Championship Clubs ready for a North invasion

May 31 2009 by Ben Kenyon, Sunday Sun

OUR footballing heroes on Teesside and Tyneside are gearing up for a new set of opponents next season. . . and here are the 22 grounds set to be invaded. Ben Kenyon provides a guide to next season’s rivals.

BRISTOL CITY

Stadium: Ashton Gate

Nickname: The Robins

Average attendance: 16,816

Mascot: Scrumpy the Robin

Favourite chant: Bristol City FC, to the tune of the traditional Irish song Wild Rover

Fanzine: One team in Bristol

Biggest honour: Welsh Cup winners: 1934

Is it far? 295 miles - flight to Bristol with Easyjet – 1hr

Verdict: An old-fashioned ground with plenty of character. North visitors may be pleasantly surprised

3 pies

QPR

Stadium: Loftus Road

Nickname: Rangers

Average attendance: 14,090

Mascot: Jude the Cat

Favourite chant: Park, Park wherever you may be . . . which continues in true taunting fashion

Fanzine: A Kick up the R’s

Pies & rating: Shire Foods pasties and chicken balti pie

Biggest honour: League Cup Winners 1966-67

is it far?: 283 miles – direct train to London kings - 3hr 20

Verdict: An easy journey into a tightly-packed but fairly friendly stadium

3 pies

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Stadium: Hillsborough

Nickname: The Owls

Average attendance: 21,541

Mascot: Barney the Owl

Favourite chant: Anything anti-Sheffield United

Fanzine: War of the Monster Trucks

Biggest honour: FA Cup Winners: 1896, 1907, 1935

Is it far? 130 miles – direct train to Sheffield – 2hr 10m

Verdict: A grand old stadium suffering from wear and tear a big away end.

3 pies

WATFORD

Stadium: Vicarage Road

Nickname: The Hornets

Average attendance: 14,858

Mascot: Harry and Harriet Hornet

Favourite chant: You are my Watford - their version of We Are the Geordies

Fanzine: Gloryhorns

Biggest honour: First Division Runners-up: 1982–83

is it far?: 267 miles – train change at London Kings Cross – 3hr42mins

Verdict: Not the most salubrious of settings but upgrade plans are underway

3 pies

DONCASTER ROVERS

Stadium: Keepmoat Stadium

Nickname: The Vikings

Average attendance: 11,964

Mascot: Donny the Dog

Favourite chant: You are my Rovers.

Fanzine: Popular Stand

Biggest honour: Football League Trophy Winners: 2007/2008

Is it far? 155miles – direct train - 1hr 25mins

Verdict: Interesting to look at from the outside but a super-modern, well- equipped stadium.

3 pies

CRYSTAL PALACE

Stadium: Selhurst Park

Nickname: The Eagles

Average attendance: 15,220

Mascot: Pete the Eagle

Favourite chant: Palace til I die

Fanzine: clubfanzine.com

Biggest honour: Zenith Data Systems Cup (Full Members Cup) Winners: 1991

Is it far? 290 miles – direct train to London kings - 3hr 20

Verdict: The 31st largest stadium in English football but it’s a little antiquated

3 pies

BLACKPOOL

Stadium: Bloomfield Road

Nickname: The Seasiders

Average attendance: 7842

Mascot: Bloomfield the Bear

Favourite chant: Blackpool are back

Fanzine: Another View From The Tower (AVFTT)

Biggest honour: FA Cup winners 1953

Is it far? 144 miles – train with 2 changes – 3hr 30mins

Verdict: Notts Forrest boss Billy Davies reckons Bloomfield’s stadium and pitch is “a disgrace”, which doesn’t bode well.

3 pies

COVENTRY CITY

Stadium: Ricoh Arena

Nickname: The Sky Blues

Average attendance: 17,407

Mascot: Sky Blue Sam

Favourite chant: In Our Coventry Homes . . anyone want a cathedral?

Fanzine: Twist N Shout

Biggest honour: FA Cup winners 1987

Is it far? 206 miles - train with one change at Birmingham new Street – 3hr 38 mins

Verdict: A very decent stadium attached to a shopping centre . . . female fans beware!

3 pies

DERBY COUNTY

Stadium: Pride Park

Nickname: The Rams

Average attendance: 29,440

Mascot: Rammie Ram

Favourite chant: And it’s Derby County . . . another Wild Rover variation

Fanzine: The Rams

Biggest honour: FA Cup winners 1946

Is it far? 162 miles – direct train – 2hr 20mins

Verdict: Could be a part of England’s World Cup 2018 bid.

3 pies

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Stadium: City Ground

Nickname: The Reds

Average attendance: 22,299

Mascot: Sherwood Bear

Favourite chant:“I never felt more like singing the blues, when Forest win, and Derby lose,” sung to the tune of Guy Mitchell’s Singing the Blues

Fanzine: Blooming Forest

Biggest honour: European Cup Winners, 1979, 1980

Is it far?160miles – train with one change – 3hr

Verdict: The eighth largest stadium in the Championship which boasts a great view, but parking has limited options.

3 pies

BARNSLEY

Stadium: Oakwell

Nickname: The Tykes

Average attendance: 13,189

Mascot: Toby Tyke

Favourite chant: Who are ya?

Fanzine: Total Tykes

Pies & rating: The delicious 'Football's Famous Chicken Balti Pie' (£2.30) is available inside the ground

Biggest honour: FA Cup Winners: 1912

Is it far? 117 miles –train with one change – 2hr 30mins

Verdict: Great atmosphere and good refreshments beckon.

3 pies

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

Stadium: Home Park

Nickname: The Pilgrims

Average attendance: 11,533

Mascot: Pilgrim Pete

Favourite chant: Plymouth Argyle FC’s version of the Wild Rover

Fanzine: Greens on Screen

Biggest honour: FA cup semi-finalists in 1984 while in Division 3.

Is it far? 408 miles – fly to Exeter with Flybe – around 1 hour. Or direct with Air Southwest in 90 minutes

Verdict: The southernmost team in the league, and having featured in Viz in 2006 as The Pirates of Plymouth Argyle, depicted as a shipload of 18th-century pirates, they’re not the North’s best friends.

3 pies

LEICESTER CITY

Stadium: Walker Stadium

Nickname: The Foxes

Average attendance: 20,253

Mascot: Filbert Fox

Favourite chant: When You’re Smiling

Fanzine: The Fox

Biggest honour: League Cup winners 1964, 1997, 2000

Is it far? 186 miles – train with one change – 2hr 51mins

Verdict: Won League One last season, and backed by a decent stadium and faithful fans.

3 pies

SCUNTHORPE UNITED

Stadium: Glanford Park

Nickname: The Iron

Average attendance: 5086

Mascot: Scunny the Bunny

Favourite chant: Scunthorpe Til I Die

Fanzine: Iron Bru

Biggest honour: Does being the highest placed club in Lincolnshire count?

Is it far? 135 miles - train with one change – 2hr 30mins

Verdict: A tiny stadium compared to what our boys are used to but the views of the pitch are said to be among the best in any league

3 pies

PETERBOROUGH

Stadium: London Road

Nickname: The Posh

Average attendance: 7598

Mascot: Mr Posh

Favourite chant: It’s Posh we are, and Posh we feel

Fanzine: Blue Moon

Biggest honour: Most goals ever scored by an English club in a single season – 134.

Is it far? 199 miles – direct train – 2hr

Verdict: London Road’s biggest boast seems to be the high profile visitors who have graced the pitch.