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Ground Name: Gigg
Lane |
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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground
Like? Main Stand and Manchester Road End (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? South Stand and Cemetery End (photo) Where To Drink? A Closer Look At The Manchester Road End (photo) How To Get There BY Car & Where To Park By Train/Metro Main Stand and Cemetery End (photo) Admission Prices Programme Price Ground Layout Local Rivals Disabled Facilities Fixtures 2009-2010 Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
| The ground was completely re-built in the
1990's with the last 'new' stand, the Cemetery End,
completed in 1999.
The new stands have vastly improved the overall look of the ground, whilst
at the same time making it an all seated one. The Manchester
Road End is a fair sized stand that is covered and has an electric
scoreboard; however
it does not run the full width of the pitch, one side ending with the edge of the penalty
box. Apparently the scoreboard was bought from
Leicester's old Filbert Street ground. The other end, the
Cemetery End, is a former terrace that has been demolished and replaced with
a relatively new all seater stand. This stand extends around one corner to the South Stand
and looks quite smart. There is a
small police control box suspended beneath the roof in this corner of it.
On one side is the Main Stand, with raised seating meaning that
supporters have to climb a small set of steps to enter it. Part of the
front has a small box like
structure, with a number of windows running along the front. It
particularly caught my eye, as with the windows being almost at pitch
level, I wondered just how many broken windows they get each season.
Opposite is the South Stand, similar in design to the ends with a TV gantry suspended below its roof. The one open corner of the
ground has a small block of flats situated behind it, but the rest of the
ground has a number of trees visible behind and above the stands,
making the ground more attractive. Jeff Johnson informs me; 'Le Stade de Gigg’ as the locals call it, is now shared with FC United of Manchester'. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
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After another spell of being housed in the Cemetery End, away supporters now find themselves back in the Manchester Road End (aka Bridge Group West Stand). Just over 2,000 away supporters can be accommodated in this area, where you will normally enjoy a good view of the action. However, there is a row of supporting pillars about a third of the way up the stand, which could cause problems if your team has a large following. The stand is also situated quite well back from the pitch and is slightly below pitch level. The catering is quite good, with a range of burgers, hot dogs (£2.60) and Pies including the Chicken Balti Pie (£2.60). My only grumble was the archaic toilets in a relatively new stand. On the whole, however, it was a relaxed and normally a good day out, although sometimes lacking in atmosphere. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| There are plenty of pubs around the ground and along
Manchester Road in particular. There is also a
supporters club at the ground, which sometimes allows in small numbers of away fans,
for a small fee (£1).
My pick of the pubs on Manchester Road, is the Swan & Cemetery, around a ten minute walk from the ground. This Thwaites pub, is quite
comfortable, serves good hand pulled beer and has a separate restaurant
area. Nearer to the ground are the Pack Horse & the Staff Of Life. The Pack
Horse
on my last visit seemed to be the main pub for away fans and has a
conveniently situated chippy around the corner from it. The Staff Of Life
is a stone's throw from the Park and is a basic pub serving hand pulled
Lee's. Also recommended on Manchester Road, is the Waterloo, nearer the town centre.
Neil Le Milliere a visiting Exeter City supporter recommends the Rose & Crown on Manchester Old Road. 'It's not the biggest pub but it was very friendly; served a variety of real ales and is only a ten minute walk away from the ground.' |
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| How To Get There And Where To Park | |
| Leave the M66 at Junction 3. Take the left hand exit at
the junction and follow this road until you come to the junction with the A56 Manchester
Road. At this T-junction which has traffic lights, turn right towards Bury.
You will pass the Swan & Cemetery pub on your left and then some
playing fields. At the end of the playing fields just before the traffic
lights and a couple of pubs, turn right into Gigg Lane for the ground.
However please note that Gigg Lane is normally closed on match days and
the ground itself is not easily seen from the A56. Street parking, although
beware of a residents only parking scheme in operation in the nearby
streets, which operates on both matchdays end evenings, with wardens
patrolling the area. Adam Hodson provides some alternative directions from Junction 2 of the M66, from where the ground is signposted; 'Take the A58 towards Bury and at the second set of traffic Lights, turn left onto Heywood Street (B6219). Go Straight over a mini roundabout and at the next roundabout, turn right onto Wellington Road (still the B6219). Follow this road to the end, where you will come to a T-junction. Turn left onto the A56 (sign posted Manchester). After passing through a set of traffic lights, turn Left into Gigg Lane for the ground'. For a map showing the location of the ground click here (to take you to the Street Map website). To go to a simplified page, containing the directions and pub info, which you can print out click here. |
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| By Train/Metro | |
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Bury Metrolink is served by
trams from Manchester Victoria & Piccadilly mainline railway stations.
Bury Metrolink Station is about a 15 minute walk from the ground.
Turn left out of station along a pedestrian
walkway going underneath the
dual carriageway. On the other side of the dual
carriageway turn right towards the Town Hall.
Just before the Town Hall.
Then left into Knowsley Street and at the bottom of Knowsley Street turn
left onto the main A56 Manchester Road. It is then a case of going
straight along Manchester Road for about half a mile and you will reach Gigg Lane on your left.
Thanks to Andy Grainger for supplying the directions. Jon Hall adds; 'Alternatively bus numbers; 90, 92, 135 and 137 run every ten minutes down Manchester Road past the end of Gigg Lane'. |
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| Main Stand and Cemetery End | |
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| Admission Prices | |
| Like a
number of Clubs, Bury operate a category scheme (A & B) for matches, whereby
the most popular games cost more to watch. Prices are shown below with
Category B prices shown in brackets: Home Fans: Main & South Stands: Adults £20 (£17), Under 21's £15 (£12), Concessions £12 (£10) Surridge Sports Stand (Cemetery End): Adults £17 (£15), Under 21's £14 (£12), Concessions £13 (£10) Away Fans: Manchester Road Stand: Adults £17 (£15), Under 21's £14 (£12), Concessions £13 (£10) Concessions apply to juniors, senior citizens, disabled and the unemployed. |
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Official Programme: £2.50 |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Bolton Wanderers & Rochdale. | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. | |
| Fixtures 2009-2010 | |
| For the Bury fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website) | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| 35,000 v Bolton Wanderers, FA Cup 3rd Round, January 9th, 1960. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 9,115 v Burnley, December 26th 1999 Average Attendance: 2008-2009: 3,342 (League Two) 2007-2008: 2,601 (League Two) 2006-2007: 2,588 (League Two) |
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| Fans Reviews Of Gigg Lane | |
|
Dane
Yates (Manchester United) 22/1/08 Robert Allen (Chester City) 15/9/07 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. 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. To access their Bury page click here. | |
| Feedback | |
| If anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me and I'll
update
the guide. |
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| Return To The Main Menu | |
