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Ground Name:
Don Valley Stadium |
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| Contents | |
| What's The Ground
Like? Don Valley Stadium (photo) Looking Towards The Tivoli End What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? Where To Drink? A Closer Look At The Main Stand (photo) How To Get There By Car & Where To Park By Train/Tram Admission Prices Local Rivals Programme Price Ground Layout Disabled Facilities Fixtures 2008-2009 Record & Average Attendance Fans Ground Reviews Hotel Accommodation Feedback Return To The Main Menu |
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| What's The Ground Like? | |
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After 101 years after playing at their Millmoor ground,
the club have moved to the neighbouring city of Sheffield. The club who were
tenants at Millmoor, were unable to agree acceptable future rental terms
from their landlords and so have moved to the Don Valley Stadium. It is a
brave move, but obviously one that had to be done to keep the club in
existence in the Football League. The club have agreed to play at the Don
Valley for the next four years. Hopefully, at the end of that period (if not
before) the Club will have made progress to making the dream happen of
building a new stadium for the football team in Rotherham. The Don Valley stadium, is primarily an athletics stadium that was built to host the World Student Games 1991. It is mostly an open bowl type stadium, with a large covered Main Stand on one side. This Main Stand has a capacity of 10,000 and it is this part of the stadium that will be open for the greater majority of home games this season. As a stadium, it is unusual in two respects; firstly the Main Stand has a rather unusual roof, that resembles more of a soft material canopy that than a hard standing roof. Secondly, the Main Stand has a separate block of seating on each side of the main section, which almost look as a bit of an afterthought (although I am sure not) by the stadium designers. The playing area is surrounded by an athletics track and becomes only the second stadium in the Football League, after Brighton to feature one. The stadium is shared with Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Club. |
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Special thanks to Colin Peel for providing the photos for this page. |
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| What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters? | |
| Away fans are housed in a separate block of seating on one side The Main Stand. As you look at the stadium from the outside of the stadium, then the separate away section is over on the right. As the stadium is sunken into the ground, then this means that you enter the stadium, half way up the Main Stand. The club charge more to sit in the upper tier of the stand compared to the lower tier. It may be an idea to pay the £2 extra as the view will be better and also you are under cover unlike most of the lower tier. With only the Main Stand open, fans set back from the pitch because of the running track, plus looking out onto an empty stadium, then I can't see there being much atmosphere, but I may be proved wrong! | |
| Where To Drink? | |
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David Barraclough
informs me' The closest pub
to the stadium is probably the Britannia on Worksop Road, which runs
up to the back of the Stadium’s main stand. Its a fairly
average pub. If fans travelling on the tram from
the city centre, stay on the tram for one
more stop past the stadium, or for those driving in from
Meadowhall and the M1, then there are few more family orientated
pubs, including one with a Wacky Warehouse'.
Scott Wade adds; 'There is the Cocked Hat on Worksop Road right at
the side of the stadium. They serve some decent beer and good food but it
is only a small place and it won't take a lot for it to
get packed. There is also the Wentworth (on the left hand side
of the road on the way back towards the motorway
and Meadowhall) which also serves decent beer and
food. Next to the Wentworth is a big pub called
the Arena Square, which is okay
too'. I have yet to visit the area, but from the reports I have received so far, the better pubs seem to be located further along Attercliffe Common heading away from the city centre towards Meadowhall. The area along Attercliffe Road towards the city centre, although with a number of pubs is quite run down and isn't that welcoming. There are also, how shall I say; a number of 'establishments' dotted along this road, which probably sums up the mood of the area. One exception may be the Carlton at 563 Attercliffe Road, that is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, which is located not that far away from the Attercliffe tram stop. Apparently though the pub enforces a strict 'no swearing' policy, so this will probably mean that most football fans will probably be chucked out, half way down their first pint! John McKillop adds; 'Further on up Attercliffe Common, on the left, is Carbrook Hall (either walk or alight at the Valley Centertainment tram stop). This building which is now a pub, is one of the oldest buildings in Sheffield, dating from around 1530. It also serves food.' The pub is claimed to be; 'Sheffield's Most Haunted Pub'. Visit the Carbrook Hall website for more details. |
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| How To Get There By Car & Where To Park | |
| Leave the M1 at Junction 34 and take the A6178 towards
Sheffield City Centre. Keep straight on the A6178
(Attercliffe Road) and you will reach the stadium on your left. After
passing the stadium turn left at the next traffic lights into Worksop Road
and then left again for the stadium entrance.
There is matchday car
parking available at Pic Toys,
which is on Worksop Road. The car park which costs £3 per car is sign
posted. For a map showing the location of the Don Valley Stadium 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/Tram | |
| The nearest railway station is Sheffield, which is located around two and a half miles away. It is probably easiest to take the 15 minute journey on the Supertram from the station to the stadium. For adults the cost is £3 return. Miles Davis a visiting Bristol Rovers supporter adds; 'If you are arriving in Sheffield by train you can catch the number 69 bus which stops only a couple of minutes walk away from the stadium. The bus journey time is around 7-8 minutes. Or you can get the tram also from train station changing once in Castle Street'. Other bus routes that run along Attercliffe Road by the stadium include numbers: 2, 8, 9, 59, 130 & 287. | |
| Admission Prices | |
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Main Stand (Upper Tier): Adults £20, Senior Citizens/Students £12, Under 16's £8, Under 12's £6, Under 8's Free* Main Stand (Lower Tier): Adults £18, Senior Citizens/Students £10, Under 16's £6, Under 12's £5, Under 8's Free* * When accompanied by a paying adult. Maximum of four children per adult. |
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| Local Rivals | |
| Barnsley, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United & Doncaster Rovers. | |
| Programme | |
| Official Programme: £2.50. | |
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| Fixtures 2008-2009 | |
| For the Rotherham fixture list click here (to take you to the BBC Sports Website). | |
| 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 | |
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At Don Valley: 4,748 v Lincoln City League Two, August 9th 2008. At Millmoor: 25,170 v Sheffield United, Division 2, December 13th 1952. Modern All Seated Attendance Record: 9,050 v Wigan Athletic Championship League, January 15th, 2005. Average Attendance: 2007-2008: 4,201 (League Two) 2006-2007: 4,763 (League One) 2005-2006: 5,306 (League One) |
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| Fans Reviews Of The Don Valley | |
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James Prentice (Lincoln City) 9/08/08 Colin Peel (Stadiums Enthusiast) 9/08/08 Joe Plewes (Lincoln City) 9/08/08 |
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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 Rotherham 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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