Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Bournemouth Awaydaze
Sunday, 23rd Mar 2014 21:23 by Tim Whelan

Once again the fixture computer has sent us to AFC Bournemouth on a Tuesday evening, with a 7.45 kick-off. And I feel that as all as we are in the same division as the Cherries it will forever be thus.

This is only our second visit to Dean Court since the infamous riot of 1990, and in 2007 the Dorset police made a special request for this fixture to be scheduled for midweek, and at a time of year when we really wouldn’t want to make a trip to the seaside. And I’m assuming that something similar has happened again, so this one could run and run.

Dean Court is currently known as the ‘The Goldsands Stadium’, though the fans still refer to it by the traditional name. The stadium is about three miles to the east of Bournemouth town centre, in the district of Boscombe (and in fact the club were known as Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic when they first joined the league in 1923).

If you’re driving you’ll come into town on the main A338 dual carriageway. You will eventually see the tops of the ground floodlights to your left, and you will then need to take the next exit and turn left towards the ground. There is a large car park between the ground and Gloucester Road.

It will of course be impossible to get back to Leeds by train after the game, but I’ve included the following directions for the benefit of those living more locally. The nearest railway station is Pokesdown, which is roughly a mile from the ground but is only served by stopping trains from London Waterloo. Turn right outside the station, then after about a quarter of a mile turn right again into Gloucester Road . Dean Court is at the bottom of this road.

The main Bournemouth Central station is about two miles away, and from here you can either catch a local train one station to Pokesdown, or catch a number 2, 2a, or 2b Yellow Bus. Routes 25 & 26 also go down Ashley Road near the ground.

Given the unfortunate history of this fixture I don’t know if any pubs will be open, and even before 1990 some venues were reluctant to admit Leeds fans whenever we came to town. Most of the pubs near to the ground are for home fans only, but one establishment you could try is the Wetherspoons on Christchurch Road in Boscombe (the ‘Percy Florence Shelley’). Here they don’t usually allow football colours and you can expect to find it heavily stewarded.

Dean Court was completely re-developed in 2001, with the pitch rotated by 90 degrees and three new stands being built. And since we last came a fourth new stand has been built to replace the temporary open stand at the south end, and it’s named in honour of legendary striker Ted McDougall.

The current away allocation is 1,500 in the East Stand, to the side of the pitch, but this can be increased to 2,000 if required. This stand gives a good view of the action, and beer is usually served in the concourse of the East Stand, though somehow I doubt that will be the case on Tuesday. Ticket prices for away fans are £22 for adults and £12 for concessions.

Bournemouth’s official website tells us that there will be no tickets on sale on the day of the game, and tickets for the home areas of Dean Court will only be sold supporters with “a previous league booking history”. For this purpose, tickets for previous games against Leeds “do not contribute towards a customer’s league booking history”. Tickets for the Leeds section have now sold out.

Many thanks to Cherries fan Pete Wicks for his help with this piece. Some of the info also comes from www.footballgroundguide.co.uk.

Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blackpool Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024