Broadfield Stadium: Crawley Town
Crawley Town Football Club was formed in 1896 in Crawley, West Sussex. Though not much is known about the club’s early stadium we do know they they spent 48 years calling Town Mead their home, until the land there was sold to developers. They moved to Broadfield Stadium in 1997 and have played their home games there ever since.
The capacity of the stadium is only a little over 6,000, making it the smallest ground in League One. The stadium is owned by Crawley Borough Council and leased by the football club so that they can play their matches there.
Stats
| Broadfield Stadium Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1997 |
| Capacity | 6134 |
| Average Attendance | 2886 |
| Record Attendance | 5880 (Crawley Town v Reading (2013)) |
| Pitch Size | 100 x 68 (6800) |
| Nickname | Broadfield |
| Former Name | Broadfield Stadium |
| Owner | Crawley Borough Council |
| Clubs Hosted | Crawley Town F.C. |
| First Fixture | Crawley Town v Port Vale (24/07/1997) |
| Crawley Town Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1896 |
| Nickname | The Reds, Red Devils |
| Club Mascot | Reggie Red |
| Rivals | AFC Wimbledon |
| Previous Stadiums | Town Mead |
| Kit | Red & White (Home) / White & Black (Away) / Black (Third) |
| Training Ground | Ardingly College |
| Shirt Sponsor | Community Foundation |
| Team Owner | WAGMI United |
| Record Goalscorer | Gerry Robbins (89) |
| Record Appearances | Cliff Cant (448) |
Broadfield Stadium Photos
From Crawley FC
Credit: Ralph Hammett
Pete Chapman / Football Sculpture on A23 Roundabout next to the Broadfield Stadium.
Broadfield Stadium Seating Plan and Where to Sit
The North Stand is a terraced section behind one of the goals and is virtually identical to The South Stand, with the exception that the noisiest Crawley fans stand in the latter. The East Stand runs along the side of the pitch and houses the away supporters. The West Stand is the main stand in the ground and houses most of the club’s facilities, such as they are.
Crawley Town Ticket Prices
There are different ticket prices depending on where you want to watch the game from, and your age will also be a deciding factor, especially if you’re a junior. Here are the prices for adults and concessions assuming you book in advance (if you don’t there is a £2 surcharge):
- Adults: £15.00 – £17.00
- Concessions: £10.00 – £12.00
Crawley also sell tickets in 5 game bundles.
How To Get Crawley Town Tickets
Tickets are available online, over the phone or in person for the club’s ticket office.
Where to Buy
Getting To Broadfield Stadium
Train – Crawley Train Station, Three Bridges and Gatwick Airport are all reasonably accessible to Broadfield Stadium.
Bus – Fastway services 10 and 20 serve the stadium, as do buses 271 and 273 from Brighton.
Car – Leave the M23 at Junction 11 and follow the signs.
By Air – Gatwick Airport is the closest to the ground and has good transport links.
Taxi – A journey from Crawley Train Station to the ground will take just over five minutes and cost about £8.
Parking Near Broadfield Stadium
There is limited parking at the ground for season ticket holders and people with a pass via hospitality, otherwise there is free parking in the William Reed car park a short walk away.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Broadfield Stadium Hotels
Being so close to Gatwick and London there are a lot of hotels nearby; here are a few good options for you:
Ramada Crawley Gatwick - £50+
Barrington Lodge - £60+
Arora Hotel Gatwick - £80+
Pubs and Bars Near Broadfield Stadium
You won’t struggle for somewhere to have a quick drink before the game. Why don’t you try one of these joints:
The Redz Bar
New Moon
The Downsman
Facilities
Broadfield has everything that you need and is perfectly pleasant, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Prices
- Programme: £3
- Pie: £3
- Cup of tea: £1.5
- Beer: £3.5
Hospitality
The Mayo Wynne Baxtor hospitality box is your only option at Crawley Town if you want to do something a bit special on match day; it includes a few sausage and bacon baps, two drinks each, and tickets in the East Stand. You can also watch the man of the match presentation after the game.
Private Hire
Redz Bar is the place to be at Crawley Town, with the 200 capacity venue available for private parties, weddings and all sorts of celebrations.
Stadium Tours & Museum
There is no museum at the club, and no information about stadium tours either. To be fair, though, there wouldn’t be much to see that you can’t see from your seat.
About Crawley Town
.jpg){kind=link}
Crawley Town Football Club was founded in 1896 and was one of the founding members of the West Sussex Football League. They moved to the Mid-Sussex League five years later and didn’t enter the Sussex County League until 1951. The club turned semi-professional in 1962, joining the Southern League’s Division One the following year. They gradually crept up the lower leagues over the following 48 years before finally gaining promotion to the Football League in 2010.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Red Devils, though. In August 2006 it was announced that Crawley Town would have to fold because of financial difficulties, with the Reds coming within an hour of being liquidated. They were saved, almost literally, at the last minute by a rescue package that allowed them to continue playing with a ten-point deduction. The following year the club announced it had cleared its debt, only to be deducted a further six points because of ‘financial irregularities’.
Broadfield Stadium History
Broadfield Stadium is about a mile away from Crawley Railway Station and is next to a roundabout with a large white and red football in the middle of it. It’s also relatively close to the M23 for transport purposes. It might seem odd to talk about a roundabout and a motorway in the ‘stadium history’ section of this guide, but considering it only opened in 1997 it’s fair to say not much has happened since.
The West Stand at Broadfield Stadium is quite interesting in that it only runs along two-thirds of the pitch length. It’s also raised slightly from the level of the pitch so you need to climb some steps to get to your seat. The North & South Stands are virtually identical and are terraced sections, whilst The East Stand is the one that opened most recently.
Future Developments
No major developments are planned for any time in the foreseeable future, the club hasn’t even mentioned a desire to make improvements since 2013. That said, if they can maintain their status as a League One team after their recent promotion, they will no doubt look to expand.