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| Contents | |
| What's The Goldsands
Stadium Like? Future Developments Main Stand (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? East Stand (photo) Where To Drink? Looking Towards The North Stand (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train Ground Layout Admission Prices Local Rivals Programme & Fanzine Disabled Facilities Fixtures 2012-2013 Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Goldsands Stadium Location Map |
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| What's Goldsands Stadium Like? | |
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The stadium was literally built in 2001 in a matter of months. It comprises three permanent stands situated on both sides and at one end. The South End is currently open and unused. However in the past it has seen the presence of a temporary seated stand and this may return again at some point. All three stands are of roughly the same design and height and are quite smart looking, with the Main Stand having a row of executive boxes to its rear. Each is a covered single tiered stand, with good views of the playing action with perspex windshields at each side. The stand roofs have perspex panels allowing more light to reach the pitch. When the new stadium was built the pitch was rotated 90 degrees from its old position. So if you ever visited the old ground, try figuring out where the old Brighton Beach End was located! Originally known as Dean Court the ground was renamed the Goldsands Stadium in 2012 under a corporate sponsorship deal. The stadium is completed with a set of unusual looking floodlights that are situated in the open corners. |
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| Future
Developments |
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| The Chairman of the Club has
announced that the Club are going to construct a
4,000 seat stand at the South End of the stadium. It
is believed that this will commence during this
Summer. It is unclear at the moment whether this
will be a temporary or permanent stand, but either
way it will greatly improve the overall look of the
stadium. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away fans are located on one side of the East Stand, which is situated at one side of the pitch. The normal allocation for this area is 1,500 seats, but this can be increased to 2,000 if required. The stand is shared with home supporters and offers a good view of the playing action. The facilities are okay a normally there is a good atmosphere. I had a fairly relaxing visit to the stadium with no problems experienced. | |
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| Where To Drink? | |
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There is the Legends Bar located at the stadium which allows in away fans in family groups. The 1910 Supporters Bar which is located upstairs above it is for home fans only. Although the Queens Park Hotel on Holdenhurst Road (alongside the A338 Wessex Way) has now re-opened, it is now unfortunately for home fans only. Around a 10-15 minute walk away is the Sir Percy Florence Wetherspoons outlet on Christchurch Street, in nearby Boscombe. Away fans are welcome at this pub, but no colours are allowed. Next door to Wetherspoons is the Mello Mello bar which also admits away supporters (and with colours). Otherwise alcohol is available to visiting supporters inside the stadium at £3 a pint. |
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Thanks to Mick Cunningham for supplying the above photo. |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
| Follow
the A338 towards Bournemouth. The ground is situated
on the left of the A338 in the outskirts of town. You
should be able to spot the tops of the ground
floodlights on the left. Otherwise leave the A338 via
the slip road which is signposted Kings
Park/Football traffic. You will then reach a small
roundabout at which you take the second exit into
Kings Park Drive. The entrance to the stadium and car
park are down this road on the left. The car park at
the ground is of a good size, however please note that
this costs 50p per hour, otherwise you may find
yourself with a penalty ticket for your trouble. Map showing the location of the Dean Court football ground (at the bottom of this page). |
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| By Train | |
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nearest train station is Pokesdown which is roughly a
mile from the ground and is around
a 15 minute walk away. However, most trains
arrive at Bournemouth Central, which is around a half
an hour walk to the ground. Either try to get a train
to Pokesdown or grab a cab (£7-£8).
If you do arrive at Pokesdown
Station (which is served by trains from London
Waterloo), then exit the station (there is only one
exit) and turn right down the main Christchurch Road
(A35). Proceed for about 400 metres and then turn
right into Gloucester Road. Dean Court is located
down the bottom of this road. Thanks to Andy Young
for providing the directions from Pokesdown Station. If you arrive at Bournemouth Central, then leave the station by the South exit, thereby facing an Asda Supermarket. Turn left and walk down to the main Holdenhurst Road. Turn left (going away from the town centre) and then keep straight on along Holdenhurst Road for around 25 minutes, reaching the Queens Park pub (recommended by this Guide). Continue straight on past the pub until you reach a roundabout at which you turn right into Kings Park Drive. The ground is down the bottom of this road on the left. Alternatively you can catch a Yellow Number 33 bus to the ground, normally a half hourly service. Come out of Station again by the South exit, facing Asda and turn left until you get to a Texaco Garage. There is a bus stop with shelter on the same side of the road. Ask the driver to be let off near Kings Park Drive. Please note that if you decide to use the same service coming back, take a yellow number 2 bus as this is a circular service'. Latest bus timetables can be accessed by visiting the Yellow Buses website. Thanks to Richard Barnes for supplying the directions from Bournemouth Central. |
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| Admission Prices | |
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Home Fans: |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Brighton, Southampton, Aldershot and from further a field Leeds. | |
| Programme & Fanzine | |
| Official
Programme: £3. View from the tree Fanzine: £1. |
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| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website. | |
| Fixtures 2012-2013 | |
| AFC Bournemouth fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website) | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
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10,375 England v Poland |
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| Fans Reviews Of The Goldsands Stadium | |
| Ronan Howard
(Swindon Town) 12/1/13 Matthew Cowdrey (Crawley Town) 29/12/12 James Spring (Notts County) 14/1/12 Mark Horler (Torquay United) 31/8/10 Martin Hewitt (Portsmouth) 28/7/10 Adam Baker (Bradford City) 17/3/09 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
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If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. The Hotels listing also includes details of how far away the accommodation is located from the football ground. Access their Bournemouth
Hotels and Guest Houses page. |
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| Map showing the location of the Goldsands stadium, railway stations and listed pubs. | |
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Instructions for using the map: |
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| Feedback | |
| If
anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me at duncan@footballgrounds.net
and I'll update the guide. |
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