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.
On our two previous visits to Dean Court since the infamous riot of 1990 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 it’s quite possible that something similar has happened this time, although the Football Leagues policy for the fixtures this season seems to be that all club’s long distance away games will be in midweek.
The Football League have started a new initiative this season of allowing clubs to show ‘beambacks’ at their own stadia, with this match being the first one for us.
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. They became AFC Bournemouth in 1972, and ever since they’ve been top of the Football League in alphabetical order, if never by any other criteria.
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.
Most of the pubs near to the ground are for home fans only, but one establishment that was admitting Leeds fans last season was the Wetherspoons on Christchurch Road in Boscombe (the ‘Percy Florence Shelley’). You can expect to find it heavily stewarded, but they are usually quite relaxed as long as we don’t get too boisterous.
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, 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 Tomorrow night. Ticket prices for away fans are £26 for adults and £14 for concessions.
Bournemouth’s official website tells us that tickets for the home areas of Dean Court will only be sold supporters who have bought tickets for two home league games since the start of last season. Tickets for the Leeds section were sold through the loyalty scheme, and 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.