If
travelling down on the train then your best bet for beer is to sup in the city centre
and then jump on a tram or in a taxi. It's 3
miles to the ground, so you certainly wouldn't want to walk it! Two pubs
you could try are the Bankers Draft (Wetherspoons) and the Old Queen's Head.
The Queen's is apparently
the oldest commercial building in Sheffield, and it's hidden away behind
the new bus station and so doesn't get that busy. Plus it has decent beer and
does okayish food. And they've got a beer garden (well, beer yard anyway) in case
it's a nice day.If driving down, parking around the ground isn't good. There's a small amount of street parking, otherwise there are car parks that'll set you back £3-£5 and getting out of which will be an absolute nightmare. My recommendation is to park on or just off the A61 on the other side of the railway bridge from the ground. Yeah it's a bit of a hike, but you should make good time getting back to the M1.
As for pubs around the ground, definitely to be avoided are the Park, the Gate and the Travellers Rest. You won't get in any of them with colours in any case. Just below the railway bridge is the New Bridge Inn. We've been in there before, quite a few years ago now, but it's supposed to be still ok for away fans. A little bit further up the A61, but off down a side road, is the Pheasant (with a chip shop opposite!). This looks a good bet for anyone parked in that area. One option if coming in on the A61 is to call in at the Norfolk Arms or Red Lion, both of which welcome away fans. However, you'd then have the problem of trying to get parked at the last minute, so I wouldn't bee too keen on this myself. There are also a few pubs up the big hill (mountain some would say!) to the west of the ground. The Horse and Jockey (although it may now be closed), Wadsley Jack and Rose and Crown all get good write-ups. You are though talking about a long walk back to the ground by the time you get to the Rose and Crown! Finally, on the south side of the ground there's the New Barrack Tavern. This is probably the place to go if you want a good pint as it's very highly rated by the local CAMRA branch. On top of that it sounds like it's ok for away fans.
Pub map
Football Ground Guide
The Football and Real Ale Guide
Pub guide (by Burnley London supporters!)
Tram info