Barrow and Holker Street

This is an old-fashioned lower league ground up near the Lake District. I enjoyed a lovely visit for a League Two match (August, 30th 2025). The roads in for the early start were busy in a few places, adding thirty minutes to my journey from Lancashire.

I had a little bit of trouble finding the ticket office; the nearby signs seem to point in the wrong direction. Once there I got a £24 ticket with the home fans, standing. A shed near the entrance provider refreshments and I got a sausage roll and tea (£2.50) before the match and again at half time with no queues. The ground has standing on two sides and a few small seating stands on one side. The fourth side had buildings but not real stands. I parked on the streets though probably a lot further away than most. I enjoy a walk. The local fans were quiet and out shouted by the Fleetwood mob; despite there number being ten percent of the home fans. The match was decided after a red card for the locals on the 10th minute. Barrow did fight back at the end but a solitary goal for FTFC was enough.

Sincil Bank and the Imps

We enter the digital age as we get 'e-tickets' for this one. I stuck them in my e-wallet which works fine. We stayed in the centre; a hotel next to the castle. The ground has a hotchpotch of stands. The opposite side to us was occupied by a stand that while high only covers half he length of the pitch. We had seats in the biggest side stand full of home fans. We were in a top corner with great views; excepting after home goals or substitutions when fans were apt to stand-up and block the pitch view.

The facilities in the stand included the usual food bars and a couple of TV screens for pre-match entertainment. Food and drink were nothing special; Pukka pies, chocolates and the usual drinks but the staff were very friendly and helpful. At £27 the seats were priced pretty typically for these days. The standing fans down the other end of the GBM stand where we were seated made a reasonable noise but I suspect the visiting Green Army were noisier when their team warranted it. The game itself was very entertaining and nearly ended in a draw after early looking one sided.

Carrow Road and a Canary for a day

A special kind of visit, 2024, as my wife surprised me with a special package. Champagne reception, meal in Delia's and watched the game from behind glass and 'The Top of the Terrace'. The match itself was rather messy in the first half but improved after the break to bring us three goals for the home team and a consolidation for the Potters. The stadium is a modest Championship level ground with a hotel stuck in one corner. All the stands vary in size and layout with boxes in three of them. We parked about ten minutes from the ground in a council pay and display. Difficult to comment on the food as we enjoyed some special fare but I'm guessing it was equally as good in other outlets.