It was enough to create a good atmosphere, although the match did not really come to life until half way through the second half. I think that the bulk of the neutrals were ending up cheering France who were playing more aggressively but behind – but also cheered Japan when they had a good break away. Perhaps they just wanted extra time. But there wasn't to be any with Japan winning 2-1.
I rushed out immediately the final whistle had blown, trying to avoid the queues that I had encountered exiting another Olympic event. Getting out of the venue was not a problem with wide staircases. Obviously there was no need to segregate rival fans. There were three separate queues at the Chiltern station for northbound trains depending upon destination, although all trains went from the same platform. I had my doubts about this, but I was allowed on the platform in time to catch my planned train. I’m not sure what it was like for those behind me.
If you like the tribalism of football this would not have been the match for you but I saw it as a once in the lifetime chance to see the Olympics. Overall I was very pleased that I attended the match and had a great afternoon out. Wembley is certainly a worthy national stadium.
Aston Villa v Derby County
Championship Play-Off Final
Monday 27th May 2019, 3pm
Harry Dean (Derby County)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Wembley Stadium?
It was the first time I would've been going to a game at Wembley with my team. I couldn't make it in 2007 or 2014, which has its up and downs about it I suppose!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We got the train down from Derby to St Pancras and took the tube to Covent Garden for a quick pit stop. We then took the Bakerloo line from Green Park to Wembley which took around 20 minutes.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I went into Wembley quite early on as the fan parks were quite busy and wanted to take my seat and take in the surroundings. I had a slice of pizza and a coke zero and it came to £8.70! Expected but be prepared to break into your bank account.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
You probably take it for granted how big Wembley is until you're really in there, it is huge, even from the outside. It really does feel a bit surreal, maybe more so because of the occasion I went.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The stewards were welcoming and didn't really have any issues with any of the travelling Derby fans. We started the game quite well but went 1-0 down in the 44th minute, El Ghazi scoring. Derby's downfall again for not stopping the cross. We then went 2-0 down after an error from Kelle Roos, allowing McGinn to score. We got one back through Jack Marriott but it wasn't meant to be and we keep on waiting for our return to the Premier League!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Quite simple really, they had a stop/go system going on down Wembley Way to prevent overcrowding which worked quite well, so no issues to speak of. (I wasn't in much of a rush to stay mind you!)
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A really good day out. I always follow Derby home and away and really thought we could do it but wasn't to be. We go again next season!
Charlton Athletic v Sunderland
League One Play-Off Final
Sunday 26th May 2019, 3pm
James Butler (Charlton Athletic)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Wembley Stadium?
Well of course I was. Games like this don't come around often if you support Charlton, indeed we were one of only 11 league clubs never to play at the new Wembley, it was Sunderland's second visit this season.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey from North Kent was pretty straight forward. I met up with the rest of my group in the London Bridge area for Brunch at 11.30. Well, you might as well make a day of it. The whole SE1 area was awash with Charlton fans already in good voice. From Southwark on the Jubilee line, we arrived at Wembley at 13.00. Here we had to get some tickets to some other mates which meant a prolonged wait around.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Around the ground, there are loads of places to get food and drink but nearly were all rammed with the expected 76,000 crowd. On arrival the Sunderland fans were in the majority despite the fact that Charlton had sold around 5,000 more tickets, I supposed we had left it later to arrive having less distance to travel. The Sunderland fans were good-natured and in fine voice which made for a very exciting atmosphere.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
It doesn't matter how often you see any ground on the television the reality is always different. Outside, it's just vast, inside the steepness of the stands especially the massive top tier gives the whole arena a very tight football ground feel. Wembley is far the greatest stadium I have ever visited.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The queues for food and loos were no better than most stadiums, not helped at out Kiosk by the fact that each 500ml drink had to be poured from a bottle by hand. Maybe we just choose the wrong place. The toilets were a little better either especially for the ladies in our party. They were gone ages, we nearly missed kick off. We were in the lower tier and found our seats with ease. The stewards must have been great, I didn't even notice them. However despite extensive searches on the way in our fans still managed to smuggle in several flares. What is it with Charlton fans and flares? See the other reviews I have written. Apparently, there is a number you can text to report persistent standing and bad language. The latter was fine, but the former was ignored as everyone in the lower tier behind the goal stood for the whole game including half time. Suits me fine, but not great if you're less fit The atmosphere was raucous from the start. In fact, it was so loud it is quite hard to get coherent chanting going as you can't hear it start so everybody is at a different place in the song. However, the atmosphere was still electric.
