Bootham Crescent is a traditional old style lower league football stadium and oozes character. Either side of the pitch are the Main Stand and the Popular Side. Both are all seated affairs although the end of the Popular side has a very small section of terracing. There are 5 pillars across the front of this stand and 3 across the front of the Main stand. If you manage to avoid seats with views restricted by these, you'll have a lovely view of the action. The Grosvenor Stand is an uncovered terraced stand behind the goal and houses the away fans and opposite this is the David Longhurst stand. This is a terraced stand but is undercover and is generally where the best atmosphere can be found.
Up to 2,000 away supporters can be accommodated here and they are allocated the Grosvenor Road terrace. This is situated behind one of the goals and is the only area of the ground without a roof. However, for an additional fee you can be one of up to 200 away fans that get to sit in the end section of the Popular Side.
Bootham Crescent seating plan:
Ideally located at the ground, on the corner of Grosvenor Road and Newborough Street, there is a supporters bar which generally lets away fans in. I always advise to keep club colours covered just in case however. It offers a range of hot and cold drinks and a small amount of food as well as the usual chocolate and crisp style snacks. Surrounding the ground there are 1 or 2 pubs dotted around and a fish and chip shop is close by on Gillygate.
The stadium is situated in the middle of a residential area and parking isn't usually a problem although you will need to be aware and avoid the residents only sections. A good bet is either Horner Street or Garth Terrace off of Burton Stone Lane. Most roads close to or off of these are ok to park in.
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The nearest / closest train station to York City's Bootham Crescent Stadium is York. There is a rather lengthy walk from the station to the ground, however. To reach the ground, take a left out of the station onto Station Road and follow the road round and over the bridge. The road becomes Museum Street as you come off the bridge and you'll need to take the 3rd left onto St Leonard's Place. Follow this road (which becomes the A19) for around 5-10 minutes until you see Bootham Crescent turning on the right. The walk will take you past a large number of pubs to help pass the time!
Alternatively, jump in a cab. This will set you back around £8.
Rivals - Darlington, Doncaster
Travel: Parking isn't ideal thanks to resident parking zones, and the ground being so close to the city centre, so city centre parking is your best bet if you want to drive, though traffic is always bad in York with it being such a tourist city. With that in mind, I got the train, and if its possible, Id recommend it. The station is only about a 20 minute walk away, even a slow walk allowing you to take in the city.
Refreshments: Perfect football city, absolutely loads of places to eat, and loads of welcoming pubs in the city centre and a couple more along the A19 as you head out of the city centre to the ground. The clubhouse is also at the ground, and a bar across the street as well. Definitely fill up before you go in, as the queues for food and drink in the away end are a nightmare, and they don't have beer so be warned! A warning to use the toilet before you head in too, easily the worst toilets in the Football League!
Impressions: York celebrate 80 years at Bootham Crescent this year, and it certainly shows. All of the ground is old and the facilities tired, standing behind each goal, covered for the home fans in the David Longhurst Stand, and uncovered for away fans on the Grosvenor Road Terrace, while the Main Stand and Popular Stand are all seater. Its got a ton of character though, and there is definite enjoyment standing on an open terrace on a hot day like this one! Doubt Id have enjoyed it as much in January!
Atmosphere: Disappointing really. I was expecting more from York but they never really got started. Chesterfield fans were in full voice, second half especially, though with that end being uncovered, I doubt the noise travelled that well, but was definitely noisy being in the midst of it.
Anything Else: Bizarrely at one stage, Chesterfield fans sang 'York is a shit hole, I wanna go home'. Just when I was thinking 'how can anybody call York a shit hole?', a lone voice piped up "I quite like it here actually!"
Enjoy: Really enjoyed it. York is a brilliant city, so any away day cant really be spoiled, no matter how bad the ground is! Love the ground as well though, definitely a big non league feel, but then with that comes the kind of intimacy with the players on the pitch you don't get at bigger grounds.
Ground Name: Bootham Crescent
Capacity: 7,872 (Seated 3,409)
Address: Bootham Crescent, York, YO30 7AQ
Main Tel No.: 01904 624447
Team Nickname: The Minstermen
Year Ground Opened: 1932
Site: www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk
