LeWhites
Active Member
How Easy Was The Ground to Get To (from the station, by car, etc)
From Dover town centre it is a 30-40 minute walk to Crabble. The route is easily broken up with a number of pubs en route, including The Eagle, The Old Endeavour, The Bull, The Three Cups and The Cricketers. The nearest train station to the ground is Kearsney station which is significantly closer than Dover Priory. If driving from the A20 go through the Alkham Valley which will take you into River which is where Crabble is located. If driving from the A2 go down Whitfield Hill (4th exit at the McDonalds roundabout) then turn left at the bottom and follow signs to Crabble. The ground is up a large slope, but there is a golf buggy which provides assistance to the elderly or disabled if required.
If Applicable, How is Parking Near The Ground?
Car parking is available around the outside of the rugby pitch which is free of charge and there is also street parking nearby which is also free.
Based on Where You Were Sat, How Was the View?
The River End terrace provides a great view, helped by the size of the stand making it rarely full. However there are still large columns which can be annoying, particularly when stood at the back of the stand. There are seats all along one side of the pitch which have a great view of the pitch, as well as a family stand on the opposite side with a great view. The view from the Town End can be poor. This terrace also has columns which can be a pain. If the match is segregated there will be a large metal fence in the middle of the terrace to separate the supporters, which restricts the view of those stood near the fence.
How Were The Stewards on The Day?
A lot is made of the "nightclub bouncer" stewards at Crabble, but I have never seen any problems with them. They are good spirited, can take a laugh and are usually very polite (particularly the Nepalese stewards).
If You Ate at The Ground, How Would You Rate the Food?
The food at Crabble is good but nothing special. The homemade pies are nice, the chips are nice and the monstrous Crabble burger is worth trying. There can however be large queues for food and sometimes the Town End tea hut isn't open. The Centre Spot (the club bar) is friendly and has Sky/BT Sport and the beer is reasonably priced.
How Was The Atmosphere At The Ground, From Both Sets of Supporters? Does the Stadium Hold the Noise?
Usually crowds are between 700-1200 depending on the opposition, weather, form etc. The atmosphere varies - if you go on a Saturday with 1200 attendance against a rival or a big side then Dover's supporters can be some of the noisiest in the league.
How Are the Pubs and Local Attractions in The Local Area?
One thing Dover has an abundance of is pubs. In the town centre there is a Wetherspoons if that's your thing, called the Eight Bells which is alright - it's a Wetherspoons, what can you say? There are a few micropubs which are good if you're into real ale/cider. There is the Mash Tun, The Rack of Ale, The Thirsty Scarecrow (which is en route from town to Crabble), The Lanes and the Port of Call which are all welcoming and sell good ale. If you have the time I would strongly recommend a drink in the garden of Cullins Yard, overlooking Dover Harbour with a view of the castle - in the summer it really is a lovely venue with really good beers and excellent food.
Nearer the ground there is The Three Cups which is a nice pub where a few Dover supporters drink before matches, but away supporters are always welcome. They have darts, pool and live sports on TV which is always a bonus. Right outside the ground there is The Cricketers which also has pool, darts and live sport. The best thing about The Cricketers is the garden which is huge and well kept, often with a BBQ in the summer. Last season the garden was filled with hundreds of Bristol Rovers supporters who I'm sure will vouch for how good the pub is.
Overall Score Out of 10?
8/10
Obviously biased, but I love Crabble. Only issues for me are columns restricting the view - the location is good, the beer and food is good. Proper old school non-league football ground.
From Dover town centre it is a 30-40 minute walk to Crabble. The route is easily broken up with a number of pubs en route, including The Eagle, The Old Endeavour, The Bull, The Three Cups and The Cricketers. The nearest train station to the ground is Kearsney station which is significantly closer than Dover Priory. If driving from the A20 go through the Alkham Valley which will take you into River which is where Crabble is located. If driving from the A2 go down Whitfield Hill (4th exit at the McDonalds roundabout) then turn left at the bottom and follow signs to Crabble. The ground is up a large slope, but there is a golf buggy which provides assistance to the elderly or disabled if required.
If Applicable, How is Parking Near The Ground?
Car parking is available around the outside of the rugby pitch which is free of charge and there is also street parking nearby which is also free.
Based on Where You Were Sat, How Was the View?
The River End terrace provides a great view, helped by the size of the stand making it rarely full. However there are still large columns which can be annoying, particularly when stood at the back of the stand. There are seats all along one side of the pitch which have a great view of the pitch, as well as a family stand on the opposite side with a great view. The view from the Town End can be poor. This terrace also has columns which can be a pain. If the match is segregated there will be a large metal fence in the middle of the terrace to separate the supporters, which restricts the view of those stood near the fence.
How Were The Stewards on The Day?
A lot is made of the "nightclub bouncer" stewards at Crabble, but I have never seen any problems with them. They are good spirited, can take a laugh and are usually very polite (particularly the Nepalese stewards).
If You Ate at The Ground, How Would You Rate the Food?
The food at Crabble is good but nothing special. The homemade pies are nice, the chips are nice and the monstrous Crabble burger is worth trying. There can however be large queues for food and sometimes the Town End tea hut isn't open. The Centre Spot (the club bar) is friendly and has Sky/BT Sport and the beer is reasonably priced.
How Was The Atmosphere At The Ground, From Both Sets of Supporters? Does the Stadium Hold the Noise?
Usually crowds are between 700-1200 depending on the opposition, weather, form etc. The atmosphere varies - if you go on a Saturday with 1200 attendance against a rival or a big side then Dover's supporters can be some of the noisiest in the league.
How Are the Pubs and Local Attractions in The Local Area?
One thing Dover has an abundance of is pubs. In the town centre there is a Wetherspoons if that's your thing, called the Eight Bells which is alright - it's a Wetherspoons, what can you say? There are a few micropubs which are good if you're into real ale/cider. There is the Mash Tun, The Rack of Ale, The Thirsty Scarecrow (which is en route from town to Crabble), The Lanes and the Port of Call which are all welcoming and sell good ale. If you have the time I would strongly recommend a drink in the garden of Cullins Yard, overlooking Dover Harbour with a view of the castle - in the summer it really is a lovely venue with really good beers and excellent food.
Nearer the ground there is The Three Cups which is a nice pub where a few Dover supporters drink before matches, but away supporters are always welcome. They have darts, pool and live sports on TV which is always a bonus. Right outside the ground there is The Cricketers which also has pool, darts and live sport. The best thing about The Cricketers is the garden which is huge and well kept, often with a BBQ in the summer. Last season the garden was filled with hundreds of Bristol Rovers supporters who I'm sure will vouch for how good the pub is.
Overall Score Out of 10?
8/10
Obviously biased, but I love Crabble. Only issues for me are columns restricting the view - the location is good, the beer and food is good. Proper old school non-league football ground.
