“This is one of my favourite pubs to watch the games. There’s always a good atmosphere in there on a matchday, and a good buzz with fans from rival teams. They do perfect food for watching the game. My business partner lives locally and is also a Spurs fan, so we take the dogs down, and it’s a great place to forget about work and soak up the atmosphere.”
Recommended by James Cochran, head chef of Restaurant 12:51, London
The Gloucester, Weymouth
85 The Esplanade, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 7AT; thegloucesterweymouth.com
“I’m a huge Liverpool fan and watch as much as possible, as most of my time is spent in the kitchen. This pub is on the seafront and it shows all the games on indoor and outdoor screens. It’s large enough that you usually get a table, but small enough to create an atmosphere when the games are on. It’s great to leave the pub and have the beach and sea right in front of you.”
Recommended by Mike Naidoo, executive chef at Catch at the Old Fish Market, Weymouth
The Ship, Marlow
23 West Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 2LS; theshipmarlow.com
“Going to the pub is the quintessential experience, second only to being at the game itself. Being a Newcastle fan and living hundreds of miles from the holy land, there is no other place for it than the Ship. Lager tops, bartender banter, all of your colleagues and friends cheering and arguing, everyone being a VAR expert. It has been our go-to in Marlow for years, and for many more to come.”
Recommended by Tom de Keyser, head chef at The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
The Black Lion, Stoke-on-Trent
895 London Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 5NZ; blackliontrentvale.co.uk
“The Black Lion in Trent Vale is a classic and somewhere I’ve always gone to catch Stoke City play. It’s a few minutes’ walk from my house, there are no pretences, just a cold pint and a good laugh.”
Recommended by Niall Keating, chef-director of Lunar, Staffordshire
Mr Smith’s at The Freemasons at Wiswell, Clitheroe
8 Vicarage Fold, Wiswell, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9DF; freemasonsatwiswell.com
“It’s an incredible pub and has been my go-to for a while now when there’s a Liverpool game on. They’ve got a great kitchen table too, if you get hungry.”
Recommended by Mark Birchall, chef-patron of Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Lancashire
Rose & Crown, Stratford-upon-Avon
15 Sheep Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 6EF; greeneking-pubs.co.uk
“There are loads of screens, including a great one outdoors, and it’s where I go with chef friends of mine to watch the big matches, although my team, Coventry City, aren’t on the telly a lot at the moment. It’s a proper local boozer with a great atmosphere, a good mixture of fans, and you can see a screen everywhere you are.”
Recommended by Paul Foster, chef-owner of Salt, Stratford-upon-Avon
The Farrars Arms, Oldham
56 Oldham Road, Grasscroft, Oldham, Greater Manchester OL4 4HL; thefarrarsarms.co.uk