We conceded after 5 minutes when defender Naby Sarr put into his own net in a back pass mix up with our keeper. Nightmare. Charlton rallied and after 10 minutes started to get on top resulting in a 35 minute equaliser. From this point, it all became a little cagey with very few clear openings for either side. Sunderland probably had more possession but Charlton probably the cleaner breaks.
Extra time loomed and four minutes of added time were signalled. On 94 minutes a last ditch cross from Charlton's Josh Cullen was headed goalward by Patrick Bauer, the shot was blocked, but he reacted quickest and stabbed home the rebound. Needless to say mayhem in our end ensued. Mayhem followed by nearly an hour of post match celebrations. That was just inside the ground.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
What a mess, the queue for the station was. Okay, we were one of the last to leave the stadium, but nearly and hour to get a train, which broke down anyway, is terrible. We arrived back in Trafalgar square at around 7.30pm having left the stadium at just before 6. It should take 30 minutes max. A night of beer and curry followed, we never found a place that wasn't full of red Charlton shirts even at 11pm in a curry house back in Kent. Who would have thought that our average crowd for home fans at the Valley is 11,500. Glory boys!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Brilliant, what else could I say. If we had lost it would still have been a day to remember that I have no doubt.
Manchester City v Watford
FA Cup Final
Saturday 18th May 2019, 5pm
John Hague (Neutral/Manchester City)
Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers
FA Cup Semi Final
Sunday 7th April 2019, 4pm
Jack (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Wembley Stadium?
Our first visit to Wembley since 1988 (for a cup game). And to see my team potentially get to an FA Cup Final for the first time since 1960, were not be missed.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left the Midlands around 12:30 and reached Wembley for 15:00. We parked on someone’s drive, booked through a parking App and took the 20 minute walk to the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Due to timings, we went straight into the stadium and to our seats. I looked at getting a drink on the concourse but it was very busy.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium is super impressive and even though this was my fourth visit, it still brings a shiver down my spine when I see it. We were situated in Block 114 of the lower tier which gave us a very good view.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Wolves went 1-0 up in the 36th minute through a Matt Doherty header, which sparked bedlam for 34,000 or so Wolves fans. It got better in the 62nd minute as Raul Jimenez doubled our lead. However, Watford pulled a goal back with ten minutes to go and in the fourth minute of added on time, Troy Deeney equalised through a penalty. Watford ended up winning the game in extra time.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We went for some food after to let the match day traffic die down. We got home around 22:30.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Until the 93rd minute, it was brilliant, though after the penalty it went downhill. A trip to Wembley is always special, though to lose the game like that was very disappointing.
Blackpool v Exeter City
League 2 Play-Off Final
Sunday 28th May 2017, 3pm
Tom (Exeter City fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Wembley Stadium?
I had visited Wembley Stadium once before for the League Cup final in 2013, although this of course was a different game entirely.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got the train into London Paddington from Devon. Which was easy, as was the subsequent London Underground tube train on the Bakerloo line to Wembley Central. The train from Exeter St Davids was, however, packed with City fans and also rugby supporters going to Twickenham for their game against Barbarians, making for an 'interesting' journey.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
From Wembley Central, we went to The Liquor Station, which turned out to be a typically expensive London bar, though with a nice interior. The food served was a good standard, with burgers about £10 each with chips. Pubs were allocated to City and Blackpool fans. It did turn out that the Wetherspoons J.J Moon's was also allocated to Exeter supporters and was much cheaper for drinks, if much busier.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
Wembley Stadium is a visually spectacular venue, though increased security alerts meant it took a considerable time to enter the ground. Unlike the Swansea v Bradford League Cup Final that I attended before, much of the stadium was empty- with just over 23,000 in attendance (although Blackpool took only around 5,000 with many fans protesting against their Club owners).
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Blackpool's flying start took away from much of the first half, with Blackpool having up to ten men behind the ball at any Exeter attack. David Wheeler's excellent equaliser livened the game up just before half-time, but Blackpool were dominant in the second half, reflected in their 2-1 win. The number of empty seats reduced the atmosphere considerably.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Having returned to JJ Moons for about half an hour after the game and then getting a curry outside London Paddington, the trains home were far quieter on the way home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Wembley Stadium itself didn't disappoint, even if the game wasn't quite to standard. It also has to be said that the £38 tickets did provide a good view in Block 127, although booking fees took two tickets to £83, which seems excessive for an online booking.
