Southampton - St Mary's Stadium Guide

Stadium Info
St Mary's has a single level deck the whole way round and is designed to look like an enclosed bowl, all spectators are under cover with unrestricted sightlines. The roof is supported by a cantilever system, which will enable the ground to be extended upwards on three sides if required in the future. There is a large screen attached to the roof behind each goal. The stadium has four stands, named after the areas of Southampton they back onto. The main (east) stand is the Itchen Stand (after the River Itchen). Opposite is the Kingsland Stand with the Chapel Stand behind the south goal and the Northam Stand at the other end. The Northam is the home to the more vocal supporters, as well as visiting fans.

Away Fans
Visiting supporters are situated in the Northam stand behind one of the goals. Although segregated, you will find yourself surrounded by the more vocal and boisterous home fans sharing the same Stand or sitting in the northern end of the Itchen Stand. There are three allocations available for visiting clubs for league games – 1,800, 2,400 and 3,200. The view from any area is excellent and unobstructed and the leg room and facilities are also everything you'd expect to find at a new stadium.

Where To Drink
There are plenty of pubs and bars to choose from in the vicinity of the Stadium. Most of which get very rowdy and crowded on match days so a lot of people choose to drink in the city centre where there are the usual Yates, Hogshead and Weatherspoon outlets, as well as a Walkabout, which normally attract a mixture of home and away fans.

You will also find a selection of bars, restaurants and food outlets (Burger King and KFC), which should cater for most peoples tastes. There is the odd establishment, which is either football free or does not allow sportswear. It should be noted that a lot of the bars in the City Centre which would normally welcome accompanied children in dedicated areas do not do so on match days.

Parking
Parking is incredibly limited if you're an away fan. Home fans can book in advance a spot just outside the stadium for £5. However, visitors have the option of parking in the town centre which is about 15 minutes from the ground, or leaving your car at the marina which is approximately 10 minutes away. Prices are genrally the same valued at £5 per vehicle and the advantage of parking at the marina allows you to escape after the game without having to endure the gridlock that can be southampton city centre.

By Train
The nearest / closest train station to Southampton's St Mary's Stadium is Southampton Central. The railway station is approximately one and a quarter miles away, which should take around 30 minutes to walk. If you want to go straight to the ground there is a free Shuttle Bus service on presentation of your match ticket or appropriate Season Ticket travel voucher, operating from Blechynden Terrace (About 150 yards turning right from the Platform 1 exit).

Walking with the Civic Centre on your left-hand side, you will reach a crossroads, which bisects Above Bar Street (the main shopping area will be to your right). Continue straight ahead into New Road walking with Parks either side of you. Stay on this road across the next junction past the Solent University Buildings on your left-hand side. You will reach a complex road junction known locally as Six Dials. There are underpasses adjacent to the Premier Travel Inn, which will take you under Kingsway St. Marys into Northam Road. Follow this road for quarter of a mile until you reach the ground on your right.

Photos
For more photos from St Mary's Stadium, click the link below!
http://www.tothe92.co.uk/groundguide/southampton.html