West Bromwich Albion

by **NIGHTMARE** Thu 1 Apr - 8:58:18

How To Get There By Car & Where To Park
The ground is located on the A41 (Birmingham-West Bromwich Road). If approaching from outside the area the ground is about half a mile from Junction 1 of the M5. On leaving the M5 take the A41 towards Birmingham, the ground is on your right. Beware though of speed cameras on this stretch of the A41. Street parking or alternatively there are a few private matchday car parks at some local industrial units near the ground, or at Hawthorns station which costs £4.

By Train/Metro
The closest railway stations are The Hawthorns which is about five minutes walk from the ground and Smethwick Rolfe Street, which is about a 15 minute walk from the ground. The Hawthorns is served by a Metro service from Birmingham Snow Hill station, whilst Smethwick Rolfe Street is served by local trains from Birmingham New Street. The Metro service takes eight minutes to the Hawthorns from Birmingham Snow Hill and trains run every 15 minutes. Please note though that train tickets are not valid on the Metro and that you have to buy a separate ticket for it (ask for a £2 matchday special adult return). Birmingham Snow Hill station is signposted from Birmingham New Street and is around a 10 minute walk away

Where To Eat & Drink?
There are no pubs for away fans that are particularly close to the ground. The Vine which was popular with away supporters now only admits home fans Alcohol & Food available within the ground

What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters?
Away fans are housed on one side of the Smethwick End, where the normal allocation is 3,000 seats. This means that this stand is shared with home supporters. For cup games, the whole of this stand can be allocated to away fans, raising this figure to 5,200. The facilities and the view of the pitch in the Smethwick end are okay, although the leg room is a little cramped

What's The Ground Like?
With the completion of the East Stand in 2001, the Club had achieved its objective in completely re-building the Hawthorns and making it a modern stadium. Not only has the ground received a much needed face lift, but it is now totally enclosed and all seated. The East Stand is an impressive, large single tiered stand, which has been well integrated with the rest of the ground. It has a row of executive boxes running along the back, and to each side of the stand the previous open corners have been filled with corrugated sheeting. There is a thin supporting pillar on each side of the stand to support the corner structures. This stand, which is well setback from the pitch, has been designated as a no smoking area. On the other side is the relatively new but smaller, Halfords Lane Stand, stretching around two corners of the ground. The home end, the Birmingham Road Stand is large, covered, and quite steep. At the other end away fans are housed in the Smethwick end, which is also a relatively new stand. Two new video screens have been installed in opposite corners of the ground, one at the Smethwick End side of the East Stand and the other in the opposite corner of the Halfords Lane Stand.

An interesting feature of the ground is that in one corner of the ground (between the East Stand & Birmingham Road End) you will notice perched up on a wall, a large Throstle standing on a football. This has been kept over from the previous stand (it used to sit above the clock on the half time scoreboard) and maintains the links with tradition. Outside the ground on the same corner are the 'Jeff Astle Memorial Gates' erected in tribute to the legendary striker.