Gate Guide: Aston Villa

Wednesday, August 23rd 2017

City play their final game of August against Aston Villa at Ashton Gate on Friday night in front of the Sky Sports cameras (kick-off 7.45pm).

Here’s a guide of what to expect if you’re heading to Ashton Gate.

ORDER OF EVENTS

09.00 - Coffee Shop & Store opens
12.00 - Sports Bar & Pizzeria opens
18.15 - Turnstiles open
18.30 - People Like Us on stage
18.45 - Team announcements
19.00 - Sky Sports Football on air
19.45 - Kick-off - City v Aston Villa
20.30 - Half-time interval
20.45 - Second half begins
22.15 - Sky Sports Football off air

STADIUM

The South Stand, Dolman Stand and Lansdown Stand will be open for home supporters, including the new Family Area in the top tier of the Lansdown Stand.

Villa supporters will be housed in the Atyeo Stand.

TICKETS

A crowd of more than 20,000 is guaranteed for City’s Friday night encounter with Aston Villa in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Sky Sports televised game is proving popular with supporters, while around 3,000 Aston Villa fans are set to make the trip down the M5 to Bristol.

Tickets will remain on general sale online and by phone to 0117 963 0600, as well as being available on the night from the stadium’s matchday ticket office from 5pm.

BUY TICKETS

PARKING & TRAVEL

AG1, AG2 and AG4 First Bus routes will be operating.

For full information about Parking and Travel, click here.

Beware of some minor road closures around the city - full details here.

SCOTT MURRAY'S GUIDE TO ASHTON GATE

SPORTS BAR & PIZZERIA

The new Fan Village will be in operation, with a raft of food and drink outlets, while the relaunched Sports Bar & Pizzeria will open its doors to City supporters from midday. The Coffee Shop opens at 9am.

CONCESSIONS OFFERS

- Two pints of Thatchers Gold is available for £7 – but only prior to kick-off. With season card discount, that’s just £6.30, or £3.15 a pint.

- Hot drinks are now available from the concessions stands two and three, closest to the South Stand.

- Five random supporters will be handed £5 vouchers before the game around the concourses.

STORE

The Store at Ashton Gate will open from 9am. Home and away kits are in stock.

WELL RED

The new-look matchday programme will be on sale around the ground, as well as from the matchday ticket office and the food and drink concession stands inside the stadium, following feedback from supporters. It still costs just £3.

SUPPORTERS CLUB & TRUST BAR

A reminder that access to the new Supporters Club and Trust Bar is via the Sports Bar & Pizzeria. Go through the main bar and up the stairs at the far end. The bar is on your left at the top of the stairs. There is a lift that takes you straight there as well.

RUCKSACKS

Ashton Gate Stadium asks supporters not to bring large rucksacks on matchdays, following advice from the National Counter Terrorism Office and Avon and Somerset Police.

Fans will still be able to bring smaller handbags into the stadium, although these will be subject to the usual search process.

An Ashton Gate spokesman said: “The searching process will always be subject to change and whilst there is no specific threat to any Sports Ground, we must ensure that we remain vigilant and the message to spectators is to ‘Be Alert not Alarmed’.”

If larger bags are brought to the stadium, they will be subject to a thorough search, with a bag and tag procedure in place.