Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
When one thinks of a UK-based football trip, they naturally think of cities such as London and Manchester. The former has top clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham, while the latter has perhaps the two biggest clubs in the country, Manchester City and Manchester United. And while both the aforementioned cities are great visits, especially if your trip is centred around football, they can tend to be pricey. We don’t have to go into detail surrounding prices in the capital, but for those of you that aren’t aware, you’ll be looking at upwards of £7 for a pint of beer. You won’t experience those prices some 100 miles north.
Birmingham and its surrounding areas have four clubs in the top two tiers of English football. Then there are another two sides plying their trade in the championship, while third-tier Walsall is only a stone's throw away. With the likes of Juventus superstar Dusan Vlahovic rumoured to be on the move to Aston Villa next transfer window, and with European football potentially returning to Villa Park next term, Birmingham may well be the ultimate British city to get your football fix.
The only official clubs within the boundaries of the actual city of Birmingham are Aston Villa and Birmingham City, and the two rivals are enduring contrasting fortunes at present. The Villains are enjoying their most prosperous era in around 15 years. With Spanish manager Unai Emery at the helm, the club are on the brink of a return to European football for the first time since 2009. They have managed to build a squad full of quality and if they are able to add the aforementioned Vlahovic to their ranks, they may very well be challenging for the Premier League’s top four next season.
The Blue half of the city however currently finds itself in the Championship. They have just endured a turbulent season in which they finished just nine points clear of the drop zone, and the clubs demanding supporters will be hoping for a more prosperous campaign next term. Whether that actually materialises or not remains to be seen, especially as the club is rumoured to be enduring financial difficulties.
Barely 17 miles outside of Birmingham is fellow Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers, and their stockpile of Portuguese talent has seen them feature in European competition in recent seasons. Then, just six miles outside of the city you can find The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion. They too find themselves in the Championship at present after a long stay in the Premier League.
With all this top-quality football in Birmingham and its surrounding areas, perhaps it's time to take a look at the Second City, and start giving it the respect that it deserves.
Tony Incenzo has been to over 2,000 football grounds - is he the world's barmiest football fan? Read about his love for Non-League football and groundhopping obsession, including watching a match in prison!
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