What if you could follow your team of choice without forking out for a season ticket? What if there were pubs and bars only moments from the biggest grounds to soak up the atmosphere pint in hand? Your days of settling for a hat-trick of lukewarm beers from the offie and watching the big games from home would be well and truly transfer listed.
Never ones to shy away from a challenge, StagWeb have researched and planned the ultimate Premier League pub crawl…
“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars.
The rest I just squandered” – George Best
Arsenal
Twelve Pins
Atmospheric, filled with good cheer and genuinely friendly – The Twelve Pins is the perfect watering hole for your pre-match pint. It’s an established place of pilgrimage for many “gooners” before wandering up to the Emirates but if you haven’t got tickets to the big game you can stay here in your match day home from home and cheer on the Gunners with a beer in hand.
Where? 263 Seven Sisters Road, Harringay, London, N4 2DE
Highbury Library
There’s cool and then there’s cool – Highbury Library falls into the latter category. You won’t find Arsenal Fan TV ranting and raving here, but you will find the vinyl’s spinning, an impressive range of drinks for your post-match tipple as well as plenty of fellow fan pundits to talk over the day’s action away from the rabble.
Where? 66a Drayton Park, London, N5 1ND
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Bournemouth
Sharkey’s Sports Bar
AFC Bournemouth have risen to the peak of English football in recent seasons and we can only assume Sharkey’s Sports Bar have upgraded to match. We’re talking about over 50 4K big screen TVs, a plethora of pool tables and even cinema-style seating in front of a 250″ HD Laser Projector screen to soak in the atmosphere of the Cherries’ big away games. And if that’s not enough for you there’s 3 VIP booths with games consoles and the mighty beer pong. Perfection.
Where? 215a Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 1JZ
The Inferno
“Wilson’s on fire, your defence is terrified!”, The Inferno just loves the #banter that Bournemouth fans bring to the bar each and every weekend before big home games and they love this pub right back. It must be something to do with the superb range of real ales, delicious eats or the biggest matches on flat-screen TVs… Either way? The Inferno is red hot.
Where? 38 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8AD
Burnley
The Prairie
The Prairie is a little bit more than your average local with a tasty menu packed with steaks, ribs and burgers to conquer your hunger before heading up to Turf Moor to watch the Clarets. Or if you’re missing important details like tickets to the game, kick back, relax and view the match here. The Prairie? It’s win-win.
Where? Keswick Road, Burnley, Lancashire, BB10 1HW
The Boot Inn
Yes – this is a Wetherspoons. But check out the name – The Boot Inn? It’s perfect for either catching the big footy games or quaffing pints before taking your seats in Turf Moor. Throw in amazing drinks deals, delicious food and an ideal location less than 10 minutes from Burnley FC’s stadium and you’re on to a winner.
Where? 18 St. James Lane, Burnley, BB11 1NG
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Chelsea
Frankie’s Sports Bar & Diner
Stamford Bridge regulars will be well aware of the delicious American-style eats in Frankie’s Sports Bar but for the uninitiated, this superb diner (which we’d only assume is named after Chelsea great Frank Lampard) is the perfect start, middle and end to your matchday experience. And if you haven’t got tickets to the match? Frankie’s show every home game on big screens. Sorted!
Where? Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS
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Elk Bar
After match pints at the Elk Bar are chilled, trendy and the perfect chance to commiserate/celebrate with your fellow blues. But add a meatilicious burger and Chelsea’s best hot dogs and you’re on to something seriously special, complete with a big-screen TV to watch the evening games after every football fans dream 3pm kick-off.
Where? 587 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5UA
Crystal Palace
The Gold Coast
It’s a little known (possibly made up) fact that Crystal Palace fans are among the most cultured in the Premier League, and it could all be down to this superb Ghanaian bar-cum-restaurant-cum-nightclub in South London. It’s the ideal place for post-match punditry to the sounds of top DJs and the tropical beer garden is perfect for celebrating an Eagles win, “You are my palace…”
Where? 224 Portland Road, South Norwood, London, SE25 4QB
The Spread Eagle
As a Crystal Palace fan, is there a more appropriately named pub for your pre-match pint than the Spread Eagle? This former bank is one of Croydon’s best award-winning pubs with a relaxed atmosphere, a hearty menu and more real ales than you can shake your empty glass at. All with a generous helping of live sport on the side.
