EWOOD PARK - BLACKBURN ROVERS
What Is It Like For Away Supporters?
Away fans are housed at the WEC Group Darwen End, where the facilities provided are good. However, the spacing between the rows of seats leaves a lot to be desired, being quite tight. The Darwen End is shared with home supporters, but if demand requires it the whole of the stand can be made available. Normally the away allocation is for three quarters of the stand, at just under 4,000 tickets, which are split between the whole of the upper tier and part of the lower tier (with the lower tier being allocated first). If you have not bought a ticket in advance, then you need to buy one from the away supporters ticket office at the ground as you can't pay on the turnstiles. The ticket office is located on the corner of the Darwen End & the Jack Walker Stand.
Alcohol is available on the concourse as well as the normal fayre of pies, burgers, hot dogs and chips. The pies are made by the Clayton Park company, located nearby in Accrington and cost £2.30 each. A cottage pie is also on offer. If you are looking to eat something prior to entering the ground, then there is a baker in Bolton Road selling hot pies from one of its windows. Across the Bolton Road by the home end is a McDonalds, which I noticed had a walk through service for fans! I found the Blackburn fans both friendly and helpful, plus coupled with the relaxed stewarding, has made it so far for me, many pleasant visits to Ewood Park.'
Where To Drink?
The Fernhurst is really known as the 'away supporters pub'. It is on the Bolton Road (A666) just across from the ground at the away supporters end (Darwen End). It is a large pub with Sky Sports being shown on a large screen and has a restaurant area to its rear and a large function room upstairs. On my last visit the pub had even put up a number of signs welcoming the fans of the visiting team, which was a nice touch. The Fernhurst also offers reasonably priced accommodation. Most other pubs that I came across in the area, had large signs outside showing that they were for home fans only.
Jonathan Pegg a visiting Arsenal supporter informs me; 'The Fenhurst now charges £2 per person to actually enter the pub where you get your wrist date stamped. There is no parking available at the pub anymore and the bar closed half an hour before kick off. The prices were not far off my local with Fosters at £3.30 a pint and we counted 12 professional security staff (Bouncers in old speak) on the doors. Whilst some of these changes did have positives, for example the pub had lots of room, and there are still signs up saying welcome to the Arsenal fans, all in all it was rather dispiriting as to how this pub has evolved over the years'. Les Beaumont another Arsenal supporter adds; 'Arriving two hours before the match there was an admission charge of £2 to get into the Fernhurst pub. However, despite the pub not looking that crowded, there were 2 bouncers on each of the 3 entrances refusing everyone admission and directing us to a stall in the car park selling lager and keg beer at £3.30 a pint. The queue for this outlet took 15 minutes and we then had to stand in the pouring rain to drink our pints. The stall closed 30 minutes before kick-off but by that time I’d gone to the ground to get dry'.
* We have heard from Blackburn fan Paul Greaves that the Fernhurst is CLOSED for Wednesday evening's game! Work is being done on it and it won't be open until March 5th.
Andrew Kennedy adds; 'I would also recommend the Golden Cup pub just up Bolton Road from the Fernhurst (going away from the ground). It is on the small side but had a good mix of home and away supporters on my visit'. This pub is a good 15 minute walk away from the Fernhurst going uphill.
If you are arriving at Mill Hill station, then you might want to give the Navigation pub a try. It is a Thwaites pub which sits on one side of a canal and on my visit had a good mix of home and away supporters. It is about a five minute walk way from the station. As you exit the station turn left and just keep straight on up the road in front of you. As you approach a bridge going over the canal, the pub can be seen just over on the right.
Whilst just around the corner from the entrance to Blackburn Railway Station is a Wetherspoons outlet called the Postal Order. Alcohol is also served within the ground.
How To Get There And Where To Park
From The North
Use Motorway M6 to junction 30, to the M61 - leave junction 9 then onto the M65 towards Blackburn - leave the M65 at Junction 4 (A666) and follow signs towards Blackburn. Ewood Park is about 1 mile down the road on the right hand side.
From The South
Use Motorway M6 to junction 29, then onto the M65 towards Blackburn - leave the M65 at Junction 4 (A666) and follow signs towards Blackburn. Turn right at the first set of traffic lights and Ewood Park is about 1 mile down the road on the right hand side.
From The East
Use Motorway M62 onto M66/A56, then onto the M65, head towards Blackburn - leave the M65 at Junction 4 (A666) and follow signs towards Blackburn. Turn right at the first set of traffic lights and Ewood Park is about 1 mile down the road on the right hand side.
Various private Car Parks are available around the ground, costing in the region of £5. If you want to get away reasonably quickly after the game (the roads immediately around Ewood are closed off for crowd safety for around 30mins after the game) then as you come down the hill on the A666, you will pass a Total garage on your left. Turn right at the next traffic lights and down on your left there are some industrial units where you can park for £3. After the game turn left out of the car park, so that you are going away from Ewood, turn right at the second mini roundabout and this will take you back up to the M65.
By Train
Blackburn station is at least a couple of miles from the ground and hence a good 20-25 minute walk away. Perhaps grab a taxi instead, or as Dave Grest suggests; 'get a Darwen bound bus from stand M, outside of the railway station. It costs £1.50 one way and you really can't miss the ground'. Blackburn station is served by trains from Manchester & Leeds.
Tony Durkin adds; 'The main doors to the railway station face the bus station, from where you can take a either a Number 1, 3 or 225 bus (the latter goes from Stand N) bus to Ewood. To walk it to the ground instead, turn left at those main doors and go straight on towards Darwen Street. Turn left and you will reach a major junction over which runs a railway bridge (Darwen Street Bridge), which is impossible to miss. Crossing over the road as soon as you turn left onto Darwen Street will be a help, as when you get to the junction you need to follow the road towards Bolton. It is called Great Bolton Street after the bridge and then becomes Bolton Road. Follow this straight along for just over a mile (passing the Infirmary on your left and the canal on the right). After you go under another railway bridge, the ground is down on your left just after you pass the Aqueduct pub (for home fans only)'.
Tony Hughes informs me; 'Closer to the ground is the small station of Mill Hill, which is a 10-15 minute walk away. Blackburn station is only a three minute ride away from Mill Hill. Walk up the steps from the platform and turn Left onto New Chapel Street continue along the street past the shopping area and park. (If you need any money, there is a Lloyds TSB bank with 2 cash machines on this street.) With the Spar supermarket on the opposite side of the road from you, turn left into New Wellington Street. Continue down New Wellington Street until you come to a small bridge that crosses over the Leeds Liverpool canal. You are now on Albion Street there is a large mill building on the left and a small school on the right. Walk along Albion Street to the end, and you will find yourself on Livesey Branch Road. Turn Left onto this road, and you will be able to see the football stadium in front of you at the foot of the hill'.