Stadium/Travel help needed for a first time England visitor

[jmcclain19]

Hope this is the right place to post something like this.

I'll be making my first trip to England, where I'll be staying about halfway (apparently) between Bournemouth and Exeter for work for several months.

I was hoping that folks from that area, fans who've visited the area or are familiar with stadiums, could offer some recommendations for visiting stadiums in and around the southern part of England. Work will keep me pretty tied up, so I won’t be able to see games too far from my home base. But I am not missing out on some football while I’m there.

I'm incredibly excited, I've been following the EPL for about 8 years now, and this will be the first time I've stepped into a British stadium to watch these guys play.

But when it comes to stadiums this is where I show my lack of real football knowledge. I could tell you who scored the most EPL goals last season or how much Michael Owen’s transfer was, but I couldn't tell you what it feels like inside a Southampton game or what a match at Fratton Park smells like. That just comes from being a fan abroad who’s never been to a home game.

So any insight, thoughts, must see facilities, etc, especially in that region of England would be most appreciated.

Thanks for your time

[Matt Clark]

Well your nearest Premiership ground is likely to be Fratton Park. Which is a complete toilet, but has lots of atmosphere and the locals are friendly, in a bumpkin-ish sort of a way. Personally, I would keep it real and become a Bristol City fan. Bristol is about 70 miles from Exeter and is a nice place to boot. And if you fancy a bit of rough, you can head over the Severn Bridge and go and see Cardiff play. Try and make it next time West Ham are in town - always good for a giggle, that.

[RichardL]

Southampton is a tad nearer than Portsmouth, and you are probably more likely to get a ticket there. Neither are exactly totally on your doorstep, but neither are hardly a million miles away either, probably not much more than an hour by train, a bit more for Portsmouth.

Your nearest team may well be Yeovil Town, currently riding high in League Two, or maybe Bournemouth in League One.
If you are more down towards Exeter, then Plymouth could be considered, even if they are struggling at the moment in the CCC.

[jmcclain19]

thank you gentlemen for your responses