It's the annual LFW Christmas drink up in a faraway place on December 22 as QPR head for Newcastle . If you're coming to, here's how to get there.
Ground Name: St James’ Park
Capacity: 52 387
Address: St James’ Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne , NE1 4ST
Main Telephone No: 0191 201 8400
Ticket Office: 0844 372 1892
A straight road, but a long one. Take the A1 out of London and follow it all the way up to the other end of the country, past the Angel of the North, and Newcastle . Take the A184 from it, and then the A189 over the Tyne and the ground should be visible from there. Follow the dual carriageway up to the stadium. The guide also recommends taking the Westerhope exit from the A1, crossing two roundabouts and parking around the Royal Victoria Infirmary. About five hours and 252 miles at the speed limit from Loftus Road.
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A city centre ground means you can either brave the traffic and pay and display car parks in the immediate vicinity or park out of town and use public transport. The guide recommends Heworth near Gateshead next to the A184 and getting the Metro direct to the stadium - £2.40 return for the Metro, £1.10 for the parking. OOn previous visits we got into a multi-storey no more than two minutes from the ground with no problems at all, and straight out afterwards as well.
East Coast services from Kings Cross for this one, and basically if you haven't booked yet then you've had it because this isn't a cheap journey at the best of times when booked in advance, but now just a few weeks before a Christmas fixture it's extortionate. The cheapest direct trains are now £117.20 return which is the flat return fee. All the advance tickets north before the game have sold out. You can get there for £90 return by changing at Sheffield on the way there and back but that sounds like a bit of a ball ache. The station is no more than a ten minute walk from the ground through the city centre – come out of the main entrance and cross the road in front of you, walk up pedestrianised Pink Lane, cross Westgate Road and then continue up pedestrianised Bath Lane before turning right onto Stowell Street through Chinatown and then left up St Andrew's b Rosie's Bar. Finally, left up Gallowgate to the ground.
The official coach leaves Loftus Road at 7am and picks up at the Target Roundabout at 7.30am. The journey is priced £36 adults, £24 seniors and young adults, £22 under 16s and the season ticket holders get a £2 discount from full price or £1 discount from concessions. Places to be booked through the box office. No details of an LSA coach as yet.
Away fans have traditionally congregated in the three pubs opposite the station and I'm sure that will be the case again although I'm told that all three refuse to admit children on matchdays. The ground is right in the city centre so there will certainly be no shortage of bars.
Rangers have 1,600 tickets up in the Gods for this one, priced very reasonably it must be said: £26 adults, £21 for seniors and students, and £13 for under 18s. There are eight wheelchair spaces and 12 ambulant disabled priced at £13 with a free carer ticket if needed. Tickets are on general sale and will remain so until Friday December 21. No tickets will be available on the day.
Links >>> Official website >>> Detailed fans' guide to St James’ Park Tweet @loftforwords
Pictures – Action Images