Away Day Sesh

[SF_]

What are your favourite away games/ towns for a proper booze up?

London & Birmingham are obvious, as are other big cities like Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Bristol. So i'm talking more about the random ones where you expect a couple of derelict social clubs but it turns out to be a really good day.


I was pleasantly surprised by Bradford City Centre, loads of decent bars and more bookies than shops.

Carlisle can be good, although a little sketchy if you're a Preston fan as they hate us for some reason.

You can't really knock Crewe for pubs in close proximity to the ground, although I imagine the nightlife is tragic. Bury is alright too but its hard to avoid the lure of Manchester.


Horwich is obviously gash unless you go via Manchester/ Chorley and Blackburn is the worst town in the country for drinking. Wigan is decent though.

Barnsley is awful, has about 7 pubs, Stoke is bizarre as well.

 

[UTS]

Blackburn is truly awful. Went early last season thinking there’d be plenty of pubs, nope, there’s absolutely nothing in Blackburn. Having wandered around the whole town for somewhere decent, we ended up having to settle for a Spoons called the Postal Order, which was again average.

MK Dons/Milton Keynes is just depressing, nice set up at the stadium like but absolutely soulless town, all concrete and sterile. No traditional pubs obviously with it being a new town, so it’s generic spoons type bars. I’ve heard surrounding towns like Newport Pagnell are much better though for a drink.

York and Cheltenham are absolute cracking away days for us lower league folk, Cheltenham being one of my all time favourites despite us losing on the day. Carlisle is decent I’ve been about 4 times to Brunton Park, nice journey up and a fair selection of pubs in a decent city.

Stoke is a weird one, it depends who you play... Port Vale really isn’t that close to the city centre at all... so you’re confined to drinking in Burslem, which has quite a few pubs but the place is a dive. I’ve never been to Stoke City away so I can’t comment on Stoke city centre.

Northampton ain’t bad for a drink either, big town full of pubs, got the Carlsberg brewery as well there. The thing that let’s it down is the ground is out of town in a retail park.

 

[JJH]

Really enjoyed Barnsley SF, was one of the best ones I’ve done last season. Swansea was surprisingly a cracking day, managed to escape from the OB roundup outside where they tried shoving us all in the hotel pub by the station as did a fair few other City fans and we drank in 3/4 pubs before getting shoved into Walkabout where it kicked off a bit.

By contrast, Cardiff away last year was moved to a Sunday morning and it’s absolutely abysmal for us. After 2013 when The Prince of Wales and Great Western got smashed up and then 2016 when there was all the trouble outside the ground there’s nowhere, and I mean nowhere that will serve you other than the concourse. Tried getting into a few in the centre but when they ask “are you from Bristol?” and you say “no?” they only have to check your ID and they send you on your way. Added to that we got an allocation of about 1,400 last year, wouldn’t have bothered with it this year if they stayed down and it was a Sunday again.

 

[Luke_1884]

Did an overnighter in Norwich a few years back, undoubtedly a weird, weird place but we had a good night. Plenty of pubs and even the night out was pretty decent.

Grimsby is worth a mention, plenty of places to get a beer in.

Despite my bias Donny is bang on, gets a hard time but then the main criticism is it's got no pubs around the ground which is probably the worst argument in the world. The town centre is a shithole but loads of good places.

Seem to find most of the smaller, obscure towns you end of stopping in the closer big cities. Who the fuck wants to go to Rotherham for a pint for instance, sorry Millers.

 

[SF_]

Really enjoyed Barnsley SF, was one of the best ones I’ve done last season.

What did you like about it? there's barely anything there.

 

[JJH]

What did you like about it? there's barely anything there.

Cheap drinks, couple of good pubs. Was a brilliant day.

 

[M Dogg]

Brentford, Birmingham, Fulham and even Ipswich spring to mind. Ipswich is actually a nice little town and has LOADS of boozers.

Imagine Nottingham is bang on for away fans.

 

[M Dogg]

Worst is probably Reading and also Bristol is a ball ache

 

[JJH]

Worst is probably Reading and also Bristol is a ball ache

Bristol City away must be fantastic for away fans. Can’t get in anywhere near the ground but if you know where you’re going there are so many great options available to you.

 

[M Dogg]

Bristol City away must be fantastic for away fans. Can’t get in anywhere near the ground but if you know where you’re going there are so many great options available to you.

That’s what I found, the little pub round the station is decent enough and enjoyed the fan park thing that I think was new this year but the city is just too big and miles from AG

 

[The Southbank]

Birmingham by a mile. Wigan, Plymouth and Portsmouth after that.

 

[SMH]

Bruges, Blackpool, West London, Newcastle are all great fun.

 

[PrestonCha]

Trying to think of the proper obscure ones..

