Know the Ground - Sandy Park

By David Percy
June 25 2007

The 10th of November sees Northampton Saints play their tenth Div 1 game, against Exeter Chiefs, at their new(ish) home, Sandy Park. One of the bigger, and more professional sides that we will be playing against, Exeter are sure to want to ‘see off’ our side of big name players at their impressive ground.

Director of Rugby Peter Drewett and Chairman Tony Rowe have big plans for the Chiefs, and have strengthened the squad in the close season, including our old boy Brett Sturgess, who, like so many ex Saints will have a point to prove, and this week saw the whole squad training with the Royal Marines at their home a few miles down the River Exe at Lympstone. 

Sandy Park is in its second season as home to the Chiefs, having moved from the County Ground in the St Thomas’s area of the City, ‘Welcome to Exeter’ is adorned from the bridge as you leave the M5 motorway at Jcn. 30, and Saints fans will not overwhelm the home support, as the ground is used to large crowds, having held an England A fixture last season, the new stand  accommodates 2400 supporters, plus seating in the opposite stand that backs onto the M5 motorway, a high mesh fence stopping stray balls landing in the fast lane!  

There is no parking at the ground itself, apart from disabled (ring ahead to book), but has an impressive array of travel options, like park and walk, park and ride, and has a local railway station nearby, a lot of home supporters come in from the West of the County (I know from experience!), the train calls at Exeter St Davids then up the hill to Central to the station nearest the ground Digby and Sowton, which is on the Exmouth line, and runs every half hour. 

Where to stay, well, Exeter is the obvious choice, but if you are looking to make a weekend of it, why not look at staying by the seaside, the resorts of Exmouth, Paignton, Torquay, Teignmouth and Dawlish are bound to be quiet in November, and all these places have an hourly train service direct to and from the ground.  

Ticket prices for games range from the cheapest Adult ones at £12, Children a very reasonable £2, to the dearest in the West stand, Adults at £16, Children at £8. As far as I know, there are no pubs close to hand, I imagine some Exe fans will put me right, but there are bars and food at the ground, but my drinking holes of choice are the ones near St Davids station, the Great Western Hotel, and any one of a selection by the Red Cow level crossing. This is the one away trip that I am looking forward to the most, make the effort and get down to Exeter if you can, it is ‘do-able’ in a day from Northampton, about 180 miles each way, it’s a real Rugby City, and well worth making a weekend of it.