Colchester United 06.04.12

HOW TO GET THERE

CAR
From The North & M11:
Leave the A14 and then join the M11. Come off the M11 at J8 (Stansted Airport/A120) and follow the A120 towards Braintree & Colchester. The A120 then joins the A12 and after passing the stadium on your right, leave the A12 at Junction 28. Turn left at the first roundabout, the turn right into United Way from the second roundabout.

From the South:
Leave the A12 at Junction 28. Turn right at the first roundabout. Go across the bridge and then go straight over the second roundabout, before turning right into United Way from the third roundabout.

PARKING
There is a car-park at the ground with around 600 spaces that cost around £6 each. This gets busy as kick-off approaches and can take an absolute age to get out after the game. There are many local businesses in the industrial estate that approaches the ground that offer parking for about the same amount but may be quicker for getting away after the game.

TRAIN
The main station is Colchester North and this is around 2 miles from the ground. There is a cheap match-day bus from behind a retail unit near to the station that runs to the ground before and after home games. We used this last year and found it to be a real good service with regular buses. Just follow the home fans as you leave the station.

Colchester Town is a smaller station that is further from the ground, but closer to the town centre and its amenities. You will need to change at Colchester North for connections to this station.

PUBS/FOOD
Due to the pub being right on the edge of town there is very little in area pre-match. There is a pub on the road that leads to the ground called the Dog & Pheasant, but this is for home fans only, though I believe some Poolies used it after the game last season with colours hidden. I certainly wouldn’t count on being allowed entry.

The following pubs are located no-where near to the ground, but convenient for the trains;

The Norfolk- A 2 minute walk from Colchester North Station, just head down the approach and turn right onto North Station Road. This pub serves cheap food and drink and has a friendly relaxed atmosphere. They welcome away fans and show Sky TV before and after the game. Two season's ago we went back to this pub after the game to watch Liverpool play and this found that the pub was a lot busier, but still with a good feel about it. Also on our previous visit we were ‘guided’ to the pub from the station, by a rather strange local bloke who knew everything, that there is to know, about football. He then kept re-entering the pub and ended up on the same bus as us to the ground. He had taken a shine to Leigh, who is one of our ‘Younger’ members, and he was too nice to tell him to Foxtrot Oscar. He may or may not be still hanging around, but be warned he is difficult to shift!

Bricklayers- Turn left as you leave Colchester North Station. This is advertised as a home only pub, but I have heard of away fans getting past the ‘MI5-Like’ Doormen! The pub has a good reputation for its range and quality of ales, but will be busy with home fans.

The Drury- This pub is located near the old Layer Road ground, but still gets a few visitors on a match-day. It used to have Sky TV but is a big Parachute Regiment Pub, so exercise caution after the game.

Albert- Large Beefeater pub located just past the Norfolk. This can be very quiet on a match-day and does not really attract football fans. I would expect this to be fairly standard of this chain, serving reasonable meals, but not particularly cheap.

There is a wide range of traditional and modern pubs in the town centre. If you do chose this option, especially after the game, be aware that Colchester is a large Military Town and some pubs may be a bit lively. Having served in the British Army, I am qualified to say that some pubs may be a little territorial and exercise caution when entering any with obvious links to particular regiments i.e. Para’s.

As mentioned there is nowhere really near the ground for food except for the normally burger vans, which I would rarely actually recommend to people. Some of the pubs mentioned serve food, with the Norfolk being a budget option. There is also a covered concourse at the back of the away end serving the usual stuff and most importantly, alcohol.

WESTON HOMES COMMUNITY STADIUM- Capacity 10,083 (all seated)

This community focused stadium was built for around £14m and is perfect for a club of Colchester United’s size and status. It is smart looking and very functional, with the only draw-back being that it is located so far from the town centre and its amenities.

The North Stand behind the goal closest to the A12 is where away fans are housed, although originally this was the home end. The stand can accommodate 2,000 fans, although I would expect plenty of these to be empty on Saturday! It is a simple single-tiered structure, with a disabled section built into the back. Facilities at the back of this stand are average for the age and design of the stadium. Last season was a quite subdued affair in this stand, but I would expect it to be very easy to get some noise going.

Opposite is the South Stand, which is similar in design, but also house the Police Control Box. The club have tried to turn this into a singing stand, but last season it was not particularly atmospheric for the majority of the game.

To the right of the away stand is the West Stand, which is larger than the rest of the stands and plays the role of being the main stand. Like many similar stands this houses the hospitality and corporate areas/boxes as well as the posh seats. If this is your thing then just whack a tie and shirt on and you too can enjoy supping a pre-match glass of Lambrini with the toffs.

The stand opposite this is called, rather surprisingly, the East Stand. One feels that the intelligent folks that run the club have not put much effort into the naming of the stands, but will not get confused if they have one’s compass with them. This is a simple stand of similar height to the ones behind the goals, and houses the family enclosure.

SAFETY

Colchester United fans have never had a bad reputation and I expect few problems, even if you happen to wander into a home fans pub. As mentioned above, excercise caution in some of the towns pubs, particularly after the game.

PRICE