Away Travel: Salisbury City 18th April
SALISBURY CITY
Saturday 18th April 2009, Kick-Off 3.00pm
The Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Partridge Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 6PU. Tel: 01722 323100
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.
Parking: £2 for a space at the ground.
Train: Salisbury's ground is in Old Sarum, around three miles from the train station. A taxi may well be the best bet. 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) and 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 mini-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.
Salisbury by train is around three and a half hours from Cambridge, with services running direct to Salisbury from London Waterloo.
The Away Travel Club will be running a coach to the game priced at £20 for members, £22.50 for non-members, £21.50 for Amber Army members and £15 for Under 16s. The coach is due to depart Ely at 9.15am and The Trade Recruitment Stadium at 10.00am. Contact the club on 01223 566500 to reserve your seat. Amber Army members should have their membership card and proof of age handy when booking.
Admission: Adults £12, Concessions (seniors, UB40s, students) £8, 16-21 year-olds £6, accompanied Under 16s £FOC (unaccompanied £2). £2 transfer to seating.
Programme: £2.50
The Ground: Lying on the very outskirts of Salisbury, The Raymond McEnhill Stadium opened in 1997, and as such is a fairly basic, characterless affair. United fans will be afforded the shallow, uncovered Partridge Way terrace, which extends from behind the goal around onto the breadth of the pitch on either side. There is plenty of space for travelling fans, but the shallowness of the terrace doesn't make for the best view of the action, particularly of the opposite end of the pitch.
There is also covered seating available for away fans - 74 seats on the Hop Back Side. This side is comprised simply of two small blocks of seating, while opposite is the Main Stand, where a small amount of seating sits below a variety of executive boxes and offices.
The feistiest of City's contingent make their home in the In-Excess Stand, the low, covered construction to the left of the Main Stand.
Pre-Match Refreshment: This is a segregated match so the supporters club will not be open to U's fans. There is a Harvester pub a mile away along the A345, and if you want a better selection and have time, it's certainly worth heading into the pleasant city centre.
Local attractions: Salisbury is positively overflowing with history, so make the most of it if you can. The ground, though located on the outskirts of the current settlement, is in Old Sarum, the area where the town originally grew up. Beside the A345 lie various remains, including those of the old cathedral.
The new cathedral was erected in New Sarum, in the current town centre, when Salisbury was founded in the 13th century. I always think a cathedral is worth wandering into, and we've gone a season without the delight of Exeter's and even longer without a trip to Lincoln's hilltop lovely, so make up for lost time here.
While around eight miles from the town, and not too long a detour from the route back to Cambridge, lies Stonehenge. We went for a look last year, on a rainy, dull afternoon and didn't bother getting out of the car. If you do edge closer, expect big rocks, annoying tourists and maybe some mad sorts who worship those rocks. But then again, we know all about worshipping immobile objects which have appeared from nowhere, and for no obvious reason, whispers, 'Leo, Leo, Leo'.
Also after last year's match we went on a wild goose chase into the outlying areas of the settlement, in search of a glimpse of Sting's house. We managed to narrow it down to two, but didn't spot even a strand of the loveable Geordie's greying mane. Let's hope on Saturday, every little thing Courtney does, is magic, and the Salisbury front two can be heard yelping in Wayne Hatswell's direction, 'don't stand so close to me'.
Henry Milward
