| Contents |
What's Old
Trafford Like?
Future Stadium
Developments
East Stand
External View (photo)
What
Is It Like For Away Supporters?
Sir Alex
Ferguson Stand And Stretford End (photo)
Where To Drink?
East Stand (photo)
How To
Get There By Car
Where
To Park
MediaCityUK Multi
Storey Car Park
South Stand (photo)
By Train And
Metrolink
By Air
Manchester Coach
Station
A Closer Look At
The Stretford End (photo)
Local Rivals
Admission Prices For
Away Supporters
Ground
Layout
Fixtures 2013-2014
Programme And Fanzines
Old Trafford
Stadium Tours
Disabled Facilities
Record And Average Attendance
Old Trafford Fans
Ground Reviews
Hotel Accommodation
Holiday Inn
Manchester
TheHeart Serviced
Apartments
Old Trafford
Location Map
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| What's Old
Trafford Like? |
|
Old
Trafford has always been a special place as it was
one of the few grounds where the stands envelop the
corners. Although more stadiums are now also totally
enclosed, Old Trafford's sheer size still makes it a
bewildering sight. It has been steadily expanded
over the last couple of decades raising its capacity
to a staggering 76,100, making it the largest Club
ground in Britain. Both ends, which look almost
identical, are large two tiered stands, which were
originally built in the early 1990’s and had an
additional tier added at the turn of the millennium.
Each are quite steep, with a large lower tier and
smaller upper tier. The three tiered Sir Alex
Ferguson Stand, opened in 1996, at one side of the
ground, is the largest capacity stand of any League
Ground in England. The corners to each side of this
stand are also filled with seating and extend around
to meet both ends. These re-developed stands dwarf
the older Main (South) Stand opposite. This stand
(part of which dates back to 1910) is single tiered,
with a television gantry suspended below its roof.
All the stands have a row of executive boxes at the
back of the lower tier.
The ground looks a little imbalanced with the
smaller older Main (South) Stand looking somewhat
out of place with its larger newer neighbours.
However, in my opinion the best views of the ground
are from the front of this stand and from the away
section, as you look out upon the three newer,
larger sides. Still, if this Main Stand was to be
re-developed in the same manner as the others, then
the ground would possibly be the envy of Europe.
Unusual aspects of the ground include the raised
pitch, and that the teams enter the field from the
corner of the Main Stand. Outside the ground is the
Sir Matt Busby Statue
fronting the impressive green glassed East Stand
facade. There is also a clock
and plaque
in remembrance of the Munich disaster. Across Sir
Matt Busby Way is the recently erected United
Trinity Statue of three of the 1968 European
Cup winning team; George Best, Denis Law and Bobby
Charlton (now Sir).
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| Future
Stadium Developments |
Although
there are no current plans to further increase the
capacity of Old Trafford, the Club would at some
point wish to replace the old Main (South) Stand,
with a larger structure. The proximity of a railway
line directly behind this stand has prevented
re-development in the past, but I would not be
surprised if this eventually happens as the Club
have nowhere else left in the stadium that they can
now substantially expand upon.
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| East Stand External View With Sir
Matt Busby Statue |
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| What
Is It Like For Away Supporters? |
| Away
supporters are normally located in one corner of the
ground, taking up part of the East and South stands.
The view from the away sections are excellent and up
to 3,000 away supporters can be accommodated. Entrance
into the stadium is gained by first being searched by
a steward and then placing your ticket into an
electronic bar code reader. It is then up a few
flights of rather steep stairs to the concourse.
Although the concourse looks a little cramped, it is
adequate and there seems to be enough food and drinks
outlets that the queues never seem to get too long.
These sell a range of pies and other refreshments,
plus normally alcohol is available in the form of
bottles of Budweiser and cans of Tetley beer. At the
far end of the concourse is a large flat screen
television showing Sky Sports. I don't know whether it
is the American influence at Old Trafford, but I
noticed on my last visit that after buying food or
drink, that the attendant would always say; 'Enjoy the
game' on giving back your change.
The
away fans section is set back from the pitch as
there is a disabled area to its front. The leg room
between rows is a little tight, as well as the space
between the seats themselves. This results in most
away fans standing throughout the game. The good
thing though, is that the away fans can really make
some noise from this part of the stadium.
The
Club experimented last season for the Aston Villa
game, in housing the away fans in a different part
of the stadium. This was in the very top tier of the
North Stand towards the Stretford End (area
NT3). I wouldn't be surprised if away fans end
up in there for the 2012/13 season, as the move will
part nullify the presence of away fans and allow
more desirable seats in the South East corner to be
given to home fans. Although the facilities are fine in
this area, you can feel a bit 'cut off' from the
rest of the stadium up there as the roof above comes
down so low that you are unable to see much of the
rest of the stadium.
