Awayday guide for Monday

[Bunny@Stoke]

Evening Villans.

Transport
Train: If you come on the train you will be met by the police and taken to eithe Staffs University bar or a pub called The Terrace on leek road (its ok). You will then be bussed (free) to and from the ground on double deckers. Warning - you might also get a camera shoved in your face though.

Coaches: parked right by the awy end and fast in and out. heard from you that some bricks were chucked last year. Apologies, but wasn't me. Very rarely do coaches get attacked.

Car: Don't get to here much later than 6.45pm. That gives you ytime to get a spot and walk up. You will not get that close to the ground unless you are here early, but parking spots are:
Parking: Harvester and Powerleague are both by the ground and charge about a fiver to park. you can get a beer in either. getting away is 50-50 depending on what the police want. Sometimes quick, other times a ball-ache.

Campbell Road: Come off J15 and head down the A500. Look out for signs to Campbell Road (left) and park near the Michelin factory. Street parking is plentiful if early BUT DO NOT PARK ON GRASS VERGES OR LEAVE WHEELS ON PAVEMENT – you will get a £60 fine. I park here and it’s a good spot to get away from after the game. Also The Plough and Gardeners Retreat are decent pubs and hould let you in. It will say no colours allowed, but under a jacket it’ll be fine. I have never seen trouble in either pub in 25 years going Stoke but no mini buses or large groups. 20 min walk to ground.

Heron Cross: m6 (j15) – A500 – A50 East. Similar walk to ground but not Brum side of stadium. I’d still say Campbell rd is better. Not many pubs.

By the ground: Sir Stanley Matthews Way has loads of parking on company car parks and is about a fiver, but may take a while to get away from.

My tip? Get there earlyish and park near Campbell Road in a decent spot and it’s only 5 mins to the M6.

Beer
See parking. Decent, clued-up Villans will be ok in all the places listed above. Don’t go into Stoke town centre. It’s pretty crap anyway but is very parochial. If in car, then Stone is excellent for a beer and a 15 minute drive to the ground.

Other
Stoke have a rep (copyright Dannytwat Dyer, but it’s like most other places (not New York, Barca, Hawaii etc, obviously) and you rarely see trouble. Keep yourself to yourself etc and you’ll be fine. Indeed, the walk back to Campbell Rd normally sees Stoke and away fans having a natter. Beware if the game has been a bit feisty/controversial  on the walk back as some tools don’t like losing.

Any more info you need, let me know. Safe journey.


Any Villans fancy bringing me the latest H&V as I’ve not seen it for a while? Can meet near away end (will be wearing red and white carnation)

[dave.woodhall]

It'll be on sale.

[Bunny@Stoke]

won't be able to get anywhere near away end Dave. Will swap an Oatcake with anyone who brings me a H&V (and I wrote a nice little bit on Villa).

[rutski]

went to stoke 2 years ago when sidibe scored the winner in the 94th minute and had to walk back to the car with my then 7 year old along side the stoke fans. Dont mind saying the majority were wankers and i felt really intimidated. Been to tons of away grounds but that one was the least enjoyable. God knows what the inbreeds would be like if they lost!

[Surrey Villain]

Thanks Bunny, very useful info

[Bunny@Stoke]

went to stoke 2 years ago when sidibe scored the winner in the 94th minute and had to walk back to the car with my then 7 year old along side the stoke fans. Dont mind saying the majority were wankers and i felt really intimidated. Been to tons of away grounds but that one was the least enjoyable. God knows what the inbreeds would be like if they lost!

sorry to hear that mate, but similar happened at VP that season after the 2-2. Plenty of Villa after trouble. Saying that (and it does embarrass me) we do have some absolute weapons following us.

Also, last year at United last match of season Dads with kids were battered after the game by United 'fans'. Stoke took plenty of lads that wanted trouble that day but were ingnored for the safe option of twatting blokes with nippers in colours.

<shakes head>

[Ads]

I’m not sure what its like on a night game, but there are loads of car parks past the away end towards Trentham on all the warehouse car parks.

