My husband and son are huge Newcastle fans and we are definitely a football household as my 9 year old son plays football five times a week with his grassroot teams and my husband is a coach at the local football club. They have been lucky enough to go to some Newcastle matches at St James park (tickets are like gold dust these days) and my son loves anything to do with Newcastle, so we decided to book a stadium tour as part of his 9th birthday celebrations recently.
St James Park Stadium Tour
We booked the tour online on the nufc website a few weeks in advance and tickets cost £18 per adult and £9.90 per child (price correct August 2023). The tour lasted an hour and a half and we got to see so much of the stadium and learn lots of interesting facts about the club. As we visited during the summer holidays there was quiet a lot of people on the tour but we still managed to see everything and hear everything the guides were telling us.
You start the tour at the top of the stadium and work your way down. There are a few stairs to climb but not many as you use the lifts and there was people with pushchairs when we visited who used lifts the whole time. We started at the highest point of the stadium in the Milburn stand which has great views of the city.
We then made our way down to the corporate boxes and got to look in ex Newcastle player Jonjo Shelvey's box. You get to have a look in the box, sit in the seats and learn lots of facts about the boxes and what it is like to be in one on match day.
You then get to visit the directors box and premium areas and find out lots of interesting facts. Everywhere you go in the stadium there is something to see and find out about and you learn so much about the history of the club.
We then headed down to the changing rooms, firstly starting in the away changing room and then the home one which is so much nicer! In the home dressing room they have players shirts on display so you can get your photo taking with your favourite players shirts (my son loves Pope as he is also a keeper) and get to sit where they sit. You can see the indoor training area and find out loads of information about what it is like on match day for the players.
Then the highlight of the visit for my son was getting to walk out the tunnel onto the pitch to local hero. As it was my sons birthday he got to lead the other children down the tunnel and he had the biggest smile on his face, every little toon fans dream.
There was work getting done to the dug out when we visited to comply with Champion League regulations so we didn't get to sit in the mangers seats. However we still got to get photos next to the pitch.
Lastly we moved onto the media room and you get to sit where the managers give the press confrences and find out what happens in the press room on match days. After the media room you leave the tour but your passes give you a discount in the Newcastle supporters shop. So of course we had to pay it a visit to get the new kit.
What We Thought
Hands up I am not a football fan at all, however even I found the tour interesting. My son and husband who are huge fans loved the tour! My son never stopped smiling the whole time and said he had the best day.
The tour guide was lovely and told us so much about the stadium and the clubs history. The tour was fun and you really did get to go behind the scenes and see so much of the stadium that you wouldn't normally get to see.
There are so many photo opportunities and little moments that children and adults will love. The highlight for my son was the home changing room and then walking down the tunnel to local hero, I think that is a memory he will never forget.
I would recommend booking a St James Park stadium tour to any Newcastle fan as it was a nice experience and it was a lot different to when I last visited.
St James Park
Strawberry Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4ST
St James Park is located in Newcastle city centre so is easy to access via public transport with the metro stopping right outside and plenty of buses just a short walk away. The train station is also just a 10 minute walk away.
You can find out more on the NUFC website www.nufc.co.uk
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