As you probably know Old Trafford is billed as the
'Theatre Of Dreams' and is certainly one of the best
grounds in the country. However, if you have never
been there before, be prepared to be a little
disappointed, as the reality will probably not meet
your pre-conceived expectations. Getting tickets for
Man Utd home games is pretty difficult even if you
are a member of the club, so make sure you have
tickets before you travel.
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|
Sir
Alex Ferguson Stand And Stretford End
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Top Of Page
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| Where To Drink |
| The three pubs nearest the
ground (The Trafford, Sam Platts and The Bishops
Blaize) generally won't let you in if you wear away
colours. The best bet is probably the city centre or
along one of the stops on the Metrolink. On my last
couple of visits I have drank at the Quadrant pub
which had a mixture of home and away fans and a couple
of handy Chinese/Chippies nearby. The pub is about a
10-15 minute walk away from Old Trafford, in the
direction of the Cricket Ground (see Directions &
Parking for more info). Luke Burns a visiting
Birmingham City fan adds; 'There is also the Lime Bar
in nearby Salford Quays. Good beer, quick service and
good mix of home and away supporters'.
Andy Syborn adds 'away
fans are okay to drink in the Bridge at Sale. It is
two stops from Old Trafford on the Metro (about eight
minutes journey time)'. Alternatively alcohol is
normally served within the ground, although for some
high profile games the Club opt not to sell any.
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|
East
Stand
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Top Of Page
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| How To
Get There By Car |
|
From the South:
Leave the M6 at Junction 19 and follow the A556
towards Altrincham. This will lead you onto the A56
towards Manchester. Keep on the A56 for six miles
and then you will come to see Sir Matt Busby Way on
your left. The ground is half a mile down this road
on your left, although on matchdays this road may
well be closed to traffic.
From the North:
Leave the M6 at Junction 30 and take the M61 towards
Bolton. At the end of the M61, join the M60. Leave
the M60 at Junction 9 and follow the A5081 towards
Manchester. After about two miles you will reach Sir
Matt Busby Way on your right for the ground.
From The West:
Follow M56 until its end and then take the M60
(W&N) as for Trafford Centre. At Junction 7
leave M60 and take the A56 towards Stretford. Stay
on the A56 for 2.1 miles then you will come to see
Sir Matt Busby Way on your left. The ground is half
a mile down this road on your left, although on
matchdays this road may be closed to traffic. Thanks
to Brian Griffiths for providing these directions.
Map showing the location of the Old
Trafford Stadium (at the bottom of this page).
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Where
To Park
|
| There are lots of small
private car parks near to the ground, otherwise it is
street parking. Peter Bennett suggests parking at Old
Trafford Cricket Ground (cost £10). Try to arrive
early (before 1pm) as if you arrive later, it takes
ages leaving the car park after the game. Gareth
Hawker adds; 'I parked at the Salford Quays Lowry
Mall, a ten minute walk away from the stadium, the
cost of which was £3.50. There was virtually no
traffic on leaving, and the road takes you straight
onto the M601 which joins up with the M62/M6. This
avoids the congestion of the traffic heading South'.
This car park also offers free parking for four hours
if you spend £5 or more in the shopping centre and
then get a store to validate your receipt/car parking
ticket). There is also the MediaCityUK Multi
Storey Car Park located at Salford Quays, it has 2,300
spaces and is only a ten minute walk from Old Trafford
(see more details below).
Alternatively:
Park in
Altrincham town centre and take the Metrolink to
the ground (20 minutes). Some pubs such as the
Bricklayers Arms in Altrincham town centre, will
allow parking for the
afternoon, as long as you enjoy a pre match
drink (they also do good food). Kevin
Dixon-Jackson adds; 'You can get the Metrolink
to Old Trafford from Ladywell Halt, in Eccles,
where there is also free secure parking. It is
about a 15 minute journey on the tram and costs
£1.20 return. You can reach Eccles from the M60
(take the Carrington spur J8 A6144(M)) or M602
Motorway (leave at the first junction for
Eccles, turn right, and right again at the
lights, onto Eccles New Road. Secure parking is
immediately on your right). You are only 200
yards away from the Drinking Capital which is
Eccles town centre!'
