Hillsborough Stadium

Though Hillsborough has been the home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club since it opened in 1899, it is probably still remembered for all of the wrong reasons. The ground was the location for what remains the worst sporting disaster in British history, the Hillsborough disaster.

96 Liverpool fans lost their lives during an FA Cup match between the Merseyside club and Nottingham Forrest. The disaster completely changed the landscape of modern football, seeing all-seater stadiums introduced as standard across the Football League.

Though the tragedy must never be forgotten and the victims of it always in our minds, the stadium has plenty of history that we must also discuss. It has been used to host not only FA Cup semi-finals, for example, but also World Cup and European Championship matches. The club have also had planning permission accepted to increase the capacity to nearly 45,000 in order for it to be used in future international tournaments.

General information

Arena capacity: 39,732 spectators

Address: Owlerton, Sheffield, England S6 1SW

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 53°24′41″N 1°30′2″W

Year of construction: 2 September 1899

Field: Desso GrassMaster lawn with dimensions of 116 x 75 yards (approx 106x69m)

Seating plan of the Hillsborough Stadium

Although the ground has not had the level of new investment some other clubs have recently received, it is still a beautiful ground oozing character. It has four large separate stands, all of which are all covered and are roughly the same height, giving a uniform feel to the stadium.

On one side is the North Stand. This large single tiered stand was opened in 1961. It was hailed as an architectural marvel, as at the time it was the largest cantilever stand ever built in Britain and only the second such type of stand to have been constructed (the first was at the Old Showground in Scunthorpe). The two-tiered South Stand on one side of the ground is the largest of the stands and is superb looking. It was originally opened in 1914 and was designed by the famous football ground architect Archibald Leitch.

A second tier and new roof were added in 1996, to expand capacity for the European Championships, for which Hillsborough was a host venue. In keeping with the original look of the stand, a triangular gable incorporating a clock adorned with a copper football was placed on the new roof. The stand has a large lower tier with a small upper tier above. At the back of the lower tier is a row of executive boxes. The team dugouts and Directors Box are located on this side.

At one end is the Spion Kop. This was previously a huge open bank of terrace that was at one time the largest in Britain. It gained a roof in 1986 and was made all seated in 1993. Opposite is the West Stand or Leppings Lane End. This two-tiered stand was opened in 1966, in time for the Club to host some World Cup games played that year. Like the Kop, it has a number of large supporting pillars.

One corner of the ground is filled with seating between the North & West Stand, this area is uncovered. On the other side of the West Stand is a large video screen, under which is tucked a Police Control Box. Unusually for such an old ground, it doesn’t have a set of floodlight pylons. Instead the stadium is illuminated by lights running across the front of the stand roofs.

Outside the ground near the main entrance is a memorial to the 96 fans who died at Hillsborough in 1989, at the FA Cup Semi Final between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest.

Away fans

Away fans are normally placed in the upper tier of the West Stand (the Leppings Lane) end of the ground, where up to 3,700 away supporters can be accommodated. If there is a particularly large following (or for an FA Cup Tie) then the corner described above may also be made available, plus the lower tier of the West Stand. This can take the allocation up to 8,000.

Alternatively, if a small away support is expected then the open corner between the Leppings Lane & North Stand is only made available. There are a number of supporting pillars in the West Stand, which could impede your view. On the concourse food on sale includes; A range of Pies (£3.20), Sausage Rolls (£2.60), Burgers (£3.80) and Hot Dogs (£3.80). The ground is certainly one of the best in the League, if not the country, in terms of setting and attractiveness.

About a hundred yards down Leppings Lane there is a programme and football memorabilia shop, which is worth a visit. If you go to the front of the stadium into Herries Road, then on the right there is a Bieres Pork Sandwich Shop. You cannot miss it because there is always a queue (but they get through very quickly and efficiently). It does the most scrumptious pork sandwiches with buns from regular to jumbo and kingsize complete with crackling and all the works.

Where to buy tickets?

