BURY v GILLINGHAM
npower League Two
Saturday 4 September 2010
Kick-Off 3.00pm
INFORMATION
There are no advance tickets for this fixture. Only seating is available and admission will be pay on the day. Gillingham supporters will be housed in the covered Manchester Road End, behind the goal.
ADMISSION PRICES
Adults £15
Senior Citizens (over 65) £10
Juniors (under 16) £10
Young Adults (16-21) £12
COACH TRAVEL
Club Class Coach Travel on Kings Ferry coaches is priced at-
Adults £28
Juniors (under 16) £23
Coach departure times and pick-up points are -
7.15am Sittingbourne Railway Station
7.30am Rainham Cricketers
8.00am Priestfield Stadium
8.10am The Coach and Horses
CAR TRAVEL
Satellite navigation destination postcode is BL9 9HR.
Distance from Gillingham is around 252 miles.
Leave M66 at junction 2, the ground is signposted from here. Take A58 towards Bury and turn left onto Heywood Street (B6219) at the second set of traffic lights. Straight over a mini roundabout and at the next roundabout, turn right onto Wellington Road (still the B6219). Follow this road to the end.
At the T-junction, left onto the A56 (sign posted Manchester). After passing through a set of traffic lights, Gigg Lane is the next left turning. Street parking is available, but beware of a residents only parking scheme in operation in the nearby streets, with wardens patrolling the area.
TRAIN TRAVEL
There are three express trains per hour London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly and return.
Bury lost its rail links some years ago but the Metrolink trams runs to Bury every 12 minutes and is the speediest method of travel. Note that OAP bus passes are NOT valid on the trams. Anybody using the trams should look up the return fare on the platform machines and they should find that the return fare in most cases is only a few pence more than the single fare.
Bury Metrolink, fifteen minutes walk from the ground, is served by trams from Manchester Victoria & Piccadilly mainline railway stations. Turn left out of the station, along a pedestrian walkway underneath the dual carriageway. On the other side of the dual carriageway turn right towards the Town Hall.
Just before the Town Hall, left into Knowsley Street and at the bottom of Knowsley Street turn left onto the main A56 Manchester Road. Continue along Manchester Road for about half a mile and you will reach Gigg Lane on your left.
Alternatively bus numbers; 90, 92, 135, 137 and 163 run every ten minutes down Manchester Road past the end of Gigg Lane. Services 135 and 163 can be boarded at Piccadilly Gardens. Services 137 can be boarded at Shudehill Interchangeor Manchester Victoria train station.
FOOD AND DRINK
There are plenty of pubs around the ground and along Manchester Road in particular. There is also a supporters club at the ground, which sometimes allows in small numbers of away fans, for a small fee.
The Swan and Cemetery, on Manchester Road, ten minutes walk from the ground, has a separate restaurant area. Nearer to the ground on the same road are the Pack Horse, which has a fish and chip shop around the corner from it, and The Staff Of Life.
Bury is famous for its very large market and there are many places where one can purchase black pudding and chips instead of fish or burgers etc. Also nearby if you have time, the East Lancashire Railway station is nearby.
With tongue in cheek, this one for the ladies, there is a corner shop where a bra fitting service is available. The notice in the window states that ONLY WARM HANDS ARE USED.
PREVIEW
Bury are currently tenth in League Two, having followed up an opening day 0-1 home defeat against Port Vale with last Saturday's 2-1 victory at newly-promoted Oxford United. Gillingham have only won four out of their previous twenty-three league matches at Gigg Lane, drawing three and losing sixteen.
Beaten in nine of their last ten league encounters there, The Gills last picked up maximum points at Bury in September 1985. We were last at Gigg Lane in November 2008, visiting twice in the space of three weeks, when a 1-0 win in the FA Cup was followed by a 0-4 defeat in the league.
HOW TO BOOK COACH TRAVEL
1. By ringing Dave or Julie Taylor on (01634) 375919, or Trevor or Julie Loveridge on (01634) 301899 (evenings before 10pm). If you get an answerphone message, please leave your name and number and your call will be returned.
2. By visiting the ticket office in Redfern Avenue.
Opening hours are;
Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm
Matchday Saturdays 9.00am until 20 minutes after kick-off
Non-matchday Saturdays 9.00am - 1.00pm
3. By telephone Gillingham Football Club on (01634) 300000 choosing option 3.
Please note that no alcohol is permitted on the coaches.
