Football Ground Guide: Huish Park, Yeovil FC

Contents
What's The Ground Like? Cowlin Stand (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Blackthorn Terrace (photo) Where To Drink? How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train Admission Prices Ground Layout Programme & Fanzine Local Rivals Disabled Facilities Fixtures 2009-2010 Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu
What's The Ground Like?
Yeovil is predominantly remembered for some classic 'giant killing' deeds in the FA Cup and the famous slope of the pitch. With the move to a new ground in 1990, that slope has gone, but the team have continued to impress. Generally the ground is a tidy looking one, in a pleasant setting, with lots of trees visible behind the stands. Both sides of the ground are similar looking stands and are of the same height. They are both cantilevered, covered single tiered stands that are all seated. Each stand has windshields to either side. The only differences between these stands, is that the Augusta Westland Community Stand has some executive boxes running across the back of it, plus the dug outs and players tunnel, whilst the Cowlin Stand has a press box suspended from beneath its roof and a small simple looking electric scoreboard. At one end is the medium sized Blackthorn Terrace, which is covered and for home supporters and again has windshields to either side. Opposite is the Copse Road Terrace, which is given to away fans. This is smaller and uncovered. Oddly the steel work is in place at the back of this stand to incorporate more terrace space, but the concrete rows have so far not been added. Perched above the rear of this stand is a large electric scoreboard. The ground is completed with a set four modern floodlight pylons, one in each corner of the ground. Top Of Page
Cowlin Stand
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What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters?
Away fans are situated in the Copse Road open terrace at one end of the ground. This is uncovered, so hope for a dry day. Up to 1,750 supporters can be housed in this area. Additionally a small number of seats are allocated to away fans in the Cowlin Stand, which is covered. However tickets are only made available in this area to families with young children, senior citizens and ambulant disabled. Normally a visit to Huish Park is enjoyable, and the atmosphere good. This is boosted by a very vocal crowd in the home terrace as well as the presence of a drummer and trumpeter in that end (on my last visit the trumpeter was even imitating an ambulance siren as the trainer ran on to treat an injured player!). If Yeovil score then 'Glad All Over' by the Dave Clark Five blasts out around the ground. On my last visit I was five minutes late getting to the game and had missed the kick off. Unbelievably the turnstiles had already closed at the away end and myself and a number of other away fans had to run around the ground to try and find and someone who could get us in. We managed this, and I have to say that the stewards were particularly helpful and friendly. I found the large police presence in and around the ground perturbing. In my mind I was not at a high profile game, so I was somewhat surprised at the amount of local constabulary there. To make matters worse they started on my pet hate, the videoing of away fans during the game. The catering offered was the usual assortment of pies, pasties and burgers (Ł2), but lets just say they were not the best I or my wife have ever had. Top Of Page
Blackthorn Terrace
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Where To Drink?
I was pleasantly surprised to find a large marquee outside of the ground, that had been set up as a make shift beer tent. There was a large sign outside the marquee which announced that 'Everyone Is Welcome!' Just a pity that wasn't quite correct as any away fans in colours were turned away at the entrance by a couple of burly looking bouncers. Some visiting fans did refer the bouncers to the said sign, but to no avail. There are three pubs within about 10-15 minutes walk of the ground, 'The Bell', 'The Arrow' and 'The Airfield Tavern' (formerly 'Brewsters', which according to Stephen Pugsley also has a handy fish and chip shop next door called Palmers). I could only find the Arrow pub and in efforts to locate it, ended up joining up with a number of other away fans who were also looking lost in our quest to find beer! The pub itself when located was quite a spacious estate type pub, which on my visit was fine and I was served quickly, although it was predominantly home with support with only a small number of away fans present (in colours). Richard Reardon a visiting Carlisle fan adds; 'The Archers is only 10-15 minutes walk away. The weather was excellent so most of our substantial following sat outside at a number of picnic tables. Not a wide choice of beers but one real ale available. Both sets of supporters mixed well, Sky TV for those that like that sort of thing. Police presence outside but it was all very friendly'. I have since received mixed reports about this pub so use your discretion. To find this pub, from the ground car park, walk back up the road past the ground to the top of it and turn right. At the end of this road, turn left onto the main road and after a short distance take the first right. Go straight down this road through the new looking residential area and after about ten minutes of walking, you will see a clearing on your right and just beyond this there are some shops and the Arrow pub in the middle. Colin Jordan a visiting Exeter City fan adds; 'We found "The Bell" on Preston Road (towards the Town Centre from the A3088 roundabout, rather than turning left towards Huish Park). It's a very large Greene King "Hungry Horse" pub, with a great deal of outside seating, and as with most of Yeovil it seems to be away fan friendly. Usual Greene King beer fayre (IPA, Abbot, Morland OSH), plus good quality food. It is though at least a 15-20 minute walk away from the ground'. Top Of Page
