Lamex Stadium – Stevenage

The Lamex Stadium has been improved recently with the opening of a new North Stand at one end of the ground in December 2019.  This new covered all-seated stand replaced a small terrace and has a capacity of 1,428 seats housed in one single tier. The rest of the ground is also modern and tidy looking and unusually for a newer ground still has a bit of individual character about it.

On one side is the all seated covered Main Stand that looks quite impressive and is single tiered. It is unusual in so much that at the back of the stand on either side of it, there are large gaps between the back of the roof and the stand below. Whilst in the middle of the stand at the back, there are a number of glass-fronted areas to various Club offices. Opposite is the fair sized East Terrace, which is covered and quite steep. Even though like the rest ground, the stand is relatively new, it does have a gable with a clock sitting on its roof above the halfway line, which gives it a touch of character. Oddly though it has a sizeable service tunnel located towards the centre of the stand with the terracing extending around it.

At one end is the South Stand, which is another single tiered, all seated, covered stand. This stand which was opened in 2001 is given to away supporters. There is an electric scoreboard on the roof of this stand. The stadium is completed with a set of four modern floodlights, with a pylon in each corner.

On promotion to the Football League, the Club changed its name from Stevenage Borough FC to Stevenage FC, which was its original name when founded in 1976. The ground for many years was called Broadhall Way but was renamed the Lamex Stadium in a corporate sponsorship deal.

The latest developments at the Stevenage stadium was the work completed on the North End; that finished in 2020 with the build cost coming in around the £1m mark, which was partly funded by the Football Foundation and the rest from supporters via a bond scheme. It took the capacity to just shy of 8,000.

Halfway There – August 2019

Thanks to Paul Sussex a visiting Exeter City fan for providing the photo above

Away fans are located at one end of the ground in the South Stand, where up to 1,400 supporters can be housed. As you would expect from a relatively new stand the facilities and views of the playing action are good. If demand requires it then part of the Main Stand can also be given to visiting supporters, bringing the total allocation up to 2,000.

The atmosphere within the stadium is aided by a drummer on the home East Terrace, who keeps the Stevenage fans going throughout most of the game. However, I found the public address system though within the away end to be particularly loud, which interrupted a few conversations. If you are into plane spotting then from the away stand you can watch a steady stream of airplanes descending into Luton airport. There is a good selection of catering on offer; Pies (£3), Beef & Vegetable Pasties (£3), Sausage Rolls (£2.50) Boro burgers (Double Burger with Bacon & Cheese £5.50), 1/2lb Cheeseburgers (£5), 1/2lb Burgers (£4.50), 1/4lb Cheeseburgers (£4), 1/4lb Burgers (£3.50), Chicken Burgers (£3.50), Veggie Burgers (£3.50), Hot Dogs (£3.50), Cheese Dogs (£4) and Bacon Rolls (£3.50). Normally an enjoyable day out and one that fans of most other clubs look forward to.

Rob Parker a visiting Macclesfield Town fan adds; ‘The club is one of the most friendly I’ve ever visited, with everyone from the stewards to the staff in the shop keen to be as helpful as possible. The home fans were passionate about their club but in a non-threatening way, which made for a relaxed atmosphere. Away fans were admitted into the spacious social club behind the South Stand, with no admission charge. Large numbers of home and away fans mingled inside and outside without a hint of trouble. There were no long queues at the (reasonably priced) bar and plenty of room as well. There was a large TV screen showing the early kick-off.

Once inside the Lamex Stadium, the away end has good views of the action with no obstructing pillars and being elevated above the action. The only slight negatives were that the catering consisted of just one small hut which looked like it would run out of food pretty quickly (selling steak slice pasties for £3.50) and the toilets which are medium sized but lack sinks, instead providing sanitary spray to wipe your hands.

Broadhall Way is a decent ground which really only needs some work on the North end to turn it into a really professional looking stadium. It’s hard to find an example of a more friendly and relaxed away days anywhere else in the league and while it may not be top of my list for a return visit, I would happily go back in the future’.

There is a large Club House bar at the ground, behind the South Stand, which is popular with both home and away fans alike. However, for some high profile games, the bar will be open to home fans only, but this is only for a small minority of games. On my last visit, even though the bar was busy, I was served relatively quickly and it was a friendly atmosphere.

Otherwise, there is not much in the way of pubs near to the ground. Still, if you like your real ale then it is worth taking the 15 minute walk to the ‘Our Mutual Friend’ pub in Broadwater Crescent. This pub offers seven beers on hand pump, plus real cider and perry. Tim Rigby a visiting Wolverhampton Wanderers fan adds; ‘The Roebuck Inn on London Road, about a ten minute walk away from the away end is certainly worth a visit. It’s an old Tudor building pub with a Best Western Hotel attached. It serves real ale and on my visit it was quite easy to get served. To find this pub; then with your back to the away end, you’ll see a wooded path to the left down the side of London Road. Keep following that and it will bring you out by a roundabout, with the pub located on the opposite side.’

