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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground Like? Future Developments Air Products Stand (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Looking Towards The Wulvern Housing Stand (photo) Where To Drink? Blue Bell BMW Stand (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train Mark Price Stand (photo) Local Rivals Admission Prices Programme & Fanzines Ground Layout Fixtures 2011-2012 Disabled Facilities Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Alexandra Stadium Location Map |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
| The
opening of the £6m pound Air Products Stand (formerly
known as the Railtrack Stand) in 1999 changed forever the look
and feel of the ground. Before, it had always
been small and homely, but the addition of the Air
Products Stand has drastically changed the overall scene. The stand, which sits proudly along one
side of the pitch, is a single tier cantilever holding just under 7,000
people. It looks huge compared to the other stands and is probably three times the size of the old Main
Stand. It is simply designed, sits well back
from the pitch and has windshields to either side. Considering
that the overall capacity of the ground is just over 10,000, one can
understand how the Air Products Stand
dominates Gresty Road, accounting for 70% of the
available seating. The other three stands are roughly of the same height, covered and all seated, but are rather small when compared to the Air Products Stand. So much so, that balls are regularly kicked out of the ground during a game. The newest of these smaller stands is the Mark Price Stand (also known as the Gresty Road End), which is the home end of the ground. This replaced a former open terrace and seats around 900. Opposite is the Wulvern Homes Stand, which was previously known as the Railway End. This has some executive boxes at the rear, but the seating area is only opened for the bigger games. The Blue Bell BMW Stand at one side of the ground , has an unusual television/press gantry on its roof. It almost looks as if part of a portakabin was at some point bolted onto the roof and it looks a bit precarious. In the corner between the Blue Bell BMW & Wulvern Homes Stands is a large clock, whilst on the other side of the Blue Bell BMW Stand is a Police Control Box, keeping a close eye on the away contingent. An unusual feature is the absence of dugouts, the teams instead are given a section of seating at the front of the Air Products Stand. You will also notice that the pitch is slightly raised above ground level. The ground is completed with a set of modern looking floodlights. I noted that on the Air Products side of the stadium additional lighting is present half way up the floodlight pylons. One assumes that the height of the new stand prevented enough light getting to the pitch and hence additional lighting needed to be subsequently added. |
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| Future Developments | |
| At some point in the future, the club hopes to replace the Blue Bell BMW Stand (formerly known as the Popular Side) with a new two tiered stand, which will also contain executive boxes. | |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away
fans are housed in the Blue Bell BMW Stand at one side of the ground.
The whole of this stand is given to away supporters and houses 1,680
fans, though if required the Wulvern Homes Stand can also be
allocated to away fans. Entrance to the away stand is by ticket only,
(no cash is accepted at ironically some of the oldest turnstiles I have
ever seen at a League Ground). Tickets need to be purchased from the
ticket booth next to the supporters club at the entrance to this stand.
Please also note that alcohol is not available in this stand. I found Crewe to be relaxed and friendly, making for a good day out. There was a large away support on my last visit which boosted the atmosphere of the ground, however I have heard reports that it can be a bit flat at certain games, even with the efforts of a drummer in the home end. There was a good range of Hollands pies (£2), pasties (£2) and sausage rolls (£1.50) from the refreshment kiosk, as well as hot dogs (£2.50). There are a couple of supporting pillars in the Blue Bell BMW Stand which if you are unlucky could effect your view of the playing action. There is a popular fish and chip shop just outside of the stadium, the smell of which, early in the game, wafts across the ground. As an aside, this is the only ground when just sitting there minding my own business, during the first half, I suddenly get a big wet tongue in my ear! Now before you all starting thinking all sorts of connotations (and I should add that Mrs Adams wasn't with me), it was in actual fact a black Labrador dog, that was the culprit. This was my introduction to Pebble the trainee guide dog, who had been brought to the match to get used crowd situations. Now just when I thought I had experienced it all on my travels... |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| If
you get there reasonably early before the game, the supporters club at
the ground allows small numbers of away fans in. There are also a
number of pubs within walking distance of the ground. The pick of
these, is probably the Royal Hotel on Nantwich
Road. As Barry
Cutts a visiting Coventry City supporter adds; 'I found the Royal
Hotel to be a warm & welcoming drinking
house. Turn left out of the
railway station & the pub is 50 yards down this road on the right
hand side. There is also a fantastic
chippie opposite'. Although the pub does
not look that welcoming, with a number of bouncers on the door, once inside you will find it
okay. There are separate bars for home and away supporters. The away
supporters bar is called Clancys and is decked out in an Irish theme.
On my last visit it had a large screen showing Sky Sports and had a
number of filled rolls for sale. For those who like their real ale then
further down Nantwich Road on the left hand side just past the traffic
lights is the British Lion. This comfortable small pub has been listed
previously in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and has regular changing guest
beers. If you park on the industrial estate just off Weston Road, then on your way to the ground you will pass the Brocklebank Pub, a Brewers Fayre outlet, which is very popular with away fans. It is also has a large screen showing Sky Sports. You can also park in their own car park which costs £1 for three hours. The cost of parking is refundable off your bill if you use their restaurant. If you arrive early and have a bit of time on your hands then I would recommend a visit to the Borough Arms on Earl Street. The pub which, is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, is around a mile away from Gresty Road has a large number of real ales, plus Belgian and German beers on tap. It has an impressive stock of continental bottled beers. There is also an Indian restaurant located behind it which offers reasonably priced lunches. Map of the Borough Arms location. |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
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Leave the M6 at Junction
16 and take the A5020 towards Crewe. Follow this road right into Crewe.
At the roundabout junction with the A534, Nantwich Road, turn left.
Gresty Road is down past the Railway Station on the left. Just before
you reach this island on Weston Road, you
will see a sign pointing to the right, which displays; 'Away Supporters
On Street Parking'. This directs you to an industrial estate on the
right of the road (you will also see the Volkswagen dealership, L C
Charles on the front of it). It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the
ground from here. Otherwise at the ground behind the Air Products Stand
is a pay and display car park which costs £2.50 for the day.
Obviously this fills up quite quickly on matchdays. |
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| By Train | |
| The ground is only a few minutes walk from the train station. As you come out of the Railway Station turn left and Gresty Road is down the road on your left. | |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Stoke City & Port Vale. | |
| Admission Prices | |
| All Areas Of The Ground*: Adults £19.50, O.A.P.'s £15.50, Under 16's £9, Under 11's £5 * Club members can qualify for a discount on these ticket prices. |
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| Programme & Fanzines | |
| Official
Programme £2.50 Super Dario Land Fanzine £1 Once In A Blue Moon £1 |
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| Fixtures 2011-2012 | |
| Crewe Alexandra fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website. | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| Record
Attendance: 20,000 v Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup 4th Round, January 6th, 1960. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 10,103 v Manchester United Carling Cup Round 3rd Round, October 26th, 2004. Average Attendance: |
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| Fans Reviews Of The Alexandra Stadium | |
| Alex Jones (AFC
Bournemouth) 31/01/10 Matt (Morecambe) 14/11/09 Jordan Pattison (Bradford City) 19/8/06 Martyn Smith (Derby County) 5/4/05 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| 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 Crewe Hotels and Guest Houses page. | |
| Map Showing The Location of the Alexandra Stadium, Railway Station 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 duncan@footballgrounds.net
and I'll update the guide. |
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