Home to Cheltenham Town since 1932, The EV Charger Points Stadium, commonly known as Whaddon Road, has undergone many name changes in recent years. With a capacity of 7,066, this ground is the second largest in the county of Gloucestershire, only behind Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm Stadium. It made its EFL debut in 1999 and has seen action in both EFL League One and EFL League Two as well as non-league football.
Cheltenham Town Stadium Stats
Located to the north-east of Cheltenham town centre, Whaddon Road was built in 1927 by a local brewing company, but would not host The Robins until a few years later. It has been home to Cheltenham since 1932, but has also hosted other clubs, most notably local non-league side Gloucester City between 2010 and 2017. It is also a venue for local cup finals, and has hosted four international matches in its history, all involving England youth or amateur teams.
Cheltenham Town Stadium Key Facts
Capacity: 7,066 (3,912 seated)
Address: Whaddon Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 5NA
Year Opened: 1927
Home Team(s): Cheltenham Town Football Club
Record Attendance: 8,326 (Cheltenham Town 1-2 Reading, 17th November 1956)
Owner: Cheltenham Town Football Club
First Fixture: Unknown
Cheltenham Town Stadium Design and Architecture
Like many other lower-league stadiums, Whaddon Road is largely confined by the houses surrounding the ground and gives it an asymmetric shape. All four stands have roofs, with the main stand being the only one not to run the entire length of the touchline. The main stand holds 1,600 people and has a mix of terracing and seated capacity, and is also home to the changing rooms and hospitality suites. The Whaddon Road stand is an all seater stand housing 1,100 fans, and is the dedicated away stand for fixtures.
The Wymans Road or Colin Farmer Stand is the largest in the stadium, with a capacity of 2,000, all of which is seated. For matches where the away team will have a large following, they will open up a few blocks for the extra capacity but is mainly a home team stand, and where some of Cheltenham’s most passionate supporters will base themselves in the block one singing section. The final stand is a terraced stand which also holds up to 2,000 fans.
Cheltenham Town Stadium Seating Plan
Cheltenham Town Stadium Layout. Photo from Cheltenham Town FC Website.
The Main Stand at Whaddon Road is the oldest in the ground, having been originally built in 1963 and houses all of the club’s facilities from the changing rooms, hospitality suites and the press box. It is a mixture of seating and terraces, with a capacity of 1,600 fans. This is also home to the family section, located in block C of the seating area. It is the only stand of the ground not to run the length or width of the pitch.
The Colin Farmer Stand is the other lengthways stand, with a capacity of 2,000 fans. Originally opened in 2001, this stand is an all seater stand which also holds a few of the travelling fans for matches with particularly large away followings. This stand is also where the dedicated noise section is, sitting in block one, closest to the Prestbury Road End.
The Hazlewoods Stand is the all-seater dedicated away stand of the stadium. This stand is the newest at the ground, having been opened in 2005 as The Carlsberg Stand. It has a capacity of 1,100, the lowest of any stand in the ground. It briefly was a home stand, but that change only lasted one season.
The Prestbury Road End is the only fully terraced stand at Whaddon Road. With a capacity of 2,000 stand, it is the only one not to have a traditional box shape. In the back right corner, it tails inwards, similar to that of Kenilworth Road or Goodison Park, and also extends around the corner of the pitch beside the main stand for an open aired terrace section. A roof was added to this stand in the 2000-01 season.
Cheltenham Town Stadium Tickets & Pricing
There are always tickets readily available for those wanting to watch football games at Whaddon Road. Cheltenham offer very cheap and competitive prices for their matches, with tickets available from £7 for home games and those that want to follow the club on the road, could get a ticket from as low as £4 for children. A standard adult ticket at Whaddon Road will set you back at least £18, with concessions for over 65s and students being as low as £13. The club occasionally will offer discounted rates for select matches, meaning cheaper prices for those going to that game.
How To Get Cheltenham Town Stadium Tickets
Fans can buy tickets to visit Whaddon Road Stadium from Cheltenham Town’s website or by contacting the club through their ticket office’s email or on the telephone. Club members are able to get discounts on tickets as well as the ability to purchase their season tickets earlier than non-members.
Matchday Atmosphere and Fan Experience
Cheltenham Town are a big club in Gloucestershire, but are somewhat caught between bigger clubs’ catchment areas, with both Bristol and Birmingham being within a drivable distance. Nevertheless, they have a proud and loyal fanbase, and have averaged over 4,000 fans per game in League Two this season. Their most vocal supporters can be found in Block One of the Colin Farmer stand or in the terraces of the Prestbury Road End.
How To Get To Cheltenham Town Stadium
Whaddon Road has the benefit of being located in Cheltenham, a very well connected place on the UK’s Motorway network. The M5 runs past the town and is fairly close to Swindon, a major town on the M4 motorway to London.
