Most fanbases of Championship clubs may be penciling in Southampton as a must-do for the current Championship campaign if they haven’t played them away from home already.
There’s many clubs that have been a staple of Championship football over the last decade, though Southampton have been anything but and that always means there’s extra enthusiasm to go there from a footballing perspective.
But it’s not always that viewpoint that allures fans.
Quite arguably even more crucial for many is the day out itself, the socialising elements that extend far behind merely scanning through turnstiles and watching a match for 90 minutes.
Especially for fans who work during the week, the weekend of football presents one of few limited opportunities to get out of the house, out of the workplace and enjoy an afternoon or evening in their favourite respite – so a lot goes into deciding which games to attend.
When money’s tight, you can’t necessarily go to all 46 matches across the course of the season, so it’s important to know as much as possible beforehand in order to ensure that you’re doing the ones that are really worth doing.
And one element that plays a key role in that is the quality and accommodating availability of pubs near the ground.
It’s no secret that a lot of football fans love a drink – and who can blame them?
With that said then, let’s take a dive into the situation at Southampton and see what pubs are closest to St Mary’s Stadium for not only traveling supporters but also the Saints faithful when attending home fixtures…
What are the best pubs for home and away supporters near Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium?
We decided to analyze the fan reviews of the Football Ground Guide, which provides useful insights for fans across the country.
Southampton’s profile on the website is no different, but when you actually search for pubs near the stadium it looks pretty sparse.
It reads:
“There aren’t many pubs close to the stadium so options for away fans are limited.”
“The exception is St Brown’s pub on Milbank Street, about a 10 minute walk from Mary’s. This pub usually has a mix of home and away fans and also has Sky Sports coverage. “A few minutes walk from Browns on William Street is Tap It Brewery. The brewery is located in an industrial facility, is open for gaming, and offers a selection of craft beers. .”
A description of Southampton’s matchday pubs praises the Rockstone Pub and Guide Dog Pub, both known for their real ale, but both are at least 20 minutes from the stadium or train station, making a stop a no-brainer. Might be a good idea. To them.
Unfortunately, away fans have been warned not to drink in the pubs on St Mary’s Street near the stadium (including Kingland Tavern, The Joiners and Isobar), but home fans are advised not to drink in the pubs on St Mary’s Street near the stadium. Worth a visit.
Are there any pubs near Southampton train station?
Traveling by train routinely proves a popular choice for fans, and it’ll likely be exactly that for away supporters as it’s often more manageable than coach trips for long distance journeys – which Southampton will be for quite a lot of clubs.
It’s even useful for home fans who don’t necessarily live in Southampton, of course.
Southampton central is located in the city centre, so you’d assume that there’s lots options nearby.
However, an account from a Bristol City supporter handily informs that the Standing Order Wetherspoons – usually one of the most popular watering holes for fans pre-match – only allows entry to home fans and bouncers are on the door, so those traveling should forget about this one.
That supporter says that he instead decided to drink at the Yates Wine Lodge which is located in the central shopping area, while also noting that away fans were in strong numbers in Slug & Lettuce next door.
Is it better for supporters to drink in Southampton city centre or near St Mary’s Stadium?
The consensus seems to signal that enjoying a drink on matchday isn’t too simple in the city centre for away fans, which will be a bit frustrating given that St Mary’s is a 24 minute walk from Southampton Central.
That walk may be fine for some, but for others, it feels like a better option to simply get a taxi to the area of the stadium and drink there, with a few pubs available as mentioned previously.
Besides, doing that walk after a few or more pints may not be such a good idea anyway!
