Bake Him Away, Toys

 We ride the lightning into part 2 of the Away Day Power Rankings, with a nod to a (for now) polarising departed trip

27th: Dundee United
As promised in part 1, it didn't feel correct to have a gap of any significance between the 2 Dundee trips. Essentially everything that applies to Dens Park in terms of pubs and transport also applies here, with Tannadice gaining the merest edge thanks to the usual away (Jerry Kerr)stand on one side having better facilities (if somewhat narrow concourses) than the run-down main stand at Dens (although the "Shed" behind the goal, which is used for larger supports, is very much showing its age)

26th: St Johnstone
It's just rather dull, really. No complaints about the stadium itself (ample room on the concourses, a technicolour dreamcoat of a seating area and a fairly basic bar under the main stand), however its location leaves a lot to be desired if you're not merely swinging off the A9- it'll take you the best part of an hour to walk from the (well-served by intercity services) train station if you're not willing or able to hail a taxi or sample a local Stagecoach service. Aside from said stadium bar, there's nothing to write home about in terms of pubs either- with the 208 having sadly gone through the big property development gates in the sky, the city centre represents your only real options

25th: Aberdeen
The big drag here (aside from the time it takes to get there) is the away end itself, which is frankly decrepit and interminably cold- not entirely sure which bright spark decided a stand exposed to the North Sea (a hearty swing of a 9 iron away) didn't need to be built with a windshield. Pittodrie is just about walking distance from the train station (although plentiful buses go along King Street if required) and the city centre pubs- there's a healthy smattering of traditional pubs in the side streets around the stadium too. While the planned new stadium at the beach front very much falls into the I'll Believe It When I See It category, as long as it comes with an at least adequate away end, Aberdeen should quite easily move some way up these rankings. In around 2056

24th: Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
The newest addition to the SPFL, and by some distance the most old-school. While some work has been done on it this season (including the installation of 100 seats, bringing the seated capacity to, er, 100), it's still largely somewhat "rustic" in nature, and one to ponder for those celebrating the departure of Central Park from the SPFL. There is a social club at the ground and with the ground being slap bang in the town centre there are a few nearby alternatives for a pre-match beverage. Bonnyrigg itself, however, is something of a ballache to get to. Allow a full hour for a bus from the centre of Edinburgh to get you there, while the only train option is Eskbank, a fair walk away on the infrequently-served Borders railway

23rd: St Mirren
In terms of train station location, this is pretty much the gold standard, with Paisley St James being just across the road from the away entrance (although to be hyper-critical, it's typically only served half-hourly). Like the rest of the newer build stadia, the away end itself is perfectly fine if featureless. The letdown here is the lack of pubs nearby- a 15 minute walk from the stadium will take you into Paisley town centre for a pint, an option if the sentence fragment "Paisley town centre for a pint" doesn't send a shiver down your spine

22nd: Stirling Albion
Does 1993 still count as "new build"? It's naturally a tidy enough stadium (larger supports should get the option of one of the terraces behind the goals), however its location is something of a limiting factor. The nearby retail park has a Brewers Fayre type setup, however that's really the only option once you've made the 20-25 minute walk from the city centre (which does have a fine selection of hostelries). Stirling is well-connected by train, however you've still either got that walk to contend with, or will need to jump on a bus/taxi

21st: Kelty Hearts
The "New" part of the New Central Park moniker is certainly appropriate, with much of the ground having been renovated recently. Away fans have the option of either a small, covered terrace down one side, or the uncovered end behind one of the goals which has recently seen some steps added. The "village team" stigma that Kelty have attracted is somewhat harsh but not exactly unfair- it's an away day not overburdened by choice in terms of pubs and transport links. No train station in the town is an immediate drag down the rankings- there is a bus link to Edinburgh which stops right outside the away end, however it's far from frequent, and the option of a train to Cowdenbeath before jumping on a local bus is not for the uninitiated. The King's Arms is the nearest and best (and perhaps only?) pub option

20th: Ayr United
Cognisant of the fact that I've perhaps got this one slightly lower down that others may do. The ground itself can best be described as "rustic"- larger away supports will find themselves allocated a decent-sized covered terrace behind a goal, while smaller ones will have to make do with a handful of seats in the stand and/or the paddock in front of it. The town centre is a 10 minute walk away, which represents your best option for a pre-match pint unless you're minded to brave (and "brave" really is the appropriate word choice here) the Wallace bar across the road from Newton-On-Ayr station, one of the 2 (Ayr station itself being in the town centre) that serve the town- frequent services will have you back in Glasgow in just under an hour#

We Hardly Knew Ye: Central Park, Cowdenbeath
Can I just shock you? I like Cowdenbeath as an away day
Bear with me here: yes, the ground is a complete eyesore, but it's a unique eyesore, with its hotch-potch of a "traditional" main stand, the "newer" rebuilt section, and the catch-fencing to facilitate the banger racing that often starts not long after the final whistle on a Saturday (indeed, the 2nd half of a typical 3pm Saturday game will often be punctuated by revving engines in the car park). It's not unheard of for the stewards to hurry you along post-match too, which helps put you back on the high street and its surprisingly wide selection of pubs by 5pm- Wee Jimmy's is but one of the fine establishments available to the discerning and less discerning drinker. The high street also features the train station, which is regularly served on the Fife "circle"

Stand by for part 3 sometime next week

THE SOUL IS NOT SO VIBRANT