Visiting Villa Park

Aston Villa FC

Villa Park, Trinity Road, Birmingham B6 6HE

Villa Park is still one of the country's premier grounds, although some of its charm and history have been lost through redevelopment in recent years.

WHOLLY TRINITY: The new Trinity Road stand at Villa Park, sadly it meant the end for the architectural delights of its predecessor.

The ground is within easy reach of the M6, once you've negotiated Spaghetti Junction. Despite being in one of Birmingham's poorer inner city suburbs, Villa Park is next to a park, overlooked by the Jacobean manor house Aston Hall.

The giant Holte End "home" stand behind the goal is still the largest "kop" in the league and an imposing sight when full, seen from the away end opposite.

The new Trinity Road stand to the right is functional, but its glass exterior (not helped by plastic lettering) a disappointing replacement for its splendid predecessor, with facade, mosaic and staircase. Opposite this is in Witton Lane, the smaller two-tier Doug Ellis Stand, named after the club's long-serving chairman.

Parking can be a bit of a headache - best to look for one of a number of smaller unofficial carparks. Quite a few of the pubs nearest the ground are for home supporters only - not that you're missing a great deal.

Man to watch

Away fans are seated behind the goal downstairs in the North Stand, entrance in Witton Lane. There are usually a minimum of 1,600 tickets but if there is demand, further seating is provided in the downstairs section of the Doug Ellis Stand adjoining it. Prices are reasonable for the Premiership (£28 and £15 under 16s and over 60s). Bar and toilet facilities are a bit limited.

Click for Streetmap of ground

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Exit M6 at junction 8, Spaghetti Junction - take signs for Birmingham city centre, take next left turn, (sign-posted Aston/Waterlinks) after a quarter of a mile. Then take a left at the island and there is limited street parking and some organised pay parking (£4-5) in the area. There are more temporary carparks in the area off Trinity Road, look for the signs. There is also some supervised street parking off Electric Avenue. Otherwise take your chances in the streets; kids often ask for money "to look after your car," so it's best to comply...

There are fairly regular services from Birmingham New Street, to Aston (for home supporters) and Witton (for away fans). Aston station is 10-15 minutes walk from the ground and Witton is five minutes from the away end. Turn left and first left at the island and you can't miss it. There are also buses - the No 7 from Bull Street (left at top end of Corporation Street) takes you to the island at the end of Witton Lane.

City centre taxis from the New Street station concourse or outside down from the ramp in Navigation Street. B Sky Cars 0121 551 1111 ; InterCity Cars 0121 555 5555; Friendly Cars 0121 356 2222; Blue Line Cars 0121 523 7211 .

Birmingham has changed a lot from the 60s high-rise and concrete image. There are plenty of pubs, clubs and good restaurants in the city centre. The recently redeveloped Bull Ring Shopping Centre has given a shot in the arm to the city as a retail destination; if you like designer shops and good places to eat, then try The Mailbox shopping centre off Navigation Street. This backs onto the city's canal network is a must. You can then walk along the tow-paths to more pubs and restaurants at Brindley Place near the Gas Street Basin interchange of canals. There is also in that area, the NIA (for pop and rock), the Symphony Hall and for theatre, the Birmingham Rep and Birmingham Hippodrome. For food, Brum is the birthplace of the Balti - the best of these are cheap, unlicensed and lit-up curry restaurants in the Balti "triangle" of Sparkhill, or through the Bristol Road at Selly Oak (easily reached by bus or train from New Street). The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and interactive Think Tank science museum are two other places to visit, while Cadbury World at the factory in Bournville (five miles south of the city centre) is a popular attraction for the chocoholic.

