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Ground Name: Portman
Road |
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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground
Like? Portman Road (photo) What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Where To Drink? The Greene King & Britannia Stands (photo) How To Get There And Where To Park By Train Local Rivals The North Stand (photo) Ground Layout Admission Prices Fixtures 2007-2008 Programme Price Disabled Facilities Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
| The overall look of the ground has greatly
improved, with the re-development of both ends. Both these ends, the Greene King (South) Stand and the North
Stand, are similar in appearance and size, and dwarf
the smaller older stands, located on each side of the ground. Unusually, both ends have a larger upper
tier which overhangs slightly the smaller lower tier.
Both have windshields to either side of the upper tier and they are
completed, with some spectacular floodlights perched on
their roofs.
They were both fully opened a year apart in 2001 & 2002.
The Greene King (South) Stand was originally
called the Churchmans Stand in reference to the Churchmans Cigarette factory
which used to be located behind that end of the stadium. Both sides are much older stands and now look quite tired in comparison. On one side, the fair sized Britannia Stand is a three tiered covered stand, with a row of executive boxes running across its middle. This stand was was originally opened in 1957 and was then known as the West Stand. In 1984 an additional tier was added along with a new roof. Opposite is the smaller Cobbold Stand. Again it is two tiered and has a row of executive boxes. However it is only partly covered, with the small lower tier of seating being open to the elements. This stand which was first opened in 1971, was originally called the Portman Stand and has since been renamed the Cobbold Stand in respect of the Cobbold family who own the Club. Unusually the teams emerge onto the field from one corner of the ground between the Greene King and Britannia Stands. Outside are two statues of two former Ipswich and England managers. One is of World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsey and is located on the corner between the Cobbold and North Stand, while Sir Bobby Robson's statue is placed behind the Cobbold stand in Portman Road. |
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| Portman Road | |
Thanks to Owen Pavey for supplying the photos for this page. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away
fans are placed in one corner in the upper tier of the Cobbold Stand at
one side of the pitch. Up to 1,700 away supporters can be
accommodated (or according to some - crammed in). Although the views from
this area are generally not too bad
(unless you are at the very back of the stand where there are some
supporting pillars), the leg room is a little cramped and as with the
rest of the stand the facilities are beginning to show their age.
If demand requires it then an additional 400 seats
are also made available in
the lower tier of the Cobbold Stand, where further concessions are
available. On the plus side,
away fans can really make some noise from this stand, contributing to a real
great atmosphere. The
delicious
'Football's Famous Chicken Balti Pie'
(£2.20) is available inside the ground. Chris Watkins a visiting Coventry City fan adds; 'I felt that I my visits to Portman Road that the stewarding was a little over the top with fans being persistently asked to sit down. There was also a sizeable Police presence, for what really is a low profile fixture'. I have always found this to be a friendly place and pleasurable day out, even though I've never seen my team win there! I even on one occasion got accosted by some Ipswich fans, whilst coming out of the railway station and ended up accompanying them on a pub crawl before the game. Overall Portman Road is a good day out although it does seem to take an eternity to get there! |
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| Where To Drink? | |
| The main away supporters pub for many a season, the 'Drum & Monkey', has now declared itself a 'home supporters only' pub, following refurbishment. This makes the choice of drinking establishments for away fans very limited. In fact it is really just the Station Hotel, which is near to the ground and train station, where most visiting supporters will congregate. Other pubs in the area such as the Victoria, the Hare & Hounds and the Swan, are very much home pubs and are best avoided by visiting fans. | |
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| How To Get There And Where To Park | |
| Follow the A14 around Ipswich, until you see the turning
for Ipswich (A137). Stay on this road and you will eventually see the ground on your left.
Bill Leggate adds 'there is extremely limited on-street car parking around the ground. There
are however three pay and display parks in Portman Road with a total of about 800
spaces. It costs £3.50 to park your car there for the
Saturday afternoon. Early arrival is recommended to ensure a space
close to the ground. There are several town centre car parks within 10 minutes walk all
of which are well sign posted,' plus there there is a
multi storey car park located next to the railway station, which costs £5 on
a Saturday afternoon and £3 weekday evenings. For a map showing the location of the ground click here (to take you to the Street Map website). To go to a simplified page, containing the directions and pub info, which you can print out click here. |
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| By Train | |
| The ground is only a quarter of a mile away from Ipswich train station. You will see the ground as you come into the station. Ipswich is served by trains from London Liverpool Street and Peterborough. | |
| Local Rivals | |
| Norwich City & Colchester United. | |
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| Admission Prices | |
| The prices quoted below are for those
tickets purchased prior to matchday. Tickets purchased on matchday
can cost
up to £2.50 more per ticket. Home Fans: Cobbold Stand (Upper Premium Seats): Adults £46, Concessions £34.50, Under 16's £23 Cobbold Stand (Upper Centre): Adults £31.50, OAP's £20.50, Under 16's £9.50 Cobbold Stand (Upper Wings): Adults £26.50, OAP's £18.50, Under 16's £9.50 Cobbold Stand (Family Area Lower Tier): Adults £22.50, OAP's £15.50, Under 16's £6.50 Britannia Stand (Upper Premium Seats): Adults £35.50, OAP's £20.50, Under 16's £19 Britannia Stand (Upper Centre): Adults £31.50, OAP's £20.50, Under 16's £9.50 Britannia Stand (Upper Wings): Adults £27.50, OAP's £19.50, Under 16's £9.50 Britannia Stand (Upper Outer Wings): Adults £26.50, OAP's £18.50, Under 16's £9.50 Britannia Stand (Family Area Upper Tier): Adults £26.50, OAP's £18.50, Under 16's £6.50 Britannia Stand (Family Area Lower Tier): Adults £22.50, OAP's £15.50, Under 16's £6.50 Greene King South Stand (Premium Seats): Adults £38.50, OAP's £28.50, Under 16's £19 Greene King South Stand (Upper Tier): Adults £27.50, OAP's £19.50, Under 16's £9.50 Greene King South Stand (Lower Tier): Adults £22.50, OAP's £15.50, Under 16's £9.50 North Stand (Upper Tier): Adults £27.50, OAP's £19.50, Under 16's £9.50 North Stand (Lower Tier): Adults £22.50, No Concessions Away Fans: Cobbold Stand (Upper Wing): Adults: £26.50, Over 65's: £18.50, Under 16's: £9.50 If the size of the away support requires it then additional seating can be made available in the lower tier at a reduced ticket price compared to the Upper Tier. |
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| Fixtures 2007-2008 | |
| For the Ipswich fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| Programme | |
| Official Programme: £3. | |
| Disabled Facilities | |
| For details of disabled facilities at the ground please visit the relevant page on the National Association Of Disabled Supporters (NADS) website. | |
| Record & Average Attendance | |
| Record Attendance: 38,010 v Leeds United, FA Cup 6th Round, March 8th 1975. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 30,152 v Norwich City Division One, December 21st, 2003. Average Attendance: 2006-2007: 22,445 (Championship League) 2005-2006: 24,256 (Championship League) 2004-2005: 25,651 (Championship League) |
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| Fans Reviews Of Portman Road | |
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Nick
Lee (West Bromwich Albion) 1/1/08 Susan Bowen (Leicester City) 25/2/05 Eli Altmann (West Ham) 1/1/05 Lee Roberts (Doing The 92) 17/2/01 |
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| Hotel Accommodation | |
| If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. To access their Ipswich page click here. | |
| Feedback | |
| If anything is incorrect or you have something to add,
please e-mail me and I'll
update
the guide. |
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