Away Travel: Crawley Town 18th March
CRAWLEY TOWN
Tuesday 18th Match 2008, Kick-Off 7.45pm
Crawley Town FC, Broadfield Stadium, Brighton Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 9RX. Tel: 01293 410000
Directions by Car: From the M25, take the M23 towards Gatwick and exit at Junction 11 (s/p Horsham). At the roundabout, take the fourth exit onto the A23 towards Crawley. On approaching the next roundabout, a large red and white football appears ahead and the ground (Broadfield Stadium) below to the left. Turn left and left again for the car park.
Parking: Park for £2 in the car park at the ground, or opt for the overflow at the nearby Broadfield Park offices, off the A23. And of course, where there are streets, there's parking.
Train: Crawley can be reached from either London Victoria or London Bridge. For the return journey, you may have to go via Three Bridges (3 minutes train from Crawley) and Farringdon. A same-day return to Cambridge is not an issue, although the journey may involve the trundling last train from King's Cross, which stops just about everywhere and doesn't arrive in Cambridge until 1.40am.
Crawley station is around a mile from the Broadfield. On exiting the station, turn left and at the junction (next to 'The Railway' pub), left again into Brighton Road. Continue along Brighton Road for around 10 minutes, until the ground appears on the far side of the underpass to the right.
The number 10 bus from the bus station opposite the station will also take you to the ground, while a taxi should cost little more than £3/4.
The Away Travel Club will be running a coach to the game, priced at £16 for non-members, £14 for members and £8 for Junior U's and Under 16's. It is due to leave Ely at 2.45pm and The Abbey at 3.30pm. Contact the club on (01223) 566500 to book your place.
Admission: On the terrace, £12 for adults, £8 for students and seniors, £3 for under 16's.
Programme: £2.50
The Ground: The Broadfield is fine. U's fans will be allocated the North Terrace behind the goal as well as an area along the side of the pitch, part of the same construction. The terrace is not all that steep, but covered, and should provide sufficient room for the travelling masses. Opposite behind the South goal is a similar structure, while there is a grandstand to the right and an open terrace running the other length of the pitch.
Pre-Match Refreshment: There is a popular supporters club behind the south terrace - The Town Mead Tavern, which is not always open to away fans. Elsewhere, the Half Moon pub on Brighton Road is a hop, step, and jump away, with the Railway a little further along. There is also a food establishment or two dotted along Brighton Road, with rather more in Crawley town centre, a 15-minute walk away (opposite the station).
Local Attractions: Crawley, 28 miles south of London, was once home to Daley Thompson. Although the settlement originated in the Stone Age, Crawley was designated a 'new town' in 1947. As such, there is not all that much by way of historical attractions, which I know you are all keen on. The town centre, however, is a shoppers' paradise if you arrive early enough.
Weather-wise, the average atmospheric pressure in the Crawley area in March is 1006.6 millibars, while the average rainfall for the month is 60.2mm, so if you're unlucky, and it all falls on the 18th, you may wish to take some form of waterproof.
The motto of the town is 'I grow and rejoice', and the Borough of Crawley is the 223rd largest borough in England, just ahead of Mansfield.
Henry Milward
