QPR travel to Nottingham on Saturday. 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.
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 which means you should book on their website as, although it looks the same as other sites, it is always cheaper. A quick look today (Monday) revealed tickets still available for £39 return based on leaving St Pancras at 0915 and returning at 1802 (arrives 1059 there and 2002 back).
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..
Coach: The official coach leaves Loftus Road at 10am and will pick up at the Target Roundabout layby next to McDonalds at 10.30am. Prices are £26 adults, £16 for young adults and seniors and £14 for juniors. The LSA coach from the Springbok has sold out.
Tickets: Rangers have 2000 tickets for this and expect them to sell out. They are priced £28 for adults, £20 for over 60s, £12 for under 18s and students, and £6 for under 12s. Wheelchair tickets are £20 including a carer. 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 >>> Last season’s awayday