This ground guide is based on when I went and watched Aston Villa play Manchester City in the WSL at Banks’s Stadium in January 2022. Things might be different to this if you decide to visit the ground to watch an Aston Villa match (hopefully the weather will be different as it was freezing when I went and the match only went ahead after 2 late pitch inspections)!
Location and ground history
Bank’s Stadium (Bescot Stadium) is about 2 miles south of Walsall town centre and 10 miles north from the centre of Birmingham. The M6 motorway runs right next to the stadium. The stadium opened in 1990 as the new home for Walsall FC. The Lionesses have played a few matches at Bank’s Stadium including against Denmark just before the 2019 World Cup which had been my only previous visit to this stadium. Aston Villa’s women’s side have played at the ground since 2020 when they got promoted to the WSL.
Getting there
Bescot Stadium station is about a 5 minute walk away. Some Aston Villa matches take place on Saturdays (as did the one I went to) and there are 3 train per hour in both directions. Going one way they go to Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton and in the other direction to Walsall and Rugeley. On Sundays there is 1 train per hour in each direction and it runs between Walsall and Wolverhampton. The ground is close to junction 9 of the M6. Car parking is available at the ground and this costs £5 which you pay to a steward as you drive in. Two buses run next to the ground along Bescot Crescent with the closest stops being Bescot Stadium or Sadlers Club. The number 45 bus runs between Walsall and West Bromwich whilst the 401E goes between Walsall and Yew Tree.
Tickets
Online tickets were available to buy until noon the day before the match that I went to. It was the normal sign up and register with the club (if not bought tickets from them before) before you could buy them. Even though you could choose a seat when booking the ticket it was actually all unreserved seating for the match I went to so you can sit where you want in the stand that is open. You can buy paper tickets at the turnstiles and these cost the same price as if you had bought them beforehand (£10 for adults for the match I was at). The turnstiles opened an hour before kick off (might be different other times due to the pitch inspections when I went).
Ticket info- Buy Tickets: Aston Villa Ticketing (avfc.co.uk)
The Stadium
There are 4 separate covered all seated stands, three of which are single tired and one behind one of the goals has two tiers with some executive boxes along the middle. The capacity of the ground is 11,300. The only stand that was open when I went was the Community Stand on one side of the pitch. The stand opposite this has the tunnel, dugouts, press area and the tv camera position on the roof of the stand. There is a scoreboard in one corner between the Community Stand and the Away Stand. After going through the turnstiles, you go through a short tunnel that leads onto the walkway along the front of the stand where there are also disabled spaces. There are supporting pillars along the front of the stand so the view of the pitch can be obstructed at times! The toilets are in the corners of the ground near the food kiosks. There are some useful maps of the ground around the outside of the ground if trying to find your way around.
Food & Drink
There are food kiosks at either end of the stand in the corners of the ground. They accepted card payment only. There were long, slow moving queues at half time even with under 500 people in attendance at the match I was at. There is a McDonalds in the retail park next to the ground as well as a Park Inn by Radisson hotel but not much else that close by.
Merchandise
An 18 page paper programme was available to buy from one of the food kiosks. It was card only payment for this. I didn’t notice any other merchandise available to buy at the ground.
Fixture info and further links for tickets-Womens matches | AVFC
Paul's Football Page 