Help & Info: In and around the COMS

[MattRGF]

Just a few questions from us Hamburg fans that are coming over for the away leg, any sensible ;-) answers would be much appreicated. It's basically to help us out in terms of what is where, how far away is that and such.

Are there any pubs, shops, takeaways near the stadium? Or is it in the middle of nowhere and the nearest pubs and such are nowhere to be found? If we have to travel away from the ground to get to such places, how far away is it and how much?

I think the away block is in the South Stand (although the stadium looks the same at both ends and difficult to tell, so it could be the North stand) but in which blocks exactly? Is it just the lower tier or is it both tiers?

What are the stewards like? Do they frisk and search you when you come in or is it just a case of showing your ticket? Have you had any trouble with other away fans in the UEFA Cup? Is security and the treatment of Hamburg fans likely to be strict? Or is likely to be friendly and as long as we don't cause trouble, then we won't get trouble. Sometimes the coppers over here make a mountain out of a molehill for the sake of it.

What about cameras? Does size of the camera matter? Over here, as long as it's not a professional camera and the pictures are for your own use (ie, not for commerical use) then we can bring any sized camera in.

Is there an area where any fans bringing bags and rucksacks can leave them there? Like a bag-exchange where they give you a ticket - much like handing your coats over in a club.

Is there a large scoreboard in the stadium? Is it visible to the away fans? What kinda scoreboard is it? Scum-eseue small with just the team names, scoreline and time or is it Gooner-esque, large with the team line-ups, badges as well as team names, scoreline and time?

How far away is the nearest train station and how long does it take/cost to get into Manchester City Center?

Are there any areas where its advised that Hamburg fans do not go? For example, a "City fans only" area in or outside the stadium, where the visiting fans presence is frowned upon?

Inside the stadium, do you just use cold hard cash to buy food and drink? Or do you have to buy these chip cards and then use them. Amsterdam Arena and the Arena in Schalke use them, for example. Arsenal too, I think. What is the food and drink like in the stadium? What about the prices? Decent or not worth digging into your pocket for? Is it a case that outside the stadium (burger vans and the like) are cheaper than inside the stadium?

If we wanted to take the train to, say, Liverpool for whatever reason - is there a group train ticket that you can get? For example, over here - you can travel to any city or town in Northern Germany, with five people on a ticket for 28 euros. Is there such a thing in England?

I know I could have just searched the City site and had a look on there, but I think it's better that I post this thread in here and get broad feedback from you guys, with some hints and tips that you're not likely to find on any website, if you get me.

That's about it. If anybody else has anything they'd like to add, something that I haven't mentioned, then feel free to say so.

Cheers :-)

 

[manchester blue]

The away section is the South stand, both levels so long as Hamburg take the option on both, there are two large video scoreboards at each end, player pictures and everything!! It's a 15 minute walk from the city centre and there are plenty of pubs near the ground, which are a matter of taste but I'd say well behaved fans would be welcomed. I prefer the city centre though generally.

Piccadilly train staion is 15 mins, Victoria 30 mins walks, depends where you're travelling from to which station you arrive at.

As far as I know You only get frisked if you have a bag and the stewards are OK so long as you respect each other in my opinion. Same with the police, they won't start trouble as in some countries. Most Euro away fans have been great, colourful, noisy and well behaved and they have been good nights.

Don't think there is a bag exchange but people can take bags, which will be searched, into the stadium. Cash sales inside stadium. Takeaways nearby but nowhere near the quality of our old ground which was by the "curry mile".

I've probably missed something or you may want more clarification so just ask.

Have a safe trip.

 

[allan harper]

Id say the walk to the gound from the city center is a good 30mins if youve had a good drink before, best getting a taxi only £5 then you save your energy making a good noise in the ground....

 

[manchester blue]

Id say the walk to the gound from the city center is a good 30mins if youve had a good drink before, best getting a taxi only £5 then you save your energy making a good noise in the ground....

Slowcoach!

