Glasgow Warriors - Scotstoun Stadium

 

From the 2012-13 season, Glasgow Warriors have been playing home fixtures at Scotstoun Stadium in the West of the city. Warriors fans seem to be relatively happy with their new home, and the opportunity to set up proper roots at the ground following a rather nomadic existence in their early years. As with rivals Edinburgh, Glasgow were set up to compete in the professional Celtic League (now Pro12) and European Cup.

The team has been going from strength to strength in recent years, culminating in a first ever Pro 12 championship title and progression in Europe. More and more fans are being drawn towards Scotstoun on matchdays, with a great rowdy atmosphere forming.


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Scotstoun is a modern stadium which doubles as Glasgow's athletics venue and therefore has a running track around the pitch. It is also the current host venue for the Scottish leg of the IRB World Sevens series. Scotstoun is owned and operated by Glasgow Life, an "arms-length" branch of the City Council. Glasgow Warriors trained at Scotstoun for a few years before agreeing to play home games there from 2012. Situated in the West End of Glasgow (if there is such thing as a rugby heartland of this football-mad city it is here), the ground is close to the Northern end of the Clyde Tunnel.


There are two permanent stands at Scotstoun. The Main Stand sits on the Southern side of the ground, and despite the running track there are good views of the pitch. One tip is to try and sit on the Eastern side of the stand if you can, as the Western end can be a bit chilly due to the prevailing winds. The North stand on the other side of the pitch is a smaller structure, but it is handier for outside bars and the clubhouse. For some matches a temporary covered standing area has been put in place known as the East Terrace, but it's best to check your match details specifically if this exists. As one visitor commented, if it's not there you can get soaked to the skin!

The club make a real effort to create a family atmosphere on matchdays, with bouncy castles and other entertainment for youngsters laid on, and a clubhouse to keep the adults amused. This is normally a hall for the adjacent leisure centre which is converted into a bar for Warriors games. It is a tad echoey but usually is a good place to keep warm and there is plenty of room. The idea was influenced by the fan village at Parc y Scarlets, and the club are experimenting with different bands and types of food to try and strike the right balance. Players and coaches regularly drop in for Q&A sessions before and after the game too.



Getting There                                                                                   Back to Top ^ 


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By Car

Parking is not available at the stadium, so leaving the car at home is recommended. The area surrounding the stadium is residential, and a permit-only system is strictly enforced on match nights. If you're lucky though, free parking is available on the South side of Dumbarton Road and on some side streets, with a 5-10 minute walk to the ground from there.

Wasps fan Trevor Wilson has offered some useful information on a park and ride scheme for those driving from the South. Upon leaving the M74 at Junction 1, follow signs for the Shields Road Park and Ride which you will come across shortly after exiting the motorway. The Park and Ride is beside an underground station, and for £5 you can park all day and they even throw in one return subway ticket so you can avoid the traffic and hassle of finding a parking space in town - you can book in advance here.

You can also take a cab from the City Centre, and if there are enough of you to fill one it will probably more out cheaper than the train. There are cab ranks at Central station, Queen Street station, Hillhead subway or you can usually flag a black cab down pretty easily.


By Train

The nearest train station is Scotstounhill, about 5-10 minute's walk away. This connects with the two main stations of the city, Central and Queen Street (lower) in around 20 minutes. You may have to change trains at Partick, but as it's usually only a 5-minute stopover don't let this put you off. Jordanhill, Hyndland and Patrick stations are also within walking distance of the ground. National Rail Enquiries can provide more detail.

By Bus

There are several bus routes that drop off near to the ground. The No 1 / 1A / 1B services run regularly from outside the Radisson Hotel on Argyle Street (SW of Central station). The stop for Scotstoun is just before Harland Street on Dumbarton Road, about a 10 minute journey. From there its a two-minute walk to the stadium which can be seen from the bus stop. Ask the driver for Scotstoun stadium and they will be able to tell you where to get off. You could get a return, or alternatively get a single then head to the bars of Byres Road and Ashton Lane after the game.

First Glasgow operate routes 9, 42 (both to Drumchapel), 62 (to Faifley) and 204/205 (Balloch/Helensburgh), all of which serve Scotstoun.

Finally, the Number 2 bus (operated by First) leaves from Hope Street outside the NW entrance of Glasgow Central station - alight on Dumbarton Road which is a short walk from the stadium. Thanks to Alex for his input.

By Air

There are two airports in Glasgow;

Glasgow International

The International Airport is by far the closest of the two, located around 10km West of the City Centre. A wide range of airlines operate into the airport, including Easyjet (to Belfast, Bristol, London and Paris amongst others), Flybe (to Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter, Manchester, East Midlands, Paris, Southampton), Aer Lingus (to Cork and Dublin) and British Airways (to London).

Regular bus services run from the Airport to the City Centre, with the journey taking around 30 minutes depending on the traffic. Buses leave from just outside the terminal entrance.

Glasgow Prestwick

Glasgow Prestwick is around 50km to the SW of the City. Nearly all services are operated by Ryanair, including those to Derry, Dublin and Paris (Beauvais). Although it is further out of town, there is a train station at the airport and Glasgow Central is only 45 minutes away by rail. 


