Ask any football supporter about their favourite away day and you’ll quickly realise there’s no right answer.
Some fans will tell you it’s all about the atmosphere inside the ground. Others will argue it’s the pubs before kick-off, the city itself, the ease of getting there, or simply the memories made with friends.
We’ve all got that one away trip we still talk about years later. It might have ended in a last-minute winner, a heartbreaking defeat, or a freezing Tuesday night in the middle of nowhere – but somehow those are often the ones we remember most.
Rather than trying to rank the best away days in England, I thought I’d do something a little different.
I’ve picked out the things that, for me, make an away day truly unforgettable and shared some of my own favourite memories following Portsmouth around the country. You may agree with some, completely disagree with others, and that’s the beauty of football – we all have our own stories to tell.
So, grab a pint, settle in, and then let me know your own favourites in the comments. I’d love to hear what makes an away day special for you.
π The Stadium
Some grounds simply feel special the moment you arrive.
Whether it’s climbing the steps to see the pitch for the first time, hearing the roar of the home support or soaking up decades of history, certain stadiums create memories before the match has even kicked off.
Old Trafford, Anfield, St James’ Park, Villa Park and Elland Road all offer completely different experiences, but each has something that makes visiting worthwhile.
For me, the best stadium I’ve ever visited has to be the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Not just because it’s an incredible stadium (which it is), but because of the memories attached to it.
For my late Dad’s 80th birthday, I surprised him with a VIP day out at Spurs. Dad was born & bred in Tottenham and had supported Spurs all his life, so it felt like the perfect present.
We had the full VIP treatment, stadium tour, lounge access, food and drinks – and then came the biggest surprise of all. There was a birthday message for Dad in the matchday programme, and seeing his name appear on the huge digital ribbon that wraps around the stadium completely caught us both off guard. The smile on his face at that moment is something I’ll never forget.
The stadium itself is absolutely stunning. Everything feels modern, the views are brilliant, and when Spurs scored the winner the roar from the crowd was almost deafening.
As special as the stadium was, it was sharing that day with Dad that made it unforgettable.
(And before any Pompey fans start questioning my loyalty… yes, Dad was Spurs through and through! As a youngster I followed them too, but my first ever match at Fratton Park changed everything. From that moment on I was hooked. That’s a story for another article…)
πΊ The City
A great away day often starts hours before kick-off.
Can you jump off the train and walk to a brilliant city centre? Are there plenty of pubs packed with travelling supporters? Is there somewhere worth spending the evening after the game?
Cities like Newcastle, Liverpool and Nottingham are favourites for many fans because the football is only part of the experience.
This one might surprise a few people, but I’d have to say Exeter.
It’s probably not the first place that springs to mind when people think about away days, but I genuinely loved it.
The city has a really nice feel to it, there are some great pubs, especially down by the river, and everywhere seemed full of supporters building up to kick-off. There was a proper football atmosphere without it feeling over the top.
I went with my nephew, Noah, who absolutely loved the whole day. Spending time together made the trip memorable… which was just as well because the football itself was absolutely dreadful!
Sometimes that’s football. You can watch ninety minutes you’d rather forget but still have one of your favourite away days because of everything around it.
π Getting There
Not every away day requires a five-hour coach journey.
Sometimes the best trips are the easiest ones. A straightforward train, a short walk to the ground and no frantic dash to make the last service home can make all the difference.
Of course, ask any fan and they’ll probably tell you the longest journeys often produce the best stories…
Let’s be honest – getting to football grounds is rarely straightforward, especially the ones tucked away in busy city centres.
But my most memorable journey wasn’t memorable because it was easy.
It was the trip to Villa Park for Portsmouth’s FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool in 1992.
I can still picture it now. Thousands of Pompey fans driving up the motorway with blue-and-white scarves hanging from car windows, flags flying, horns constantly beeping, everyone waving at complete strangers simply because they were heading to the same game.
It felt like half of Portsmouth was making the journey together.
Sadly, I also remember the journey home.
After Ronnie Whelan’s heartbreaking late equaliser, I spent most of the drive back in tears. Football has a habit of doing that to you.
πΆ The Atmosphere
Some stadiums are famous for their noise.
The roar before kick-off, the chants echoing around the stands and those moments when the entire ground seems to shake are what many supporters remember most.
Even if your team loses, experiencing an electric atmosphere is something every football fan should do at least once.
As a Portsmouth supporter, I’d argue we usually provide the best atmosphere wherever we go!
One away day that always sticks in my mind was Barnsley.
It’s a fair old trek from Portsmouth, and to make matters worse, we got absolutely battered – think it finished 6β0.
Normally that would make for a miserable afternoon.
Not with Pompey fans.
The away end sang from the first whistle to the last, celebrated every tiny moment, and at one point even started a conga around the stand. We completely ignored what was happening on the pitch and just enjoyed the day together.
That’s one of the things I love most about football. Sometimes the result doesn’t matter nearly as much as the people you’re with.
π The Matchday Experience
It’s the little things that often stand out.
A proper pie before kick-off.
Friendly stewards.
A cracking programme.
A supporters’ pub that’s become part of your annual routine.
These details are what turn an ordinary fixture into one you’ll happily do again next season.
The best overall matchday experience has to be that VIP day at Spurs.
Walking around the stadium before kick-off, visiting the club shop, relaxing in the hospitality lounge with food and drinks… I actually wish we’d arrived even earlier because there was so much to take in (and so much food to eat!).
Away from hospitality, though, one ground really impressed me last season – Bristol City.
Once again I took Noah. Once again we got absolutely battered… I think it was 5β0 this time!
Thankfully the rest of the day was much better than the football.
There are plenty of pubs around the ground, grabbing something to eat beforehand was easy, and getting a pint inside the stadium before and after the game was surprisingly quick.
The stadium itself is fantastic and, in my opinion, more than worthy of Premier League football.
I’d absolutely love to see Fratton Park redeveloped to that standard one day. Can you imagine the noise if Pompey fans packed out a modern stadium like that?
β€οΈ The Memories
Every supporter has that away day.
The unexpected promotion celebration.
The cup upset nobody saw coming.
The last-minute winner in front of the away end.
Or even the miserable 0β0 draw that somehow became legendary because of everything that happened before and after the match.
Those are the days that remind us football has always been about more than ninety minutes.
Picking just one football memory is almost impossible, but Portsmouth’s 3β2 FA Cup win at Leeds United in 1997 is right up there.
We don’t get that many famous cup moments, so this one has always stayed with me.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Portsmouth if we didn’t make it as stressful as possible.
Leading 3β1, Lee Bowyer pulled one back in the 92nd minute to make it 3β2, and those final moments felt like they lasted forever.
Thankfully this was before officials started adding ten or twelve minutes of stoppage time. I honestly don’t think my nerves could have taken it!
When the final whistle finally went, it felt like we’d won the Cup itself.
So… what’s the best away day in England?
That’s the question.
Is it the atmosphere?
The city?
The pubs?
The history?
Or is it simply where your team always seems to win?
There’s no definitive answer, and that’s exactly what makes football so special.
See you in The Changing Room.
β Guy
Your turn.
π If you could recommend just ONE away day for every football supporter to experience, which would it be and why?
Tell us in the comments. We'd love to hear your stories - and who knows, they might inspire someone else's next football adventure.
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- β½ Football fan. Prediction league bottler. Still convinced this is our season.
- πΊ Usually found in the pub before kick-off.
- π± Admin of at least one WhatsApp group that's permanently muted.
