Boots Athletic

You must have come in a taxi

From Nottingham - Follow A5005 (Beeston, Long Eaton) out of Nottingham along Castle Boulevard for 1.8 miles. At junction with A52 Dunkirk flyover, continue straight over on A5005 along University Boulevard. At next roundabout, turn left, continuing on the A5005. After 0.8 miles, turn left at traffic lights into Station Road (signposted Beeston Station). * Take the fourth right after 0.4 miles into Grenville Road. At end of Glenville Road, turn left onto Trent Road, and then first right onto Trent Vale Road. Entrance to the complex is 140 yrds on your LHS.

From M1 Jnc 25 - Join the A52 towards Nottm for 3.8 miles. Turn right at Nurseryman Pub onto B6006 Wollaton Road. Continue for 1.3 miles, passing through Beeston town centre. At traffic light crossroads, continue straight over onto Station Road, then as * above.

Dunn Line No.2000 runs past the Ground (Riverside Road via Beeston town centre - Sandiacre). The alternative solution is to disembark on Nottingham Road opposite Beeston Fire Station and walk down to the ground. TrentBarton Rainbow 5 (Nottm - Derby), No.s 18 & 32 (Nottm - Bulwell) & No.20 (Nottm - Heanor), DunnLine No.1 (Nottm-Derby) & NottsDerby No.17 (Nottm - Beeston) all run down Nottingham Road.

Beeston - 0.3 miles. Regular Midland Mainline services between Nottingham & London

For a map of the location, Click here.

My garden shed is bigger than this

For over 80 years, Boots played their football at the wonderful Nottinghamshire Sports Ground in Lady Bay, a vast sporting metropolis pleasantly sited on the south bank of the River Trent. Sadly, they were evicted at the end of the 2005/06 season to make way for Nottingham Rugby Club. However, as representatives of probably Nottingham's most famous and historic existing companies, it is perhaps fitting that Boots Athletics new home is in the shadows of the pharmaceutical companies HQ - Beeston.

Set on the banks of the River Trent, the Siemens Sports and Social Club complex occupies a huge plot of land surrounded by an abundance of activity. As well as residential housing, you'll find a large allotment area, the busy Beeston Marina boating workshops, and a holiday home site. There are three pitches in use, as well as a carefully guarded cricket wicket. The Chemists, as they are affectionately known, will play on the same pitch as Siemens close to the holiday home site, the furthest area away from the Clubhouse. Indeed, at half-time players many well find that it's time to come back before they've even settled down for a half time orange. Rather unnervingly, players and spectators will also find a huge electricity pylon's cables running diagonally overhead across the pitch. A novel way to promote playing football on the deck I suppose.

The actual pitch side facilities are in a pretty poor state of disrepair, with a lot of evidence of rust and decay. However, the Siemens Sports Ground does boast one of the most unusual covered stands in Nottinghamshire. Hogging a small section on the halfway line on the southside of the pitch, Siemens have constructed what resembles a homemade grey corrugated sheeting offer, complete with overhanging roof and fascia. The stand is held aloft by four metal polls and has a gap in the middle as its entrance. This unique little stand is flanked on either side by two dugouts. both of these are made out of cream breezeblock and have had a wooden roof erected, held aloft by two posts, with the roof covered in tarpaulin.

Temporary perimeter barriers are used on three sides of the ground using wooden stakes. On the south side of the ground, a series to concrete posts, many looking worse for the wear hold aloft a battered rusty white barrier.

As mentioned previously, the Clubhouse, otherwise known as the New Venture Club, is at the north entrance to the ground. This is a level roofed linked building, attached to the changing rooms. Half has been painted green to blend in more with the fields behind it.

Future Plans

The future had looked very bright indeed for Boots whilst at the Nottinghamshire Sports Ground, with plans some exciting major developments with the aim of boasting the best sporting facilities in the County. These plans including a gym, another astro turf pitch, improved social & changing area facilities. However, with new tenants Nottingham Rugby Club having ironically relocated from Beeston, these plans did not include the Chemists, sadly bringing to an end over eighty years of football being played at Lady Bay.

Having moved back to Beeston, one may have hoped that the club would have a little more stability. Not so. HSBC, who own the New Venture Club on Trent Vale Road expressed their desire to develop the site and as such the future of the changing facilities were in doubt.

Fortunately, the concerned now seem unfounded. Meetings with HSBC and the local council have ensured that the NVC will continue where it is for two years, after which it will relocate to a new building at Trent Vale Road. The plan is to integrate new dressing rooms into the plans and having a bar on site.