Plymouth Argyle, that's P-L-Y-M-O-U-T-H A-R-G-Y-L-E. Known as the Pilgrims or the Greens.
We are in Plymouth, Devon, the South West, you know the sticky out bit down the bottom left hand corner of the United Kingdom. The place that is not Portsmouth or Wales or France.
How to get here
If you're using prat-nav Home Park's post code is PL2 3DQ.
Travelling by car means finding the M5 south towards Exeter and continuing on the A38 towards Plymouth. When you pass the 'Welcome to Plymouth' sign you need to turn off at the 3rd exit - Manadon Roundabout. Plymouth Argyle FC is signed from here if you get lost. After coming off the A38 take the second exit onto the A386. Continue ahead until you pass a petrol station on the right. The car park and ground are visible on the left.
By train, take any First Great Western or CrossCountry service travelling to or through Plymouth. When you exit the station, turn right and head out to the main road. Here you have a choice. Either turn right and head under the railway bridge and walk, or cross the road by the footbridge and catch a bus from the stop. If walking, cross straight over the roundabout at the bottom of the hill and head up the other side. A sign directs you to turn right into parkland, just follow this wide path ahead.
(The Football Specials have been cancelled due to administration)
Home Park
Home Park is effectively 2 separate grounds - the newer Devonport, Lyndhurst and Barn Park stands, and the original grandstand and Mayflower enclosure. Away fans are accommodated in the Barn Park end, which is at the farthest end from the car park. Access to this is to the left of the ground only. The Mayflower Enclosure has been closed down, expect to see a large expanse of waste ground on the old side of the stadium, likewise the blocks nearest to the away end have been closed due to cost cutting.
The Box Office, Shop and Club Reception are located behind the Grandstand through the private car park. A trip to the Box Office and back to the away end necessitates a walk around the whole of the ground as there is no direct access between the two.
The away end generally serves alcohol (£3.50 for a bottle of Carlsberg), hot and cold beverages and hot and cold snacks. The club might choose to not serve alcohol depending on whether your support has a naughty following or not.
Depending on how many fans expected the seating may be unreserved, else the front row is row A, working up to Y at the back. As you face the pitch, seat numbers get larger from right to left.
Expect stewarding to be quite strict - especially when standing for long periods of time (normally over 5 minutes). If you do not comply, expect to be ejected from the ground.
What to do beforehand?
If you arrive early you might wish to make the 20 minute walk (or bus ride) back into the city centre. Else the nearest pub to the ground is the Britannia Inn on the corner of the large road junction by the bus depot. The management can be quite haphazard about whether they open or not on match days, especially afterwards. Facing the Britannia is the Embassy who sometimes allow away fans in. The alternatives are a fair walk away, either through the park to Mutley Plain straight across the junction by the Britannia towards Torpoint where you will find Stoke and its various pubs at the top of the hill, or back up towards Manadon Roundabout is the Cherry Tree pub.