[Bunny@Stoke]

yup there are - that is Sir Stanley Matthews Way

[rutski]

went to stoke 2 years ago when sidibe scored the winner in the 94th minute and had to walk back to the car with my then 7 year old along side the stoke fans. Dont mind saying the majority were wankers and i felt really intimidated. Been to tons of away grounds but that one was the least enjoyable. God knows what the inbreeds would be like if they lost!

sorry to hear that mate, but similar happened at VP that season after the 2-2. Plenty of Villa after trouble. Saying that (and it does embarrass me) we do have some absolute weapons following us.

Also, last year at United last match of season Dads with kids were battered after the game by United 'fans'. Stoke took plenty of lads that wanted trouble that day but were ingnored for the safe option of twatting blokes with nippers in colours.

<shakes head>

brave boys indeed, most need to bleeding grow up and take a look at themselves!

[Surrey Villain]

Thanks Bunny, very useful info

Bunney, can you tell me how far is the National Express bus station from the Brittania please?

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Good write up Bunny.

Personally i'll never set foot in the Brittania again after the first time we played Stoke in the Prem. (and remember you won that day)

Walking out of the exits of the ground straight after the game we had bottles thrown over the fence at us, then when on the coach we had bricks thrown at the windows. I'm sure it is only a minority, but too big a minority for my liking. The plod seemed more intent on pushing and shoving the Villa fans whose only crime that afternoon was being mightly pissed off at their lack of action and numbers with the home 'fans'.

[Bunny@Stoke]

Thanks Bunny, very useful info

Bunney, can you tell me how far is the National Express bus station from the Brittania please?

It's in Hanley mate and that's an almighty walk from the ground. Should be a bus to the ground though - are you having to get back to the bus station after for a coach?

[Surrey Villain]

Thanks Bunny, very useful info

Bunney, can you tell me how far is the National Express bus station from the Brittania please?

It's in Hanley mate and that's an almighty walk from the ground. Should be a bus to the ground though - are you having to get back to the bus station after for a coach?

Thanks Bunny, looks loke driving is the only way really, train is extornionate especially for two people, so we'll start early following your notes above.

Cheers

[whydelilah]

went to stoke 2 years ago when sidibe scored the winner in the 94th minute and had to walk back to the car with my then 7 year old along side the stoke fans. Dont mind saying the majority were wankers and i felt really intimidated. Been to tons of away grounds but that one was the least enjoyable. God knows what the inbreeds would be like if they lost!

Sounds like you encountered one or two of our idiots.

It's fair to say they are the minority though mate, I'm not sure what our perception is from other clubs anymore but I imagine it is still a very negative one.

In all honesty though, it's not a bad place to go and the majority of Stokies are just passionate fans, not idiotic thugs.

Whenever I travel to away matches I always adhere to a set of rules to keep myself out of trouble, I imagine if away fans do the same when coming to The Brit they would have a trouble-free day.

Enjoy the day out (but not too much hopefully!!!)

WD

[Surrey Villain]

Thanks Bunny, very useful info

Bunney, can you tell me how far is the National Express bus station from the Brittania please?

It's in Hanley mate and that's an almighty walk from the ground. Should be a bus to the ground though - are you having to get back to the bus station after for a coach?

Thanks Bunny, looks loke driving is the only way really, train is extornionate especially for two people, so we'll start early following your notes above.

Cheers

Thanks Bunny, we did follow your travel advice and arrived early by car and were able to park at the Gardeners Arms. Spent a couple of pleasant hours before walking to the Brittania.  Pity the next couple of hours didn't end quite so pleasantly.  If the game had finished one minute earlier we would all have been happy I guess.  We read a lot about possible trouble with Stoke fans.  I saw none and the only gripe, in fact shame, I had was the behaviour of some Villa fans when Villa scored.  A number rushed across to abuse the Stoke fans.  Sadly there was plenty of room for them.  I found the facilities for visitors better than some at Villa Park for our own fans.
Thanks again for the travel advice but not for the result.