If you have time on your hands then you can take the 15-20 minute walk into the town centre, where there are plenty of pubs to be found including a Wetherspoons outlet called the Standard Bearer, which is located near to the Bus Station. John Scott adds; ‘If arriving by train, then a ten minute walk away from the railway station on the High Street, is the Chequers pub. which on our visit was welcoming. It had nine real ales on tap, as well as a good value food menu. To find it from the railway station then go over the bridges into the town centre, turn left past Ibis hotel and Tesco, over another footbridge, it’s on your left.  It is though then a good 25 minute walk to the Lamex Stadium.’

Across the roundabout from the ground, there is the ‘Roaring Meg’ Retail Park that has various eating outlets such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds & Burger King, plus a Harvester restaurant and bar.

Leave the A1(M) at Junction 7 and take the A602 towards Stevenage. Go straight across the first roundabout and as you approach the next roundabout you can see the floodlights of the ground over on the right. However, if you go straight across the roundabout then you will see the entrance to a large car park on your left (called Fairlands Valley), which is free to park in and has a capacity of around 500 cars. The car park though has only one entrance/exit, so this can lead to bit of a bottleneck after the game has finished.

Please avoid parking at the nearby Roaring Meg Retail Park on Saturday and midweek matchdays, as you are only allowed to park there for 90 minutes. Staying longer could see you with a £100 parking ticket. Otherwise, there is street parking to be found in the local area.

Post Code for SAT NAV: SG2 8RH

Stevenage Railway Station is about one mile away from the Lamex Stadium. Leave the station booking hall and turn left towards the town. Take the stairs on the right before the bridge over the dual carriage way and head along the A602, Lytton Way. At the roundabout which has the police station on the right, take the second exit into Six Hills Way. At the next roundabout take the third exit (South) continuing along the A602, Monkswood Way, passing a large Asda store on your right. After about 3/4’s mile (McDonalds/Burger King etc.. will be on your right) you will arrive at a roundabout and the Lamex Stadium will be opposite you on the other side of the A602.

Alan Chapman informs me; ‘There is a shuttle bus service operated by Arriva Buses on matchdays, that runs on a loop covering Stevenage Bus Station, Railway Station (Stop N) and the Lamex Stadium. It costs £1.50 return. The first shuttle bus starts two hours before kick-off and the last one returning after the game is at 18.30 on Saturdays and 22.30 in midweek. The bus stop for the ground is on Broadhall Way opposite the entrance for the North Stand’.

In addition you can also get the Arriva No.5 Bus from Stevenage Town Centre to the ground, from Stop E at Stevenage Bus Station. The ten minute journey costs £1.50 single, or £2.30 return. As the ground is not easily spotted in the distance, ask the driver to drop you off on Monkswood Way, opposite the entrance to the retail park.

Thanks to Roger Dickinson & Gary Barker for providing the directions.

Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:

Broadhall Way has been around since the early sixties but Stevenage have only been occupants of the ground since 1980. Originally, two different Stevenage sides – Athletic and Town – had called Broadhall Way home and that caused issues for the newly formed Stevenage in their infancy; the club had wanted to continue playing their home games on the same pitch but the playing surface was so badly damaged before the inaugural game that a new home was needed. That saw King George V playing fields become home. Eventually though – in 1980 – Broadhall Way was fit to move back into. In 2001, it was expanded and largely remains in the same state.

Home Fans
Main (West) Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £20, Under 18’s £15, Under 16’s £10
Main Stand Family Tickets** 1 Adult + 2 Under 12’s £30, 2 Adults + 2 Under 12’s £45
East Terrace: Adults £15, Concessions £15, Under 18’s £10, Under 12’s £5
East Terrace Family Tickets** 1 Adult + 2 Under 12’s £20, 2 Adults + 2 Under 12’s £35

Away Fans
South Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £20, Under 18’s £15, Under 16’s £10
Family Tickets** 1 Adult + 2 Under 12’s £30, 2 Adults + 2 Under 12’s £45

Concessions apply to Over 60’s and Students, Members of the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and Disabled.

Official Programme £3

Stevenage vs Luton rivalry

Stevenage and Luton have both spent a fair whack of time in the lower leagues over the years and that fact along with the close proximity – just 15 miles – means their games can get heated.

Stevenage vs Barnet rivalry

This fixture is one born out of similar reasons to the Stevenage vs Luton rivalry. Barnet is just half an hour south of Stevenage, which puts bragging rights at stake when the teams meet. That combined with the fact most of the clubs in the area have long played at a higher level means this game carries a little extra than the norm.

Stevenage FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website)

For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the  Level Playing Field website.

Record Attendance

8,040 v Newcastle United
FA Cup 4th Round, 25th January 1998.

Average Attendance:

2019-2020: 2,906 (League Two)
2018-2019: 2,715 (League Two)
2017-2018: 2,611 (League Two)

Official Web Site:
www.stevenagefc.com 

Unofficial Web Sites:
BoroGuide
Supporters Association

If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.

Special thanks to Ashley Herbert and Gordon Abbott for providing some photos of the Lamex Stadium Stevenage, including the new North Stand.