My Tip For Parking
& Getting Away After The Game:
Going along the A56, as the stadium emerges in
front of you, follow the signs for Old Trafford
Cricket Ground, which means that you will bear
off the A56 to the right. At the end of the park
on your left and before you reach the Cricket
Ground, turn right into Great Stone Road. Just
over the hill you will see a
pub called the Quadrant, which is next door to a
chip shop. There is plenty of street parking in
this area, up to around 1.15-1.30pm. You are
only a ten minute walk away from the ground. The
Quadrant pub itself, I found okay to have a
drink in. After the game, head away from Old
Trafford (keeping the Quadrant pub on your left)
along the side streets. You will reach the A5145
(Edge Lane). Turn right down here and you will
eventually join up again with the motorway and
avoid all those traffic jams on the A56.
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MediaCityUK
Multi Storey Car Park
|
The car park is located at Salford Quays on the banks
of Manchester's historic ship canal. Old Trafford is
situated within a 10
minute walk of the car park making this an
ideal location for supporters to leave their vehicles.
The car park is easily
accessible via Junction 2 on the M602
allowing drivers to bypass the usual traffic queues
when parking near Old Trafford. In addition to the
great location, the multi storey is a secure Park Mark Award site,
manned 24/7, with full CCTV coverage. For a
three hour stay the cost will be circa £4.50.
For those who have time on their hands pre-kick off
you can soak up the atmosphere on site. The piazza is
a wonderful outdoor space located in front of the
Studios, with a newly installed double-sided outdoor
screen. MediaCityUK is a creative hub, hosting a
wealth of companies including various BBC departments
such as Football
Focus and Match
of the Day. In addition the Quays attract
numerous visitors to the Lowry Arts Centre and the
Imperial War Museum, both of which are located within
a 10 minute walk
of the car park and Old Trafford. MediaCityUK also
hosts a variety of eateries (Prezzo, Wagamama’s and
Booth’s) for those who would like a meal before or
after the game. Visit the MediaCityUK web site for
further details and attractions. All supporters and
visitors welcome. Post code for SatNav is M50 2EQ.
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|
South
Stand
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| By Train And
Metrolink |
Probably the best way to get
to the stadium is by Metrolink or train from
Manchester Piccadilly mainline station, as Old
Trafford has both its own railway station next to the
ground and a Metrolink station which is located next
to Lancashire County Cricket Club on Warwick Road,
which leads up to Sir Matt Busby Way. Normally the
railway station is less busy than the Metrolink.
Alternatively you can get a bus from Piccadilly
Gardens (see below).
Chris Kilcourse adds; 'The Metrolink also has another
branch line going to Eccles from Manchester Centre.
There are two stops to leave the tram - Pomona and
Exchange Quay. These are on the opposite (Salford)
side of the ground - probably a quieter line on
Matchdays. Pomona is the closest to the ground, only a
short walk away and closer than Lancashire CC.
Exchange Quay is the one to use for return journeys as
the trams get full and may not stop at Pomona going
back'.
Amit Basu informs me; 'If using the Metrolink,
away fans are better off taking the Altrincham - Bury
route and getting off at Old Trafford station, by the
cricket ground - just follow the crowds for the
football. While the nearest stations to the ground are
probably Pomona or Exchange Quays on the Eccles
line, they not particularly convenient for
getting to or from the away end. However, when
leaving, if you have a train to catch after the game,
avoid Old Trafford Metrolink at all costs! The best
bet is get the train from Manchester United Football
Ground station to Piccadilly (Journey time 10
minutes). The entrance to the station is immediately
outside the away end'
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| By Air |
Manchester Airport is
located eight miles away from Old Trafford. You can
either get a taxi from the airport (cost around £20)
or catch one of the regular train services (seven per
hour) from the airport to Manchester Piccadilly
Railway Station (journey time 15-25mins depending on
service caught). Change there for another train or
metrolink onto Old Trafford.
Remember if travelling by train then
you can save on the cost of fares by booking in
advance. Visit the thetrainline
website to see how much you can save.
|
| Manchester Coach
Station And By Bus From Piccadilly Gardens |
Manchester Coach Station
is located three miles away from Old Trafford. However
it is only a few minutes walk away from Piccadilly
Railway Station where a train or metro can be caught
up to the ground or Piccadilly Gardens where buses can
be located. As you come out of the main coach station
entrance turn right along Chorlton Street. At the
bottom of Chorlton street turn left into Aytoun
Street. Proceed along this road
and then turn right into Auburn Street. At the
crossroads with London Road, you can see the entrance
to the station over on on the right.
If you continue past
the station and at the next junction turn left, then
you are in Piccadilly Gardens where there is a large
bus terminus.
Buses From Piccadilly Gardens
Adam Hodson informs me; 'From Piccadilly Gardens you
can get the Stagecoach Manchester Buses 255, 256
or Arriva North West No 263. These services all run
down the A56 Chester Road near to Old Trafford.
Journey time (depending on traffic) is around 15-20
minutes.
