St James' Park named the Premier League's fourth best away day

Fans are constantly arguing that their team has the nicest stadium or the best fans, and with the conclusion of the 2023/2024 season upon us, a new study has revealed the Premier League’s best away day - it’s fantastic news for anyone who supports a team in the north.

Research by football betting tips, predictions and news site, Footy Accumulators, looked at a handful of factors to provide a total score out of 100, including the cost of pies, number of pubs and sports bars within one mile of the stadium, amount of independent burger and pie shops, and the novelty of the number of fancy dress shops within the vicinity.

Newcastle United may have had their season heavily interrupted due to injuries, but an away day to St James' Park has been given a score of 62.9 out of 100, the fourth-highest in the Premier League.

This is largely down to the location as St James' Park is the stadium nearest to the centre. It also scores highly for its good transport links which make it easy to navigate around Newcastle.

There are 128 pubs within a one mile radius of the ground which is the second-highest, along with 19 burger and pie shops. Average pint prices are £4.17 and a pie can be bought for £3.90, which helps fans keep more money in their pockets.

St James' Park has 50 cash machines within half a mile, 19 more than any other ground, and four fancy dress shops for those who want to liven up their style before the game.

Sheffield United may have the worst Premier League defence of all time, but their total of 73.5 sees them crowned the best away day in the Premier League. Its food and drink prices are some of the lowest in the league, whilst there are 174 pubs and 37 sports bars within a mile of the ground. Away fans have celebrated victories with pints that cost an average of £3.57 and with six fancy dress shops nearby, it is easy for visitors to end the season in style.

Burnley may also be going down with the Blades, but their total of 73.2 sees them achieve the second-best away day. Turf Moor is home to the cheapest pie in the Premier League at £3.00, and the pubs in the local area have the lowest average price at £3.54 a pint.

Luton are third, with the second highest number of burger and pie shops located within a mile of the stadium. Hotels near Kenilworth Road were just £81 a night, and a pint in nearby pubs is available for just £3.61. The Hatters received a score of 68.4 and were one of two clubs in the south of England that finished in the top half of the study.

At the other end of the table West Ham finishes last with a score of just 21.7, which is by far the worst score. Pies are the most expensive in the league at the London Stadium at £5.00, and a hotel will cost around £201 a night. The Emirates Stadium is the second worst away day due to soaring prices, scoring 31.1.

Manchester City are the lowest-ranked northern club and sit in 18th with a score of 32.5 narrowly seeing them above the Gunners. The lack of food and drink establishments near the Etihad Stadium hampered them. Manchester United have finally got the better of their rivals but don’t fare much better with a total score of 45.9 which puts them in 13th.

A spokesperson for Footy Accumulators commented on the study: “The build up to an away day provides a great feeling of excitement for fans, and our study shows that it is in fact the three sides likely to be relegated that are the best in the league.

“Clubs located close to a city or town centre tend to rank higher as amenities are more easily accessible, and our results prove that the lower costs in the north of England are a clear factor in attracting away fans for a weekend away.”