You can either read this quick guide or click on the Tabs under “Away Fans Guide” for more details.
Getting to Spotland (Now called the Crown Oil Arena or COA) Stadium, Rochdale OL11 5DR
For 95% of car-based visitors to Spotland, it’s a case of leaving the M62 at Junction 20, and following the signs to Rochdale. It’s pretty much a straight road direct to the ground. Bear left with the retail park facing you, pass under the bridge which proclaims ‘Rochdale birthplace of co-operation’ and then it’s straight on all the way. After the traffic lights you’ll pass the sewage treatment works on the right, followed by Rochdale Cemetery on the left as you get closer.
If you’re coming by train, the best way of getting to the ground is by taxi. Costs around £7 to do so. There’s often Town Taxis waiting outside the station but sometimes it can be best to ring up in advance as you approach Rochdale and pre-book one. Best numbers are Streamline 01706 644104 or Millennium 01706 646465. Alternatively, walking is about 30 mins and public transport isnt the easiest to get here.
If you are travelling through Manchester Victoria, you will have the option of Metrolink or Train. The train is about half an hour quicker as the Metrolink goes through Oldham which is definitely the long way around. Avoid at your peril.
Parking
On the whole, it’s a case of first come first served. There’s a couple of parking restrictions on the roads to the right as you approach the ground, and parts of Sandy Lane will be coned up but that aside, it’s help yourself. There’s plenty of sides streets with no restrictions in the vast majority of them. There’s no parking at the ground itself. There is a school on the left hand side as you approach the ground. There is plenty of parking available down this road (Hudsons Walk) though the school itself is likely to be locked up. A Lincoln fan recently told us that the Church on Willbutts Lane allows supporters to park in their car park in return for a donation of your choice. This is approx. 100 yards at most from the away turnstiles. It’s not a huge car park but if you’re arriving early you won’t find anywhere closer.
Eating
As you approach the ground from the motorway, there is a retail estate on the right-hand side. You will find your usual retail estate eateries there such as Pizza Hut, Frankie and Bennys, McDonalds, and the Sandbrook and a really good curry house called the Copper Pot (opens 5-15 on Saturdays).
If grabbing a pre-match bag of chips is more your sort of thing, then the Willbutts Lane Chippy is something of a Football League legend. Its smack bang opposite the away turnstiles and if you weren’t hungry before, then you will be when the aroma his you are you queue your way in. It’s a cracking chippy and comes thoroughly recommended.
Pubs
The closest pub to the ground is the Ratcliffe Suite / Dale Bar. It’s built into the ground and accessible from the Sandy Lane end of the ground. Traditionally, the Ratcliffe Suite is aimed at away supporters and is massive. They have Sky Sports on a couple of big screens and TV’s around the room. Despite its size, they serve pretty quickly. They don’t do food in there.
A little further away is the Cemetery Pub. This will be on the right-hand side if you are approaching the ground from the motorway. The Pub is CAMRA listed and was recently added to the “Champions Club” by the brewers Timothy Taylor due to how they tend to their beer. Those away supporters who are regulars to Spotland flock to the “Cem” year after year as part of their visit, with many preferring the pub to the game. Again, big screens and TV’s showing live sports. There will sometimes be football specials on in terms of food, but if not, there will be sandwiches and hot pies available. Season Ticket holders get a 20p discount on certain drinks and this applies to away supporters as well so don’t leave it at home.
If you are opting to drink in town rather than close to the ground, you have several options. There’s a big Wetherspoons called the Regal Moon and a Yates across the road from there (facing the town hall). There are a few really good independent places such as the Flying Horse and the Medicine Tap (both areas also facing the town hall). The Flying Horse has just been named the North West’s Pub of the Year and shortlisted for the country’s finest.
A little further afield is the Baum. It’s a former CAMRA pub of the year, and is situated on Toad Lane – the historic birth of the Co-op. Not a bad town to visit if you’re into your real ale.
Admission
You’ll be able to pay on the day on Saturday but tickets are cheaper if you buy them in advance from your place. Please see the club website HERE
The Away End
If you’ve never been to Spotland or the Crown Oil Arena before, away fans are housed in the long stand down one side of the pitch on Willbutts Lane. It’s our newest stand (built in 1992) and offers an unrestricted view of the pitch. Dale fans often wonder why we give our best stand to away supporters, so it gets the thumbs up from us.
It will house up to around 3,500 away supporters, but if you’re not bringing that many, the end blocks may well be fenced off.
The club have recently invested in netting to cut down on the impact of local pigeons who used to, shall we say, left their mark on some of the seating in the away end.
There is a typical football concourse below the stand, selling beer, pies and everything else you’d come to expect at a football ground these days. We believe there’s a couple of screens in there showing you the latest scores.
Stewarding / Policing
Historically, some supporters used to complain about the stewarding at Spotland but it’s been a long while now since there were any issues of overzealous stewarding to the best of our knowledge. We tend to rely on stewarding, though the more high-profile games will have Police in attendance. The only views we have had from away supporters in recent years about our stewards is when the Barnsley fans got one to wear plant pot on his head or Oldham supporters decided that one of them looked like Boris Johnson.
Stopping Over
There are a few places that offer overnight accommodation in town
The Flying Horse pub in town does accommodation. Rooms are above the pub and are perfect if you want somewhere cheap and cheerful after a night out down town. Fantastic value for money, and you’ll be well looked after. (http://www.theflyinghorsehotel.co.uk/accommodation/)
There are other hotels in the town. The Broadfield is based in the town centre, whilst the Royal Toby and the Norton Grange are a couple of miles away from the ground.
Getting away after the game
When there are large away followings, traffic can often be an issue heading back to the Motorway. To avoid this, you’ve got three options
Heading East – aim for Junction 21 and get on the M62 at Milnrow. Stick “Kingsway Business Park” into your Sat Nav and follow the directions. It’s about 3 miles to get there but traffic should be flowing throughout.
Heading West – you’ve got two choices. You can aim for Junction 19 at Heywood or you can aim for the M66. J19 is just over three miles away, and the M66 at Heap Bridge is about 4.5 miles away. Again, traffic should be flowing towards both of these options. You can be extra sneaky by avoiding Sandy Lane and driving up Edenfield Road and turning left at the garage.
Heading North – probably best heading up Edenfield Road towards Owd Betts and getting on the M66/A56 at Edenfield.
Further help
If you require any further help, you can email us at info@daletrust.co.uk or you can come and see us before the game in the Dale Bar / Ratcliffe Suite at our Trust desk.