QPR’s first away trip back in the big time is in a fortnight when Neil Warnock’s men head to Goodison Park to face Everton.
Capacity: 40,569 (all seated)
Address: Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL
Main Telephone No: 0871 663 1878
Ticket Office: 0871 663 1878
It’s about 210 miles up the M1 and M6 for QPR fans travelling from London to this one, a journey time of just shy of four hours at the speed limit. Once you’ve done the long slog up the M1 and M6 you leave the latter at junction 21A to join the M62 westbound which you follow through to its conclusion and join the A5058. After three miles turn left at the traffic lights next to McDonalds onto Utting Avenue and then travel a further mile until you reach Stanley Park and Priory Road – the ground is at the bottom of that road.
Click on the map to zoom in or out and tour around.
It’s an old fashioned city centre ground this one so it’s street parking and private car parks only. Stanley Park has one charging £8 a car, follow the directions above to Priory Road for the entrance, or alternatively pay £4.50 at the Walton Sports Centre off the A5058 on your way in. Street parking can be found around Walton Lane, or near Anfield. It’s been a while since we were last here, but I presume the time honoured “mind your car mister” system is still operated by the local scamps, chavs and drug runners.
QPR fans arriving from London on the Virgin West Coast Mainline from Euston will pull into Liverpool Lime Street which is three miles away from the ground and not walkable. Options from there are taxi (£6 is the guide’s estimate) or a local Merseyrail northern line service to either Kirkdale which is less than a mile away or Sandhills which is slightly further but operates a special football bus service before and after the game. If you buy a return ticket to Goodison Park, rather than Sandhills, the ticket is valid all the way to the ground and not just for the train journey.
Tickets for the London to Liverpool leg of the journey are currently available for £60 return, but were as low as £24 a couple of weeks ago highlighting the need to book early. The 1948 is the last direct service back to London on a Saturday night. The walk up and pay on the day fare is £70 for an off peak return.
The official club coach leaves Loftus Road at 8.30am and will pick up at the Target Roundabout lay-by next to McDonalds at 9am. Travel costs £32 adult, £21 for seniors and young adults and £19 junior. Season ticket holders receive the usual discounts. The LSA bus leaves the Springbok at 7.30am priced £30 adults and £20 concessions with an extra surcharge for non-LSA members. Call Gary on 07506 028 189.
As will happen a fair few times this season, given the length of time its been since LFW was visiting these grounds regularly, we’re leaning heavily on the guide (linked below) for recommendations on pubs. For Goodison Park the Wetherspoons run Thomas Frost on Walton Road is said to be 15 minutes walk away and popular, the Bradley’s Wine Bar (not as bad as it sounds apparently) may be a better bet if the former is too rammed. Those arriving by train may be better staying in the city centre and heading out later, The Head of Steam in the station itself has big screen sports and is CAMRA approved. The awayend serves beer, and they have a bit of a better choice than the usual 3% warm Carslberg in a plastic bottle because the club sponsors Chang are the suppliers.
Rangers have 1500 upper tier tickets and 300 lower for this game. The upper tier seats are priced £31 adults, £19.50 for seniors and £15.50 for under 16s. The lower tier tickets are priced £34 adults, £21 seniors and £17 under 16s. Disabled tickets are priced the same as the lower tier with a carer admitted free. This is an all ticket fixture and Rangers are currently selling to all fans with 30 loyalty points or more. Any remaining tickets go on general sale from Tuesday.
Links >>> Detailed Guide to Goodison Park >>> Official Website