Stopped off in Penrith on the way to Carlisle a few years back. Cracking little town, absolutely brimming with fit birds.

Stafford was decent too. Came back that way from Derby (might have been Leicester) about 10yr ago because my mate met a bird from Stafford on holiday and wanted to meet her for a quick drink.

Got there and she didn't wanna know. Made some bullshit excuse why she couldn't meet him.

Tight as fuck like, but funny.

 

[TomPNE94]

Preston must be class as an away day, so many pubs and the city centre has improved so so much in the last 5-10 years.

 

[PrestonCha]

Yeah there's been so many different bars popping up and refurb jobs over the past 18 months.

I read the "new pub for Preston" thread on Pne-online and my mouth starts watering. So many new places that I'm yet to try.

My mates usually wanna just stick to Church Street as we have been doing for about 15 years.... which is gay.

 

[Kilburn Ram]

Wigan surprised us a couple of years ago. Some decent boozers. Looking forward to Saturday up there.

Someone mentioned MK Dons. We got the train to Fenny Stratford about a mile away and there were 2/3 good ones there. Not sure the locals we too happy though as it was very busy.

Anywhere in Yorkshire is good as it usually means a change of train in Sheffield which is always good for a crawl on the way back.

Had a good post match crawl around Preston last season. Needed a couple of taxis here and there but again we sought out some good pubs.

I'm biased but dont see the reason why Nottingham gets a shout. There's some decent pubs up near Canning Circus but the city centre is a desert i find, and of course the ground is miles from the train station and centre and all the pubs on the way are out of bounds.

Derby ought to be a good trip for a lot of fans coming by train. Head out the station turn right and The Brunswick and Alexandra are real ale meccas, then head along the river and you have the Smithfield, Exeter Arms, Brewery Tap, Silk Mill, Ye Olde Dolphin amongst others.

I will admit we seek out pubs away from the younger crowd, and ones that are predominantly in the CAMRA guide, but always look for ones with a bit of life.

 

[UTS]

Aye Blackpool is a good day out on the piss, we had a few in Poulton-le-Fylde beforehand then made our way into Blackpool. Got them on good Friday a few years back, left at HT and went back to the pub. Wouldn’t fancy living there though.

Wigan is a nice enough town centre too, lots of pubs and places to eat. Ground is walkable from the centre, big away end.

Fleetwood wasn’t great, again went to Poulton beforehand but the town of Fleetwood was just too small to really do much, couple of pubs but nothing noteworthy.

Stevenage/Crawley types are more memorable for the long train journey on the tins rather than the town itself.. both pretty uninspiring places.

 

[Bobbin']

Always enjoyed trips to Portsmouth, one of my favourites. Bristol is great too.

I know they’re not that popular but I’ve had some right good drinks in both Ipswich and Norwich. Not as much of a shitter to get to for us as it is for others I suppose. Same for Gillingham, always a great day out on the lash in Rochester/Chatham etc.

Despite my bias Donny is bang on, gets a hard time but then the main criticism is it's got no pubs around the ground which is probably the worst argument in the world. The town centre is a shithole but loads of good places.

Doncaster was the one that sprang to my mind straight away as one I wasn’t expecting much from but thought was decent. Loads of options around the town centre. Bit of a shitty walk to the ground but not the end of the world.

Bruges, Blackpool, West London, Newcastle are all great fun.

Why West London specifically? Find that the most poncy and expensive of them all.

More of an edge to North/East/South in my opinion.

Preston must be class as an away day, so many pubs and the city centre has improved so so much in the last 5-10 years.

Voted best away day in the football league earlier this week at some awards I believe.

Edit: yep.

 

[TomPNE94]

Yeah there's been so many different bars popping up and refurb jobs over the past 18 months.

I read the "new pub for Preston" thread on Pne-online and my mouth starts watering. So many new places that I'm yet to try.

My mates usually wanna just stick to Church Street as we have been doing for about 15 years.... which is gay.

Was out all day Sunday and ended up in PLAU which is well cool. The downstairs bar has a pretty class feature which I won’t spoil for you if you haven’t been.

 

[SMH]

Always enjoyed trips to Portsmouth, one of my favourites. Bristol is great too.

I know they’re not that popular but I’ve had some right good drinks in both Ipswich and Norwich. Not as much of a shitter to get to for us as it is for others I suppose. Same for Gillingham, always a great day out on the lash in Rochester/Chatham etc.



Doncaster was the one that sprang to my mind straight away as one I wasn’t expecting much from but thought was decent. Loads of options around the town centre. Bit of a shitty walk to the ground but not the end of the world.


Why West London specifically? Find that the most poncy and expensive of them all.

More of an edge to North/East/South in my opinion.



Voted best away day in the football league earlier this week at some awards I believe.

