Prenton Park (Birkenhead)

Prenton Park is a large outdoor-seated association football stadium in Birkenhead, England. It is the home ground of Tranmere Rovers, as well as Liverpool’s women and reserves teams.

General information

Arena capacity: 16,587 spectators

Address: 17 Prenton Road West, Birkenhead, Merseyside, CH42 9PY, England

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 53°22′25″N 3°01′57″W

Year of construction: 1912

Field: Desso pitch lawn with dimensions of 102.4 × 64.9 m

Seating plan of Prenton Park

Johnny King Stand

The Johnny King Stand consists of a single tier of blue seating.

It has a very simple interior design with the only noteworthy feature here being the small gap between the seating blocks at the back of the stand, into which the matchday camera is placed.

There are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof and so your view of the pitch from anywhere inside is perfectly clear, whilst a combination of windshields and brick walls are in place to give every row of seats a good level of protection from the sides.

Kop

The Kop is the most impressive part of Prenton Park’s interior.

It is split into two tiers of blue seating with the lower tier slightly larger than the upper tier. A metal fence is in place, which separates the two levels from one another. The letters TRANMERE are spelt out in white across the upper tier blocks with the letters ROVERS spelt out in white across the lower tier blocks.

There are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof and so you can have a fantastic view of the pitch from inside the Kop, although the maze of bars on the ceiling may restrict your view slightly if you are sat right at the very back.

Giant windshields cover both sides of the stand and protect all but the very front rows of the lower tier. There are small brick walls in place down here to provide protection for those sat at either end.

Tranmere’s most vocal and passionate fans are based in the Kop during a game and when this stand is completely full of fans, it can make for an impressive sight.

Main Stand

The Main Stand is also divided into two tiers, although here the upper tier is larger than the lower tier. A small blue wall separates the two levels from one another.

Most of the lower tier seats are blue except for in the central blocks where the letters TRFC are spelt out in white.

The upper tier blocks however come in a much greater mix of colours. Most are still blue, but the outermost ones are coloured yellow, with one executive seating block coloured red and the directors box coloured white.

Tranmere’s changing rooms are based inside the Main Stand with the dugouts and tunnel down the very front.

Your view from anywhere inside the Main Stand’s lower tier is perfectly clear, but there are two large pillars, which come down at the front of the upper tier, and they get in your way slightly if you are sat towards the back of any block. Additionally, a row of bars runs all the way across the stand’s ceiling and it can restrict your view slightly if you are sat right at the very back of the upper tier.

Large windshields cover every row in the top tier but none of the lower tier seats; there are just small blue fences in place here to protect fans from the sides.

Elevated above ground in the southwest corner is the stadium control box and media suite.

Cowshed

The Cowshed is a single tier of blue seating. It is certainly not small in size but seems tiny when compared to the Kop at the opposite end of the pitch.

The back row is further up on one side of the stand compared to the other, and you can clearly see the back row gradually get further and further back if you are sat in any other part of Prenton Park.

An electronic scoreboard attached to the roof can be seen by all except for those sat in the Cowshed.

There are no supporting pillars coming down from the roof and so your view from anywhere inside is very clear, whilst large windshields cover most of the rows at either end, with small brick walls in place to offer protection for those sat down towards the front.

Away Fans

Away fans are housed behind the goal in the Cowshed.

Small crowds are kept in the block next to the northwest corner, with large sheets used to stop fans sitting in seats further along.

The larger the crowd, the more blocks become available, and it means that Tranmere can easily accommodate both big and small away followings.

Prenton Park at full capacity can prove a very entertaining occasion as you have the capacity away crowd in the Cowshed trying to outsing the much larger Kop opposite.

Where to buy tickets?

How much you’ll pay for tickets to see Tranmere play their matches will depend entirely on how old you are and where in the ground you’d like to sit. It’s worth noting that tickets are £3 cheaper if you buy them in advance of the match as well.

The best way to get tickets for Tranmere Rovers matches is by using the club’s website, if for no other reason than you’ll save money by doing so. Yet the club doesn’t regularly sell out a match at Prenton Park, so the likelihood is that you’ll be able to walk up and buy one without too much trouble if you don’t mind the surcharge.

How to get there?

