Doug Victorian

Doug Victorian

Aston Villa FC - Away Fans Guide

There are a number of pubs in the vicinity of Villa Park, but most of them on match days are eithermembers only or have bouncers on the door. However, Dave Cooper recommends the following for away fans; 'The Witton Arms (formerly the Cap and Gown), is not a bad pub, to which half the pub is given to away fans (there is even a separate entrance for visiting fans). It is only two minutes walk from the away entrance, right on Witton Island, however it does charge £2 per person to gain entry'.

If you arrive a bit earlier then you may wish to visit the historic Barton Arms, located about a 15 minute walk away on High Street Aston (A34). This Grade II listed building, is one of Birmingham's finest pubs, with superb Victorian decor, serving Oakham ales and Thai food is also on offer. It is a regular entry in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Please note that alcohol is not available in the away end.

After many seasons of being housed at one end of the ground, away supporters are now located on one side of the Doug Ellis Stand, towards the North end, where up to 3,000 fans can be accommodated. This was at the request of Manager Martin O'Neill who wanted Villa fans to be present behind both goals. One bi-product of this move has been that the general atmosphere inside the stadium has been boosted somewhat. Away fans are allocated both the upper and lower tiers of the stand. The concourse at the back of the upper tier is particularly tight and easily becomes crowded, whereas there is more space behind the lower section. There is a fair selection of food available and it is the first football ground that I have visited that offers meat products that are Halal. There are a selection of pies (all £3.30), Burgers (£2.60), Fish & Chips (£3.50), Southern Fried Chicken and Chips (£3.50), Vegetable Samosas (£2) and Chips & Curry Sauce (£2.50). There are wide screen televisions on the concourse, showing past encounters between the teams before kick off. There is also betting facilities available in the form of a Ladbrokes outlet. Entrance to the stand is gained by entering your match ticket into an electronic reader.

A visit to Villa Park is normally an enjoyable experience, with the stewards normally taking a relaxed and friendly attitude. One concern though, is that there is very little separating the home and away fans and this could lead to crowd problems in the future.

About the Author

Melissa and Doug Victorian dollhouse & Fisher Price Loving Family furniture