Sheffield Wednesday have different prices for their tickets depending on whether you want to sit in the Kop, The North Stand, The South Stand or The Grandstand. Within each section of the ground there are then different price categories depending on the level of opposition that The Owls are up against, just to make life ultra confusing. These range from Category G through to Category A. Here are the cheapest and most expensive ticket prices for adults and concessions in each section of the ground:

Home Fans

1. South Stand: Adults £49 Over 65’s £39/Under 21’s, Under 17’s £15, Under 11’s £10, Under 5’s £5*.
2. North Stand: Adults £45 Over 65’s £35/Under 21’s, Under 17’s £15, Under 11’s £10, Under 5’s £5*.
3. Kop Stand: Adults £42 Over 65’s/Under 21’s £32, Under 17’s £15, Under 11’s £10, Under 5’s £5*.

Away Fans

Adults £42 Over 65’s/Under 21’s £32, Under 17’s £15, Under 11’s £10.

* Under 5’s tickets have to be purchased in advance.

In addition current members of the Armed Forces and Under 21’s can qualify for the concessionary ticket price.

Like most top clubs, Sheffield Wednesday have a good website that you can buy tickets through. Alternatively you can call the club’s box office on their dedicated telephone line or you can pop in and see them at the ground itself.

How to get there?

Sheffield is a city that is constantly under-going transformation and its location as the base for two major universities means that its transport options are excellent. Hillsborough is a little outside of the centre of the city, yet getting to it is still reasonably simple. Here are some of the more traditional methods you might wish to use:

From the North, South and East you’ll want to take the M1 and exit at Junction 36. Follow the A61 to Sheffield and follow the signs to the ground. From the West you’ll take the A57 for Sheffield, taking the left fork, or A6101, when you get towards the city centre. At the junction with the A61 go left towards Barnsley and keep going until you see the stadium.

Car Parking

There is some street parking to be had if you arrive early, although some roads near to Hillsborough are permit only, so make sure to check for warning signs before you park. Otherwise, there are some unofficial car parks along the A61 that charge in the region of £4. There is a car park directly behind the Kop and the Wednesday Club shop. It is called the Wednesdayite car park and is open to fans of both teams. It costs £7 for visitors and its post code is S6 1QE.

Alternatively, you may find it easier to park at Meadowhall Railway Station, near to the well known Shopping Centre (unless of course it is in the run-up to Christmas or the January sales, when the shopping centre is very busy), just by Junction 34 of the M1, where you can park for free and then take a yellow tram to Leppings lane, which costs £3 return and takes about 35 minutes. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Hillsborough Stadium viaYourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Post Code for SAT NAV: S6 1SW

By train

Sheffield Railway Station is located over three miles away from the ground. Either get a taxi up to the ground (which cost around £10), or bus from the bus station which is a one minute walk away (as you leave the railway station entrance turn right. Cross over at the pedestrian crossing, and follow the signs).

Head for the far side of the terminus. Bus No.53 to Ecclesfield runs regularly to the ground (every ten minutes), the journey time is about 30 minutes. On matchdays regular shuttle buses run from the road at the far side of the bus station They are marked football.

Sheffield Tram

If arriving by train, then by far the easiest way to get to the ground is by Supertram, which has a stop right next to the railway station and they run every ten minutes during the day . Leaving the station on a blue tram, going towards Malin Bridge, you will reach the Hillsborough stop, where it is then around a ten minute walk to the ground.

Alternatively you can take another Supertram from Hillsborough this time on the yellow line to Leppings Lane which is right by the ground. You can also take the same blue tram from the railway station into the City Centre and change there onto a yellow tram (destination Middlewood) for the Leppings Lane stop. The journey time of the Supertram is around 20 minutes. You can buy an all day ticket onboard (they actually have conductors) for the Supertrams which works out cheaper than buying two single tickets.

The day ticket also has the added advantage that you can use it to also visit some of those excellent Real Ale pubs located around the city, however don’t blame anyone if you then don’t subsequently make it to the match! Called a ‘Dayrider’ it costs £3.90 for Adults and £2 for Children. For more details please visit the SuperTram website. The SuperTram also accept ‘PlusBus’ tickets, which you can purchase as an ‘add on’ when buying your train ticket.

