YORK CITY - BOOTHAM CRESCENT
DIRECTIONS
A1 From The South
Take the A64 to Scarborough and York. When you near York, join the A1237 Ring Road and continue on it until you reach the junction with the A19. Turn right at the junction and take the A19 towards York City Centre and keep going until you get to a pub on your left called the Burton Stone Inn, at which point you turn left into Burton Stone Lane. Then take the first right into Grosvenor Road for the ground.
A1 From the North
Take the A19 and follow the directions as above.
If you arrive early enough then there is street parking to be found in a number of side roads off Burton Stone Lane. Otherwise you may have to travel a further distance away from the ground as there are a number of residents only parking schemes in operation in the general area, or you could seek out a pay and display car park in the city centre and walk back out to the ground.
Car Parking
The Club have agreed that on Saturday afternoons (1-6pm) supporters can park at the nearby York Hospital for £2.50. To download the necessary parking voucher for the hospital and for terms and conditions please visit the York City website.
Post Code for SAT NAV: YO30 7AQ
BY TRAIN
York mainline railway station is a good 20 minute walk away from the ground. People intent on using a taxi should be aware that Saturday traffic in York is best avoided. Walking route from York station thanks to Ninety-Two Club member Dave Dansie: From the car park attached to the station (there is no need to go through main station exit), take the new pedestrian footpath that emerges close to the Post Office building. Turn left, turn left again when you reach the river and cross the Ouse on the footbridge alongside the York-Scarborough railway line. Once over the bridge, turn left at the Abbey Guest House into Marygate car park and follow the footpath, the railway is to your left. At the far end of the car park, the footpath goes under the railway, turn right into Bootham Terrace (beware traffic!) and walk up the rise to the main road. Turn left, cross the road and Bootham Crescent is the first turning on the right. There is a newsagent's shop on this corner. This journey is not recommended for wheelchair users as there are steps at both ends of the Ouse bridge.
Scenic route: Leave the station and turn Left. Follow the City Walls on your right until you go under them and then continue to follow with them on your left. When they stop, cross the river and continue ahead until the traffic lights (York Minster ahead). Turn left into St Leonards place and follow until the next traffic lights (Art Gallery on left). Turn left and you are on Bootham (A19) Follow this for about a third of a mile passing on your right The Exhibition and Bootham tavern pubs then lots of big Edwardian terraces. Bootham Crescent will appear on your right with a Zebra at the top of it'.
PUBS
There is a supporters club called the Pitchside Bar, which is situated on one corner of the ground, that overlooks the away end. When I went they were quite happy to allow away supporters in and there was some pleasant banter going on between both sets of fans. The Club serves up to four real ales (normally from local micro breweries) and also has Sky Sports television. Otherwise the nearest pub is the Burton Stone Inn which you should see on the A19 as you near the ground. On my last visit this was very popular with away fans. Going back down the A19 (away from the city centre) on the left there is another pub called the 'Old Grey Mare' which sells Theakstons and was a lot quieter. More or less opposite to this pub (on the other side of the road) is a sandwich shop which sells hot pies for a bargain price.
If you have a bit of time on your hands and you like real ale then it may be advisable to embark on a 15 minute stroll up the A19 and into York City Centre. If at the top of the A19 you proceed through the old Bootham Bar (Gate) into the old town you will quickly reach on your right a York Brewery outlet called the 'Three Legged Mare' (known by the locals as the 'Wonkey donkey'). Although a small modern bar it has a great range of real ales on offer, plus a selection of continental bottled beers. Joe adds; 'There is also the 'Hole in the wall' pub just before you reach the Three Legged Mare on the opposite side and their food comes highly recommended. Alternatively before you get to Bootham Bar/Gate turn left on to Gillygate, where there is Wackers fish and chip restaurant, which has won a number of awards'.
Roger Marshall adds; 'If arriving at York Railway Station, then there is a Craft Beer pub opened at the station which is called the York Tap.' See the York Tap website for more information.
AWAY FANS
Away fans are placed in the open Grosvenor Road Terrace, where just over 2,000 fans can be accommodated. A further 300 seats are made available to away supporters in the Popular Stand, which unlike the open terrace is at least covered. After paying to enter the terrace and going through a line of stewards who seemed on my visit to be searching most fans going in, you can then pay a £1 transfer fee to go into the seated area. Away fans in both the seats and terracing share the same refreshment kiosk and toilets. The latter for men seem to have been there since the ground opened. The urinals are open air and are of the 'stand up against a brick wall variety', whilst women have a portakabin affair. On my last visit the refreshment kiosk was doing a brisk trade of meat pies (£3) & mushy peas served in a tray. On the whole I found York to be friendly and the supporters get behind their team well, making for a good atmosphere.
