Galabank - Annan Athletic

The moment you've all been waiting for... the first stadium to grace the blog is Galabank, home to Scottish League two side Annan Athletic.

Travel - The journey to Galabank from Glasgow by train is fairly straightforward. The Train from Glasgow Central Station to Annan takes just over 2 hours, an ideal amount of time to enjoy some prematch refreshments. The price of the train ticket is steep at £17.60, however an 18-25 railcard brings the price down to £12.30 which softens the blow. After arriving at Annan Train Station the ground is only a 15 minute walk away. When exiting the station head straight down St Johns road, cross the High Street and keep heading straight. You will pass 'The Shed' pub on the left, which is well worth a visit for more prematch refreshments. Walk for a further 5 minutes and on your left you will find the home of football (in Annan) Galabank!

The Stadium - With a capacity of 2500 Galabank is comprised of a main stand which seats 500 people and the rest of the stadium consists of hard standing areas. Also found in the stadium is an inviting clubhouse which provides further opportunity for prematch refreshments. The clubhouse is situated in the ground itself and is very welcoming of away supporters. There is a great atmosphere within the clubhouse prior to a match and the bar serves a cracking pint!

Price of Ticket -  Adults: £12     Over 65s: £6     Under 16s: £6

£12 for an adult ticket may seem a bit high on the face of it, however smaller clubs such as Annan Athletic need to pull in cash somehow and Galabank is a great little stadium which provides a very enjoyable atmosphere. Perhaps a student ticket priced at £9 wouldn't be a bad idea as most clubs in Scotland offer a discount for tight students like myself.

Pie Review -  I've tasted some great pies at the football over the years however I'd go as far as to say that the steak pie I purchased at Galabank was the greatest pie I've ever had. The steak pie was priced at £2 which turned out to be an absolute bargain. The pie had perfectly golden and crispy pastry, generously filled with chunks of meat full of flavour and a good amount of gravy. I'm not ashamed to admit that I had three of these pies on my last visit to Galabank.  This pie is going to take some beating.