Colchester v Pompey: Away-Day Guide

WESTON HOMES STADIUM

Opened: 2008

Capacity: 10,105

Record attendance: 10,064

Pompey supporters will be travelling to Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium, United Way, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5UP on Saturday.

The U’s moved to the stadium from their old Layer Road ground in 2008.

The stadium holds 10,105 all seated. Blues supporters will either be situated in the Roman Cars Stand or part of the JobServe Stand, depending on ticket allocation.

From the M25 junction 28 take the A12 towards Colchester and Ipswich.

If you are using the Dartford Crossing, remember to pay the toll at gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge

The U’s stadium is located to the north of the town near Colchester Business Park.

Leave the A12 at Junction 28, which is the dedicated junction for the stadium.

Turn right at the first roundabout, go over the bridge and then straight across the next before turning right at the third roundabout into United Way.

There is a car park at the ground, for which you will need to pre-book a parking permit priced £6, either at colutickets.com or by ringing 0845 437 9089.

Parking can be paid for on the day, subject to availability.

If the car park is full, fans will be directed to an overspill located on the nearby industrial estate, about 10 to 15 minutes’ walk away, which costs £8.

The Colchester town centre park and ride service car park is situated on the opposite side of the A12 to the ground (signposted from Junction 28), which football fans can use.

It costs £3 to park there and closes at 7.30pm. It is a five-minute walk from there across the A12 bridge to the ground.

Other than that, there is street parking. But fans are advised to take care as there is an extensive residents only parking scheme in operation around the stadium.

Parking penalty tickets will be issued to anyone ignoring these restrictions.

Trains run from London Liverpool Street to Colchester North and the journey usually takes about two hours.

But there are engineering works scheduled for March 11, with rail replacement buses between Newbury Park and Ingatestone.

So allow plenty of time for your journey.

At the time of writing there were no details of engineering works between Portsmouth and London Waterloo.

Colchester North station is about two miles from the ground.

Fans are advised to either take a taxi or get on the shuttle bus running from 1pm from Bruff Close – behind the Big Yellow Storage near the station.

It is priced at £2.50 for a return and takes about 10 minutes.

The U’s ground is out in the sticks, so not near any pubs.

The usual type of food, hot drinks and alcohol are available in the ground and there is a McDonalds next to the park and ride car park.

The club usually allows away supporters into the bar on the concourse of the Weston Homes Stand.

The nearest pub to the ground – but still almost a mile away – is the Dog & Pheasant, Naylands Road, Colchester, CO4 5EG. It is a Hungry Horse pub.

Go down United Way, turn left into Boxted Road and at the mini roundabout go over into Naylands Road.

There is a fish and chip shop next to it.

If you arrive by train, the Norfolk Arms, North Station Road, Colchester CO1 1UZ, a Green King pub serving real ale and food, is about five minutes from the station.