QPR travel to Nottingham on Tuesday night to face Billy Davies' in form Forest side. Here are the usual tips for those hardy Rangers fans planning on making the journey up the M1.

Ground Name: The City Ground
Capacity: 30, 602 (all seated)
Address:City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ
Main Telephone No: 0115 982 4444
Ticket Office: 0871 226 1980

By Car:
Most of the guides and sat navs will recommend junction 24 of the M1 and then the A453 towards Nottingham followed by the A52 east towards Grantham and then the A6011 into the city - the ground is along that road. The A453 is a renowned pain in the arse though so you could possibly try junction 25 and then the A52 Brian Clough Way that connects Nottingham and Derby into town. Possibly a better bet is leaving the M1 at junction 21a (Leicester east) and following the A46 towards Newark for 20 miles, then the A606 towards Nottingham, join the A52 using the fourth exit at the roundabout junction between the two roads and then it’s onto the A6011 into town as above. I’d do that personally.

Map:


Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round.

Parking:
There is a large car park at the ground apparently but I have never had any problems finding street parking around and about the City Ground. There is also a £3 council car park on matchdays on the Victoria embankment near the cricket ground.

By Train
East Midlands Trains from St Pancras for this one but as usual when faced with a midweek away game it’s the lack of services back to London after the match that poses the biggest problem. The last train back is at 2128 and unless QPR are taking a right pasting at half time (not beyond the realms of possibility) you won’t make that with the station a good 15 minute walk from the away end. Going there and coming back on Wednesday there are some £19 single tickets still knocking around if you travel in the middle of the day, otherwise £50.30 is the cheapest adult return.

If you are arriving by train and plan to walk to the ground turn left and left again out of the main station entrance so you are walking down the side of the station with the platforms and car park to your left. Go to the junction of the main road and turn right then basically follow that dual carriageway past Notts County’s ground on the left and over the Trent Bridge from where the ground should be clearly visible.



Pubs:
Nottingham means only one thing for many Rangers fans - Hooters. I still remember coming back on a packed train from Mansfield with QPR fans jumping up and down singing “three stops to Hooters” - honestly show a QPR fan a pair of tits... Anyway it has moved, but not far, just turn left coming out of the station instead of right. If skantly clad, busty young ladies serving beer isn’t your thing then there is a vast array of chain places in the city centre. The Larwood and Voce next to the cricket ground that used to be a regular away fans’ pub is now home fans only which means on a Saturday most travelling fans are now directed to the Wheeler Bar at Notts County’s ground although whether that will be the case for midweek games I don’t know..

Tickets:
Rangers have 1054 lower tier tickets remaining, which can be quite an intimidating place to sit with Forest fans on both sides and all around above you. They are priced at £22 adults, £12 students and Under 18s, £6 for under 12s and £16 for a pair of disabled. These prices increase by £2 if bought on the day and you cannot pay cash at the turnstiles, you must go round the Brian Clough stand to the ticket windows where in the past the service has been deathly slow, the organisation absolutely appalling, and QPR fans using the facility have regularly missed the kick off so allow plenty of time.

Links:

Official Forest Website
Detailed fans' guide to The City Ground

Photo: Action Images

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