Bloomfield Road has undergone a total redevelopment over the last 10 years. The South stand was finally completed in March 2010 and with the completion of the temporary East stand in time for the start of the 2010/11 season, capacity has risen by as much as 40 percent since last season with a sell out now a modest 16,000. For a Premier League side, it still seems low but they're making positive moves in the right direction. North, West and South stands are connected and look very modern. Atmosphere shouldn't be hard to come by and acoustics within the stadium are excellent. Once the stadium is complete it'll be a tidy little place to visit. There is a new supporters bar under the Jimmy Armfield South Stand that's also worth a look.
Visiting supporters are housed in the temporary East Stand, which runs along the east side of the pitch. The usual allocation is around 2,500. The stand is covered, although supporting pillars can affect the view from some seats. Away supporters use dedicated turnstiles on the Bloomfield Road side of the stadium.
East Stand redevelopment: The temporary East Stand remains in use for visiting supporters while Blackpool continue a phased programme of improvements. Longer-term plans include substantial redevelopment of the stand and its surrounding facilities.
Bloomfield Road seating plan:
For a detailed look into the best and worst places to sit at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road, check out their team page on 'Where To Sit?' which features plenty of information and photos submitted by fans with views from their seats - Best Places To Sit at Bloomfield Road
There are a number of pubs within 10 minutes walking distance of the ground. The current four are:
• The Manchester, 231–233 Promenade, FY1 6AH
• The Castle, 28–32 Central Drive, FY1 5PZ
• The Happy Scots Bar, 9 Rigby Road, FY1 5DF
• The New Philly, 68–70 Foxhall Road, FY1 5BL
All four are currently being identified specifically as away-fan options by recent sources.
On-site parking at Bloomfield Road is extremely limited. Visiting supporters are advised to use the council pay-and-display car parks across the road from the stadium. There is also other public parking around Blackpool, although availability can be limited on matchdays. Arriving early is recommended.
Secure a parking space near to Bloomfield Road and save £££. Simply book a nearby space or driveway with JustPark
Get directions to Bloomfield Road from your house by entering your post code or location below:
Blackpool South is the closest railway station, around a 10-minute walk from Bloomfield Road, although services are less frequent. Blackpool North is the town’s main station and has a much wider range of services, but is around 2 miles from the ground. Buses and taxis are available from the town centre.
The main station is about 25 minutes walk, which on a pleasant summers day is a lovely choice. Alternatively, buses run the route to the ground or it's only a short cab ride.
Rivals - Burnley, Preston
Away supporters are usually located in the East Stand at Bloomfield Road.
Blackpool South is the closest railway station, while Blackpool North has a wider range of rail services and is farther from the stadium.
Yes, Bloomfield Road is a short distance inland from Blackpool's seafront and is within walking distance of many of the resort's attractions.
Parking around the stadium is limited on matchdays, although public car parks are available in the surrounding area and elsewhere in central Blackpool.
Yes, Blackpool Pleasure Beach is south of the stadium and can be reached by local transport or on foot as part of a longer walk.
Yes, Blackpool provides accessible seating and facilities for disabled supporters.
Yes, but Blackpool North is farther from the stadium than Blackpool South, so supporters should allow sufficient time for the walk.
The stadium takes its name from Bloomfield Road, where Blackpool have played since 1901.
Travel: It was a straightforward journey on mostly motorway. The satnav picked up on an accident on the M6 so took a diversion so we were not delayed, I always check just park for away games to see if there was anything nearby, we parked on a drive less then 10 minutes away straightforward walk as we just followed the floodlights we could see.
Refreshments: The Blackpool Air Show was also on this weekend so we arrived early and walked to the seafront as the ground is very close. We ate in a beach side cafe and had the standard sausage and chips. The weather was sunny and the airshow kept us entertained.
Impressions: Three sides of the ground have no obstacles blocking the view. The remaining side has pillars at the front on nearly every block. As Blackpool are not well supported in the ground at the moment due to many of their fans not liking their owner, this was not a problem as this side was closed. The away end is the typical big open stand plenty of legroom and looks clean.
Atmosphere: Pompey came away with the away win, winning 2-1, all goals were in the second half. The first half was a scrappy affair but we started to dominate in the second period, making it 2-1 around the 80th minute, which made for a tense and nervous last 10 minutes. Blackpool had more fans outside the ground protesting so not much of an atmosphere from their fans, they did enjoy it when the Pompey fans started singing about their owners. The stewards were laid back and friendly. The away stand was unreserved seating which I never understand as your asking for trouble when the groups of fans turn up at 2.55 and can't find groups of seats together. Portsmouth took over 1600 fans so this caused some issues come kickoff. You never got this when the tickets have seat numbers in them so what are you gaining by making it unreserved?
Exit: A quick walk back to the car which then meant we could avoid the traffic around the ground, within 10 minutes of leaving back on the M55 and home in Portsmouth roughly four and a half hours later.
Enjoy: A great start to the away days season. Starting with one of the nicer grounds and got the result we wanted. All in all a hassle-free day.
Ground Name: Bloomfield Road
Capacity: 16,000 (all seated)
Address: Seasiders Way, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JJ
Main Tel No.: 0870 443 1953
Team Nickname: The Seasiders or The Tangerines
Year Ground Opened: 1899
Site: www.blackpoolfc.co.uk
