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| Contents | |
| What's The
Liberty Stadium Like? Future Developments The Liberty Stadium (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? East & South Stands (photo) Where To Drink? South & West Stands (photo) How To Get There By Car or Coach & Where To Park By Train Looking Towards The North Stand (photo) North Stand Local Rivals Admission Prices Ivor Allchurch Statue (photo) Programme & Fanzines Disabled Facilities Ground Layout Record & Average Attendance Fixtures 2012-2013 Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Other Places Of Interest Liberty Stadium Location Map |
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| What's The Liberty Stadium Like? | |
| The Club moved to the Liberty Stadium in
2005, after spending 93 years
at their former Vetch
Field home. Built
by Interserve for a cost of around £30m, it is
located near to the former
site of the Morfa Athletics Stadium on the West
side of the River Tawe. The stadium was
christened White Rock by the Swansea residents,
but was renamed the Liberty Stadium under a 10
year corporate sponsorship deal. Although fairly conservative in its design, the stadium is still impressive. It is completely enclosed with all four corners filled with seating. Each of the four stands is two tiered and three are of the same height. The West Stand at one side of the pitch is slightly taller, having a row of 28 corporate hospitality boxes, situated above the upper tier. The Club's offices are also located behind this stand. An unusual feature is the great use of transparent roofing towards the South End of the stadium. This allows more natural light into this area, making for an interesting effect. Both ends have an electric scoreboard situated on the front of their roofs, although for some reason the scoreboard at the North End is larger than the one at the South End. Outside the stadium at the South West corner, by the club shop and ticket office, is a statue of former Swansea legend Ivor Allchurch. The stadium is shared with Ospreys Rugby Union Club. This is the Club's Centenary Season having been founded in 1912. |
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| Future
Developments |
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| The Club have put in a formal
planning application to extend the capacity of
the Liberty Stadium to 32,000. The first phase
of the developments would see an additional tier
being added to the East Stand, increasing the number
of seats by 3,844. This would be followed at a
later stage with additional tiers being added to
both ends of the stadium. No time scales have
been announced as to when these developments
would take place, but if Swansea maintain their
Premier League status next season, then it is
highly probable that work on the East Stand
would probably start in 2014. |
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| The Liberty Stadium | |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away fans are housed in
the North Stand at one end of the stadium. Up to
2,000 fans can be accommodated in this area,
although this allocation can be reduced to 1,000
for teams with a smaller following. The views of
the playing action from this area are excellent
as there is a good height between rows and the
leg room is probably one of the most generous of
any stadium that I have visited. The concourses
are spacious, with food and beverage outlets,
plus a number of television sets, for
pre-match and half time entertainment. As you
would expect from a new stadium the facilities
are good. Away fans are separated from home fans
by two metal barriers, with a line of stewards
and Police in-between. Interestingly, the main
singing contingent of home fans, have, in the
traditions of the Vetch Field, situated
themselves along one side of the pitch in the
East Stand, rather than at the South end of the
stadium. David McNeil informs me; 'As a West Brom fan on holiday in Swansea, I visited the new stadium for the first League game against Tranmere. The stadium is very impressive and the facilities inside the stadium are excellent. Large concourse and great views from the stands. The atmosphere generated by the Swansea fans was excellent throughout the 90 minutes and it will become an intimidating place just as the Vetch used to be. Pre-match entertainment was enjoyed by my kids especially the antics of Cyril the Swan. Great day out, would love to visit the ground again when West Brom play there'. Tickets will not be sold to away supporters by Swansea City on the day of the match, so do not travel unless you already have a ticket from your own Club. It is also worth bearing in mind that the Swansea fans are passionate about their club and this can make for an intimidating atmosphere. Exercise caution around the ground. Steve Griffiths adds; 'On the nearby retail park, there is a KFC & Pizza Hut – within 5 minutes walk. Opposite the stadium is a very nice chippy called ‘Rossi’s’. As well as the usual chips with fish, pies, sausages, etc.. they also do salads and jacket potatos'. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
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Phil Weston a visiting
Stoke City fan informs me; 'The Liberty
Stadium is a lot more friendly than the old
Vetch Field. Stoke fans were drinking in The
Harvester and Frankie & Benny's just
outside the ground and a couple of the pubs
just up from the stadium'. Otherwise
it a choice of a drink
on the way to Swansea, go into the city centre
or drink inside the stadium. |
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| How To Get There By Car or Coach & Where To Park | |
| Leave the M4 at Junction
45 and take the A4067 towards the City Centre
(sign posted A4067 South). Stay on the A4067 for
around two and half miles and you will reach the
stadium on your left. Car parking at the stadium
is for permit holders only and most of the
immediate residential areas around the stadium
now have 'residents only' parking schemes in
place. However away mini buses and coaches can
park behind the North Stand in a fenced
compound, at a cost of £20 per coach and
£10 per minibus. Don't be tempted to park on the
nearby Retail Park as you may well end up with a
ticket, or worse still, clamped for your
trouble! Away Fans Park & Ride Facility Away supporters are being encouraged to use the Park & Ride facility located at the Felindre old steel works site, which is signposted off Junction 46, shortly after leaving the M4. The cost of parking there including transport by bus to and from the stadium is £6 per car. Away supporters have their own separate buses to and from the stadium, with the buses waiting outside the away stand at the end of the game to take supporters back to the car park. Simon Wright a visiting West Bromwich Albion fan adds; 'The park and ride is located in the middle of nowhere, but curiously has a high fence. Apparently the facility is also used as a park and ride for the DVLA so the fencing may be for the benefit of their staff. There are toilets on the site although they do look rather ancient. All the staff were friendly and the buses frequent. After the game has ended, the park and ride buses leave the compound with the away coaches for fairly obvious reasons. In my case, this meant a wait of around 20 minutes'. There is also some street parking to be had. If coming from the M4, you pass the stadium on your left and continue straight on towards Swansea, then after going under a bridge, then there are a number of roads on the right, where on street parking is available. It is then around a 10-15 minute walk to the stadium. However, please note that after the game has ended the Police close the A4067 road running past the stadium, meaning that you can't go back up to the M4 that way. You need to instead go back up to the stadium and where the road is closed turn right at the roundabout onto the A4217. At the next roundabout turn left continuing away from Swansea City Centre. At the junction with the A48 turn right and this takes you up to Junction 44 of the M4. Andrew Bartlett a visiting Southampton fan adds; 'I intended to use the park and ride and followed the signs but found the site to be desolate wasteland with flooded potholes, not very inviting at all. Instead I drove on to the stadium and despite the dire warnings found free on street parking only a few minute's walk away and almost traffic free after the match. The level of security and large Police presence was completely unnecessary for such a low key game'. Map showing the location of the Liberty Stadium (at the bottom of this page). |
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| By Train | |
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Swansea Railway Station is on the main line route from London Paddington. It is about two miles from the stadium. Regular local bus services (every ten minutes: routes 4, 4a, 120, 122, 125, 132) and taxis (around £6) are available from the train station to the stadium. Otherwise if you have time on your hands and wish to embark on the 25-30 minute walk, then as you come out of the station turn right and go up the High Street. At the traffic lights turn right into Neath Road. Proceed straight along Neath Road and you will eventually reach the stadium on your right. Thanks to Tom Evans for providing the directions. Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance. Visit the thetrainline website to see how much you can save. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Cardiff City and from a little further along the M4, Bristol City & Bristol Rovers. | |
| Admission Prices | |
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All areas of the stadium: Adults
£35 |
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The
plinth on the statue reads: |
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| Programme & Fanzines | |
| Official Programme 'Jack Magazine' £3. Swansea Oh Swansea Fanzine £1 A Touch Far Vetched Fanzine £1 |
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| Disabled Facilities | |
| 26 spaces for wheelchair away supporters are available in the North Stand at the front of the upper tier. There is a lift on the concourse of this stand to help disabled fans gain access. Five car parking spaces are reserved for visiting disabled fans at the stadium, at a cost of £10 per vehicle, but these must be booked in advance through your own club. Additionally there is a disabled drop-off bay by the stadium and the 'Park & Ride' scheme is wheel chair accessible. Disabled fans pay the full adult ticket price, but the helper goes free. | |
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| Record & Average Attendance | |
| At The Liberty
Stadium: 20,650 v Manchester United, Premier League, December 23rd, 2012. At The Vetch Field: 32,796 v Arsenal, FA Cup 4th Round, February 17th, 1968. Average Attendance: 2011-2012: 19,946 (Premier League) 2010-2011: 15,507 (Championship League) 2009-2010: 15,407 (Championship League) |
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| Fixtures 2011-2012 | |
| Swansea City FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website) | |
| Fans Reviews Of The Liberty Stadium | |
| Paul
R (Arsenal) 16/2/13 Steve Chambers (Norwich City) 11/2/12 Victoria Evans (Tottenham Hotspur) 31/12/11 S Smale (Southend United) 29/4/06 Mike Churchill (Walsall) 12/3/06 Adrian Womersley (Bradford City) 14/2/06 Lisa Higgins (Swansea City) 22/1/06 |
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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 have
a huge choice of places to stay and their booking
facility is straightforward 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. Hotels are
listed giving details of their distance from the
stadium. Access their Swansea Hotels and Guest Houses page. Remember that you can use the above link or panel below to book any other hotels that you may need for business or leisure, either in the UK or abroad. |
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| Other Places Of Interest | |
| The Gower peninsula adjoining Swansea is very picturesque and the area called 'The Mumbles' can be lively on summer weekends. The area has great beaches and several pubs along the sea front and is not a bad place to stay at for the weekend. | |
| Map showing the location of the Liberty Stadium, railway station and listed pubs | |
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Instructions for using
the map: |
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| Feedback | |
| Any incorrections or you have
something to add, then please e-mail me duncan@footballgrounds.net
and I'll update the guide. |
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