ARSENAL - Emirates Stadium
How To Get There By Car & Where To Park
Leave the M1 at Junction 2 and onto the A1, following the signs for City (Central London). Keep going on the A1 for around six miles, until you see Holloway Road Tube Station on your right. Take the next left at the traffic lights into Hornsey Road and the stadium is about a 1/4 of a mile further down this road.
There is little parking at the stadium itself or in nearby streets. An extensive residents only parking scheme operates around the stadium on matchdays. It's probably better to park further out of London around a tube station such as Cockfosters and get the tube to the ground.
Tony Attwood adds; 'Cockfosters underground station is the obvious station for fans travelling from the north - it is only about 4 miles south of the M25. It has its own car park but this can be full by as early as 12.30pm. What's more it can be difficult to exit after the game, with most drivers seeking to come out and cross the main road to head north. Unless you have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the streets around the general area of the Emirates, it really isn't worth trying to find some street parking. Football fans on matchdays are easy pickings for the traffic wardens, who contrary to popular belief, do work on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.'
By Train or London Underground
The nearest London Underground tube station to the Emirates Stadium is Holloway Road on the Piccadilly line. However, this is closed on matchdays as it relies mostly on lifts to transport passengers to and from street level and this could cause problems when large crowds are in attendance. Fans should therefore alight at the next stop on the Piccadilly line which is Arsenal tube station. It is only a few minutes walk from here to the stadium. On exiting the station turn right and follow Drayton Park Road around to the left. Then take one of the large bridges over the railway line to the stadium. Other tube stations in walking distance of the stadium are Finsbury Park on the Piccadilly Line and Highbury & Islington on the Victoria Line.
Otherwise you can take an overland train to Finsbury Park Railway Station from London Kings Cross. It is then about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Finsbury Park to the stadium. Drayton Park Station which is situated right by the stadium is closed at weekends.
Tim Sansom adds; 'After the game we had to walk a fair distance to find an underground station that had not been shut due to overcrowding. We found that the Arsenal underground had been shut by the police and so had to undertake a fairly long walk to Finsbury Park which was also shut by station staff. We were recommended by the police to take the mainline train into Kings Cross, which we did with no problems and were back in central London within 10 minutes'.
Unless you are team are being stuffed and you are leaving the game a little early, then Arsenal tube station should be fine. If though you are staying to the final whistle, then you are better off walking to Finsbury Park, rather than wait in the long queues at Arsenal tube. To get to Finsbury Park, simple walk past Arsenal tube station on your left and then take a left into St Thomas's Road. The station is at the end of the road. The Police also do a good job of controlling the flow of the numbers of fans onto the station.
Where To Drink?
The traditional pub for away supporters is the Drayton Arms, which is located near to Arsenal tube station and Drayton Park railway station. This Courage pub overlooks the new stadium and is only a few minutes walk away. However as you would expect it can get extremely busy on matchdays, with drinkers spilling outside onto the pavements.
Mark Long recommends the Twelve Pins (formerly the Finsbury Park Tavern) near Finsbury Park Tube Station. ‘Normally a good mix of home and away fans and about a ten minute walk from the ground’. Whilst Guy McIntyre adds; ‘The Blackstock opposite The Twelve Pins, also welcomes away fans, plus it has a big screen showing Sky Sports’. There is also a Wetherspoons pub called the White Lion Of Mortimer, which is a five minute walk away from Finsbury Park Tube Station along Stroud Green Road. Otherwise alcohol is available inside the stadium (Fosters, John Smith’s & Strongbow).