Optima Stadium – Weston-super-Mare

The Optima Stadium is a modern looking but rather simple looking ground that was opened in 2004. Half the stadium (one side and one end) doesn’t have any facilities for spectators as such, apart from a small hard standing area around the perimeter fence and a small covered area behind one goal. The biggest stand is at North End of the stadium, which is an odd fair. It is generally a good-sized covered terrace (with a capacity of nearly 2,000), but incorporating a small block of seating, which is situated directly behind the goal. The seating area of around 200 seats, is just four rows high, meaning there is terrace behind and to each side of it. I can only assume that the seats were put in place to allow the club to comply with league regulations for the number of seats a club must have at their home ground. As otherwise there doesn’t seem to be a logical explanation as to why the seats were put there in the first place. On one side are two small covered seated areas, that sit astride the player’s tunnel on the half way line. Oddly the team dugouts are located on the opposite side of the ground on the open side, leading to a procession of players and officials at half and full time. The ground is completed with a set of four tall looking floodlights.

In 2019 the Woodspring Stadium was renamed the Optima Stadium in a three-year corporate sponsorship team.

Weston-super-Mare plays in the BetVictor Southern League Premier Division South. This is at Step 3 below the Football League and one League below the National Leagues North and South.

A visit to the Woodspring Stadium is normally a fairly relaxed day out. The facilities inside the stadium are fine, although the normally sparse attendances don’t do much to create atmosphere. As nearly all matches are not segregated then this means that visiting fans can gain access to the Clubhouse at half time. Weston-super-Mare is one of the better seaside towns in England, so why not make a weekend of it?

There is a sizeable and comfortable club house at the ground. Russell Cooper adds; ‘The nearest pub is the Walnut Tree on Winterstoke Road. It is around a ten minute walk away’. With the stadium entrance behind you turn right and the pub is further down this road on the left.

Leave the M5 at Junction 21 and take the A370 towards Weston town centre. Continue across three roundabouts and at the 4th (where there is a McDonalds) turn left into Winterstoke Road. Go straight across the mini roundabout, over a railway bridge and you will see the ground on your right hand side. There is a fair sized car park at the stadium.

Weston-super-Mare Railway Station is situated around a mile and a half away from the stadium, which is a 25-30 minute walk away. It is served by trains from Bristol Temple Meads.

As you come out of the station entrance turn right and then follow the station approach road around to the left. At the bottom of this road you will reach a T-junction where you turn left. You will then reach another T-junction with the A370 dual carriageway, where you turn right. Continue along the A370 passing by two roundabouts and an Asda store on your left. At the third roundabout that you reach (with a McDonalds outlet on one side) take the third exit onto Winterstoke Road (signposted Weston Industrial Estate). The stadium is further down this road on the right.

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:

Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.

Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.

Click on the trainline logo below:

Adults £12
Concessions £8
Under 16’s £3
Under 8’s Free
Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Under 16’s) £20

Concessions apply to Over 60’s, Students, Members of the Armed Forces, or working in the NHS.

Official Matchday Programme £3.

Weston-super-Mare FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).

Clevedon Town and Bath City.

Record Attendance
2,949 v Doncaster Rovers
FA Cup First Round, 18th November 2014.

Average Attendance
2018-2019: 656 (National League South)
2017-2018: 495 (National League South)
2016-2017: 435 (National League South)

If you require hotel accommodation in Weston-super-Mare area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com . They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.

Official Web Site: www.westonsmareafc.co.uk
Unofficial Web Site: None at present

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 Russell Cox for supplying the photos of the Woodspring Stadium. Russell has his own Football Grounds blog called The Wycombe Wanderer.