Away Fans Guide to Rochdale

[Dale Trust]

Hi
We’ve put this Away Fans guide together ahead of your game at our place. I’m sure many of you will have made countless trips to Spotland over the years but it’s there if anyone needs it.

Getting to Spotland Stadium, Rochdale OL11 5DR
For 95% of car-based visitors to Spotland, it’s a case of leaving the M62 at Junction 20, and following the signs to Rochdale. It’s pretty much a straight road direct to the ground. Bear left with the retail park facing you, pass under the bridge which proclaims ‘Rochdale birthplace of co-operation’ and then it’s straight on all the way.   After the traffic lights you’ll pass the sewage treatment works on the right, followed by Rochdale Cemetery on the left as you get closer.

If you’re coming by train, the best way of getting to the ground is by taxi. Costs around £4 to do so. There’s often Town Taxis waiting outside the station but sometimes it can be best to ring up in advance as you approach Rochdale and pre-book one. Best numbers are Streamline 01706 644104 or Millenium 01706 646465

If you are travelling through Manchester Victoria, you will have the option of Metrolink or Train. The train is about half an hour quicker as the Metrolink goes through Oldham which is definitely the long way around. Avoid at your peril.

Parking
On the whole, it’s a case of first come first served. There’s a couple of parking restrictions on the roads to the right as you approach the ground, and parts of Sandy Lane will be coned up but that aside, it’s help yourself. There’s plenty of sides streets with no restrictions in the vast majority of them. There’s no parking at the ground itself.

Eating
As you approach the ground from the motorway, there is a retail estate on the right-hand side. You will find your usual retail estate eateries there such as Pizza Hut, Frankie and Bennys, and McDonalds. There’s also a Brewers Fayre style pub there called the Sandbrookhttps://www.stonehouserestaurants.co.uk/nationalsearch/northwest/thesandbrookrochdale/foodanddrink and a really good curry house called the Copper Pot https://www.copperpot.com/ (opens 5-15 on Saturdays).

If grabbing a pre-match bag of chips is more your sort of thing, then the Willbutts Lane Chippy is something of a Football League legend. Its smack bang opposite the away turnstiles and if you weren’t hungry before, then you will be when the aroma hits you as you queue your way in. It’s a cracking chippy and comes thoroughly recommended.

Pubs
The closest pub to the ground is the Ratcliffe Suite / Dale Bar.  http://www.ratcliffeevents.co.uk/ It’s built into the ground and accessible from the Sandy Lane end of the ground. You’d struggle to find a pub closer to a ground anywhere. Traditionally, the Ratcliffe Suite is aimed at away supporters and is massive. They have Sky Sports on a couple of big screens and TV’s all around the room. Despite its size, they serve pretty quickly. They don’t do food in there.

A little further away is the Cemetery Pub. https://www.facebook.com/cemeteryhotelrochdale/ This will be on the right-hand side if you are approaching the ground from the motorway. The Pub is CAMRA listed and was recently added to the “Champions Club” by the brewers Timothy Taylor due to how they tend to their beer. Those away supporters who are regulars to Spotland flock to the “Cem” year after year as part of their visit, with many preferring the pub to the game. Again, big screens and TV’s showing live sports. There will sometimes be football specials on in terms of food, but if not, there will be sandwiches and hot pies available. Season Ticket holders get a 20p discount on certain drinks and this applies to away supporters as well so don’t leave it at home.

If you are opting to drink in town rather than close to the ground, you have several options. There’s a big Wetherspoons called the Regal Moon https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/lancashire/the-regal-moon-rochdale and a Yates across the road from there (facing the town hall). There are a few really good independent places such as the Flying Horse https://www.theflyinghorsehotel.co.uk/ and the Medicine Tap http://www.themedicinetap.co.uk/ (both are also facing the town hall). A little further afield is the Baum. https://thebaum.co.uk/ It’s a former CAMRA National pub of the year, and is situated on Toad Lane – the historic birth of the Co-op.


Admission
Prices rise on the day for matches, so you’re well advised to get your ticket in advance to save yourself a few quid. With turnstile prices in brackets, tickets will cost
Adult: £22 (£25)
Over 65’s / 17-21: £16 (£19)
16 and under: £5 (£8)

The Away End
If you’ve never been to Spotland before, away fans are housed in the long stand down one side of the pitch on Willbutts Lane. It’s our newest stand (built in the early 2000’s) and offers an unrestricted view of the pitch. Dale fans often wonder why we give our best stand to away supporters, so it gets the thumbs up from us.