How To Get There By Car & Where To Park
The ground is located on the very outskirts of Yeovil and is signposted from the A303. Leave the A303 at the Cartgate roundabout and take the A3088 towards Yeovil. Follow the road for around four miles until you reach a roundabout on the outskirts of Yeovil with the Westlands Airfield directly in front of you. Turn left at this roundabout and then continue straight on, crossing a number of roundabouts. As you pass the entrance to an Asda superstore, take the next left for the ground, which can be seen from the road. There is a fair sized car park at the ground, which costs Ł2. Otherwise there is plenty of street car parking to be had on the roads leading down to the ground. Tim Porter a visiting Torquay United fan informs me; 'make sure you arrive at the official car park, early in winter as otherwise you will end up in the overspill car park, which actually is a field which doesn't drain nearly as well as the pitch!' Richard Reardon adds; 'Getting away from the ground was a bit of nightmare as there is only one road out of the official car park. It took 35 minutes to travel the half mile to the Preston Road roundabout'. 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. Top Of Page
By Train
Yeovil has two railway stations, Yeovil Junction is 2-3 miles out of town and Pen Mill junction about a mile from the town centre. Both are on the opposite side of town to the ground. From both stations it is advised to get a taxi to the stadium or alternatively if you arrive at Yeovil Junction, then you can catch the ‘Hopper’ minibus to the bus station in the town centre. I have been informed that for night games taxis can be scarce at Yeovil Junction and that the hopper bus does not run in the evenings, so if you intend going by taxi to the ground it may be an idea to look up the number of a local taxi firm and pre-book one. On Saturday matchdays there is one shuttle bus that runs from the station to the ground which leaves the bus station at around 1.50pm (returning from Huish Park at 17:05). Otherwise there is the First Traveller Bus Service No:1 that leaves from the town centre (stop outside Lloyds TSB in the High Street) and drops you at the Abbey Manor Housing Estate, which is near to the stadium. For timetables see the First Traveller website. Top Of Page

Admission Prices
Home Fans: Augusta Westland Community Stand (Centre): Adults Ł18, Over 65's Ł15, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł6 Augusta Westland Community Stand (Wings): Adults Ł16, Over 65's Ł13, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł5 Cowlin Stand (Centre): Adults Ł17, Over 65's Ł13, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł6 Cowlin Stand (Wings): Adults Ł15, Over 65's Ł11, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł5 Blackthorn Terrace: Adults Ł15, Over 65's Ł10, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł5 Away Fans Cowlin Stand (Seating): Adults Ł15, Over 65's Ł11, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł5 Copse Road Terrace: Adults Ł15, Over 65's Ł10, Under 21's Ł8, Under 16's Ł5 *The ticket prices quoted above are for tickets purchased prior to matchday. Tickets bought on the day of the game can cost up to Ł2 more. Members of the Junior Glovers Club can obtain further discounts on the Under 16's ticket price. Top Of Page
Ground Layout
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Programme & Fanzine
Official Programme Ł3 Onto Victory Fanzine Ł1. Top Of Page
Local Rivals
From non league days Weymouth and from a little further a field Bristol Rovers & Bristol City. The nearest league club is Bournemouth. Top Of Page
Disabled Facilities
For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. Top Of Page
Fixtures 2009-2010
For the Yeovil fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website) Top Of Page
Record & Average Attendance
Record Attendance: At the original Huish Park: 16,318 v Sunderland, FA Cup 4th Round, January 29th, 1949 At the current Huish Park: 9,527 v Leeds United League One, April 25th 2008. Average Attendance: 2008-2009: 4,423 (League One) 2007-2008: 5,468 (League One) 2006-2007: 5,765 (League One) Top Of Page
Fans Reviews Of Huish Park
Joe Selfe (Doing The 92) 23/1/09 Sean Wilkinson (Northampton Town) 2/10/04 Ben Grundy (Lincoln City) 29/11/03 Peter Short (Kettering Town) 8/2/03 Top Of Page
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 Yeovil page click here. Top Of Page
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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