Tourist information: The Rotunda 150 New Street Birmingham B2 4PA Tel: 0870 2250127

Real ale/near ground The Bartons Arms (144 High Street, Aston) on the A34. A fabulous looking "heritage" pub, restored to its Victorian splendour inside and out, with eight real ales, mostly Oakhams, with a huge and excellent Thai menu - available from 12 noon and again from 5pm after the match. It's about 15 minutes walk from the pub to the ground, but worth it. You can also catch the No7 bus from the city centre. Laurel and Hardy and Chaplin were among artists who once stayed here when appearing at the now demolished Aston Hippodrome opposite. To find it on foot from the ground, take Bevington Road alongside the Upper Grounds pub in Trinity Road, fork right into Whitehead Road then it's a straight walk passing two schools on the right until you reach Victoria Road. Then cross the road past the telephone kiosk and slightly uphill into Selston Road through the small estate. Walk downhill past the gospel hall and and you will see the Barton Arms below you down to your right, over the pedestrian crossing. Limited parking. Birmingham CAMRA pub of the year 2004. DAFTS recommended. Click for street map The Villa Tavern, Holborn Hill, Nechells/Aston Cross over the road out of Aston railway station, under the bridge and walk up the hill for five minutes to reach this little jewel of a pub dating from the 1920s - tiled inside and some fairly good Ansells ales. Webpage

Near the ground Quite a few pubs around Villa Park are "home fans only", and look shut, or charge a quid to get in, or all three! These include The Upper Grounds in Trinity Road (pictured above) and the quite good Banks' pub, the Aston Tavern in Witton Lane, closest to the ground. Cap and Gown, 458 Witton Road Quite a big club close to the ground, which has separate rooms and entrances for home and away fans - doormen on duty and it costs £1 entry. Or further along (right from Witton Station) down the hill is The Yew Tree which some Darlo fans used before the 2000 Cup tie and it was a typical local boozer. King Edward VII, Aston Hall Road Halfway between Spaghetti Junction and the ground; if walking it's under the Aston Expressway and around as the road twists right away from the ground. Traditional local, recently refurbished in Villa colours. All day breakfast and bed and breakfast also available. The Manor, Portland Street Smallish Ansells pub, not far from the old brewery - 15 minutes walk from the ground, next to industrial estate. Home fans pack in before the game, Sky TV, pool and limited rolls. £5 parking available on industrial estate next door. The Harriers, The Broadway, corner of Davey Road Quite a friendly Ansells pub, with one mega-lounge and a smaller lounge, Sky TV; popular with home fans.

Real ale/city centre There are also some good city centre pub suggestions on the Birmingham CAMRA site, with The Anchor Inn 308 Bradford St, corner of Rea St, Digbeth near the back end of the coach station, a great Irish real ale pub, with regular beer festivals and a small terrace outside for good weather. Best is probably a new one though, The Wellington on Bennett's Hill, off New Street. Almost at the top of the hill on the right (up from Barclays Bank on New Street). It has a vast choice of pumps, with Black Country ales the "house beers" but there is a good choice from around the country. As well as happy hours, the pub also allows customers to bring in their own packed lunches or sandwiches from the many outlets nearby serving the usual office crowd. The Old Joint Stock, a Fullers' pub at 4 Temple Row, opposite St Philip's cathedral, and Bennett's, Bennett's Hill off New Street and The Toad in Hurst Street, for its footie screens. A little further out, just south of the city centre, is the Lamp Tavern, 157 Barford Street, Highgate, a one-room pub in a back street off the A441 - not too far from Digbeth coach station. It has five real ales on, including Everards and Stanway, and a mild. For streetmap

The ground has a fairly good range of pies - beef and Balti, pizza slices, tasteless burgers though, but the chip butties are good value. Also chocolate, tea and coffee but no veggie option to speak of. There are lots of burger vans around Villa Park, due in part to the lack of decent chippies. There is one though, which serves good helpings of fish and chips and fried chicken at the end of Bevington Road. There is also a small unlicenced Balti between Witton Lane and Witton station, which is open for lunches before the match - or a meal after. You're welcome to bring drink - off licence across the island.

Rail timetables Virgin Trains National Express Online mapBirmingham Post & Mail Midlands Pubs
Hotels/B&Bs Birmingham council Birmingham tourism

The Villa websites aren't the best to look at or as innovative as some others in this division, but there's plenty of choice as far as content goes. They include the best, which is Heroes and Villains, which is the web version of the long-running printed fanzine of the same name (which costs £1.50). The site is mainly a busy messageboard. Also VillaTalk, another independent webzine, with opinion articles with posted replies and a messageboard. The official site is updated regularly. The Holteenders Rivals site is quite low key, with its message board not as busy as the club's others.

Contact details:

Aston Villa FC:
0121 327 2299

No responsibility is taken for accuracy, if in doubt check before travelling.

© DAFTS 2005