Manchester United v Southampton
Football League Cup Final
Sunday 26th February 2017, 4.30pm
Eric Spreng (Southampton fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Wembley Stadium?
I had never been to the new Wembley Stadium. I had been to the old Wembley four times, seeing Scotland losing 5-1 to England in 1975, losing 3-1 to England in 1979, and beating England 1-0 in 1981 (the year that Ted Croker somewhat unsuccessfully tried to ban the Scots from getting Wembley tickets!). I had also seen Southampton lose 3-2 to Nottingham Forest in the League Cup Final in 1979. I have lived in Scotland all my days but I have supported Southampton since my dad took me to the Dell in August 1968 to watch the Saints playing Leeds United (my parents had lived in Southampton for a couple of years when they were first married in the mid 1950's and we were down visiting friends). I get to as many Southampton games as I realistically can – the Football League Cup Final was my sixth game this season including Inter Milan both home and away in the Europa league.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I flew down on the Saturday and stayed with family in Croydon on the Saturday and Sunday nights. We got the train into London Victoria at about midday and then the tube Oxford Circus where we had a couple of drinks and a bite of lunch. Headed up to Wembley by tube from there at about 2.30pm and we were at Wembley Stadium just after 3pm – all very straightforward.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
When we got to Wembley Stadium we found the Southampton fan-zone which was fine but the queue for drink was huge so we just went into the stadium and had a drink there. Walking up to the ground both sets of fans seemed to be in good spirits and looking forward to the match.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Wembley Stadium?
When we first came out of the Wembley tube station we got a wonderful view of the stadium and its iconic 'arch' – totally different from the 'twin towers' the last time I was there! As we took our seats in row 10 of the upper tier I thought that the whole place looked terrific. Whilst we were a little bit away from the pitch we had a fantastic view. The seats were comfortable enough and there was plenty of legroom.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
We didn't have anything to eat so I cannot comment on that, but the toilet facilities were fine. I don't really remember coming across any stewards directly, but there were certainly no problems with people finding their seats etc. As for the match itself – where can I begin! Southampton took the match to Manchester United from the start and were unlucky when Manolo Gabbiadini had a good goal incorrectly chalked off for offside after ten minutes. Manchester United then came more into the game and found themselves 2-0 up after 40 minutes. I think that most people would say that that scoreline flattered them, but Saints were down but not out and came romping back to 2-2 with 'further' goals from Gabbiadini either side of half-time. By this time the atmosphere at the Southampton end was nothing short of electric and Southampton had several corners and half chances before Romeo even hit the post. However with three minutes to go and the game seemingly heading for extra-time, United broke clear and won the game when Ibrahimovic buried a header past Fraser Forster in the Southampton goal. It was one fantastic game of football from start to finish.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
No real problems after the game, which must have finished just before 6.30pm. We had no real problems getting a tube from Wembley and we made our way back to Croydon by about 8pm – in time to go through the heartache all over again by watching the Channel 5 highlights at 8.15pm! I flew back to Scotland from Gatwick on the Monday morning.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I absolutely loved every minute of the day with the singular exception of the 87th minute of the match! Wembley is a magnificent stadium, a wonderful occasion put on with the pre-match entertainment by the authorities and one of the best games of football that I have e ver seen. I was very proud to be a Saints fan on the day. The team played out of their skins and went toe-to-toe with Man Utd from first to last. The Saints fans were unbelievable the whole game – the memory of 30,000 Saints singing 'When the Saints go marching in' after the equaliser at 2-2 will live with me for a long time (I could not have sung any louder if my life had depended on it !). At the end of the day somebody has to win and somebody has to lose, but if you are going to lose then this was how to do it. Absolutely gutted at the end, but very proud to be a saint and I loved my day. I would recommend that anyone who has the chance to watch their team play at Wembley, be it a cup final, semi-final, play-off final, checkatrade trophy, fa trophy should absolutely go for it. It is a great stadium and you will not regret it.
Oxford United v Barnsley
Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final
Sunday April 3rd 2016, 2.30pm
By Myles Munsey (Ground hopper)
Reasons for visit:
When you get invited to a cup final and a day out at the National Stadium you don’t turn it down. I’ve been to the both the new and the old stadium several times but this is the first time I had filed a report. Oxford had reached Wembley after a long tour round southern England including a 2-leg win over Millwall. Playing higher division opponents in Barnsley held no fears.
