The Iron and its travelling support make the relatively short trip to Barnsley on Good Friday, March 25, 2016.
It will be the 42nd competitive meeting between the two clubs and the fourth of the season after three meetings at Glanford Park in the League, League Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy. Scunthorpe have won 15, drawn eight and lost 18.The most recent meeting came at Glanford Park came in the league in October when the Iron ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Tom Hopper and Gary McSheffrey in the first half of the encounter.
Oakwell…
Oakwell is a nice, traditional English football ground. Three of the stands have been redeveloped at the set-up which dates back to 1888.
The two-tiered stands that run alongside the Oakwell turf are contrasting sides of the ground.
The East Side is a 7,500 seater development which is spacious and holds the executive boxes. It’s much larger than the other sides and is largely covered.
Sitting opposite is the West Stand, which is one of the older parts of the ground but a traditional set-up.
This is the only original part of the ground and it is also where the television gantry is and this side is visibly the oldest. Team dugouts are situated on this side and the players emerge from the changing rooms situated in the North West corner.
The North Stand is situated behind the goal and it’s where away fans are housed. This stand holds up to 6,257 supporters and it is one of the nicest of the four sides. Depending on the away allocation, this end is sometimes shared with home supporters.
The facilities are good and fairly new, as it was built around the time when the Reds were relegated from the Premier League in 1998.
It generates a good amount of noise and, unless you are near the front, you should be well sheltered if it’s a rainy November day.
The electronic scoreboard is also situated at this end, at the corner of the North Stand, so it may be hard for Iron fans to see, depending on where you are positioned.
At the opposite end of the pitch, behind the other goal, is the CK Beckett Stand, where the noisier, vocal Barnsley fans are situated. This stand is a 4,500 all-seated development which was opened in 1995.
Getting there…
From Glanford Park, take the first left at the roundabout by Tesco’s and the first exit at the next one onto the M181 to Humber Bridge/Doncaster/M180. Keep right upon reaching a fork before following signs for the M180 towards Doncaster.
Take the exit onto the M18 towards M1/Doncaster after 12 miles, continuing for 11 miles and exiting at junction two onto the A1(M) to Newark/Leeds. Continue until the roundabout and take the third exit onto the A1(M) ramp to Leeds.
Merge onto the A1(M) after half a mile and take the exit at junction 37, onto the A635 to Doncaster/Barnsley.
At the roundabout, take the first exit onto Barnsley Rd/A635, continuing onto the A635 and go through three roundabouts before continuing for ten miles.
At the next roundabout, take the third exit onto Doncaster Rd/A635, continuing for one-and-a-half miles.
Turn right onto Oakwell Ln and then left onto Pontefract Rd. Turn right onto Grove Street and you will see the ground on the right.
You can pay for parking at the nearby Metrodome leisure centre, Queens Ground car park or find a spot on the streets.
Address: Grove Street, Barnsley, S71 1ET
On the train...
From Scunthorpe train station, catch the 12.08pm Transpennine Express Manchester Airport service to Sheffield.
Catch the Northern service towards Leeds at 1.18pm and get off after two stops, at Barnsley.
Come out of the station and turn right onto Schwabisch Gmund Way and turn left after around 400ft onto Kendray Street.
Continue onto Pontefract Rd and left onto Bala Street. Continue onto Belgrave Road and you will see the ground on your right-hand side.