Gresty Road - Crewe Alexandra Ground Guide.

[JJ1532]

Here is my hopefully unbiased view on Gresty Road.

First of all, finding the ground is so so easy by car. But once you arrive, you have a few options. There are a number of car parks near the ground, mostly located on Nantwich Road, but you'll have to pay to park. You can try to find street parking near the ground, but these streets are usually full of resident cars. My advice would be to play it safe and pay £2.90 to park on a CCTV covered car park.

By train, well, hardly any need for directions. Exit the station, turn left, turn left at the junction of Gresty Road and the away end is 100m up on your left. Really can't miss it.

I've never sat in the away end obviously, but the view I suspect is average. It holds 1,600 fans and you are located along the side of the pitch opposite the main stand. There are 2 main poles obstructing views, so when the stand gets full, some supporters may have issues. However, when its half full or less, I doubt there will be any problems. Even at the back, the view won't be the best as it's not very high above the pitch. I've also been led to believe that the catering and toilet facilities in the away end can struggle badly when there is a full allocation. But despite these issues, I think we offer a good experience for away fans. You are close to the pitch, on the side rather than behind the goal and the roof is low which helps fans make noise. The stewards let you stand I believe(i've never heard any away fans complain about being made to sit) as well. Should you bring a huge following, you'll get the railwayend behind the goal too.

I've never tried the food at the ground, so can't really comment. Don't think it's any better or worse than the usual overpriced crap you get at most football league grounds. If you are hungry, I would recommend visiting the famous chip shop which is located just a bit further along Gresty Road. There are also numerous chippies, kebab shops and fast food shops along Nantwich Road, which will offer better value for money than food at the stadium. As for booze, there are 4-5 pubs along Nantwich Road. None are particularly brilliant, but all are open to well behaved away fans before games(they'll shut after the game if you are bringing 1,600+) and you won't encounter any partizan locals, mainly because their aren't any.

Overall, I've always thought away fans can have a great day out at Gresty Road. Ample boozers, ample food joints, great transportation links(be it coach, car or train), a half decent away end and an excellent chance your team will leave with 3 points. Even for a neutral, I think it's worth a trip too.

 

[lordofthepies]

I've never sat in the away end obviously, but the view I suspect is average. It holds 1,600 fans and you are located along the side of the pitch opposite the main stand. There are 2 main poles obstructing views, so when the stand gets full, some supporters may have issues. However, when its half full or less, I doubt there will be any problems. Even at the back, the view won't be the best as it's not very high above the pitch. I've also been led to believe that the catering and toilet facilities in the away end can struggle badly when there is a full allocation. But despite these issues, I think we offer a good experience for away fans. You are close to the pitch, on the side rather than behind the goal and the roof is low which helps fans make noise. The stewards let you stand I believe(i've never heard any away fans complain about being made to sit) as well. Should you bring a huge following, you'll get the railwayend behind the goal too.

I have sat in the away end, as it used to be a home stand and I had a season ticket there for a couple of years. The view is fine unless you're unfortunate enough to behind one of the two poles. The main issue is certainly the toilets and catering - they just aren't enough - the facilities on offer would be suited to no more than a couple of hundred fans.

 

[Red]

I went for the first time last season and thought the view was good. The stewards were friendly and helpful too. One question though, have you ever filled that big stand?

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

I went for the first time last season and thought the view was good. The stewards were friendly and helpful too. One question though, have you ever filled that big stand?

We did a lot in the Championship days. Filled it when we played Man Utd twice in the League Cup, Everton in the FA Cup, Stoke, Manchester City, Sunderland, West Ham and Coventry when we stayed up in the league time we were in the Championship. There were many more instances too. Our fanbase has taken a huge hit since relegation from the Championship almost a decade ago, with gloryhunters in South Cheshire choosing to jump on the Stoke bandwagon after jumping off the Crewe bandwagon from the 90s.

 

[Smudge]

How Easy Was The Ground to Get To (from the station, by car, etc)
Ive drove and used the train. By train, there's nowhere easier outside London! The station backs onto the ground, and can be seen from the platforms!

If Applicable, How is Parking Near The Ground?
The time I drove, I parked for free on a service road alongside some car showrooms about a five minute walk away.

Based on Where You Were Sat, How Was the View?
Have sat in the away end, and in the Gresty Road. Some pillars in the away end, but not too many, and its down the side so the view is good.

How Were The Stewards on The Day?
No problems.

If You Ate at The Ground, How Would You Rate the Food?
Never ate.

How Was The Atmosphere At The Ground, From Both Sets of Supporters? Does the Stadium Hold the Noise?
Mostly quiet, but the time I was in the Gresty Road End, it was pretty constant in there, even for quite a low key game.

How Are the Pubs and Local Attractions in The Local Area?
The ground is just off the main road where the station is, so plenty of pubs and places to eat there.

Overall Score Out of 10?
One of the most accessible grounds around, decent enough little ground and away day.
7/10