The Wirral Peninsula isn’t Liverpool, but it’s close enough to treat it as a similar part of the country in terms of your journey. Here’s a look at how to get to Prenton Park.

Train

Nearest Stations: Conway Park / Birkenhead Central / Rock Ferry.

From Liverpool Lime Street: Head for the Wirral Line lower level station and board a New Brighton or West Kirby train to Conway Park, or an Ellesmere Port or Chester train to Birkenhead Central or Rock Ferry.

From Chester: Board a Liverpool train and get off at Rock Ferry or Birkenhead Central.

From Conway Park: Turn right outside the station and walk 100 yards to Birkenhead Bus Station.

From Birkenhead Central: Cross Argyle Street and walk along Borough Road, which runs parallel to the flyover. Prenton Park is approximately a 20-minute walk.

From Rock Ferry: Prenton Park is a 15-minute walk. Turn right outside the station onto Bedford Road. Continue along Bedford Avenue and Bedford Drive until you reach a road junction shortly after Prenton High School. Continue onto Mount Road and turn right at the first set of traffic lights onto Borough Road – the ground is five minutes on the left.

Car

From the North: From Liverpool city centre, travel through the Kingsway (Wallasey) Mersey Tunnel and after the toll booths (there is a charge for vehicles), continue on the M53 to Junction 3. Take the first exit (signposted Birkenhead) and continue for approximately one mile passing Sainsbury’s on the left hand side (keep in right hand lane). Turn right at the traffic lights at the Halfway House (pub), continue for 500 yards to the next set of traffic lights and turn left into Prenton Road West. The ground appears in front of you on the right hand side.

From South/East: M6, M56 and M53 to J4. Take the fourth exit from the roundabout onto the B5151 (Mount Road). Continue for two and a half miles and when Mount Road becomes Storeton Road, turn right onto Prenton Road West at the traffic lights. Prenton Park is on the right hand side in 200 yards.

Taxi

Getting a taxi from Liverpool Lime Street to will take about fifteen minutes, depending on traffic, and will likely cost in the region of £20.

Bus

If coming from Liverpool Lime Street, the nearest Merseyrail Underground is Conway Park (New Brighton and West Kirby lines), alighting and ascending to street level. You can then get a bus from Conway Park Bus Station, which is within 100 yards on your right. Buses: 41, 42, 71, 72, 403, 413, 423 all take to you the bottom of Singleton Avenue, which is the alighting point.  The ground is then five minutes walk from here, heading along Borough Road.

Alternatively, the 164, 177 and 464 will take you almost adjacent to the ground, alighting at the bus stop opposite Bogan’s Carpets and the Prenton Park pub.

You can also catch a bus from near Liverpool Lime Street Station to Birkenhead. There is the choice of Bus Numbers 464, 471, and 472, that operate every ten minutes or so on Saturday afternoons. The journey time is around 16 minutes. Leave Liverpool Lime Street Station via the main entrance and go down the steps. Cross the road and go down St Georges Place, which becomes St Johns Lane. Walk on the left hand side of the road and then turn left into Victoria Street. Cross over the road to the bus stop. It drops you off about 100/150 metres away from Prenton Park. For timetables see the Arriva Bus website.

Parking

There’s a decent-sized car park at Prenton Park which costs £5 on a match day. If you’d rather park on the streets nearby then you can do, but do be aware that there are likely to be restrictions in place to favour local residents.

Where to eat and sleep?

The Wirral doesn’t have the same pull as Liverpool, so you might want to consider staying on the other side of the water and travelling over for the match. Regardless, here are some hotels you can consider.