Daniel Scullane a visiting Bath City fan adds; 'The atmosphere was quite sedate on my last visit. Maybe it is something to do with the fact that away fans are extremely isolated inside. The layout of the ground is such that the away fans are about 30 yards from the nearest home fans on the popular side, and the grandstand is split from the away fans by about half the pitch. Still an enoyable visit made all the better by a cracking night out on the town afterwards!'
THE TOON'S GREATEST 100 PLAYERS ... EVER!
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Toons-Greatest-Players-EVER/dp/132629685X
This book is a collection of the 100 Greatest Newcastle United players of all time, as voted for by NewcastleUtd-Mad.co.uk readers and a panel of journalists who contribute to the website. The players are in an order of five-per-chapter, counting down from 100 to Newcastle United's greatest ever player (as viewed by the author), but the whole point of the book is for YOU (the reader) to decide who goes where. The list is not, by any means, definitive. As with all books of this nature, whether it be "Greatest Albums"; "Best Movies Of All Time"; or "Top 100 Pin-Ups Of The Year" ... no two people have exactly the same opinion. There will be controversy over who is on the list, and chances are, more controversy over who is not. Here are the best of the best. I have painted the picture with each player's profile. Where they end up in the league of NUFC's Greatest is up to you. Because YOU have the final word.
Otherwise ... if you want a signed copy (for a birthday, etc) for £9.95 and no postage ... you can meet me before a match and I will bring a copy along.
Get in touch: Kevnumad@fsmail.net
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Fri 10th July (8pm BST)
Gateshead FC 0 Newcastle Utd 1 (Cisse pen)
(First half): Darlow, Janmaat, Haidara, Lascelles, Williamson, Anita, Colback, Gouffran, Cisse, Sissoko, De Jong. (Second half): Woodman, Bigirimana, Satka, Good, Ferguson, Tiote, Obertan, Aarons, Perez, Armstrong, Riviere.
Tue 14th July (8pm CT)
Club Atlas (MEX) 2 Newcastle Utd 1 (Sissoko)
Krul (Darlow 46); Janmaat (Bigirimana 72), Williamson, Lascelles, Haidara (Ferguson 72); Anita, Colback; Sissoko (Obertan 72), de Jong (Perez 72), Gouffran (Aarons 72); Cisse (Armstrong 72).
Sat 18th July (8pm UTC)
Sacramento Republic FC (USA) 0 Newcastle Utd 1 (og)
Krul (Woodman 46), Janmaat, Williamson, Lascelles (Taylor 46), Haïdara, Anita, Colback, Sissoko, Obertan (Aarons 69), de Jong (Perez 69), Cissé (Wijnaldum 69).
Tue 21st July (7.30pm UTC)
Portland Timbers (USA) 4 Newcastle Utd 3 (Wijnaldum, Aarons 2)
Darlow (Woodman 46), Bigirimana, Satka, Ferguson, Aarons; Abeid (Anita 65), Wijnaldum (Janmaat 46), Gouffran (De Jong 76), Sissoko (Obertan 46), Ayoze, Cisse (Armstrong 46).
Sun 26th July (1pm BST)
Sheffield United 2 Newcastle Utd 2 (Wijnaldum, de Jong)
Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Taylor (Lascelles 69), Haïdara, Anita (Obertan 59), Colback, Sissoko (Abeid 80), Wijnaldum (De Jong 73), Perez (Aarons 45), Cissé (Armstrong 80)
Wed 29th July (7.45pm BST)
York City at Bootham Crescent
Sat 1st August (3pm BST)
Borussia Mönchengladbach (GER) at St. James’ Park
PREMIER LEAGUE
Sunday August 9
13:30 Newcastle United v Southampton
Saturday August 15
15:00 Swansea City v Newcastle United
Saturday August 22
12:45 Man Utd v Newcastle United
Saturday August 29
12:45 Newcastle United v Arsenal
Monday September 14
20:00 West Ham United v Newcastle United
Saturday September 19
15:00 Newcastle United v Watford
Saturday September 26
17:30 Newcastle United v Chelsea