Keepmoat Stadium/Eco-Power Stadium (Doncaster)

The Eco-Power Stadium (formerly known as Keepmoat Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Doncaster, England, with a capacity of 15,231. It is a part of the wider Lakeside Sports Complex that it resides within, and is used by Doncaster Rovers, Doncaster Rugby League Club and Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies Football Club.

General information

Arena capacity: 15,231 spectators

Address: Stadium Way, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, DN4 5JW

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 53°30′35″N 1°6′50″W

Year of construction: 2006

Construction cost: £20 million

Field: Desso GrassMaster lawn with dimensions of 109 x 76 yards

Seating plan of Keepmoat Stadium

South Stand

The South Stand is made up of a single tier of red seating, with the very back row at the same height along the whole stand and both the southeast and southwest corners. The letters DONCASTER are spelt out in white, although the letter T resembles a stick figure with arms out and is made out of black seating instead. An electronic scoreboard hangs on the back wall above the southwest corner.

There are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof and your view of the pitch from any seat is perfectly clear as a result.

West Stand

The West Stand is also single tiered, and its back row goes as far back as the adjacent South Stand does. The only exception is in the middle of the stand where the area holding the matchday camera can be found. Doncaster’s press boxes are based in front of this.

The club’s changing rooms, tunnel and dugouts can all be found inside the West Stand, and there are no supporting pillars coming down that would restrict the view for fans.

North Stand

The North Stand is an exact carbon-copy of the South Stand opposite.

It is single tiered with the letters DONCASTER spelt out in white amongst the red seats, and it again uses an image of a person with arms out to form the letter T in black.

The northeast corner has an electronic scoreboard on the wall above it, and there are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof in this stand either.

East Stand

The East Stand continues the single tier design of the rest of the interior, but has a row of executive boxes along the very back. The Club Doncaster executive seats can be found in a walled-off box down the very front, leaving visitors in there very close to the action on the pitch.

There are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof, ensuring a clear view of the game from any seat.

Away Fans

Away fans are housed behind the goal in the North Stand.

Depending on the allocation, just a couple of blocks are given to away supporters, whilst larger crowds are given the whole stand along with most of the northeast and northwest corners. Doncaster use stewards and large sheets to segregate the away fans from any home supporters nearby.

Views from anywhere inside this away section are perfectly clear as there are no supporting pillars coming down from roof.

Where to buy tickets?

Doncaster categorize their seating but not their matches, so the amount you’ll pay for your ticket will depend on where you want to sit, although the difference is nominal. How old you are will also determine how much you pay to attend a match. The club offer a healthy discount if buying in bulk as well as family tickets so they’re worth exploring. To be fair it looks like they have tried to make the pricing as affordable as possible.

Tickets are available online via the club’s official website, over the phone or by calling into the ticket office in person.

How to get there?

Located in South Yorkshire and not too far from the likes of Sheffield and Leeds, Doncaster is reasonably easy to reach via all of the usual methods of transport. Here are the ones you’ll typically consider using.

Train

Doncaster Railway Station is just under two miles away from the Keepmoat Stadium, so you are probably best taking a taxi to the ground. If you do have time on your hands and you fancy the long walk (around 25-30 minutes) then as you come out of the station turn right and then keep straight on this road (the A 6182 Trafford Way) and you will eventually reach the Keepmoat Stadium complex on your left.

Bus

The club operates a shuttle bus from the train station to the ground, though if you’d prefer public transport then bus numbers 73 and 58 serve the stadium from the centre of Doncaster and take around ten minutes to get you where you need to go.

You can catch First Bus Number 56, from the Doncaster Interchange bus station, which is adjacent the train station and under the Frenchgate Shopping Centre. Leaving from stand A3 (destination Rossington) it runs every 15 minutes on Saturday Afternoons. See the Travel South Yorkshire website. The journey time is around 15-20 minutes.

Car

From the A1(M) join the M18 Eastbound at Junction 35 (signposted Hull) or from the M1, join the M18 Eastbound at Junction 32.

Once on the M18, leave at Junction 3 and take the A6182 towards Doncaster (the stadium is well signposted from Junction 3 and is about one and a half miles away). You will pass a retail park on your left and then at the next island (which has the Lakeside Pub visible behind it) turn left onto White Rose Way. The Lakeside Shopping Centre is now on your right (the stadium is located directly behind the shopping centre). At the next island turn right onto the industrial estate and after passing the Tesco distribution centre on your right, turn right at the bottom of the road and the stadium is further down on your left.