1. Campanile Liverpool. The Campanile is based over the water in Liverpool, so you’ll need to bear that in mind when arranging your travel to the ground. Nevertheless, it’s worth considering as a stop off point as it’s got over one hundred rooms, a restaurant and a bar area. There’s also Wi-Fi in the reception area and a meeting room, should you need to do some work whilst you’re in the hotel. Finally, there’s free parking for people staying in the Campanile, which makes that aforementioned journey to the Wirral a bit easier if you’re driving.
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2. Village Hotel Wirral. The Village offer a chain of hotels that don’t break the bank but offer plenty of exciting facilities. The one on the Wirral has a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and café, meaning that you’ll barely have to leave the place to have an fun time. There are one hundred and seventeen rooms, and a terraced area and business centre with meeting rooms. There’s also free Wi-Fi, so if you’re heading over and need to do some business then you’ll be able to do that. There’s a large car park if you’re driving and the journey to Prenton Park is relatively straightforward.
3. The Apartments @ Liverpool House. You get the whole apartment to yourself here for a very reasonable rate, and that includes 2 bedrooms too, so very economical if splitting with friends. There is also free Wi-Fi, parking and cooking facilities but you will have to make your own dinner. It’s close to town and under a mile from the ground too, so an all round great option.
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Liverpool is known for being a brilliant place to go for a night out so, much like with the hotels, you might want to head over the water for a drink or food. Yet the Wirral has plenty to offer of its own, so here’s a look at the best pubs and bars you can head to on the other side of the Mersey.

1. The Sportsman’s Arms. You’re never going to go too far wrong by picking a pub with ‘Sports’ in the title if you’re hoping to watch some live. The Sportsman’s Arms is open until midnight seven nights a week, with a menu that will keep you around enjoying the food until they won’t serve it any more. There are also all of the usual drinks that you’d expect from a decent pub, plus there are six large flat screen TVs dotted around the place for whatever live event people want to watch. The best news of all is that it’s only a short walk from Prenton Park, should you want to see the early kick-off before heading to see Tranmere play.
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2. Prenton Park Hotel. If you can’t find a pub with ‘Sports’ in the title then the next best bet is one with the name of the ground in it. Prenton Park Hotel has a number of things that will appeal to you, including the fact that it hosts an open mic night every Wednesday, live bands on a regular basis and has an excellent beer garden for when the weather’s nice. It’s located virtually in the shadow of the football ground that it shares its’ name with, so walking to see the match won’t be a problem… unless you have far too much to drink. You might be tempted to, given the cheap prices of booze and the multiple options available. Thankfully, they also have a decent menu to help you soak it all up, plus loads of screens to watch sport on.
3. The Mersey Clipper. It won’t take you long to get to your seat from The Mersey Clipper, because it is actually in the stadium itself. It has plenty of room, although it will obviously be very busy closer to kick off, and serves some whopping portions of great food too specializing in steaks and things like that. There is a pool table, large TV screens for the sport, and either karaoke or live bands at the weekend.
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Facilities

Prenton Park offers all of the facilities that you’d expect from a stadium in the English Football League system, including areas to grab a drink or a bite to eat. It’s not as if it’s Premier League quality, but there’s everything you could need for your match-going experience.

There are a number of decent hospitality options available to you if you want to experience a Tranmere match in style. You might want to start at the Platinum Suite, where you can enjoy a three-course meal pre-match as well as drinks and access to the lounge after the game. There are other options like the The Media Suite for up to 20 guests and a table football game for half time, should you be keen on something different.

The quality of the suites and boxes at Prenton Park are excellent, having been updated, meaning that it’s a top-quality place to host meetings and conferences if you’re looking for somewhere to do that away from the brighter lights of Liverpool city centre.

History

When Tranmere Rovers bought their first stadium from Tranmere Rugby Club in 1887, it was referred to as the Borough Road Enclosure, Ravenshaw’s Field and South Road until someone wrote in to the local paper, the Football Echo, and suggested calling it Prenton Park. When the club moved to the current ground, they took the name with them. The stadium was opened by Councillor George Proudman, the Mayor of Birkenhead, on the 9th of March 1912, and the club has remained there ever since, though it’s undergone numerous different alterations over the years. As with most grounds around the country, the biggest alterations came in response to the Taylor Report in the 1990’s that required all English stadiums to become all-seater venues.

Earlier changes included the installation of floodlights in 1958, which might not seem all that important but it allowed the club to play games on Friday nights. That, in turn, allowed supporters to watch the lower league side before heading to watch either Liverpool or Everton on the Saturday; a practice that continued until the 1990’s. Numerous other changes occurred during that time, though most of them were driven by alterations in the law. It was rarely cheap for the club to do, however, and that links back to those financial issues mentioned before. The two best teams in Liverpool might not be Liverpool and Liverpool Reserves, but the latter did move to Prenton Park in 2009 and continued to play their football there in the years that followed.