Reebok Six-Pointer For Toon!

Directions & Car Parking

From The South:
M6 to Junction 21a, take eastbound M62 leaving at Junction 12. Follow signs for M61 (Bolton/Preston) and leave the M61 motorway at Junction 6. The ground is visible from this junction and is clearly sign posted.

From The North:
M6 to Junction 29 and take the M65 towards Blackburn. Leave the M65 at junction two and join the M61 towards Manchester. Leave the M61 at junction six. The ground is visible from this junction and is clearly sign posted.

John Walsh adds; 'Because of traffic congestion on the M60 (formerly M62), caused by the Trafford Centre, I would recommend that those supporters travelling from the South should take the North directions above. It is about 10 miles further but can save 30 minutes and a lot of frustration!'

There is a car park at the ground, but wait for this, it costs £6! Plus on my last visit the cars in the away section of the car park were packed in like sardines, meaning that away fans leaving early (my team had just been stuffed!) couldn't get a quick getaway as there were cars blocking them in. However a lot of the surrounding industrial estate units offer cheaper parking, usually around the £3 mark. Some of these are located on either side of Lostock Lane. From the M61, go past the stadium on your left, move into the right hand filter lane and turn right at the traffic lights into Lostock Lane. If you continue down Lostock Lane and take a left hand turn before to the Bromilow Arms, then I noticed on my last visit that there was some street parking to be had at the bottom of this road.

Gary Lovatt adds 'On the parking front, a handy little idea is to park at the Beehive pub which is on the roundabout (half a mile past the stadium coming from the motorway) where you pay £5 per car but get it all back at the bar. I also recommend the cajun chicken baguette there!' To get to the Beehive leave the M61 at Junction 6 and drive down towards the stadium. Then continue straight on past the stadium and the Beehive pub is situated at the next roundabout, on Chorley New Road.

Horwich Parkway railway station serves the stadium, with regular trains from Bolton's main station. Horwich Parkway is only a few minutes walk from the stadium

Away Fans

Away fans are housed in the two tiered South Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 5,000 supporters can be accommodated, although the normal allocation is nearer 3,000. The lower tier is shared with home supporters, but the upper tier is given entirely to away fans. The leg room and facilities within this stand are good and the atmosphere is boosted in the home end by the presence of a drummer.

Alex Smith adds; 'away fans should note that the bottom rows of the lower tier are not covered by the roof and therefore you may get wet if it rains'. Whilst Paul Kelly warns; 'the stewards at the Reebok can be a bit over zealous, often throwing out fans for little reason. My advice to away fans is do not even think about celebrating a goal by going further forward than the front row. They'll have you even if you're just on the bit of track behind the adverts. Also you may be told to sit down during the game, take heed and do so. Fans have been removed who persistently stand up during the game'.

The refreshment facilities are good (albeit queuing times can be long on occasion) and I wish that other clubs would copy the way that supporters in the Reebok are served. There are proper queuing barriers and exit lanes. One person takes the order and deals with the money, whilst another prepares your order at the same time.

A 125 room hotel has been built behind the away end of the ground, 19 of which have views of the pitch. I just wonder if hotel guests occupying these rooms may at some time put on their own half time show!

Steve Openshaw recommends the Bromilow Arms; "from the M61, go past the stadium on your left, move into the right hand filter lane and turn right at the traffic lights into Lostock Lane, go past the Barnstormers pub on your right and the Bromilow Arms is further down on left. Good ale, friendly atmosphere, free car parking. Ten minutes walk away from ground". I have personally visited this pub on a number of occasions now. Each time I have been impressed with the warm welcome and the good mix of home and away fans. The small pub has a country feel, serves good real ale from the local Bank Top Brewery and food from a lunchtime snack menu. All in all it was a gem! Plus if you ask nicely they will also allow you to leave your car in their car park, while you go off to watch the match.

Graeme Hayward; 'The Barnstormers pub on the same road as the Bromilow Arms also welcomes away supporters. We drank there and it was a good atmosphere inside. Food was available and also real ale'.

There is also the Beehive Pub near to the ground where you can also park your car (see below). Otherwise alcohol is served within the ground, although for some games such as local derbies, the Club opt not to sell any. Or on my last visit alcohol was available to away supporters before the game but not at half time, much to the annoyance of the travelling fans.

There are a number of bars on the nearby Middlebrook Retail Park (Reebok Stadium is on the Middlebrook Retail estate). However most of these have bouncers on the doors that only admit home fans on production of a matchday or season ticket, There are though plenty of eating outlets on the Retail Park; KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and a Bolton Wanderers themed McDonalds as well as several other themed restaurants. Whilst inside the stadium there is the usual array of pies, rollover hot dogs & burgers on sale.

Saturday 28th February 2009

Arsenal v Fulham 15.00

Chelsea v Wigan Athletic 15.00

Everton v West Brom 12.45

Middlesbrough v Liverpool 15.00

Sunday 01st March 2009

Aston Villa v Stoke City 15.00

Bolton v Newcastle 13.00

Hull City v Blackburn 12.30

West Ham v Man City 12.30

Tuesday 03rd March 2009

Liverpool v Sunderland 20.00

Portsmouth v Chelsea 19.45

West Brom v Arsenal 19.45

Wednesday 04th March 2009

Blackburn v Everton 20.00

Fulham v Hull City 20.00

Man City v Aston Villa 19.45

Newcastle v Man Utd 19.45

Stoke City v Bolton 19.45

Tottenham v Middlesbrough 20.00

Wigan Athletic v West Ham 19.45