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Leicester City Ground Name:
Walkers Stadium |
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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground
Like? Future Developments Stadium Exterior (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Where To Drink? Alliance & Leicester & South Stand Kop (photo) How To Get By Car & Where To Park By Train Marks Electrical Family Stand (photo) Admission Prices Fixtures 2008-2009 Programme & Fanzines Local Rivals Ground Layout Stadium Tours Disabled Facilities Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
| In August 2002 the club
moved into its new home, only a stone's
throw away from their old
Filbert Street ground. The stadium was built
by Birse Construction at
a cost of £35m, is
completely enclosed with all corners being filled with seating. The sides
are of a good size, built in the same style and height. Running around three sides of the stadium, just
below the roof, is a transparent perspex strip, which allows more light
and facilitates pitch growth. On the remaining side is a row of executive boxes. Completely encircling
the stadium and hanging from the roof itself is a collage of player
images, along with adverts for the sponsors of the stadium, Walkers. There
are also same basic looking (red LCD display) electric scoreboards at either end. Like most new stadiums, this is functional but lacks character. I don't know whether I'm starting to suffer from 'new stadium fatigue' having visited so many in the last few years, but to me it seemed somewhat bland looking both inside and out. Unusually the public address system is also broadcast on the speakers around the outside of the stadium. The Walkers Stadium does have one redeeming feature - atmosphere. The acoustics are very good and both sets of supporters can really make some noise, making for an enjoyable visit. The stadium is also used periodically for other sports such as rugby. |
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The stadium has been built in such a way, that if required, an additional tier could be built onto the East Stand. This would increase the capacity to just under 40,000. |
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| Stadium Exterior | |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away supporters are housed in the North
East corner of the stadium, where just over 3,000 fans can be
accommodated. The view of the playing action is good (although you are set
well back from the pitch) as well as the facilities available. The
concourse is comfortable and
there is your normal range of hot dogs, burgers and pies
available (including the Pukka Balti Chicken pie £2.50,
served in a tray with a fork). There are
television screens on the concourse showing the game going on within the
stadium. My only slight grumble was that the gents toilets are poorly
designed. They have a narrow 'zig zag corridor' of an entrance which
hindered people coming in or out and didn't help the major traffic flow at
half time! On the positive side though, the atmosphere within the stadium
was good, with the home fans singing on both sides of the away section. The
atmosphere is further boosted by a huge bare chested drummer, who is located
at the back of the home section, immediately to the left of the away fans.
The stewarding was also pretty relaxed. The teams come out to the
Post Horn Gallop tune, reminiscent of horse riding and
even fox hunting! (Leicester are nicknamed the Foxes). Paul Groombridge a visiting Gillingham fan adds; 'From the far upper seats of the away section, the view was pretty good, though from there, you'd probably complain of being too far away from the action (I thought it was okay). One good thing about being at the top of the away section - you can use the plastic transparent panels as pretty good drums when singing!' I have received a number of reports of away fans being treated somewhat heavily handed by the local constabulary around the stadium and of some even being 'frog marched' from the railway station to the ground. Although these measures may be deemed necessary, in order to prevent violent disorder, is doesn't do much for the overall away day experience at Leicester. Stuart Bible informs me; 'Just to confirm that the Police presence at Leicester Station is completely over the top. As a visiting QPR fan recently we were 'guided' to the Hind Pub & promptly asked to drink up at 2pm. All 25 of us were then escorted by 38 Police (I counted them) a Dog & 3 Police vans. Of the 25 were 3 children under 10! They should save their heavy handedness for the day that there might be a real threat of trouble'. |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| The ground is walkable from the city centre (15-20
minutes), where there are plenty of pubs to be found.
Most of the pubs near to the stadium are home fans only. In particular 'The
Victory' and 'The F Bar' pubs
should be avoided by visiting supporters. Plus
the 'Half Time
Orange' pub located just
over the road from the away end, is a members-only Leicester City bar.
