Jump to content

Maidstone United FC: Directions, Beer & Food


Recommended Posts

NOTE: This information may be out of date in an ever-changing world.

 

Maidstone United, Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ

 

The Stadium is very modern, having been built into a hillside in 2012, and it has an artificial 3G pitch.

Away fans enter via turnstile 8, opposite the Kent History & Library Centre on James Whatman Way, and are housed on part of the North Terrace (towards the Main Stand).

There is also a small block of 24 seats located on one at the front of the terrace, that are made available to visiting fans who need them.

In addition to no smoking, the Club asks people to refrain from chewing gum, to make sure the stadium stays looking its best and is not blighted by bits of chewing gum on the paths.

 

How to get there:

By Car:

Leave the M20 at Junction 6 or M2 at junction 3. Take the A229 towards Maidstone. Go straight across two roundabouts and on entering Maidstone at the third roundabout (where there is a large white office building on your right), take the third exit into James Whatman Way. You will now see the stadium right in front of you. At the T-junction turn left and the stadium entrance is further down on the right.

Car Parking:

No parking available at the Stadium. Car parks (pay and display) are located at Invicta House, off Lower Boxley Road, ME14 2UY (five minute walk), Sandling Road ME14 1AA (five minute walk), Maidstone East Train Station off Week Street, ME14 1QN, (seven minute walk) and Fremlin Walk off Fairmeadow or Earl Street, ME14 1PS (ten minute walk).

Maidstone Lions operate a charity car park at Maidstone Job Centre Plus (Staceys Street). In the above car directions, on leaving the A229 at the roundabout (where there is a large white office building on your right hand side), then rather than taking the 3rd exit, take the first exit and at the next roundabout, completely go around and comeback on yourself (back towards the A229) and the entrance to the Job Centre and car park is just on the left.

From the car park at Lockmeadow Centre on Barker Road (ME16 8LW), it is possible to walk along the River Medway via crossing Lockmeadow Millennium Bridge and going past All Saints Church and the Archbishops’ Palace along the towpath to the Stadium.

 

By Train:

There are two mainline train stations within walking distance of the Stadium. Maidstone East is on the London/Ashford International line and Maidstone Barracks is on the Medway Valley Line.

 

By Bus:

From The Mall Bus Station, take the 101 or 155 buses. These stop at the top of James Whatman Way, outside the Kent Library and History Centre.

 

Where to drink:

There is a large Supporters Club with sky and BT Sports TV (located next to the main entrance) called the Spitfire Lounge which sometimes welcomes visiting supporters. However, this is not likely to be available for away supporters because it is being used as a BBC TV studio for the broadcast of Football Focus.

http://www.maidstoneunited.co.uk/2018/11/football-focus-from-the-gallagher/

 

Also on Sandling Road (just off the main roundabout by the stadium) is the Flower Pot pub, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Close to Maidstone East Railway Station is the Swan pub on County Road, which is also CAMRA Good Beer Guide listed and shows televised sports. The Stadium is only a ten-minute walk away from the town centre, where there are plenty of pubs to be found, including two Wetherspoon outlets. The closest of these is the Society Rooms on Week Street, which is also in the Good Beer Guide.

 

Where to eat:

A wide variety of hot and cold food and drink is available to purchase from the refreshment hut in away supporters area.

The Stadium is about a ten minute walk from the town centre, where there are plenty of places to eat.

Edited by Diego_Sideburns
Update re BBC TV involvement.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the ground guides has the away allocation as 750 but looking at the highlights of the Macclesfield game it looked like they gave them a couple of hundred, it might depend on demand but I'd expect 750 to be plenty even in the unlikely event that it's a 3pm Saturday kick off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, U.S. Blues said:

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Will the league ever ok bringing back the plastic pitch?  

 

They've voted on it at one of their recent annual meetings. I think it will happen, especially as they are allowed in non-league. 

 

I'm fairly certain they've played big Champions League games on artificial pitches. 

 

The issue may be that if they allow it, there will be a restriction on the level. Like only League 2, or anything below the Championship, if it's the first one I can't see us changing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rudemedic said:

They've voted on it at one of their recent annual meetings. I think it will happen, especially as they are allowed in non-league. 

 

I'm fairly certain they've played big Champions League games on artificial pitches. 

 

The issue may be that if they allow it, there will be a restriction on the level. Like only League 2, or anything below the Championship, if it's the first one I can't see us changing. 

Follow up.  If the EFL ok’d it for the Championship and Leagues 1 and 2!how many on here would support Latics installing one? It seems like half the pro sports teams here in America use them.  Your thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, U.S. Blues said:

Follow up.  If the EFL ok’d it for the Championship and Leagues 1 and 2!how many on here would support Latics installing one? It seems like half the pro sports teams here in America use them.  Your thoughts?

I'd be fine with us having one. Helps with avoiding postponement. Allows better football to be played. Can generate more income. Wellens wouldn't like it he'd need a new excuse 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, disjointed said:

What's the cheapest you have found? 

Depends which day we play them but I reckon your looking at about £80, might be cheaper splitting ticket though I've not had a chance to look into yet. Don't really want to go by coach/minibus as it's around 250 miles and gonna take best part of five hours each way.

 

If it's a Sunday lunchtime kick off trains no good as the earliest arrives at 13.00 hrs.

Edited by yarddog73
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, rudemedic said:

They've voted on it at one of their recent annual meetings. I think it will happen, especially as they are allowed in non-league. 

 

I'm fairly certain they've played big Champions League games on artificial pitches. 

 

The issue may be that if they allow it, there will be a restriction on the level. Like only League 2, or anything below the Championship, if it's the first one I can't see us changing. 

The only restriction I could see working is if they were allowed for everyone but the Prem. Get there and you wouldn't be arsed about ripping it out and putting really good grass down. You wouldn't be arsed if you were in the third division hoping to sneak up in the playoffs only to have to lay a new pitch for your forthcoming relegation season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, leeslover said:

The only restriction I could see working is if they were allowed for everyone but the Prem. Get there and you wouldn't be arsed about ripping it out and putting really good grass down. You wouldn't be arsed if you were in the third division hoping to sneak up in the playoffs only to have to lay a new pitch for your forthcoming relegation season.

They allowed plastic pitches in Divisions 3 and 4 (as was) when we had to rip ours up at the end of 90/91.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, yarddog73 said:

Depends which day we play them but I reckon your looking at about £80, might be cheaper splitting ticket though I've not had a chance to look into yet. Don't really want to go by coach/minibus as it's around 250 miles and gonna take best part of five hours each way.

 

If it's a Sunday lunchtime kick off trains no good as the earliest arrives at 13.00 hrs.

Could be a drive Down and a travelodge, get a car full nice and cheap. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...