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|
A Closer
Look At The Stretford End
|
Top Of
Page
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| Local Rivals |
| Manchester
City, Liverpool and from a little further a field Leeds United.
Top Of Page
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| Admission Prices For Away
Supporters |
Please note that home section
tickets are normally made only available to members of
the club, which are then normally allocated by a
ballot system (unless you want to buy a corporate
hospitality ticket). Tickets rarely make general sale,
although it does sometimes happen (especially in the
early rounds of domestic and European Cup
competitions), so it is worth checking. There always
seems to be a number of ticket touts operating around
the ground, but I dread thinking how much they would
be asking for a ticket.
Prices For Away Fans:
South East Corner:
Adults £45, Over 65's/Under 18's £26, Under 16's £12.
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| Stadium
Layout |
|
For a
stadium plan showing the individual block numbers
Then visit the official Manchester United website.
Top Of Page
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| Fixtures 2013-2014 |
| Manchester
United fixture list (takes you to the BBC
Sports Website).
Top Of Page
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| Programme and Fanzines |
Official Programme: £3
Red Issue:
£2.50
United We Stand: £2.50
Red News Fanzine: £2.50
Top Of Page
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Old Trafford Stadium Tours
|
The club offer tours of the stadium,
which are available daily (except matchdays). The tour
also includes a visit to the Club Museum and costs;
Adults £15 & Under 16's & over 65's £10. There are family and group
tickets also available which offer a discount on these
prices. To book your tour call the club on 0161 868 8000 or Book Online.
|
| Disabled
Facilities |
| For details of disabled
facilities and club contact at the ground please
visit the relevant page on the Level
Playing Field website.
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| Record And
Average Attendance |
Record Attendance:
76,962 - Wolves v Grimsby, FA Cup Semi Final, March
25th, 1939.
Modern All Seated Attendance
Record:
76,098 v Blackburn Rovers (Highest at a UK all
seated Club ground & Premier League record)
Premier League, March 31st, 2007.
Average Attendance:
2012-2013: 75,530 (Premier League)
2011-2012: 75,387
(Premier League)
2010-2011: 75,109
(Premier League)
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| Old Trafford Fans
Reviews |
|
Jonny Laybourn (Tottenham Hotspur) 29/9/12
Tom Croft
(Blackburn Rovers) 31/12/11
Harry Shaw
(Arsenal) 13/3/11
Josh
Grainger (Leeds United) 3/1/10
Top Of
Page
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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 includes details of how far they are away
from the Old Trafford Stadium.
Access their Manchester
Hotels and Guest Houses page.
Remember that you
can also use the above link or the panel
below to book any other hotels that you
may need for business or leisure, either
in the UK or abroad.
Top
Of Page
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Holiday
Inn Manchester-MediaCityUK
|
The
glass-fronted, 16-floor Holiday Inn
Manchester-MediaCityUK is in MediaCityUK's studio
block, in the middle of Salford Quays'
cutting-edge digital and creative development. Our
fresh Guest rooms are connected to complimentary
wireless Internet and many look over the Manchester
ship canal.
Holiday Inn
Manchester-MediaCityUK is minutes from Old Trafford
for Manchester United matches and a 5-minute walk from
The Lowry Centre and Lowry Mall. Hop on the Metrolink
tram outside MediaCityUK to be at central Manchester
Piccadilly rail station in 10 minutes, a short walk
from the bohemian Northern Quarter and Arndale Centre.
Designer shopping is on offer at the Trafford Centre,
10 minutes' drive away. For more information and to
book a room visit the Holiday Inn
website.
|
TheHeart
Serviced Apartments
|
Styled to appeal to both
the business and leisure traveler, TheHeart Serviced
Apartments consist of 50 fully equipped and
beautifully furnished self contained apartments in
Manchester’s newest landmark location – MediaCityUK
TheHeart Serviced Apartments are in an ideal location
for access to Manchester and the wider North West. Old
Trafford for Manchester United matches, the Lowry
Centre, Imperial War Museum North and the Lowry Outlet
Mall are all just minutes away, and Manchester City
Centre is just a 10 minute tram ride away from
MediaCityUK tram stop. For more information and
to book visit TheHeart Serviced Apartments
website.
|
| Map Showing
The Location Of The Old Trafford Stadium, Railway
Stations and Listed Pubs |
|
Instructions
for using the map:
- Use the bar on the left of the map to zoom in /
out using the + / - keys.
- Click and drag an area of the map to move around
or use the up/down, left/right arrows
- Click the Satellite button to see aerial view
photograph.
|
| Feedback |
| If
anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me duncan@footballgroundguide.com
and I'll update the guide. |
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