ARSENAL'S EMIRATES STADIUM
GROUND
Our first visit to this new arena. Impressive in many ways, but with a roof so small it guarantees you get soaked if it rains ... wherever you sit. Away fans are housed in the lower tier of the South East corner of the stadium. The normal allocation for away fans will be 3,000 tickets, but this can be increased for cup games. Although fans will have big padded seats and plenty of leg room, the lower tier of the stadium is quite shallow (unlike the upper tiers which have plenty of height between rows), meaning that the view might not be as good as you would expect from a new stadium.
PUBS
The traditional pub for away supporters at Highbury, was the Drayton Arms, which is located near to Arsenal tube station and Drayton Park railway station. This Courage pub overlooks the new stadium and is only a few minutes walk away. However, with the move to new stadium it is unclear whether this pub will still welcome away fans.
Toon fans should still go to the 'Twelve Pins' (formerly the Finsbury Park Tavern) near Finsbury Park Tube Station. Normally a good mix of home and away fans and about a ten minute walk from the ground. The Blackstock opposite The Twelve Pins, also welcomes away fans, plus it has a big screen showing Sky Sports'.
Alcohol is available inside the stadium. The Club are installing a new system for dispensing beer called Ultra-Flow, which apparently can pour four pints in five seconds and will also ensure that the beer is served at the correct temperature.
GETTING THERE
Leave the M1 at Junction 2 and onto the A1, following the signs for City (Central London). Keep going on the A1 for around six miles, until you see Holloway Road Tube Station on your right. Take the next left at the traffic lights into Hornsey Road and the stadium is about a 1/4 of a mile further down this road.
There is little parking at the stadium itself or in nearby streets. An extensive residents only parking scheme operates around the stadium on matchdays. It's probably better to park further out of London around a tube station such as Cockfosters and get the tube to the ground.
TRAIN/TUBE:
The nearest underground station to the stadium is Holloway Road on the Piccadilly line. However, this will be closed on matchdays as it relies mostly on lifts to transport passengers to and from street level and this could cause problems when large crowds are in attendance. Fans should therefore alight at the next stop on the Piccadilly line which is Arsenal tube station. It is only a few minutes walk from here to the stadium. On exiting the station turn right and follow Drayton Park Road around to the left. Then take one of the large bridges over the railway line to the stadium. Other tube stations in walking distance of the stadium are Finsbury Park on the Piccadilly Line and Highbury & Islington on the Victoria Line.
Otherwise you can take an overland train to Finsbury Park Railway Station from London Kings Cross. It is then about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Finsbury Park to the stadium. Drayton Park Station which is situated right by the stadium is closed at weekends.