Who are yer? Atletico Madrid

Or the second team in Madrid after another one whose name I forget for a moment. Which is all rather unfair on Atletico, a club that has enjoyed levels of success that would be the envy of many clubs in Spain and beyond.

That success included Europa League victory in 2010 against Fulham in Hamburg, followed up with victory over those Italian boys of Inter to secure the Super Cup. Back in 1974 they reached the European Cup Final, only to fall in the face of a Beckenbauer inspired Bayern Munich. Before that there was a European Cup Winners Cup success in 1962. So not a bad track record really.

Welcome to the Vicente Calderon: The home of Atletico Madrid

Domestically there have been nine La Liga wins and the same number of Copa del Rey successes. Sadly though there has been just one league title in the past 35 years - and one brief relegation (although don't say that too loudly in this part of the city. Even in english).

Atletico have always been characterised as the rebellious club in Madrid up against the establishment of Real. Ironically Atletico were the preferred side of the Franco regime early on - although they switched allegiance to Real.

Where do you come from: Estadio Vicente Calderon

The pride of Atletico, the Vicente Calderon, a mile from the centre of Madrid, looks good. Well, it looks good enough from a distance anyway. And it helps if you squint, in which case you'd be pretty impressed.

The shapely stadium, three sides open two tiered bowl sporting the colours of the club - red and white around the top, blue the bottom tier - has a symmetrical, smart look about it. And the main stand, the only one in the ground with a roof, has a neat style about it with posher seats and flash electronic scoreboards on either side.

One big bowl: The extensive open sides of the stadium.

But closer up, the facade is a little less impressive.  

Facilities underneath are basic. The seats, long open to the elements, aren't in the best of nick. Walkways are cracked, in fact it looks like the team left last season and the stadium has been left to drift. I'd also be fascinated to work out how much you can actually see from the seats stuck directly behind - and I mean behind - the dugouts.

Built in 1959 as an all-seater, the stadium has been modernised over the years, with the capacity slightly reduced, but it has seen better days.

But all this is explained by the fact that in two year's time it's all coming to an end. In 2013 Atletico take a step up, and move out of their home of more than half a century to a plush, 70,000+ seater stadium across town - the Estadio La Peineta - being upgraded from its present 20,000 capacity.

So time has been called on the Vicente Calderon - it will be demolished to make way for a riverside park, I believe - and there seems little point splashing more cash on it.

Where Torres once walked: By the dugouts.

Still, it still has elements of character and a 55,000 seater is not to be sniffed at. It backs on to the river, a la Nottingham Forest's ground, so much so that a main riverside road actually passes underneath the main stand.

It's not their fault that a team across the city just happens to have a home far bigger, more modern and more famous Although, not for long when Atletico up sticks and move.

In the meantime it certainly enhances the club's reputation as being the upstarts, the underdogs, the people's team of Madrid. And you have just a little over a season to get there and enjoy the nostalgia before it's gone.

We're on our way: Getting to the ground

The quickest way is to hop on to Madrid's speedy metro to Piramides stop. You'll find it on the Green Line 5, on the same line as the central Opera and Gran Via stations and less than a ten minute journey away from those hotspots.

From Piramides stop it's a ten minute walk. From the station walk downhill along Paseo de les Acacias until you reach a major junction. Take the third exit on the right and the stadium is five minutes ahead of you.

Alternatively it is walkable from the centre, and fairly easily from Palacio Real, less than 30 minutes, and almost all downhill.

With the palace in front of you head left along the main road, Calle de Bailen down to the impressive Basilica (that's a church with a big dome) on the right hand side. Just past the gardens on the right of the church saunter downhill along Calle del Rosario, then shuffle down the steps at the end and straight across the road along Calle de Gil Imon to the end. Then turn left into Paseo Imperial (there's a bar on the left, nudge nudge).

From the outside: Your way into the museum is by that sign on the left.

Follow this road to a roundabout, turn right downhill along Paseo de los Pontones, when you may just spot the floodlights creeping above a block of houses - the stadium is 400 yards down on the left.

Who ate all the pies: Eating and drinking

Inside the stadium there are facilities although they appear relatively basic.

It's not in the busiest part of town but there is the odd bar and cafe, with a few just before the stadium on your way from Piramides stop.

Also note the one mentioned above along Paseo Imperial - 10 minutes up the hill and on the left. There's also a plush bar/cafe by the museum (see below) which is a cool place to qunech your thirst on non-matchdays at least.

Bag a seat: Buying a ticket

At present picking one up on a matchday shouldn't be too much of a hassle. As a rule the 55,000 seats are enough to go round, so rock up and try your luck.

On tour, grab a souvenir: Tours and stores

Underneath the open-sided bowl - at entrance (Puerta) 23 - you'll find the Atletico museum, and surprisingly impressive it is too. The highlight is quite an immense array of trophies, reminding you that despite their exhalted neighbours Atletico have a history and success all of their own. And some of the trophies are a whacking great size, I can tell you.

Campiones, campiones..: A big cabinet. For big trophies.

All exhibits are in spanish but you should be able to work out what a football, shirt, ticket and pennant is without too much trouble. It's not huge but it's worth 15 minutes of your time, particularly if you're hanging about for the tour.

Indeed, the tour. We signed up for a tour which was given in spanish and english, we were told, although there appeared to be one omission - the english. Well, that's not entirely fair - if you asked a question the lad would do his best to answer but in a nutshell, it was all in spanish so don't expect a full rundown of fascinating stadium facts you can understand. Lots of looking around and taking pictures is the order of the day instead.

Your escort takes you round the front of half the stadium, with a chance to check out the dugouts, changing rooms, press room and the posh hospitality. It takes a little under an hour.  Four tours run daily, at noon, 1pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm so time your visit accordingly.

You end up in Atletico's impressively stocked store with the usual selection to tempt your money.

Squint and it's Sheffield United: But nope, it's Atletico's shop.