Away Travel: Salisbury 19th April
SALISBURY CITY
Saturday 19th April, 3.00pm
The Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Partridge Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6PU. Tel: 01722 326454
Directions by Car: Leave the M3 at Junction 8 and merge onto the A303. Exit the A303 at the Amesbury Junction - A345 (signposted Salisbury). Proceed along the A345 for 5-6 miles, passing through High Post (with a golf course to the left). Then at the large roundabout, turn left into Portway. Pass straight over the mini-roundabout, before taking the next left into Partridge Way. The Raymond McEnhill Stadium can be found at the end of this road.
The ground is on the outskirts of Salisbury, some three miles from the centre of the city.
Parking: £2 for a space at the ground. Otherwise, there should be additional spaces to be had in the surrounding roads.
Train: Salisbury's ground is in Old Sarum, around three miles from the train station. A taxi may well be the best option, as the bus service from the city centre (69/69A) appears to run, at best, infrequently. A taxi trip from the station or town centre to the ground should take between 5 and 10 minutes.
If you attempt the walk, on leaving the station, head along to Fisherton Street, turning left along it, up to the large traffic island. Here, turn right onto Chruchill Way West (A36) and follow it up to the next large roundabout. Turn left onto Castle Street (A345). Continue along this road, heading out of the town, as building density decreases. On finally reaching Old Sarum, not long after the ancient sites to your left, the road bends right into Portway. Follow it and proceed straight over the min-roundabout, before electing the next left into Partridge Way, along which the ground may be found. Although, exercise caution, as the A345 is a pretty busy 'A' road.
The Away Travel Club will be running a coach, priced at £22 for non-members, £20 for members and £15 for Junior U's and Under 16's, departing Ely at 8.45am and the Abbey at 9.30am. Contact the club on (01223) 566500 to book your place.
Admission: Adults £10, Concessions (students, UB40's, seniors) £7, 16-21 year-olds £5, Under 16's - free. Transfer to seats costs £2.
Programme: £2.50
The Ground: Affectionately known as the Ray Mac, Salisbury's out-of-town home was opened in 1997, and has been developed further since. It is small, but, on the whole, appears suitable for their needs. There are two portions of seating - one on either side of the pitch, with a shallow, covered terrace behind one goal.
United fans are likely to be afforded the area behind the opposite goal, which extends around the corner in a similar manner to the allocation at Crawley. However, at the Raymond McEnhill, the terrace is uncovered. And, particularly behind the goal the area is shallow and not all that steeply tiered. Some degree of manoeuvring may be required should fans travel in large numbers. There is also a small portion of seating (of around 75 seats) offered to visiting supporters.
Pre-Match Refreshment: Please note full segregation will be in effect for this match so the clubhouse will not be available for away fans. With the ground an appreciable distance from the city centre, there is not a great deal in the way of pubs or eating establishments. The nearest pub is the Harvester on the A345 towards Salisbury, which is around a mile away. If you arrive early enough, head along the A345 to the city where there is a wide range of suitable establishments for the seasoned football supporter.
Local Attractions: Culture vultures; Salisbury is your Mecca. Old Sarum, the area in which the ground is located, was the original site of the city thousands of years ago. Here, just off the A345, remains of ancient buildings, including the original cathedral, can be seen, and probably wandered through. The cathedral was relocated to New Sarum - the area now recognised as Salisbury - when the city was founded in the 13th century, and it is a cracking place by all accounts. Inside, lies arguably the best-preserved copy of the Magna Carta (only four remain in all). In addition, Stonehenge is eight miles north of Salisbury.
It is believed, after William the Conqueror defeated King Harold at Hastings, the first place he visited was Old Sarum. Video footage taken at the time suggests William popped into the Salisbury City FC clubhouse for a swift half before continuing his tour of the country.
Henry Milward
