The Grounds Guide: All You Need To Know About Prenton Park
Everything you need to know about Prenton Park, home of League Two side Tranmere Rovers
Prenton Park is the home of Tranmere Rovers, a football club located in the shadows of Everton and Liverpool on Merseyside. The stadium has an old-school feel, but it is quite sizeable for a League Two ground, with a capacity of 16,587.
Tranmere have played their home matches here since 1912, but it has undergone several renovations over the years to comply with safety regulations. The most recent work took place in the mid-1990s, following the Taylor Report, which determined that all stadia in the top divisions of English football should no longer allow standing room.
As a result, Tranmere rebuilt three of their four stands from scratch, with the Main Stand the only one to remain intact.
As of today, the four stands at Prenton Park are the Main Stand, the Johnny King Stand, the Cowshed and the new Kop. It is the new Kop that stands out the most on a visit to Prenton Park. It is a single-tier grandstand at one end of the pitch, and in many ways, it is like a mini version of the Kop down the road at Anfield.
Interestingly, the Kop was once shared between home and away fans, but it now exclusively belongs to home supporters, which feels right.
One of the most likeable traits of Prenton Park is its asymmetry. The Main Stand and the Kop tower over the stands opposite, which only aids the ‘old-school’ vibe.
Prenton Park away end
As mentioned above, away fans once shared the Kop with home fans, but that changed in 2000 after a petition from Tranmere fans. Away fans are now housed exclusively in the stand at the opposite end of the ground, the Cowshed.
The Cowshed has a capacity of 2,200, and all of these tickets are made available to away supporters. Most clubs often return some of this allocation, but the stand remains exclusive for away fans regardless.
The view from the away end is better the higher up the stand you go. There are no supporting pillars within the stand, which means no obstructed views regardless of where you stand.
Away-day experience
Tranmere away is widely considered an enjoyable day out for visiting supporters. Many fans choose to spend the day in Liverpool city centre before making their way to Birkenhead for the match. After all, the chances of most lower league fans visiting the city for a match against Liverpool or Everton are slim.
Alternatively, for ease of access, some fans prefer to enjoy a pre-match drink in the local area. There are a few pubs within walking distance of Prenton Park that are welcoming to away fans, notably the Mersey Clipper and Halfway House.
Getting to Prenton Park and back out is relatively straightforward, too, regardless of whether you are driving or using public transport. The nearest railway station is Rock Ferry Station, which has a direct line to Liverpool Lime Street.
Prenton Park seating plan
Food and drink at Prenton Park
If you are attending a match at Prenton Park, don’t expect anything beyond the absolute minimum when it comes to food and drink. So, if you want something substantial, find a restaurant in the Wirral or in Liverpool City Centre.
At the same time, if you just want a grubby burger, then you are not going to be left disappointed. There are food kiosks dotted around, including in the away end. In addition to burgers, fans can usually buy pies, hot dogs and chips.
Outside the Main Stand is a fan park, which welcomes both home and away supporters before kick-off. This huge undercover space is the perfect spot to enjoy a drink before the match with like-minded supporters. On offer are a variety of local and international craft beers, ciders, spirits, wine and soft drinks.
How to get to Prenton Park
By car
If travelling from the north of England, you need to get on the M53 and exit at Junction 3. After leaving the motorway, take the first exit for Birkenhead and continue for one mile until you pass a Sainsbury’s on the left. From here, turn right when you see the Halfway House pub, and at the next set of lights, turn left onto Prenton Road West.
From the south of England, use the M6 and M56 to merge with the M53. From this direction, you must take junction four and then the fourth exit at the roundabout onto the B5151. After around 2.5 miles on this road, turn right at the traffic light onto Preston Road West.
There is a car park at the ground, but you must pre-book your space before arrival. This car park costs £6 per car and can be booked online or inside the club shop. If you cannot get into the official car park, then you can use the pay-and-display car park at the Mersey Clipper pub or find street parking nearby.
By train
There are several train stations close by to Prenton Park, with the nearest being Rock Ferry Station, which is a 20-minute walk away. From here, there are relatively regular trains to and from Liverpool Lime Street, which has connections to the entire country, including Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.
The other option is to get a train to Birkenhead Central Station, which is only slightly further away than Prenton Park and has better access to pubs and restaurants in the centre of Birkenhead.
Disabled access at Prenton Park
Tranmere Rovers do an excellent job of ensuring Prenton Park is accessible to all supporters. The ground has 33 wheelchair spaces, accessible parking, and step-free access points.
Beyond that, the club have launched several initiatives in recent times. These include audio commentary headsets, a quiet room in the Kop, stoma-friendly toilets, familiarisation tours and sensory packs.
Ticket prices at Prenton Park
Ticket prices at Prenton Park are as follows:
- Adults: £23-£25
- Over 65s: £18-£20
- 18-22s: £16-£18
- Under 18s: £9-£11
- Under 12s: £5-£7
- Disabled: £16-£18
Record attendance
The record attendance for a match at Prenton Park was 24,424 for an FA Cup clash in 1972 between Tranmere Rovers and Stoke City. Back then, much of the ground was made up of terraces, which allowed for a greater capacity.