Forthbank Stadium - Stirling Albion

Another blog post, another Scottish Football Stadium. This week's post is about a trip to Forthbank Stadium, home to Scottish League Two outfit Stirling Albion.

Travel - The closest train station to the ground is Stirling Railway Station, which is just over a mile away from the Forthbank Stadium. You can take the train directly from Glasgow Queen Street Station to Stirling which takes just over 30 minutes. A return train ticket can be purchased for £8.50, however the use of an 18-25 railcard is advised as this takes the price down to £5.90 which is reasonable considering the time and length of journey. Upon arrival at Stirling Railway Station you can either walk for around 20 minutes or jump in a taxi in order to get to Forthbank Stadium. On my last visit to Forthbank stadium I opted for the taxi option due to being pushed for time and also laziness.

The Stadium - Forthbank Stadium is situated on the outskirts of town which means there are disappointingly few options when it comes to pubs for prematch pints. However an advantage of the location of the stadium is the pleasant views of the surrounding countryside. The stadium was opened in 1993 has a capacity of around 3,800. There are two seated stands either side of the pitch and a small terrace at either end. The larger of the two stands is the West Stand which is a covered, single tier, fully seated stand.This is where the home fans are situated. Away fans are allocated the smaller East Stand.

Price of Ticket -  Adults: £14    Over 65s and Students: £10    Under 16s: £5    Under 12s: Free

At £14 for an adult matchday ticket Stirling Albion is one of the most expensive stadiums in their league. However Stirling Albion are evidently another forward looking club. Heavily discounted ticket prices for students and under 16s is great to see. Letting under 12s accompanied by an adult in for free is another great incentive which shows the club are looking to attract their next generation of fans.

Pie Review - A steak pie accompanied by a cup of tea was £4 which is rather pricey so I was expecting big things. It's fair to say I was left disappointed. The pie had an inviting appearance as the pastry looked perfectly golden brown. However the taste of the pie did not live up to the first impressions. The pie was scarcely filled and a lack of gravy made for a very dry pie, not ideal.