Memorial Stadium – Bristol Rovers

The Memorial Ground was originally the home of Bristol Rugby Club. Although the Rugby Club are no longer in residence and Bristol Rovers FC have been there for over 20 years, the odd-looking stands still make it feel as though football was not its first love.

On one side is the Your Electrical (West) Stand, which with its pavilion looks more like a cricket stand. It has a row of hospitality boxes across the top, with a few rows of seats in front. Below is an area of terrace. Just under this stand’s roof is a television gantry and a small electric scoreboard. The stand runs for about half the length of the pitch and straddles the halfway line. On one side of it, towards the Thatchers End is a small covered terrace, used as a family area, whilst the other side has a small covered area of temporary seating, called the South West Stand. Opposite is the Poplar Insulation (East) Stand, taller than the West Stand, but similar in length. This stand has covered seating to its rear and terracing at the front. It has open terracing to either side, one of which is given to away supporters. The team dugouts are located in front of this stand, although the dressing rooms are located behind the West Stand. This leads to quite a procession of players and officials at half time and full time.

At one end is the unusual looking Brunel Group (South) Stand. This was originally erected as a temporary stand, to fill the previously empty end. It has now been opened for a number of seasons now, although it still looks, with its green seats and bright white roof, more suitable for an outdoor show jumping competition than a football ground. The stand only runs for just over half the width of the pitch, has several supporting pillars running across the front and has been nicknamed ‘the tent’ by Rovers fans. Opposite is the Thatchers End, which is a covered terrace for home supporters.

After abandoning proposals to build a new 21,700 capacity stadium at the University of West England, on the outskirts of Bristol, the Club announced their intention to revamp and expand the Memorial Stadium. However, it appears that the Club are also still considering moving to a new site, identifying the old Fruit Market in Bristol as a possibility. Although this would face a number of hurdles, one of which is that the site has a number of landowners.

Away supporters are mostly housed in an open terrace, located on one side of the Poplar Insulation (East) Stand. This area is open to the elements so you might get wet if it rains, plus it is difficult for away fans to really generate some noise from this area. Up to 1,100 away supporters can be accommodated on this terrace. If the weather is poor then it may be a better bet to head for one of the seats that are made available to away fans in the Brunel Group (South) Stand at one end of the ground. Although the stand is of the temporary variety it is covered, although it does have a number of supporting pillars running across the front of it, that may impede your view. On sale inside the stadium are Cornish Pasties baked by the Proper Cornish Food Company in Bodmin, Cornwall. The traditional meat pasty costs £4, whilst a Cheese and Onion Pasty costs £3.50. There are also Steak & Ale Pies (£4), Premium Sausage Rolls (£4) and Chunky Pork, Bacon & Maple Sausage Rolls (£3) that are produced by Piglets Pantry. I did not experience any problems on my visits, however, I noted that the Rovers fans seemed to tolerate away fans rather than being over friendly. They can still do a good rendition of their club anthem ‘Goodnight Irene,’ when the occasion stirs.

I found it quite amusing that the Rovers fans are nicknamed gasheads. Nick Wootten of Bristol informed me that this term comes from where the old Eastville stadium in Bristol was sited. Next to a (sometimes smelly) gas works! In fact, it was rumoured that if Rovers were losing at half time, the gas would be turned up, to put off the opposition!

There is a bar behind the clubhouse terrace at the ground that allows in away supporters. Not far from the Memorial Stadium on Gloucester Road is the Wellington. This pub which is owned by Bath Ales, serves food too and normally has a mix of home and away fans on matchdays. Also on Gloucester Road is a recently opened micropub called the Drapers Arms. Rhys Gwynllyw a visiting Wrexham supporter recommends the Annexe Inn on Seymour Road. Located half mile away from the stadium, this pub along with the Drapers Arms are listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. It is close to the County Cricket Ground, going further along the A38 towards Bristol. After passing an Indian Restaurant called Guru, turn left into Nevil Road and then right at the Sportsman Pub into Seymour Road. Other pubs near to the stadium such as the Queen Vic, the Anchor and the Royal Oak, are best avoided by visiting supporters. Please note that alcohol is not made available to away fans inside the stadium.