Getting there:
It’s a bit of a trek to get from Newbury to Wembley even more so when chunks of the underground are inoperative at weekends. A through train to London had us in the capital by 11.30am. After a very early lunch there followed a lot of dodging about on the underground (Paddington Bakerloo Line was shut). We reached Marylebone in good time for the 10 minute sprint to Wembley. The train was very noisy as OUFC had taken over the whole of Marylebone station, or so it seemed.
First impressions:
Even though I have, as mentioned, been before and been on an official guided tour (which is recommended), the scale of the stadium is still difficult to take in. I’m no engineer but the construction skills are there for all to see. Wembley is impressive and the guided tour will give you all manner of fascinating statistics.I always have a rather ‘cold’ feeling when going there though. Even in victory which I have experienced twice (once with Oxford, once with Torquay), Wembley I’m afraid does not inspire me.
Before the game:
The usual thing is to pose for a group photo in front of the Bobby Moore statue (our liaison point) and this we did in groups of a couple at a time. Having bought a programme there was little else to do but take our seats and count the clock down to kick-off at 2.30pm. There is a lot of razz ma tazz involved with the pre-match build up at cup finals these days – flame throwers, dancing girls – you know the sort of thing but one recent innovation was the hoisting of both club’s pennants on giant dirigibles sponsored by you know who. I can’t comment on catering as prices are sky high at Wembley and long experience has taught me to steer well clear.
The Giant Club Pennants
The game:
Simply marvelous entertainment. The first half went very much Oxford’s way. Against higher league opponents they played well for 45 minutes, always looked comfortable and took the lead on 29 minutes through O’Dowda’s header from MacDonald’s cross. Whatever was said to Barnsley’s players at half time must have worked as seven minutes after the interval the Tykes were level Chey Dunkley putting through his own net after pressure from Winnall. 14 minutes later the Yorkshire side took the lead. Ivan Toney’s shot was well saved by Buchel but the ball fell kindly to Fletcher and he managed to net despite the attention of a defender of the line. With 16 minutes to go Barnsley scored their third goal. A break from halfway ended with Hamill curling an unstoppable shot into the far corner from the edge of the box.
The Oxford End
Game over? Not likely. Two minutes later Danny Hylton’s accomplished header from Keemar Roofe’s cross hit the top corner and suddenly Oxford were back in it. Sadly they could not quite claw it back and after seeing them climb the Wembley steps for their loser’s medals, we headed for home.
Getting away:
Please be aware that there is a queuing system for trains these days. The queue for the London Train was a short one though (Most Oxford fans coming from the north –using Oxford Parkway and Haddenham which offer a direct run to Wembley) and we were soon away. We just made the 5.57pm train from Paddington and were back indoors by about 7.30pm.
Overall thoughts:
As one of our party said. ‘If you’re going to lose in a minor cup final then do it in style’. My sentiments entirely. In the end I have to say that Barnsley were a class outfit. Oxford belied their status to play well above themselves but were unable to bridge the gap in class.
For both teams there are now bigger fish to fry. For the U’s the distraction of this competition has now gone and the ultimate prize (promotion) awaits them as indeed it might for Barnsley.
And now I shall vent. How often is the game ruined by people standing up almost continuously and impeding your view? Yes I’m afraid it happened here as well. I’m tall and yet I had to do giraffe impressions to get a decent view. At half time I complained to the stewards. Despite warnings being issued to the perpetrators, nothing, but nothing was done about it. Some of our group struggled to see anything for long periods. Thankfully, we did see all five goals, but my goodness it wasn’t easy. It is high time the authorities actually used the powers bestowed on them to stamp this mindless behaviour out.
Despite this annoyance, it was a super game and a grand day out.
Middlesbrough v Norwich City
Championship Play-Off Final
Monday 25th May 2015, 3pm
Adam Featherstone (Middlesbrough fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to Wembley Stadium?