It will house up to around 3,500 away supporters, but if you’re not bringing that many, the end blocks may well be fenced off. The club have recently invested in netting to cut down on the impact of local pigeons who used to, shall we say, left their mark on some of the seating in the away end.

There is a typical football concourse below the stand, selling beer, pies and everything else you’d come to expect at a football ground these days. We believe there’s a couple of screens in there showing you the latest scores.

Stewarding / Policing
Historically, some supporters (usually Scunthorpe) used to complain about the stewarding at Spotland but it’s been a long while now since there were any issues of overzealous stewarding to the best of our knowledge. We tend to rely on stewarding, though the more high-profile games will have Police in attendance. The only views we have had from away supporters in recent years about our stewards is when the Barnsley fans got one to wear plant pot on his head or Oldham supporters decided that one of them looked like Boris Johnson.

Stopping Over
There are a few places that offer overnight accommodation in town
The Flying Horse pub in town does accommodation. Rooms are above the pub and are perfect if you want somewhere cheap and cheerful after a night out downtown. Fantastic value for money, and you’ll be well looked after. http://www.theflyinghorsehotel.co.uk/accommodation/

There are other hotels in the town. The Broadfield is based in the town centre, whilst the Royal Toby and the Norton Grange are a couple of miles away from the ground.

Further help
If you require any further help, you can email us at info@daletrust.co.uk or you can come and see us before the game in the Dale Bar / Ratcliffe Suite at our Trust desk.

If you don’t mind, we’ll pop back after the game and leave a survey for those who went to complete. Only takes 3 mins but hopefully we can use it to help how the club accommodates away supporters or improve our away fans guide.

[Wiltshire Exile]

Excellent, Dale Trust! Many thanks. 

[mutleyrover]

Great info Dale Trust. I live a short walk from the ground and the only thing I would add is for the Rovers fans to bring their waterproofs for getting to and from the ground 😉

[Padge_DRFC]

Anyone walked it from the station to the ground before. Going on the train this weekend.

[RedJ]

Bit of a trek, took me half an hour or so.

[jackthelad]

Love Rochdale away,had a few good piss ups there! Gutted I'm missing this weekend.

[WheatleyRover]

Nearly upto 600 sold tickets

[Padge_DRFC]

Not bad with pay on the day to add and a lot of people on holiday. See you all there!

[scawsby steve]

Bit of a trek, took me half an hour or so.

You're right Red. I took the grandson on the train 5 years ago; terrible trek, took an eternity to find the place.

That's why I've booked a seat on the North Branch coach on Saturday. I've a feeling I'll be re-acquainted with a few old faces. Looking forward to it.

[WheatleyRover]

662 sold as of now, think we stop selling tickets noon tomorrow, then pay on the day

[Padge_DRFC]

Possibly game could be off here looking at the weather from now until end of play tomorrow. Heavy rain none stop.

[RedJ]

Be reyt, always rains in Manchester.

[Dale Trust]

Quick update

Ive removed the Spotland Social Club from the pub listings. My mistake, but its home fans only apparently.

Secondly, it absolutely hammered it down earlier this afternoon but reports from the club suggest the pitch is looking good with no concerns

https://twitter.com/officiallydale/status/1159856647638061057

[besty]

Always get drenched at Dale
Was it 2 years ago we were 1up with minutes left then got beat? Then got absolutely soaked after game just to add insult to injury

[Padge_DRFC]

Why would you not put covers on if you have them knowing it's heavy rain all night?

[dknward2]

Maybe better to postpone chance to get these 2 strikers in

[Dale Trust]

Why would you not put covers on if you have them knowing it's heavy rain all night?

We would if we had any. We've only got frost covers.

Seems dry this morning. Bit of rain overnight but nothing like yesterday,

[Dale Trust]

Morning folks. Hope you enjoyed your trip to a not very Sunny Lancashire yesterday.

If you've got a spare 3 minutes, could you please complete our survey regarding your visit to Rochdale and our guide.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/donc100819

Much appreciated.