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

Bus

There are a host of buses that run from Sheffield centre to Hillsborough. Flat Street Bus Terminal is just a quick walk from the train station and bus numbers 53, 77 and 80 all run from there to the ground. You can also get buses 74, 74a, 85, 86, and 57 from various parts of the city out to where the stadium is located.

Taxi

A journey from the city’s railway station to the ground should take a little over ten minutes and cost something in the region of £7. If you get stuck in traffic, which is a distinct possibility on a match day, then expect it to take longer and cost you more.

Facilities

Hillsborough hasn’t undergone any major reconstruction in recent years, so the concourses and ‘behind-the-scenes’ areas of the ground are found wanting when compared to some of the newer stadiums. It is still full of character, though, and you’ll find all of the usual places to buy food and drink, should you be hungry or thirsty before or during the game.

Hospitality

Unsurprisingly for a club with the rich history of Sheffield Wednesday, there are excellent hospitality packages available at Hillsborough. Most of the lounges and executive areas have been upgraded in the not too distant past, too, so the facilities are excellent. Here are some of the choices available to you:

• Director’s Box VIP Lounge. The absolutely best of the best is on offer here. You’ll enjoy a luxury four-course menu, complimentary bar and refreshments at half-time and full-time, reserved parking and the chance to watch the Man of the Match presentation after the game. you’ll also get padded seating in the Director’s Box area.
• South Stand Executive Box. Here you’ll get a private box, a three-course meal, padded balcony seats for up to ten guests, £75 worth of complimentary drinks, four car parking spaces and a free match day programme per guest.
• Dooley’s Restaurant. A three-course pre-match meal, cash bar and padded seating in The South Stand await you here. You’ll also get to listen in on pre and post-match analysis from an Owls legend.

Private hire

Given that the club refers to the stadium as ‘South Yorkshire’s Premier Conference and Events Venue’, it’s a reasonably safe bet that your private hire needs will be met with aplomb at Hillsborough. The club’s crack team of events personnel promise that pretty much any event or exhibition can be handled with ease, should that be something that you’re looking for them to do.

Perhaps you’re looking for somewhere to host a sales meeting or a training session. Maybe, like with Sheffield’s too big Universities – Sheffield Hallam and Sheffield University – you’re looking for somewhere to put on your exams. It’s possible that you’re a massive Owls fan and want to get married at the ground that you consider to be Mecca. All of these events and more are catered for easily enough at the stadium that is home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.

Pubs & Bars Near Hillsborough

A pub that admits away supporters is the Railway Hotel on Penniston Road, which is the main A61 that runs by the stadium. Walk up the A61 in the opposite direction to Sheffield City Centre (Meadowhall & M1), passing a Burger King and Garage on your left, and you will reach the pub on the right, just before a railway bridge.

There are also a couple of pubs (the Norfolk Arms & The Red Lion) on the way into Sheffield on the A61 from the M1, where away fans are drinking. There is an excellent Pub called The New Barrack Tavern on the A61 just before McDonalds on the way to the ground, from the city centre. Forget the exterior, inside the pub has some excellent decor and no juke boxes or fruit machines.

Pay attention to the New Barrack Tavern. It is a ‘proper’ pub, serving a great selection of real ales and imported lagers at reasonable prices. They also have really tasty, locally-made pork pies behind the bar. The pub’s roughly 15-20 minutes walk from the ground. This pub is owned by the Castle Rock Brewery and is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. It normally has seven beers on handpull, plus one cider polypin. It is also serves food.

Please note that this is a home pub that welcomes small numbers of visiting supporters who appreciate their real ale, not a pub specifically for away fans.

For those with a little bit more time on their hands or planning to travel to the ground by Supertram, then the Hillsborough Hotel near the Langsett/Primrose View tram stop (two stops from Hillsborough going towards Meadowhall/Halfway) is worth a visit. This CAMRA Good Beer Guide listed pub, has a range of real ales available, hot food and is home to the Crown Brewery, whose beers it also has on offer.

