Ticket sale and rail details for those planning on heading to QPR's game at Southampton on Saturday September 27.
Ground Name: St Mary’s
Capacity: 32 251 (all seated)
Address: Britannia Road, Southampton, SO14 5FP
Main Telephone No: 0870 220 0000
Fax No: 02380 727 727
Ticket Office: 0870 220 0155
That leaves NCP city centre car parks priced at a fiver, but beware the gridlocked roads around the middle of Southampton directly after the match — don’t expect to have escaped before the second reading of the classified football results.
Barry from the message board, a former resident, previously added the following:
For anyone travelling down by car, you can park about 15 mins drive away from the ground for nothing. Forget about the park and ride schemes as it will take ages to get back to the car park. Find a road called Alma road which is off the A33 (London Road) and park around there. To get to the stadium just get back onto the London Road and follow it into town and then follow the crowds.
The Football Ground Guide offers the following:
”Alternatively, on my last visit I noticed a number of fans parking around the Marina area and then taking the ten minute walk to the ground. Parking in this area has the advantage that at the end of the game, you can avoid the city centre gridlock, by heading along the coast on the A3024 and then onto the M271/M27. Steve Ship a visiting Crystal Palace fan also recommends it; 'The Marina is called the Ocean Village which has plenty of parking, but it does charge to park there (we paid £5 for five hours). It is no more than a ten minute walk to the stadium, has a pub on the complex (which had a decent mix of home and away supporters) as well as plenty of food outlets. We left at the final whistle and were back on the M27 within 20 minutes thus avoiding the congested town centre'.
"Barry Sear suggests 'I parked in Woolston (on the other side of the Itchen Toll Bridge which costs 60p) where there is plenty of street parking, and made the 15-20 minute walk from there to the ground over the Itchen toll Bridge. To get there, you leave the M27 at Junction 8 and follow the A3025 to Woolston. I was back on the M27 within 10 minutes of getting back to the car'. Paul Bostock a visiting Burnley fan adds; 'There is a public car park (free for first 5 hours) located just south of the Woolston side access to the Itchen Bridge. It is on Oakbank Road and the entrance is at the junction of Bridge Road and Oakbank Road.”
Whether the demand from 2,000 QPR fans sent the £ signs spinning in their eyes or what I’m not sure, but South West Trains were unusually slow putting their advance fares online — nothing just six weeks before the game — and now there are hardly any left.
The fast trains are currently best priced £29 return, which is a "special offer” for September apparently — only a small rip off, as opposed to the full on over the barrel off peak day return fare of £38.60. The journey time is 80 minutes and the trains leave Waterloo at five past and 35 minutes past the hour. Coming back they leave on the hour and at half past. You must book in advance to get the £29 tickets.
Now, a two hour 30 minute trek through the countryside may not be for everybody, but for future reference the LFW lot booked this a few weeks ago and paid just £5 each. They’re currently available for £10 out at 09.32 (arrives 11.59) and £10 back at 18.11 (arrives 20.50).
All the guides say it's over 1.5 miles to walk from the station and it will take you half an hour. Well that, in my experience is total rubbish. Out of the station's south entrance and turn left, then basically just keep going straight on. Up Western Esplanade, which becomes Civic Centre Road, between the Civic Centre and the Marlands Shopping Centre. Cross into New Road at the crossroads with the Nationwide on the corner. At the next cross road cross Kings Way into Northam Road and follow this road for until you reach the ground on your right.
The sign posting between the station and the ground is excellent and it's very hard to get lost. There is a shuttle bus service which may be useful for the lazy or if the weather is poor.
The LSA coach leaves from the café near the Smutts at 10.00 and is priced £20 with £15 concessions. Call Gary as soon as possible on 07506 028 189 to book.
"We went for a pre-match drink in the designated away fan's bar in the upstairs of the King Albert pub (just across a bridge nearby the away turnstiles). A bar was exactly what it was, not much room up there with around three tables or so placed around the small corner, which as we got in there just before 13.00, managed to nab one. Mind you, you wouldn't be able to afford too many rounds in there, nearly £8 for a pint of Stella, a pint of bitter shandy and a bottle of j20. Talk about daylight robbery. There was a TV showing on one side the lunchtime game in the Championship, whilst the other side were showing the cricket. Unfortunately I got lumbered sitting on the side where the cricket was showing. Groan."
We also previously had a letter from a land lord near the ground.
I am writing to you as I own The Coopers Arms public house in Southampton and your supporters are visiting us next weekend. We are open for breakfast at about 09.00 and for alcohol at 10.00. We have a very cheap menu, with a full (big) breakfast. My pub is five minutes walk from the stadium and we specialise in welcoming away supporters along with their families and children are especially welcome. We appreciate that it is difficult going to an away game and finding a place that is safe for the family, this is what we offer. Our address is 70 Millbank Street
The guide recommends The Prince of Wales, The Bevois Castle, The Station, The Eagle and The Anchor (next to the East Street indoor shopping centre) as good friendly pubs for away fans. The Chapel Arms (formerly le Tissier Arms) near the ground apparently has a habit of not serving away fans close to kick off time so beware.
We’ll update this as and when people let us know that this has all changed while we’ve been in different divisions.
Links >>> Official website >>> Detailed fans' guide to St Marys
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Pictures — Action Images