 

[M22_blu]

Your better off staying in the town centre, it's only a 15 minute walk to the stadium or on the bus for a pound, around the ground there are pubs but there mainly home fans but for european games they do let small pockets of away fans in. The takeaways around the ground and int he ground are horrible your better off eating in the town centre again. You do sit in the south stand up and lower tier. Theres a screen facing you and 1 behind you with the score and time on and shows replays etc. You will get frisk on the way in but security has bin quiet low key for european games (except psg, what a bunch of horrible twats they were). you can bring in your camera but theres no where to leave ya bags mate your gna have to lug em around with ya. the main train station is in the city centre but why you'd wanna go to liverpool is beyond me ;). There you go in a nutshell, enjoy the trip as it's gona be your last european trip for this season :)

 

[allan harper]

Id say the walk to the gound from the city center is a good 30mins if youve had a good drink before, best getting a taxi only £5 then you save your energy making a good noise in the ground....

Slowcoach!

Ya but theres a knock knock shop on way lol

 

[Halfpenny]

On the subject of train tickets, if you book in advance you usually get good prices. I don't think there's a group ticket you can get though. Liverpool's £10-£15 return if I remember correctly. Also, if you're coming into Piccadilly, it might be worth getting on a train to Ashburys, it's a shorter walk to the stadium. But if you're going into the city centre for pubs etc it might just be worth getting the 216 bus from Piccadilly Bus Station. An all day unlimited bus travel ticket on Stagecoach buses is £3.50.
Just to echo MB's point about takeaways, it's one of the things I miss about Maine Road.

 

[Chrisja1000]

Welcome to the best city in the world !


Most of the pubs in Piccadilly are fine for away fans , if your here for most of the day , try the northern Quarter , some nice bars and very chilled out .

 

[allan harper]

Your better off staying in the town centre, it's only a 15 minute walk to the stadium or on the bus for a pound, around the ground there are pubs but there mainly home fans but for european games they do let small pockets of away fans in. The takeaways around the ground and int he ground are horrible your better off eating in the town centre again. You do sit in the south stand up and lower tier. Theres a screen facing you and 1 behind you with the score and time on and shows replays etc. You will get frisk on the way in but security has bin quiet low key for european games (except psg, what a bunch of horrible twats they were). you can bring in your camera but theres no where to leave ya bags mate your gna have to lug em around with ya. the main train station is in the city centre but why you'd wanna go to liverpool is beyond me ;). There you go in a nutshell, enjoy the trip as it's gona be your last european trip for this season :)

Well sed !

 

[scall11]

No takeaways really, but there is a HUGE ASDA shop next door to the stadium, so if you needed food, you could go in there. I'd avoid going in the pub called Mary D's, just in case. It gets a bit lively in there, and although you'll get a fantastic welcome, unfortunately it just takes one idiot to start trouble. But you will get a fantastic welcome off the Manchester City fans.

We haven't had any problems, apart from PSG but they started causing trouble the day before the game and it carried on during the game. Mostly it was them fighting amongst themselves.

The away fans will be in the south stand. You'll most likely get searched going in, and I'm not sure whether you'll be allowed to take bags in. You might be able to take small ones in and they'll be definately searched. You'll get a friendly welcome, and unless you cause problems, you'll be fine.

The best thing to do is drink in Manchester City Centre, I think that the area near the Printworks (indoor, expensive), Exchange Square and the Shambles/Hanging Ditch (very cheap beer)

To get to the stadium look at this map:

Piccadilly Gardens also has a lot of bars. It's a 15 or 20 minute walk to the stadium from Piccadilly train station. There's a route marked "CityLink" with blue signs. Follow the people!! You can walk back into Manchester after the game here, to down your sorrows after we knock you of the UEFA Cup!

The bars in the stadium take money, but the staff are slow!!!

We have two video scoreboards, you'll be able to see them easily from where you are. Here's one scoreboard:
<a class="postlink" href="http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp356/ponka_2008/21092008027.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp35 ... 008027.jpg</a>

We show replays of our goals, and sometimes one replay of away goals. We only show the score on it, no lineups during the game, but they do go through the teams on it before the game. It's a very good scoreboard, so don't worry about that!!!!

Feel free to ask any more questions, because we want to make sure you enjoy Manchester like we're going to be enjoying Hamburg!!!