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In The Ground

In addition to the clubhouse mentioned above, there are several other bars in the ground for the thirsty punter.

Before/After the Game

The majority of Warriors fans go straight to the ground so there aren't any specific meeting points for rugby-goers. Instead, here are a few recommendations for those new to the City;

  • The West End of Glasgow has more high-quality bars and restaurants than many city-centres, and is en-route to the ground too. Get the subway to Hillhead and head to Byres Road, or nip behind the station to Ashton Lane, a cobbled street lined with bars and restaurants. When kick-off approaches, you can either walk or jump in a taxi to the ground.
  • There are two pubs near to the ground - Granny Gibbs on the Dumbarton Road (5-minutes walk from the ground) and the Three Craws on Crow Road (15-minutes walk and adjacent to Jordanhill station). Whilst they do the job, our Glasgwegian friends reckon there are better alternatives in the West End. A good compromise is the Esquire Wetherspoons at Anniesland which is right beside a well-connected rail station and taxi rank.
  • The City Centre of Glasgow is well connected to Scotstoun by rail, and offers pretty much every type of drinking establishment you can think of, so everyone should be catered for. View Glasgow is a good site to find listings of events going on in town, as well as a comprehensive guide to pubs, bars and clubs.

The Main Stand at Scotstoun

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In the Ground

There are food outlets within the ground itself - with Veniburgers getting good reviews in these early days at Scotstoun! As is mandatory at Scottish rugby games, you can also get a proper Scotch pie at the ground.

Before / After the Game

Glasgow has a reputation for fine food, and there are plenty of excellent restaurants on offer.

  • The West End is popular with local foodies - head to Hillhead metro to explore the restaurants of Byres Road and the surrounding streets.
  • Back in the City Centre, the Merchant City quarter is a good bet.
  • Glasgow is regularly voted the curry capital of Britain, so post-match curry fans are in luck here. Balbir's just off Byres Road (nearest subway Kelvinhall) has received good reviews and is a couple of miles from the ground.

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Glasgow is a popular destination for tourists and business travellers alike, so there is no shortage of budget and luxury accommodation. The usual chains (Best Western, Premier Inn, Holiday Inn, Thistle, Malmaison) are mostly situated in the City Centre. For those on a tight budget, the Easyhotel in town can be as little as £25 a night, if you can handle having no windows!



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In Town

Glasgow can sometimes get a bit of a bad rap, particularly South of the border, and we have absolutely no idea why. There is plenty to see and do here, and lots going on in the build-up to the city hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, if the bars and restaurants aren't enough to keep you entertained.

  • If the weather is kind and you fancy spending sometime outdoors, the Botanic Gardens and Kelvingrove Park in the West End are perfect places to do so.
  • Glasgow's live music scene is always buzzing, and there are venues galore throughout the city. Try the Barrowlands, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut or the 13th Note to start off your hunt, or visit the Gig Guide to view full listings and uncover the next big thing.
  • Glasgow City Centre has city centre shopping equal to any large city in the UK, if that's your thing.

Off the Beaten Path

Glasgow is a great gateway to much of what Scotland has to offer.

  • A quick hop on the train South West of the city takes you to Ayrshire, home of famous poet Robert Burns and popular seaside resorts like Ardrossan and Troon (also home to the world-class golf course). Ships from Ardrossan regularly sail for the beautiful Isle of Arran.
  • Just to the North West of Glasgow is Loch Lomond, one of Scotland's top tourist destinations and easily accessible from Glasgow Queen Street to the town of Balloch.
  • The historic city of Stirling is a short train journey North East from Glasgow Queen Street, and is a good base for trips further into the Scottish Highlands.
  • Around 50 miles to the East of Glasgow is the capital city of Edinburgh, easily accessed by train or bus connections.

Key Information

Disabled Supporters

  • Disabled supporters and those with mobility issues should contact the club in advance to make arrangements. 

  • Can you provide some information for this section? Let us know here.

And Then There Were Two...

  • Originally there were four Scottish sides created to compete in the professional rugby competitions. However, due to financial constraints only two currently remain.

  • The Caledonia Reds covered the North and Midlands of Scotland, with home fixtures played in Perth and Aberdeen. They were merged after only two seasons with Glasgow.

  • The Border Reivers were based in the rugby stronghold of Galashiels, but as with the Reds were disbanded in 2007.

Performances

  • In the Celtic League, Glasgow qualified for the semi-finals in the inaugural 2001-02 season and the quarter-finals the following year before performances tailed off and a few seasons of mid to low-table finishes followed.

  • In recent years Glasgow have qualified for the end of season playoffs (2011-12 and 2012-13) and the final of the Pro12 in 2013-14. The steady rise culminated in a superb 2014-15 season, where an attacking brand of rugby took them all the way to the Pro12 title with victory over Munster in the final at Ravenhill.

  • On the European stage, Glasgow have competed in the Heineken Cup since 1997-98, with mixed results. In their first season, the Warriors finished second in their group before being hammered by Leicester Tigers 90-19 in a play-off match, the only time so far they have made it into the knockout stages.

  • The side have also competed twice in the second-tier Challenge Cup, qualifying for the Quarter-Finals in 2006-07 before being defeated by Saracens

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