Get up early, the town market will be open all over Easter
TICKETS
This match is ALL TICKET to Southend United supporters. No tickets will be sold to Blue supporters on the day.
United have been allocated 900 tickets, although more will be made available if required.
Adults £19, Senior £15, Unaccompanied Junior (under 16) £12, Accompanied Junior (Under 16) £6, Under 7's Free, Adult Disabled & Carer £13, Junior Disabled & Carer £10.
COACH
For the latest news, prices and pick-up points for the supporters club coaches click here: www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/default.asp?page_id=652
For an alternative journey keep up to date with SoL Travel at:
www.theshrimpers-online.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=8
TRAINS, CABS & BUSES
It's Easter so there has to be engineering works, which there is, but you can avoid it both ways if you wish.
You can buy a off-peak day return at £22.40 from London Euston where you have to change at Milton Keynes for a bus service to Northampton and it nearly doubles the journey time. A 11.00 service will get in at 12.47, time for a pint on that one.
However, grab the 12.54 and there's no change in at 14.06, so it's straight to the ground, maybe a quick beer in Old Orleans next to the ground, but no bloody coach and it's all clear for the journey back.
You should be able to make the 17.25 back in London at 18.23, or relax for the 17.50 in at 18.59.
The 17.25 is odd as the timetable is showing two services with one having you change at Milton Keynes, make sure your not on that one or in the right part of the train, it only cost a few minutes anyway.
If you decide to get an earlier service up you could buy a £14 return to Milton Keynes then before the bus a £7.20 return to Northampton, bizarely that adds up to £21.20, £1.20 cheaper!
From the railway station it is possible to get a bus to take you most of the way to Sixfields stadium. The buses go from the bridge over the railway at the south end of the station.
Services Nos. 22 and 27 are a couple of the more regular services that go past the edge of the leisure complex, about half a mile from the ground. The service that actually goes past the stadium itself is the No. 50, but it's very infrequent, with only one bus suitable for attending the match, leaving Greyfriars Bus Station at 13.22, calling at the Railway Station, and arriving at the stadium (Edgar Mobbs Way) at 13.32. The return picks up from Edgar Mobbs Way at 17.27.
However, if you feel like braving the 25-30 minute walk; turn right from the station and follow the road past the express lift tower (you can't miss it, a tall tower that was once used for testing lifts), passing the Wickes store on the left. Continue down to the Leisure Centre, turn left down the path beside it and then turn right onto the road. You will see the stadium in the distance in front of you. I have done it, it's not too bad, just get your beer in before hand.
You can buy a off-peak day return at £22.40 from London Euston where you have to change at Milton Keynes for a bus service to Northampton and it nearly doubles the journey time. A 11.00 service will get in at 12.47, time for a pint on that one.
However, grab the 12.54 and there's no change in at 14.06, so it's straight to the ground, maybe a quick beer in Old Orleans next to the ground, but no bloody coach and it's all clear for the journey back.
You should be able to make the 17.25 back in London at 18.23, or relax for the 17.50 in at 18.59.
The 17.25 is odd as the timetable is showing two services with one having you change at Milton Keynes, make sure your not on that one or in the right part of the train, it only cost a few minutes anyway.
If you decide to get an earlier service up you could buy a £14 return to Milton Keynes then before the bus a £7.20 return to Northampton, bizarely that adds up to £21.20, £1.20 cheaper!
Northampton train station is over two miles from the ground, so you may wish to catch a bus or hire a taxi, a selection of Northampton taxi companies can be found here.
From the railway station it is possible to get a bus to take you most of the way to Sixfields stadium. The buses go from the bridge over the railway at the south end of the station.
Services Nos. 22 and 27 are a couple of the more regular services that go past the edge of the leisure complex, about half a mile from the ground. The service that actually goes past the stadium itself is the No. 50, but it's very infrequent, with only one bus suitable for attending the match, leaving Greyfriars Bus Station at 13.22, calling at the Railway Station, and arriving at the stadium (Edgar Mobbs Way) at 13.32. The return picks up from Edgar Mobbs Way at 17.27.
However, if you feel like braving the 25-30 minute walk; turn right from the station and follow the road past the express lift tower (you can't miss it, a tall tower that was once used for testing lifts), passing the Wickes store on the left. Continue down to the Leisure Centre, turn left down the path beside it and then turn right onto the road. You will see the stadium in the distance in front of you. I have done it, it's not too bad, just get your beer in before hand.
Station to Stadium: Turn right from the blue blob up the A45 St. James Rd. then Weedon Road on to the Sixfields.
The town centre and some decent pubs go left from the station, see Food and Drink below, but don't leave it long after 2pm to make your way to the ground.
ROAD
Fill in the details from your home postcode to here for a full route plan www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp but for an edited version:
Approx. 100 miles. 1 hour 50 minutes.
Leave the M1 at Junction 15A and take the A43 towards Northampton and you will come to the ground on your right.
If you plan to visit the town centre first, come off the M1 at Junction 15 and follow the A508 in.
The Sixfields stadium is well signposted around the area.
The club pushes you towards the North and South car parks. It has an agreement with owners English Partnerships, and runs the operating licence on matchdays. The North is tarmaced, the South is not but is more convenient for the away stand, but both charges are the same at £3.00. For a new leisure complex the design is utterly dismal and exit times after the match horrendous.
You are strongly advised to be cautious about parking elsewhere on the leisure complex as some businesses have a standing £10.00 charge for football supporters on match-days, and others operate wheel clamping schemes.
Further away from the stadium - around a ten to fifteen minute or so walk - there's more parking on the edge of the complex, this shared with Northampton Saints Rugby club. Also pay and display, and we think around the same price of £3.00, the disadvantage is the longer walk, the advantage is you may well get away quicker post-match despite the walking distance.
As for free parking: unless you are extremely lucky that will entail a long walk as there's no on-street anywhere near the stadium.
Ground: Sixfields Leisure. Walking: In from the A45 top right. Driving: In from the A43 bottom left joining the A45 Upton Way.
FOOD AND DRINK
For full info and maps on the best places to have a pint and a pie go to the Pub Crawl in Northampton here:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDW8&id=440259
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDW8&id=440259
SHORT BREAKS
If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Football Hotels who are powered by Activehotels, who specialise in locating accommodation near or within a short travelling distance of the football ground. They also have the added advantage over some other hotel booking services that you pay on departure.
To access their Northampton page click here.
(Thanks to the Football Ground Guide, http://www.footballgroundguide.com/northampton_town/, and DoDtS's excellent Shrimperzone Away Travel section, www.shrimperzone.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=24, for their help in preparing this article.)