Taxi

Getting a taxi from Doncaster Railway Station to the stadium will only take you about ten minutes and shouldn’t cost more than £5.

Parking

There are just 1,000 car parking spaces at the stadium, which will mean that for the bigger games, parking will be at a premium. There are 60 parking spaces reserved for disabled fans, which must be booked prior to matchday. The stadium management are also giving preference for parking to those cars carrying more than one passenger, but apparently this won’t be enforced. The cost of parking at the stadium is £5.

Having parked at the stadium it takes you nearly an hour to get out of the car park and back onto the main road after the game ends. Alternatively, a number of firms on the nearby industrial park, offer matchday parking at around £3-£4 per vehicle. If you happen to arrive a couple of hours before kick off then there is also some free street parking to be had in this area.

Away coaches are parked in Car Park number on the approach to the stadium. This is at a cost of £20. Coaches need to follow the stadium signs, then the entrance to the car park is directly ahead when you see the first group of car park stewards. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near in the local area via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.

Where to eat and sleep?

Doncaster is a surprisingly fun place to stay, so here are some of the hotels you might want to consider staying at.

1. Campanile Doncaster. Just over a mile from the stadium is this member of the Campanile chain of hotels that you probably associate with childhood trips to France. It has a rooftop terrace, a meeting room and free parking.
2. Grand St Leger Hotel. The Grand St. Leger Hotel is a fun little place around half a mile from the ground. It has 20 rooms, a conference space, free Wi-Fi and free parking.
3. The Earl of Doncaster Hotel. Just under a mile from Keepmoat Stadium is this hotel with 73 rooms, a fitness centre, a conference centre, a restaurant and a bar. There’s also free parking and, you guessed it, free Wi-Fi.

Doncaster has quite a few fun little watering holes that you might want to check out for your pre-match pint. Because of the fact that the stadium itself is a little outside the centre you might need to drink before you jump on public transport. Here’s some options for you.

1. The Lakeside Beefeater. Beefeaters aren’t exactly sports bars, but this one is near to the ground and more than a little bit popular with away fans. What it lacks in its sports facilities it makes up for with its menu, however, with plenty of decent food and drink options.
2. Cheswold Lodge Brewers Fayre. Another non-sports bar chain pub that isn’t shy about welcoming away supporters is this Brewers Fayre offering. More great food, standard drink options and a location a little further away from the ground but not exactly in France.
3. The Salutation. The Salutation is back into town, and has a great mix of cask ales and more modern tipples, as well as a great beer garden, a toasty open fire, and food served in large portions. It’s a big place too so ideal for a group of you.

Facilities

The facilities at Keepmoat Stadium are pretty impressive, even if the concourses do lack a little bit of personality. This is to be expected at a ground that has to host several different teams of different sports, however. It’s clean, comfortable and there are places to buy food and drinks before and during the match.

The main hospitality package at Keepmoat Stadium is membership of the Legends Club. It promises unrivalled VIP treatment, with a three-course pre-match meal at the Jibba Jabba Restaurant, a welcome drink when you arrive, access to a cash bar throughout the day, half-time refreshments and executive seats in The East Stand. You’ll also enjoy a visit from the Doncaster Rovers Man Of The Match, and you may even be selected to present them with the award yourself.

Keepmoat Stadium considers itself to be one of the foremost events venues in the Yorkshire region, so the options available to you are befitting of such a tag. You’ll be able to host conferences, banquets, dinner parties, exhibitions, musical events or even weddings at the stadium, should any of them tickle your fancy. They even host the local car boot sale on a Sunday if you are having a clear out!

History

The first match at the stadium was actually a rugby league game, with Sheffield Eagles taking on Doncaster Rovers Rugby League FC and beating them 16-10. The first game of football was actually against Huddersfield Town on 1st January 2007, though most records say it was against a Manchester United XI on 3rd of August that year. That’s because the stadium didn’t officially open until then.

The stadium was awarded ‘Best Match Day Experience’ at the Stadium Business Awards in 2010. As well as rugby and football matches the pitch has also been used to host numerous music concerts, including the likes of Ronan Keating, Sir Elton John and Bryan Adams.