ORIENT
What Is It Like For Visiting Supporters?
Currently away supporters are housed in one side (towards the South End) of the Main Stand, where there are a couple of supporting pillars that may impede your view. Around 1,000 fans can be accommodated in this area. I have been to Orient a number of times and have always been impressed by the state of the pitch. Even in January it is immaculate and at the start of the season you could almost play snooker on it!
Mick Hubbard adds; 'Brisbane Road (aka the Matchroom Stadium) is a fairly good ground these days. However the newish West Stand, must be one of the ugliest in the league. It looks attractive from outside the ground, but the inside is a bit of a carbuncle. The lower tier is normal seating but these sit beneath a bland set of offices and hospitality boxes. Overall, I found Orient to be a friendly place, and a good place to watch a game. With the tube station being nearby, and only a few stops from the City, it is easy to access. We got on a tube after the game in no time at all. A small queue does form from the direction of the ground, but we walked past this and simply walked into the station from the other side'.
Where To Drink?
There is a supporters club at the ground that does admit visiting supporters at a cost of £1. The supporters club which is located in the West Stand is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. However, it can get uncomfortably full of people. Otherwise the nearest pub to the ground is the Coach & Horses. To get there take a right out of Leyton station and walk down for about half-a-mile. It is on your left, within sight of the floodlights. The Three Blackbirds has been recommended to me and that is a bit further up Leyton High Road, on the right.
Stephen Harris informs me; 'the best pub near to the ground is the Birkbeck Tavern in Langthorne Road, behind the tube station'. Mick Hubbard adds; 'Arriving at Leyton underground station, we headed for the Birkbeck Tavern, a place you would not chance upon, it being in a residential area around the back of the station. This place was a throwback, a real old-fashioned boozer. It hadn’t seen a lick on paint for about 30 years I reckon. Decor and soft furnishings were, shall we say, functional. Four real ales were on offer, a fact I only found out after squeezing my way to the bar and ordering the only one in view to me which was called Rita’s Special. I’ve since researched this ale and found that it’s a beer made specially for the pub by Courage, is the only regular beer on offer (the other three are rotating guest beers) and is named after one of the barmaids. If ever you visit Orient, and you like a decent pint, look this place up. From the Tube Station, turn right, and then right over an overpass that leads into the residential area behind the tube station'. See a map of its location on the Streetmap website'.
How To Get There By Car & Where To Park
Approaching London you will at some point hit the M25. Use this to get to the M11 (unless you're coming from Cambridge, in which case you'll already be on it) take the southbound carriageway for about 6 miles and take the right fork signposted for the North Circular.
At the bottom of the flyover where the roads merge, move into the left-hand lane and turn left at the roundabout on to the A104. After about 1 mile at the next roundabout take the right exit - still the A104 (a landmark here is the quaintly-decorated Lamb's Cafe). Half a mile further on, turn left into Leyton Green Road (signposted to Leyton and Stratford), and left again into a short slip-road past the bus garage entrance and left into Leyton High Road - you'll see the Leyton Leisure Lagoon opposite as you wait to make the turn. Continue until you see the floodlights and then find a side turning to park in the back-streets. Street Parking.
By Tube
The nearest tube station is Leyton (about a 1/4 of a mile away) which is on the Central Line. Come out of the station and turn right down Leyton High Road. Cross over the road to the other side and continue down it. You will come to Coronation Gardens on your left and the floodlights of the ground can be clearly seen behind them. Take the next left past the gardens into Buckingham Road for the ground.
NEWCASTLE UTD FIXTURES:
Wednesday 29th July 2009
Friendly
Newcastle v Leeds Utd 19.45
Sunday 02nd August 2009
Friendly
Dundee Utd v Newcastle 15.00
Saturday 08th August 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
West Brom v Newcastle 17.30
Saturday 15th August 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
Newcastle v Reading 17.20
Wednesday 19th August 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
Newcastle v Sheff Weds 19.45
Saturday 22nd August 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
C.Palace v Newcastle 15.00
Monday 31st August 2009
Coca-Cola Championship
Newcastle v Leicester 19.45