Where? 39-41 Katharine Street, Croydon, CRO 1NX
“Everton are literally a bag of Revells” – Paul Merson
Everton
Riley’s
Can’t make it down to Goodison Park? May we point you in the direction of Liverpool’s Grand Central Riley’s. This chain perfected the art of “sports-barring” a long time ago but they’re still working to make their venues the best place to catch the big game, pint-in-hand. And the fact that Liverpool’s has a massive 25 pool tables and a three-metre-wide-screen only confirms that. Blimey!
Where? Bolton Street, Liverpool, L3 5LX
McCooley’s
The guys at McCooley’s are genuinely as fanatical about football as you are if you’ve embarked on our Premier League pub crawl. Not only do they have a range of cocktails styled after controversial striker Jamie Vardy, but they’ve taken a look at their seriously cool space and asked themselves, “how many LED screens can we fit in here?”. The result? One of the best places to watch live football in the entire city.
Where? Holmes Building, Concert Street, Liverpool, L1 4AQ
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Hull City
Branded Bar & BBQ
Here’s a fact – everybody gets hungry at the football. But Branded Bar & BBQ have the perfect solution in the shape of a mouth-watering rack of ribs or the man vs food worthy challenge of the Ultimate Loaded; a burger packed with a brace of beef patties, grilled chicken, pulled pork, Monterey Jack cheese and BBQ sauce.
Where? 273 – 277 Beverley Road, Kingston upon Hull, North Humberside HU5 3TH
O’Rileys
We have it on good authority that O’Rileys is one of Hull’s hottest party spots, with live gigs, epic DJs and some of the best club nights on this side of the Humber. So naturally it’s the ideal venue for your post-match pint where you can celebrate/commiserate the Tiger’s performances all night long.
Where? 83 Beverley Road, Kingston upon Hull, HU3 1XR
Leicester City
Loaded Dog
We all know the chant by now, but if Vardy were actually to “have a party”, we’re pretty sure it would start at the Loaded Dog. This uber-cool sports bar as a range of great drinks deals, a huge selection of real ales and, crucially, 7 flat-screen televisions and 2 massive big screens showcasing all the Leicester City action as well as the best games from around the leagues.
Where? The Loaded Dog, 144 London Road, Leicester, LE2 1ED
The Locker Room
As Leicester’s reigning and defending premier sports bar and pool lounge, The Locker Room is a football fan’s idea of paradise – when there’s a game on? It’ll be displayed on big-screen televisions so you can enjoy the sporting action in all it’s glory. But once the season’s over? Turn up and take on an hour of pool with a pint in hand. Best. Locker Room. Ever.
Where? 5-11 Belvoir Street, Leicester, LE1 6SL
Liverpool FC
The Sandon
Liverpool fan? Looking to enjoy a bit of matchday luxury? Wondering why we’re asking so many questions? Well stop reading this and head to Liverpool’s historic Sandon Function Rooms, home of Liverpool FC’s official matchday hospitality! You have to book in advance, but when the service is almost as good as that Stevie G goal in Istanbul, you know it’s worth it.
Where? 178-182 Oakfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0UH
The Arkles
The Arkles say it best themselves, “if you can’t get a ticket, this is the best place to watch the match”. It’s too true, especially when the food is this delicious, the beers are this varied and the atmosphere is absolutely buzzin’. And when you’re only a matter of minutes from the Kop, it’s the closest you can get to the pitch without forking out for a season ticket.
Where? 77 Anfield Road, Liverpool, L4 0TJ
Manchester City
Junkyard Golf
Now we’re taking a few liberties with this one as Junkyard Golf aren’t strictly a sports bar. But there is sport… And a bar… And when a place is as brilliant as this it quite frankly deserves to be celebrated. Put your “tekkers” to the test on a 9-hole indoor mini-golf course designed from everyday junk while sipping cold pints in the UV surrounds of the mid-noughties. A perfect slice of escapism after a bad day on the pitch.
Where? 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN
Tib Street Tavern
Set in Manchester’s seriously swanky Northern Quarter, this awesome watering hole is the ideal place to kick back, relax in leather booths and watch the blues do their thing if you can’t get tickets to see them up close. And with no fewer than 29 world-class beers on offer, there’s nearly as much talent behind this bar than there is on the pitch at the Etihad.
Where? 74 Tib Steet, Manchester, M4 1LG
“We don’t want our players to be monks. We want them to be better football players because a monk doesn’t play football at this level” – Bobby Robson
Love The Grapes, Southampton. Always packed football days!