Rangers travel to the Midlands to face Derby on Saturday night in their first televised game of the season. If you're planning on going anyway, here are the usual hints and tips.
Ground Name: Pride Park
Capacity: 33 597 (all seated)
Address: Pride Park Stadium, Derby, DE24 8XL
Main Telephone No: 0870 444 1884
Fax No: 01332 667540
By Car:
A simple trip up the M1 for most QPR fans here, about 126 miles from Loftus Road. It could not be simpler really – take junction 25 from the M1 onto the A52 Brian Clough Way that connects Nottingham and Derby. Pride Park will be visible and signposted as you enter Derby after seven miles.
Map:
Click map to visit Multi Map site and zoom in/out or tour round. Parking:
There is very little parking around the ground although a number of the businesses and industry surrounding the ground offer up their car parks on a match day. These fill up quickly and it is absolutely rammed after the match and takes a long time to clear. There are plenty of car parks around the Westfield centre and train station at the end of the A52 which might be a better bet although they are likely to be pricey and time limited. The guide recommends the cattle market car park at a cost of £2 which you access from the Pentagon island roundabout next to Derbyshire County Cricket Club on the A52 as you arrive in the city.
By Train
Derby is on the mainline between St Pancras and Sheffield so has a regular service. The station is also within easy walking distance of the ground located just the other side of the industrial park – 15 minutes walk absolute maximum. Tickets are still available priced £54.50 return, with trains every half hour from St Pancras and 2001 coming back.
Pubs:
Derby can be a little bit tasty for visiting fans, particularly in and around the railway station. The Waterfall opposite the station is, I think, a home fans haunt and away fans tend to be ushered along the road to The Brunswick or Alexandra Hotel on the corner two minutes away. Both nice old pubs with real ale on tap but on my last visit here after a messy wedding neither showed any signs of Sky Sports. If you arrive early and want to head for the city centre come out of the station, turn right, walk up to the Brunswick by the flyover, follow the road around to the left and then basically keep walking straight past the car parks and car garages keeping the giant Westfield shopping centre in front of you. There is the usual collection of Walkabouts and all of that rubbish around the Assembly Rooms.
Tickets:
Rangers have 977 tickets in the South Stand priced at £24 adults, £9 seniors and juniors, £15 per pair disabled. These tickets have now been returned to Derby for sale on the day, it is not all ticket for away fans. The club is awarding ten loyalty points for this fixture.
Links:
Official Derby Website
Detailed fans' guide to Pride Park