Edit: yep.

View attachment 10062

Just personal preference mate. I’m a snob and like my poncey, expensive bars/pubs so West London/Central London and all the ambience that comes with it is right up my street. Ironically I’m typing this from a pub in Regent Street after paying over £14 for a bottle of lager & glass of wine! So I understand why many wouldn’t enjoy it.

Blackpool is the best Lancashire watering hole IMO. Us and Preston follow that, then Burnley, then way out in the rear are Horwich and Blackburn.

 

[TomPNE94]

Blackpool is fucking disgusting.

 

[Bobbin']

Just personal preference mate. I’m a snob and like my poncey, expensive bars/pubs so West London/Central London and all the ambience that comes with it is right up my street. Ironically I’m typing this from a pub in Regent Street after paying over £14 for a bottle of lager & glass of wine! So I understand why many wouldn’t enjoy it.

Blackpool is the best Lancashire watering hole IMO. Us and Preston follow that, then Burnley, then way out in the rear are Horwich and Blackburn.

Not so much the pricing that bothers me (although it is disgusting) I work in the City so regularly pay £5+ for a pint. It’s just the poncey bars full of ponces I don’t like.

Blackpool is a shit tip. The novelty of it wore off after my first visit. Similar to Southend really.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Just personal preference mate. I’m a snob and like my poncey, expensive bars/pubs so West London/Central London and all the ambience that comes with it is right up my street. Ironically I’m typing this from a pub in Regent Street after paying over £14 for a bottle of lager & glass of wine! So I understand why many wouldn’t enjoy it.

Blackpool is the best Lancashire watering hole IMO. Us and Preston follow that, then Burnley, then way out in the rear are Horwich and Blackburn.

Blackpools a shit hole, got to be in the Summer to enjoy it. Far better pubs in Wigan and Preston. We're pretty lucky to be fair, so many pubs and think I've seen somewhere we have the most breweries per head? Lot's of good places to eat and we seem to have held firm and avoided the big chain restaurants. New bar just opened under the railway arches next to Wigan Central, not tried it yet.

Done well to get a new stadium close to the town centre really.

Problem with a lot of cities whilst I like Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds for example, the pubs and bars are more expensive and the quality of food and drink is often worse then locally.

Shame Lancaster don't have a good team as that would be a great away day. Chester and York are great Cities to drink in if their clubs can climb the League ladder.

Bolton ane Blackburn just too far away from anywhere. Stadiums in an awful location.

 

[UTS]

Bolton away would have been class back in the Burnden Park days, especially as a Bury fan it’s only 15 minutes away... their new stadium kills what would be our best away trip. Bolton town centre is closer to Gigg Lane than the Macron I think, genuinely.

 

[GTFCfish]

Grimsby is worth a mention, plenty of places to get a beer in.

Cleethorpes is still good for a beer but Grimsby is dead now, around 10 or so years back Grimsby was brilliant for a night out but one by one the best pubs either shut down or turned into other things and now there’s just fuck all.

 

[PrestonCha]

Was out all day Sunday and ended up in PLAU which is well cool. The downstairs bar has a pretty class feature which I won’t spoil for you if you haven’t been.

Think I know what you mean...you on about the ancient old Well in the cellar bar?

Saw it mentioned on that thread. Not seen any pictures or owt but defo something I wanna have a nosey at over Chrimbo.

 

[Luke_1884]

Cleethorpes is still good for a beer but Grimsby is dead now, around 10 or so years back Grimsby was brilliant for a night out but one by one the best pubs either shut down or turned into other things and now there’s just fuck all.

Think that’s what I mean. Whatever is the town centre-y bit after walking 25 mins down that long main road from the ground.

 

[Luke_1884]

Blackpool is fucking disgusting.

Aye, we stay up at Warton for work now and again and we’ve sacked off trips into Blackpool, it’s an absolute turd of a place. Tend to stick around Lytham/Lytham St Ives. Seems alright up there.

 

[tiltontrev]

Had a great overnighted in Norwich last season, actually a lot better than we expected, wasn’t especially far from the ground, few pubs - nightclub - messy curry - cheap hotel good times.

Other more obscure ones that spring to mind, we went to Tranmere once on a stag do but wanting to avoid all the hipsters going Liverpool we opted for Southport, proper shithole, but properly brilliant, mental night.

York is ace, been there a few times with Blues, also been a few games just watching York with our cousin that lives up there.

I’m also another vote for Barnsley, some great fun to be had if you avoid the obvious “footballgroundguide” type pubs.

 

[Gerry Gow]

That’s what I found, the little pub round the station is decent enough and enjoyed the fan park thing that I think was new this year but the city is just too big and miles from AG

You need to do your research before coming down mucks.

The waterfront is a 5 minute drive from BS3