Andy Jobson a visiting Southampton fan informs me; 'Probably the best bet for away fans is the Counting House pub on Freemens Common Road. It has a good mix of both sets of supporters, with all the normal facilities on offer'. Beaumont Fox adds; 'This pub is located just off the Aylestone Road, past the Local Hero pub (home fans only) and the Mecca Bingo Hall. It does though exclude away supporters when the game is deemed to be a 'high profile' one'. Andrew Whitefield a visiting Ipswich supporter also recommends 'The Leicester Gateway, on Gateway Street, near to the hospital. This is quite a big pub, busy but not overcrowded, with a mixture of home and away fans. It offers a wide selection of beers, including real ales and has a simple match day menu for food of burgers, sausage baps, chips etc... which were enjoyable and good value'. This pub is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and is around a 15 minute walk away from the away entrance. With the away entrance at your back, turn left and go along the back of the stand. When you reach the Leicester City Club Shop, bear right and cross over the road. Follow this road down to the junction with Upperton Road. Turn right at the t-junction and then you need to cross over the road to the opposite side and then continue right to you reach Jarrom Street. Go along Jarrom Street and take the fourth left into Gateway Street. The pub is a short distance along this road on the right. For those arriving by train then 'The Hind' pub across the road from the station serves a selection of real ales. Otherwise alcohol is available inside the stadium. |
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| How To Get By Car & Where To Park | |
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Leave the
M1 at Junction 21, or if coming from the Midlands, follow the M69 until the
end of the motorway (which meets the M1 at Junction 21).Take the A5460
towards Leicester city centre. Continue on this road, until you go under a
railway bridge. Carry on for another 200 yards and turn right at the traffic
lights into Upperton Road (sign posted Royal Infirmary) and then right again
into Filbert Street. The new stadium is visible just behind the old Filbert
Street ground. Allow yourself a little extra time to get to the ground as traffic does tend to get quite congested near the stadium. Plenty of street parking to be found (especially around the Upperton Road area), although as Greg Barclay warns; 'don't double park as the traffic wardens tend to have a field day at every match'. Alternatively you can park at Leicester Rugby Club (£3) which is a ten minute walk away from the stadium. 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. |
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| By Train | |
| The train station
in the city centre is walkable from the ground and should take you around
20-25 minutes. There is normally a heavy Police presence around the station. Thanks to Philip Draycott for providing the following directions from the station to the ground; 'Come out of the station, cross the road in front of the station and proceed to the left. Follow this round to the right and now you are walking with the main Central Ring Road (Waterloo Way) on your left. Keep this to your left as the pavement becomes a separate path and the road sinks down into a dip down to your left. A quick left and right to stay on the pathway as it crosses New Walk and you go down the left hand side of New Walk Museum. The pathway rejoins the main road as pavement again and you see a small recreation ground (Nelson Mandela Park) on your right. Turn right into Lancaster Rd and then cross the park to the crossings over the main road by the public lavatories. Head for the Victory pub opposite (not recommended for away fans), turn left across the front of the Leicester Royal infirmary. First right into Walnut St and you can see the stadium behind the old Filbert Street ground'. |
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| Admission Prices | |
| Awaiting confirmation. | |
| Fixtures 2008-2009 | |
| For the Leicester fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| Programme & Fanzines | |
| Official Programme: £3. The Fox Fanzine: £1.50. When You're Smiling Fanzine: £1. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Coventry City. | |
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| Stadium Tours | |
| The Club run tours on a daily basis (except matchdays). The cost is: Adults £5 & Under 16's £2. However there is a minimum charge of £20 per tour, so unless there is sufficient numbers in your group paying the individual prices that add up to £20 or more, then the minimum charge will apply. The club also have a charity and school rate of £2 per person (maximum 30 people). Call the Club on 0116 229 4532 to book. | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| Record Attendance: At Walkers Stadium 32,148 v Newcastle United Premier League, December 26th, 2003. At Filbert Street 47,298 v Tottenham Hotspur, FA Cup 5th Round, February 18th, 1928. Average Attendance: 2007-2008: 23,509 (Championship League) 2006-2007: 23,206 (Championship League) 2005-2006: 22,234 (Championship League) |
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| Fans Reviews Of The Walkers Stadium | |
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Sam
Coumbe (Plymouth Argyle) 11/11/06 Tim Sansom (Neutral) 17/12/05 Anthony Cannan (Plymouth Argyle) 27/11/04 |
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| 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 Leicester page click here. | |
| 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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