As we have only visited Bramall Lane once in the past 11 years, all the info you need for those who are making the trip up to South Yorkshire on Saturday
Its been almost 5 years since we last visited Bramall Lane for a League Cup defeat and that in itself was our only trip since October 2008 when we got a 0-0 draw on the way to Administration and League One, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.
Getting There
Car
The usual route to the M1 via the A34 and your choice of noth to Birmingham and the M40 & M42, or cutting cross country to Northampton just past Oxford
Leave M1 at Junction 33 and take the A630 into Sheffield City Centre. On reaching the inner ring road follow signs for A621 Bakewell, the ground is about a 1/4 of a mile the other side of the city centre. It is located on the A621 (Bramall Lane). Street Parking.
Post Code for SAT NAV: S2 4SU
Parking
There are a few car parks near to Bramall Lane heading towards the City Centre and other options include street parking or privately owned car parks.
By Train
The ground is around 10-15 minutes walk from the station, turning left on to the main road and then when the road splits take the right hand fork directly up to the ground.
The Ground
Saints fans in 2014 were in the Jessica Ennis Stand, we are again this year but it is now called the HE Barnes Stand (aka the Bramall Lane stand) we have an allocation of just under 3,000 housed in the lower tier.
The views are OK but its not a steep terrace so even in the back rows you aren't that high above the pitch.
Overall Bramall lane is a decent stadium, the away end is probably the oldest part of it dating back to the late 60's early 70's and since then the other three sides have been completely rebuilt, the main or South Stand technically wasn't rebuilt as up to 1974'ish nothing stood on the South Side of the ground as Bramall Lane was also a cricket ground and effectively only three sides up to the mid 70's.
Drinking Eating Etc
The Pubs next to the ground tend to be for home fans only and Saints fans will need to walk towards the City Centre to find other pubs that will let them in.
Footballgroundguide.com suggest the following.
About a ten minute walk away at the bottom of Eccleshall Road is a Wetherspoons Outlet called the 'Sheaf Island'. This good sized pub tends to have a mix of home and away fans. Nearby behind the Waitrose supermarket is the Beer Engine pub on Cemetery Road. This pub offers up to six real ales and serves food too. Whilst a little further away on Wellington Street is the Devonshire Cat. This pub has around 12 hand pulled beers on offer, serves food, has a large screen tv, welcomes families (until 7pm) and is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Although there are bouncers on the doors, away fans are allowed into the pub wearing colours. See the Devonshire Cat website for more details.
Sheffield United have a very passionate following which can be intimidating at times so caution is advised.
Watch out for Yorkshires toughest football firm though as voted for on Danny Dyer's documentary series of a few years ago, not as you might expect Leed's or Sheffield's own BBC but the South Yorkshire Police who stand no nonsense whatsoever.
Bramall Lane
Capacity: 32,702 (all seated)
Address: Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4SU
Main Telephone No: 0871 995 1899
Fax No: 0871 663 2430
Ticket Office: 0871 995 1889
Club Nickname: The Blades
Year Ground Opened: 1862*
Pitch Size: 112 x 72 yards