Also from the outside area at the back, you can see people descending down the artificial ski slope in the distance. From the Langsett/Primrose view stop. Cross over the road and walk back about 50 metres, in the direction of the city centre and the Hotel is on the corner. Afterwards just hop back on the tram (Yellow route – destination Middlewood) and get off at the Leppings Lane stop. An all-day ticket for the Supertram and is currently £3.70 and can be bought on board.

In Hillsborough itself (and conveniently situated by the tram stop, so much so that you can literally get straight off the tram and walk through the doors of the pub) is a Wetherspoons called the Rawson Spring. This pub is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and is about a 12-15 minute walk to the ground, or you can go back on the tram and up to the Leppings Lane stop. If you do go into this pub, then try to guess what the building was used for, before becoming a pub.

With regard to where to drink, pubs close to the ground are normally pretty crammed full on matchdays and not easy to park by. The tram route, which can be boarded at Sheffield Station, out to Hillsborough (tram stop for the ground is’ Leppings Lane’) passes a good few excellent pubs. It is the Yellow Route with ‘Middlewood’ on the destination board. In the city centre near the West Street Tram stop is the Red Deer pub, which serves several real ales.

By the University stop is the Harley, by the Shalesmoor stop is the Wellington, again real ales. and five minutes walk from that stop, by Kelham Island Museum (Alma Street) are the Fat Cat and Kelham Island Tavern, both jammed with real ale, and CAMRA Award winning pubs. If in a car you can park near these pubs and then use the tram to reach Hillsborough  An all-day tram ticket allows you to hop on and off as you choose. See the Supertram website for more information.

If arriving in Sheffield by train then visit The Howard pub, on Howard street opposite Sheffield Railway Station. It is a very warm and welcoming place for away fans to visit. A reasonable selection of the usual draught beers/lagers and three ales on the pump. Prices are very reasonable and a good selection of pub grub, including chicken curry and chips for £2.50. It is then a ten minute walk to Castle Square Tram station for the Yellow route.

Otherwise alcohol is available to visiting supporters in the away section of the ground. 500ml bottles of Carling are on sale at the not so cheap price of £3.50 a bottle. You also have to queue separately for beer or food, which isn’t great. Cans of John Smith’s Bitter (£3.30), Guinness (£3.80), plus bottles of Kingston Press (£3.70) and Bulmers Cider (£3.80) are also available as well as minature bottles of wine (£4.50) and spirits (£4.50).

Hillsborough Hotels

There are no shortage of hotel options in Sheffield, from small Bed & Breakfasts through to large, well-known chains. Here are some of our favourites.

1. The Garrison Hotel – £60+. Address: Hillsborough Barracks, Penistone Road, Sheffield, S6 2GB. The more eagle-eyed amongst you may have spotted the word ‘barracks’ in the address of this hotel. That is because it is actually the former military guardhouse and the building is full of the sort of character you’d expect from such a place. It’s Grade II listed and offers a restaurant, gardens and meeting rooms – all in a location just under a mile from the stadium.
2. Hampton By Hilton Sheffield – £70+. Address: West Bar Green, Sheffield, S1 2DA. You know what you’re getting from Hilton hotels, though the Hampton variation offers something a touch different from the norm. Even so this place still boasts a restaurant, a bar, a 24-hour fitness centre and self-parking. There’s also Wi-Fi available and a free continental breakfast included in your room rate. Distance-wise you’re looking at a journey of just over two miles to the ground.
3. Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel and Spa – £90+. Address: 119 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 2JE. Located directly next to Sheffield’s beautiful and much-loved Peace Gardens and about two and a half miles from Hillsborough is this excellent Mercure hotel. You’ll get access to the full-service spa, indoor pool and health club as well as the business centre, restaurant and bar.

History

Though the ground is synonymous with the Hillsborough disaster that occurred on the 15th of April 1989, it has a rich history that should also be spoken about. There are some interesting stories about Hillsborough’s history. For example, when the stadium was originally built in 1899 The South Stand was the same one that had stood at Olive Grove, the club’s previous ground.

It was reconstructed brick-by-brick when the new stadium was built in Owlerton. Hillsborough was used as the location for numerous international matches.