Being my first visit to the new Wembley I was looking forward to seeing it in the flesh for the first time. Also being able to go to a play-off final between two relatively unfashionable clubs with good supporters I was expecting the atmosphere to be immense.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I found driving down from the North incredibly easy. I parked at Stanmore Underground Station which is about 5 minutes off J4 of the M1 and got the tube from there. It only cost me £2 to park for the whole day as it was a bank holiday tariff. However I would seriously advise getting there early to ensure a car parking space. I got there about 9am and there were only about 5 or 6 spaces left. It is situated in a residential area but I'm not sure if there is street parking in the vicinity although I did see a number of fans walking to the station from the surrounding streets so I presume that there is. Once on the tube it only takes about 10 minutes to get to Wembley Park station where you can walk straight down Olympic Way and to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc…
All of the pubs in the local area were designated to one of the two sets of supporters so this limited the ones you could visit. As Boro we were given the west side of the stadium all of the pubs beyond that end of the ground were for us. We went for a drink at J.J Moons which is on the main street towards Wembley Central Station. They did quite a good offer of a four-pint pitcher for £8 so we gladly took advantage of that.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I was hugely impressed with the stadium; walking down from Wembley Park and seeing the famous arch gets the adrenaline going especially during the hour before kick-off when the crowds start to gather. I was sat in the "cheaper" seats in the third tier but I always prefer being higher up and as with most modern stadiums the view of the pitch is excellent wherever you sit.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was one that will give me nightmares for quite a while as a Boro fan. We were 2-0 down after 15 minutes after quick goals from Jerome and Redmond. From there we never looked like getting back into the game. We struggled with the occasion and played nowhere near to the standard we were capable whereas Norwich were very good, clearly did their homework on us and were deserved winners. The atmosphere was fantastic all game, both sets of supporters made it a great occasion. The facilities inside Wembley are, as I expected, top class. All sorts of food and drink to choose from although it was quite pricey.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It all got too much for me when the game went to the final minutes so I snuck out of the ground slightly early (not that I was the only one) to try and avoid queues and traffic. It worked out quite well as getting back on the tube to Stanmore was seamless. I had heard some horror stories of having to wait 2 hours to get out of the station car park but fortunately I had no such trouble. There were however a number of disgruntled supporters who had been blocked in by people who had come in too late for a space and decided to just ditch their car anywhere. Luckily I wasn't one of those and I was out of the car park and onto the M1 in 10 minutes.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
In spite of the huge disappointment of failing to win promotion back to the Premier the day out was excellent. I have been wanting to visit Wembley Stadium since it was built so was pleased to have been and experienced it. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get there and get out as well which made the day even better.
Manchester City v Sunderland
Capital One Final
Sunday, March 2nd, 2014, 2pm
Rory Murphy (Sunderland fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to Wembley Stadium?
It was Sunderland's first trip to Wembley in 22 years and our first ever trip to the new Wembley. We'd already beaten Chelsea and Manchester United in previous rounds but knew Manchester City would be very hard to beat.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left the North-East at 6:30am and got to London at around 11am. We found a car park which was about a 15 minutes walk from the stadium and it cost £20. It was expensive but close to the stadium, plus it was very easy to get out of after the match had finished.
3. What you did before the game?
Sunderland fans were looking forward to having 'cheesy chips on Wembley way' but were left disappointed with a lack of burger vans. There seemed to be a lot more Sunderland fans then City fans, even though the ticket allocations were the same.
4. What were your thoughts on first seeing Wembley Stadium?
The Wembley Arch is a fantastic feature and can be seen for miles around. Sunderland were allocated the East End where 31,500 tickets were available. We sat right up 'in the God's' at the back of the top tier behind the goal, luckily there was escalators up to the top tier. Although high up the view was good. Wembley is simply a spectacular stadium.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Sunderland fans were certainly making a lot more noise, which was expected with it being a bigger occasion for us. Sunderland took an early lead with a good finish from Fabio Borini. We defended brilliantly for 55 minutes. Then Yaya Toure hit an unbelievable strike for City, which could be regarded as one of the best strikes at New Wembley. A few seconds later Samir Nasri scored another beauty for Man City to break 31,000 hearts. Sunderland kept pushing but City caught us on the counter and scored with a few minutes remaining with a goal from Jesus Navas. A magnificent performance but not the right result. Stewards were absolutely fine, the facilities were superb although the food was quite expensive.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The traffic was a bit slow as expected but not as bad as first thought. Got home in four hours.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
What a great day. Definitely going again if we ever get there in my lifetime.
Manchester City v Sunderland
Capital One Final Cup Final
Sunday, March 2nd, 2014, 2pm
Callum Bradfield (Sunderland fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to to Wembley Stadium?
