Cambridge United

This is restricted to updates to our last review written earlier this year when we visited the Abbey Stadium as away fans.

Arrival and Entry to the Stadium
I have been told that it is possible for away fans who are Blue Badge holders to contact Cambridge prior to the game to reserve parking at the ground. Upon arrival we were given the option of reaching the away end by walking through the ground, whilst we were happy to use the path we had previously used around the outside, this is clearly an option.

Audio for All and other developments
This is the new name for the relaunched excellent audio match commentaries that are offered at Cambridge United. The rename centres around an awareness that audio commentaries can be beneficial for those with disabilities other than sight impairments such as memory challenges. This commitment to meeting the needs of all disabled fans is reflected in the Club adopting Picturepath, an accessibility app and also having videos on their Club website of the “path to your seat” for all 4 of their stands including the away stand. Talking to Nick on Saturday, who was excellent as on our last visit, it was really impressive to hear about their commitment to bringing accessibility for all fans at the Abbey Stadium.

Accessible Toilets
After only having cold water at our last visit and being told by Cambridge staff that hot water was not necessary for virus control, I was surprised to find exceedingly hot water coming from the tap, beware!

Catering
Chips were now £3 but still excellent and thoroughly enjoyed.

Stewards
Credit to Cambridge. The Supervisor told us before the match if any steward blocked our view “tell them to shift” – none did. For the second trip in a row, stewards picked us out of the queue waiting to enter and ushered us straight in.

Overall
Cambridge is one of our favourite away trips.

This was our second visit to the Abbey Stadium in recent years as away fans. I am a powerchair user and my husband is severely visually impaired. On both occasions we have travelled to the ground in an accessible mini bus part of our Club’s official away travel. I have just realised that I failed to write a review of my first visit but from memory little has changed between our visits.

Arrival and Entry to the Stadium
The stadium is on a narrow congested residential road. There is no parking and the away coaches dropping off and picking up add to the chaos. To get to the away end you have to walk along a busy, hard surfaced footpath equal to the long side of the stadium. To get on to this path you need to pass through a narrow gate just beyond what appears to be the official entrance to the stadium. If you get to the cattle grid you have gone too far. Don’t panic at what appears to be the steps to the away end, just after these is a ramp which takes you into a large open area. We were called out of the queue once the gates were opened to enter without queuing further.

Seating Provisions
The away end is behind the goal. The only seating (as far as I am aware) at ground level in the away end is the wheelchair spaces and carer seats which are all across the stand interspersed by the stairs up to the main seating areas. Carer seats and wheelchair spaces are both in twos and singularly, side by side. My husband is 5ft7 and struggled to keep his feet comfortably on the floor sitting on the flip up carer seats. He stood for most of the match, without blocking anyone’s view and was not challenged about doing so. It was a sunny day, but no sun at the away end, just a cold wind. You are just under cover but I fear rain could easily blow in on you. View of the pitch from the wheelchair spaces is uninterrupted and even though all the away fans walk past you (even with a capacity crowd) this was not a problem, not least because they are seated so high up, they can’t surge forward round you as happens at some grounds. The only downside is that whilst you can hear them, you can’t see any of your fellow fans high above you. The walk way past the wheelchair spaces is a reasonable width for you to have your own space and there is a fair distance of grass in front of you before the actual pitch starts. The practice goal was in front of the first block of wheelchair spaces so you might want to consider this when deciding where to sit. We were left to sit where we chose and not told to sit as per the numbering on our tickets.

Headset Commentary for VI Fans
Available and excellent, informative and unbiased. We booked the headset using the email on the Club’s website and they came straight back to us, remembering us from our last visit. The commentators even welcomed us by name at the beginning of the match. They brought the headset to us (with spare batteries) and collected it at the end. Nick was really friendly and only too pleased to provide the service.

Accessible Toilets
One at the rear of the away stand, well signposted with a radar key. Clean, fair size, light on a motion sensor, hand soap, paper towels and free sanitary products.

Catering
There is a large mobile catering van at the away end, selling drinks and hot food (no pies). We indulged in a portion of chips, £2.50. They were lovely non-greasy chips which we thought were excellent value. No lowered counter as far as I could see.

Stewards
Lots around, seemed well managed and working rather than just “standing doing nothing”, our experience was they were polite, helpful and unobtrusive. Credit to the steward who in the final minutes of the game realised that where he had been told to stand was in the line of vision of my husband’s binoculars and indicated to me that he would move, which I thanked him for doing. It is so often the little things that are important.

End of the Game/Leaving
The area was busy with pedestrians and traffic but not overcrowded. We had no problems. Traffic was slow moving in the immediate vicinity but we have had much worse.

Overall
We would definitely go again!

Lots of local good street free parking with dropped kerbs etc… I think there is also disabled entry at ground.

Covered area at one end of stadium to right of goal with no sightline problems. Close to kiosk for refreshments. Didn’t use toilets. Overall very good for non-league football stadia.

view from wheelchair platform

Wheelchair area