A profile of the home of Swindon Town
Having discovered that the Grecians will be commencing the 2017/18 campaign at home to Cambridge United, we offer a flying tour of the six new grounds that the Grecians will be visiting during the course of the next season.
Finally, Rory Ngah takes a look at:
Swindon Town – The County Ground
Fixture Date: August 12, 2017
Capacity: 15,728
Distance from St James Park: 119 Miles
Constructed in 1896, The County Ground has had an interesting and colourful history. For instance, during the Second World War it had the dubious honour of serving as a Prisoner of War camp for captured German soldiers.
Away supporters normally take up residence in the 1,200 capacity Arkell’s Stand. One of the oldest parts of the ground, it is named after the brewer Thomas Arkell, who donated £300 at the turn of the twentieth century for the construction of the stadium’s first stand.
Top tip for travelling fans: Pad up
Much like Vale Park, many of the pubs surrounding the County Ground are reserved for the use of home fans. Although there is a dedicated away bar at the stadium, many choose to make their way to the nearby Swindon Cricket Club for a cheap pint, a friendly atmosphere and inexpensive onsite parking.
With City visiting in August, it must be noted that the venue is only open for afternoon fixtures and is understandably unavailable when the club is hosting a fixture of its own.
City’s last visit: Swindon Town 1-2 Exeter City, August 11, 2015
The Grecian’s last visit to the County Ground occurred in the first round of the League Cup.
City notched two goals before half time through Tom Nichols and David Wheeler before Swindon fought back, with John Obika scoring in the 65th minute.
Fortunately, Exeter managed to hold out and progress into the next round of the cup.