Going to Wembley with your team is a dream for any supporter and the whole of Sunderland was rocking ever since the semi-final win. Also, I travelled to Wembley last year as a neutral (Bradford vs Northampton), and couldn't wait to go back.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left at 5am and arrived at Stanmore tube station at 10am and parked the car there. We then got the tube and about 5 minutes later we were at Wembley Park Station, and exited onto Wembley Way:
Wembley Way
3. What you did before the game?
We had a look around the stadium and took a few photos. Many Sunderland fans gathered at a nearby Premier Inn which were charging £4 a pint.
4. What you thought on seeing Wembley Stadium?
The ground is huge and looks fantastic. The arch is unmissable and just seeing it adds to the experience. The walk down Olympic way was great as you really felt the excitement, with thousands of fans walking down this one path. It was also quite unusual getting an elevator up to the top tier, which is great.
Wembley Stadium
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Sunderland were massive underdogs and we took the lead early on through Fabio Borini. However, just after half-time, in the space of a minute Manchester City led 2-1 thanks to sublime goals from Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri. Sunderland pushed for an equaliser but in the last minute City countered, and Jesus Navas scored to finish the game at 3-1, and they lifted the trophy. The stadium stayed full at both ends at the end of the game, with both sets of fans still singing before we departed back down Olympic Way.
The stewards were very friendly and relaxed, and there were no problems. They even got chants sung for them in the concourse!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It was surprisingly quick to get back to the tube due to the large amount of people. However, the car park back at Stanmore Tube Station was jammed full and it took two hours to leave.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Absolutely amazing and would love to do it again. Never experienced anything like it before and probably never will again. 10/10.
John & Stephen Spooner (Southend United fans)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to Wembley Stadium?
First ever visit to Wembley Stadium and chance to see Southend win a Trophy cup final after attending two previous losses in 2004 to Blackpool and 2005 to Wrexham, both in the LDV competition at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
My son and I set off at 5am from North Wales to drive the near 200 mile journey and had booked parking at The Green Man pub which overlooks the stadium and is within easy walking distance. We left the M1 at junction 4 and followed local directions supplied by Green Man parking services.
3. What you did before the game?
We had packed food with us which we usually do for away games so had eaten during a service station stop on the way down. The Green Man is a tremendous location and was already open as we arrived at 9am quickly followed by several coaches full of fans in good humour. Paul Sturrock who had been sacked as manager two matches earlier, travelled with supporters on a coach to the Green Man and was greeted as the idol he has become since taking over as manager. We joined in, giving his hand a shake and thanking him for getting us to a Wembley Final. At the stadium, the Crewe fans were friendly and confident having won promotion last season at Wembley, beating us on the way in the playoff semi final despite Southend wining both of the league games.
Paul Sturrock With Southend Fans
4. What were your thoughts on seeing Wembley Stadium?
Our first impressions of the ground on seeing the distinctive arch and then the magnificent size of the stadium, was brilliant. We walked round the outside and took photographs of the approaches and the Bobby Moore statue. We met up with family who had travelled the relatively short journey from Southend. The stewards were friendly and happy to guide us the correct entrances. We climbed the escalators to the 2nd level and sat in block 248 in line with the goal line and the view is brilliant. The seats were cushioned with plenty of leg room, and even glass holders on the back of seats.
John Spooner At Wembley Stadium
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The 31,000 Southend fans outnumbered the 11,000 Crewe but were quickly quietened as Crewe took the lead after just six minutes with a Murphy goal from a well worked corner. Southend struggled from then on as Crewe kept possession on the vast Wembley pitch. Southend forced a few corners but could not create goal chances and at the start of the 2nd half Crewe scored again after winning the ball in midfield and finding 4 against 2 Southend defenders leading to Max Clayton scoring an easy goal. I found the atmosphere subdued which I suppose is usual when your team is chasing the game against a team from a league above them. Stewards were friendly and there is ample space by bars and food outlets. Massive queues for toilets though.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We walked back to the Green Man pub and enjoyed the atmosphere as fans had the usual discussions of what might have been if Paul Sturrock had still been in charge. We followed directions supplied by Green Man parking and easily made our way to the M1, M6 and home by 7-30 pm.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great day out, the weather was fine after a frosty start and I look forward to another day at Wembley hopefully for a promotion play off. The only disappointment was the result of course. Overall, a memorable day, that will live long in our memories.