King Street Brew House

The King Street Brew House is a city centre pub & microbrewery located on the cobbled street corner of King Street and Welsh Back waterside. It is handily placed if you are arriving at Bristol Temple Meads railway station or going into the city centre before or after the game. The bar has up to 18 different beers on tap, some of which are produced on site & serves food from lunch time until late. In addition, the pub is family friendly, shows Sky/BT sports & has lots of space inside and out.
Address: King Street Brew House, Welsh Back, Bristol, BS1 4RR
Tel: 01174 058 948. Location Map.
Website: King Street Brew House

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Exit M5 at junction 16 (Signposted Filton) and join the A38 (South) towards Bristol City Centre. The ground is about five miles down the A38. You will pass the large British Aerospace works and further on, you will pass on your left the Inn on the Green and the Gloucester pubs. You then pass the Wellington pub on your right and continuing along the A38 Gloucester Road, turn left into Filton Avenue. The entrance to the Club car park is the second right down this road. There is a fair amount of street parking around the sides and back of the Wellington pub. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Memorial Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Post Code for SAT NAV: BS7 0BF

The nearest railway station is Filton Abbey Wood, which as Peter Moody informs me; ‘is approximately 1.8 miles or 35 minutes walk away from the Memorial Stadium’. More likely though you will end up at Bristol Temple Meads which is about three miles away from the ground and is really too far to walk from, so you are probably best to jump in a taxi (cost about £10) or bus number 73 run from the railway station along Gloucester Road and past the Memorial Stadium.

Jon Brown a visiting Oxford United fan informs me; ‘Montpelier Railway Station is also in walking distance of the Memorial Ground, taking around 25-30 minutes and is pretty much equidistant with Filton Abbey Wood. Along the walk from the station, there are several excellent pubs en route to the ground – not least the Annexe Inn and Drapers Arms, already listed on this website.  Trains run reasonably regularly from Temple Meads to Montpelier, making it a much more attractive proposition for away fans than Filton or Parkway’.

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:

Like a number of Clubs, Bristol Rovers have a category system (A & B) for ticket prices, with the most popular games costing more to watch. Category A prices are shown below with Category B prices shown in brackets:

Home Fans*
Your Electrical (West) Stand (Seating): Adults £26 (B £24), Under 22’s £23 (B £21) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £20 (B £18)
Your Electrical (West) Stand (Terrace): Adults £20 (B £18), Under 22’s £14 (B £12) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £11 (B £9)
Poplar Insulation (East) Stand (Seating): Adults £24 (B £22), Under 22’s £20 (B £18) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £15 (B £13)
Poplar Insulation (East) Stand (Terrace): Adults £18 (B £16), Under 22’s £14 (B £12) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £10 (B £8)
Family Enclosure: Adults £18 (B £16), Under 22’s £14 (B £12) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £7 (B £5)
Brunel Group (South) Stand (Seated): Adults £21 (B £19), Under 22’s £17 (B £15) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £12 (B £10)
Thatchers End: Adults £18 (B £16), Under 22’s £14 (B £12) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £10 (B £8)

Away Fans*
Poplar Insulation (East) Stand (Terrace):  Adults £18 (B £16), Under 22’s £14 (B £12) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £10 (B £8)
Brunel Group (South) Stand (Seated):  Adults £21 (B £19), Under 22’s £17 (B £15) Over 65’s/Under 16’s £12 (B £10)

* The above prices quoted are for tickets purchased prior to matchday. Tickets purchased on matchday cost £2 more per ticket.

Official Programme: £3

Since their formation Bristol Rovers have played their home games at no fewer than eight stadiums. EIGHT! That’s a lot. They started out at Purdown before a seven year spell at Three Acres and a short stint at at the Schoolmasters Cricket Ground. Durdham Down, Ridgeway and Eastville Stadium were then rattled through in just four short years. Eventually, home was found and we had somewhere to actually call the Bristol Rovers ground. It was Twerton Park where Rovers would spend 110 years. In 1996 they moved from there to the Memorial Stadium where they play their games today.

Bristol Rovers vs Bristol City rivalry: When you’ve got two football clubs in one city you’re always likely to have a rather heated match; that’s exactly what unfolds at Bristol Rovers’ ground when City visit. The duo have locked horns over 200 times with the Robins having a vastly superior win rate to Rovers.

Bristol Rovers vs Swindon rivalry: The rivalry between Bristol Rovers and Swindon isn’t nearly as strong as that in the cross city derby but it’s still heated. Only 35 miles keep Swindon and Rovers apart and therefore there is always extra spice when the two teams play.

Bristol Rovers 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.

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

If you’re into historical ships then the first steam ship the SS Great Britain is moored at the historic dockyards. The area around the docks is quite pleasant with some good pubs. If arriving by train you can get a ferry boat to the dock yards from Temple Meads station.

Record Attendance

At The Memorial Stadium:
12,011 v West Bromwich Albion
FA Cup 6th Round, 9th February 2008.

At Eastville:
38,472 v Preston North End
FA Cup 4th Round, 30th January 1960.

Average Attendance

2019-2020: 7,348 (League One)
2018-2019: 8,320 (League One)
2017-2018: 8,933 (League One)

Official Web Site: 
www.bristolrovers.co.uk
Unofficial Web Sites:
Supporters Club
Vital Gas (Vital Football Network)
Not 606 Message Board

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