Away-day guide
Riverside on Teesside.
Quick takeaways
About the place
The Riverside Stadium sits on the south bank of the River Tees, on the site of the former Middlesbrough Dock. The nearby Temenos sculpture stands as a monument to the region's industrial and engineering heritage.
The stadium is widely considered as the blueprint for the modern fully enclosed 'bowl' stadium, with clean sightlines and good views of the action all around.
Outside the main entrance stand the cast iron gates from the club's original home, Ayresome Park. Away fans are housed in the East Lower Visitors Stand.
Club info
Section 02
By train
Middlesbrough station is about a 20-minute walk away. From the station exit, turn right onto Bridge Street West and go straight. Turn right onto Windward Way — this will take you all the way to the stadium.
Section 03
Parking options
If you park at the stadium, expect delays of up to an hour due to local road closures and post-match traffic.
Car Park E: Away fans can buy a parking spot by contacting the Middlesbrough FC Ticket Office directly on 01642 929421. These spaces are first-come, first-served, cost between £6 and £8.50, and must be pre-booked.
Car parking at the Riverside: mfc.co.uk/tickets/car-parking
The club provides 5 dedicated disabled parking spaces for away fans. Book through the club's ticket office, or go through your own club's system. Spaces cost £7 + a booking fee.
Near the stadium
Min walk
Surface level car park, with an underpass that'll get you to the stadium in 10 minutes.
Middlesbrough TS4 2AP
Notes
That makes it a popular choice, and spaces go quickly, so get there early. It can be slow to get out, but — it's free.
Min walk
Cheap parking to the west of the stadium.
TS2 1AD
Notes
The walk to the ground is only 10-15 minutes. This option is cheap and convenient, but the trade-off is a slower getaway, due to its location.
Further out
Min walk
Inexpensive multi-storey car park near the town centre.
Station St, Middlesbrough TS1 1SR
Notes
15-20 minutes to the ground.
Min walk
Official matchday partner site, managed by JustPark.
Teesside University, TS1 3BX
Notes
20-25 minutes to the stadium.
Min walk
Multi-storey car park in town.
20 Brentnall St, Middlesbrough TS1 5AP
Notes
20-25 minutes to the ground. Online reviews are generally positive, but mention that the spaces can be tight. Also note that parking on Levels 4-6 (long stay) is cheaper than Levels 0-3 (short stay).
Matchday road closures
Roads surrounding the stadium close 45 to 60 minutes prior to kick-off. After the full-time whistle, closures remain in place for approximately 30 minutes. If you're parked at the stadium, you won't be able to leave during this window.
Roads affected by the closures include:
Post-match traffic
Post-match traffic around the Riverside Stadium is notoriously heavy, compounded by matchday road closures.
If you're parked at the stadium, it can take 45-60 minutes to get moving.
The A66 Junction: Once vehicles are allowed to leave, traffic bottlenecks heavily at the A66/A172 exchange near the stadium.
Dockside Road: The single-lane industrial estate roads quickly gridlock as hundreds of cars attempt to merge onto the main routes simultaneously.
If you park closer to town, you'll sidestep the post-match chaos around the stadium, even if you hit a little traffic on the way out.
If you've got time, a post-match drink or bite to eat will let the traffic die down before you head off.
Section 04
In town
The Linthorpe Road area has lots of places to eat and drink. Just off Linthorpe Road, Baker Street and Bedford Street are two parallel roads with some highly rated micropubs and restaurants.
Local speciality — the Parmo
The Parmo is Middlesbrough's legendary comfort food. It features a flattened, breaded chicken cutlet, deep-fried, smothered in rich white béchamel sauce, and topped with a thick layer of melted cheddar cheese. It is traditionally served with chips, salad, and a side of garlic sauce for dipping.
You won't have to search far to find a parmo.
Outside the stadium, you'll find the usual food vans serving burgers, hot dogs etc.
Closer to the stadium
Exchange Square, Middlesbrough TS1 1DE — near the station
STACK offers a mix of independent street food traders and live entertainment. Just a couple of minutes from the station, nestled under the A66 flyover, it's a great spot to eat and drink either side of the game.
61 Wilson St, Middlesbrough TS1 1SF
Popular spot with away fans, as it's near the station. Noted for its home-made Parmos and good beer.
7 Baker St, Middlesbrough TS1 2LH
Sherlock Holmes-themed micropub on Baker Street, serving Belgian beers and flavoured ciders.
Inside the ground
On the concourse, there is a Parmo option available, if you haven't found one in town.
Section 05
Away fans are housed in the East Lower stand, which is on the side of the pitch at one end. Expect some good back and forth with the home fans in the South Stand to your left.
It's a comfortable place to visit, with decent views of the game, good leg room and a spacious concourse. There is an elevated viewing platform for disabled fans.
The roof doesn't completely cover the front rows of the stand. Check the forecast and plan for sun/rain before you go.
Section 06
Lunchtime kick-off in Middlesbrough, so an early start.
We took Grandma to this one. We try to get her to a couple of away games each season, as she loves the day out with the boys.
We went for France Street Car Park, a town centre option within easy walking distance of the Riverside. As it was a Saturday, parking was free, which is genuinely brilliant, given what some car parks charge on matchdays. We got there early to be safe.
The plan was simple: park up, grab breakfast, walk to the ground. After the game, head into town to eat and let the traffic clear. It worked out pretty well.
There was a McDonald's next to the car park, which settled the breakfast question. The walk to the stadium is flat and straightforward — through an underpass under the A66 onto Cargo Fleet Road, then left through another underpass onto Windward Way, up the ramp to the right, and the stadium is in front of you.
On the approach there are a few food stalls doing the usual matchday things. There was also a sweet stall that Grandma needed steering away from. Her grandsons didn't exactly help.
Row C was fine for the view, although the front rows get no shade, which meant that my youngest got sunburned in about 10 minutes! If we were sat at the front again, we'd definitely pack either suncream, shades or a raincoat depending on the forecast.
After the game we wandered slowly into town — partly to kill time before getting back in the car. It did the job. By the time we'd eaten, the traffic had cleared and we were away quickly.
The unexpected bonus of the day was stumbling across a festival in Centre Square. It had food stalls, craft ales, live music, wood-fired pizzas. It all looked better than what we'd just eaten.
This was the Orange Pip Market, which runs on the last Saturday of the month from late May through to the end of September. The regular version takes place on Baker Street and Bedford Street from 12 until 6. What we wandered into was a larger Centre Square Takeover edition. If your team's got Middlesbrough away on the last Saturday in August or September, it's a good reason to build some extra time into the day.
If you've got more time
Take a punt
5questions, multigenerational. Some you'll know, some only a long-time fan would. No timer, no leaderboard — just for the fun of it.
Reviewed by Andy · 2 weeks ago