By car is the most common way people travel to Cheltenham, and for fans travelling from the north, they should leave the M5 at Junction 10 and follow the A4019 into Cheltenham town centre. For fans travelling on the M4, they should leave at Junction 15 and follow the A419 through Swindon and north to Cheltenham. Fans travelling from the south should leave the M5 should exit the motorway at junction 11 and head into Cheltenham on the A40. Fans are allowed to park at the stadium, but there are extremely limited spaces and must be pre-booked.
For fans travelling via bus, there are a few different areas where those services start from. Most buses start at Cheltenham coach station and the W service starts there, which takes you up Prestbury Road. The 606 service starts at Pittville Street and also follows the same route as the W to the ground. The closest stop to the ground itself is on Whaddon Road, with the A bus that starts at Clarence Street.
For fans travelling by train, the closest station is Cheltenham Spa which is a 45-minute walk away from the ground. Cheltenham Spa is regularly serviced by CrossCountry trains, meaning that fans from anywhere can reasonably reach the station. Cheltenham is on the line between Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street and there are many trains running throughout the day.
If fans are travelling by air, Cheltenham is located right next to Gloucestershire Airport, which is right by junction 11 of the M5. There are no regular flights from this airport so a private flight is needed. Cheltenham Racecourse, famed for its mid-March festival, has a helipad.
How To Access Cheltenham Town Stadium For Home Fans
With the stadium located within the suburbs of Cheltenham, most home fans will travel to Whaddon Road by foot or by bus. Fans from the south and west parts of the town will likely travel by bus or car and park on a nearby available street, but those spaces are select with a resident’s parking scheme in place in and around gamedays. The club offers limited parking spaces at the stadium, but have to be pre-booked and will cost a fee.
How To Access Cheltenham Town Stadium For Away Fans
The Whaddon Road stand is the only one regularly available for away fans and they have a dedicated entrance to the ground on the road. Most away fans will travel on road or by rail. There are public car parks available closer to Cheltenham town centre and is around a 15-minute walk away. Buses D and E take fans from Cheltenham Spa train station to Anlaby Court, a 10-minute walk away from Whaddon Road.
Hotels Near Cheltenham Town Stadium
For fans willing to spend a night in Cheltenham for their matchday experience, there are plenty of options available to them.
Travelodge Cheltenham
The hotel chain has a site right on the A40, a major route in and out of Cheltenham and is very close to the M5 motorway. It is some distance from the ground though, meaning that public transport may be needed to reach the stadium.
- Address: Hatherley Ln, Golden Valley, Cheltenham GL51 6TA
- Phone: 08719846202
- Website: www.travelodge.co.uk
Premier Inn Cheltenham Town Centre
Located in the centre of Town, this would be an ideal location to base yourself to soak up the pre-match atmosphere in bars before travelling up to the stadium when kickoff approaches.
- Address: The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham GL50 4FA
- Phone: 0333 234 6556
- Website: www.premierinn.com
Ellenborough Park
A five-star hotel located outside of the town, this manor offers a spa across their 90-acre site as well as unique dining experiences.
- Address: Southam Ln, Cheltenham GL52 3NJ
- Phone: 01242545454
- Website: www.ellenboroughpark.com
Pubs, Bars Near Cheltenham Town Stadium
Cheltenham is a quaint town with many of its pubs and bars located within the city centre, but there are plenty of drinking spots to uncover wherever you go.
DEYA Brewing Company
Right by Cheltenham Spa Station, this local brewers would be a great place for fans travelling by rail to start their matchday experience. They have a taproom on site, allowing people to try their latest products.
- Address: Unit 27, Lansdown Industrial Estate, Gloucester Rd, Cheltenham GL51 8PL
- Phone: 01242269189
- Website: www.deyabrewing.com
The Bank House
The local Wetherspoons in the town, The Bank House is probably the best place to find cheap beers and food on a matchday. It is also ideally located right next to bus services that will take you to the ground.
- Address: 15-21 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3JL
- Phone: 01242240940
- Website: www.jdwetherspoon.com
The Feathered Fish
The last bar in Cheltenham before the stadium, this is an ideal last stop for people on a pit stop tour of pubs prior to a matchday.
- Address: 104-106 Winchcombe St, Cheltenham GL52 2NW
- Phone: 01242579090
- Website: www.thefeatheredfish.co.uk
Updates on Cheltenham Town Stadium
Cheltenham have done fairly recent developments on this ground after their ascension to the English Football League, with three of their four stands either being built or redeveloped since 2000. With the stadium confined by houses and a community centre on all four sides, there is little room for further expansion of Whaddon Road. Any future changes would come as upgrades to their current facilities, and there seems to be no plans in motion to move away from their nearly 100-year home.