Stadia you've been to.

[GBJ]

I remember visiting Hornchurch supporters singing 'Town full of pikeys', which I thought was pretty brave/moronic of them, considering the sizeable Traveller's site about a hundred yards from where they were standing!

Yep, that was my point about not disturbing the neighbours.

Several names and faces connected to that site aswell, so not an ideal place to shoot your mouth off

 

[AndyT]

Probably the best ground to see Southend, excepting Wembley, is Goodison Park (4,000 of us for the FA Cup 3rd Round Tie in 1992).

Best ground is The Emirates for facilities, but I still like the tradition of the older style grounds in a lot of ways, as well.

Probably the worst, though it's being harsh, is Newport County in 1983.

 

[GBJ]

Most over-rated; Nou Camp - impressive in size only

Agreed.

Personally I thought it was a bit of a dump, but then I also thought Barcelona itself, was a bit of a dump.

The plans for their stadium expansion look nice, but once they’ve finished, they could do with running a paint brush over the old place.

One positive though, the stadium tour is probably the best I’ve ever done.

 

[ThurrockShrimper]

I think the problem with a lot of new grounds is that, while they look the part, the location of a lot of these places (i.e. the Kassam Stadium) is way outside the town / city centre of the town they represent.

The atmosphere can be really sterile as well. I've visited the 'London Stadium' a couple of times through freebie tickets, and, though I don't like West Ham, Upton Park had a generally decent and sometimes intimidating atmosphere.

The last time I went to their new ground, I lost count of how many times I was forcibly told to 'ENJOY THE GAME!' by various hi-vis sporting people.

 

[Richard Hearn]

Worryingly the grounds that are mostly featuring as "worst" choices are actually some of my favourites, Layer Road, Kenilworth Road, Aldershot (the ground in a park) are to my mind wonderfully weird, quirky and full of character. I cannot understand the love of all the soulless new megastructures, however high tech, that are replacing the old proper football stadia.

One of the few "newish" grounds that I liked was Nene Park, a tidy little ground eminently suitable for a lower league team. It is nothing short of criminal that it was razed after barely 20 years.

And if one wants "atmosphere" the Old Den on a cold, wet evening, anyone?

 

[Member]

Most over-rated; Nou Camp - impressive in size only
Best: New Wembley and Millenium Stadium
Favourite: Roots Hall - a proper ground (even more so back in the days of terraces) even if seen much better days
Worst League / Non-League: AFC Wombles / Ramsgate

Agree that Camp Nou is overrated, it doesn't hold the sound, it's half full of day-trippers so the atmostphere is lacking. I saw them win 5-0 with Messi scoring a brace and the atmosphere was 'meh'. It's huge, and going to a game kicking off at 9pm and then going out straight after is really good fun, but there are much better stadia

 

[Member]

Agree that Camp Nou is overrated, it doesn't hold the sound, it's half full of day-trippers so the atmostphere is lacking. the concourse is like a multi-storey car parkl.

I saw Barca win 5-0 with Messi scoring a brace and the atmosphere was 'meh'. It's huge, and going to a game kicking off at 9pm and then going out straight after is really good fun, but there are much better stadia

 

[ThurrockShrimper]

Agree that Camp Nou is overrated, it doesn't hold the sound, it's half full of day-trippers so the atmostphere is lacking. the concourse is like a multi-storey car parkl.

I saw Barca win 5-0 with Messi scoring a brace and the atmosphere was 'meh'. It's huge, and going to a game kicking off at 9pm and then going out straight after is really good fun, but there are much better stadia

I've read articles about Spanish top-flight football before that have said that, bar 'El Classico' and a few others, the atmosphere at matches at The Bernabau / Camp Nou can be pretty dull and that the attendances are a sometimes a fraction of what they would get for 'bigger games'.

From what I've gathered as well, away support is nowhere near what it is like over here, though obviously it is a considerably larger country etc. I wouldn't really fancy travelling to Fort William or Wick on a Tuesday night for an away game!

 

[Member]

I've read articles about Spanish top-flight football before that have said that, bar 'El Classico' and a few others, the atmosphere at matches at The Bernabau / Camp Nou can be pretty dull and that the attendances are a sometimes a fraction of what they would get for 'bigger games'.

From what I've gathered as well, away support is nowhere near what it is like over here, though obviously it is a considerably larger country etc. I wouldn't really fancy travelling to Fort William or Wick on a Tuesday night for an away game!

Yeah I watched them play Sevilla and there were probably 500-1,000 Sevilla fans there, because 9pm on a Sunday is not particularly conducive to away travel I guess.

 

[ThurrockShrimper]

Yeah I watched them play Sevilla and there were probably 500-1,000 Sevilla fans there, because 9pm on a Sunday is not particularly conducive to away travel I guess.

I watched a Spanish game on one of those sports channels you don't have to pay for the other month (I honestly for the life of me cannot remember who it was) but the commentator made a point of praising the 15 or so away fans who had made the trip!

 

[GBJ]

I've read articles about Spanish top-flight football before that have said that, bar 'El Classico' and a few others, the atmosphere at matches at The Bernabau / Camp Nou can be pretty dull and that the attendances are a sometimes a fraction of what they would get for 'bigger games'.

From what I've gathered as well, away support is nowhere near what it is like over here, though obviously it is a considerably larger country etc. I wouldn't really fancy travelling to Fort William or Wick on a Tuesday night for an away game!

You do get some really good atmospheres in Spain. I was in Seville last weekend, which by sheer chance, happened to be El Gran Derbi, between Sevilla & Real Betis. That’s very lively, and I’m sure someone like @Tangled up in Blue could confirm it’s reputation.

Malaga always get a decent turnout, and the atmosphere is generally very good.

Obviously the bigger the game, the bigger the turnout, and the more vociferous the atmosphere, but it’s no surprise to see/hear a very vocal set of fans in Spain.

This is one of my favourite videos of Malaga’s Estadio Rosaleda in full voice, with both stands behind the goals (which is all home fans) going back-to-back. Simply sublime.

 

[ThurrockShrimper]

You do get some really good atmospheres in Spain. I was in Seville last weekend, which by sheer chance, happened to be El Gran Derbi, between Sevilla & Real Betis. That’s very lively, and I’m sure someone like @Tangled up in Blue could confirm it’s reputation.

Malaga always get a decent turnout, and the atmosphere is generally very good.

Obviously the bigger the game, the bigger the turnout, and the more vociferous the atmosphere, but it’s no surprise to see/hear a very vocal set of fans in Spain.

This is one of my favourite videos of Malaga’s Estadio Rosaleda in full voice, with both stands behind the goals (which is all home fans) going back-to-back. Simply sublime.

looks impressive!

I went to Gran Canaria the other year and it just so happened that Las Palmas were playing the day of my return flight. It always seems to be the way that when I'm abroad, the local team is either playing away or I miss the nearest home game.

The only league game I have been to outside of the UK was a Maltese top-flight game, Hibernians vs Sliema Wanderers, which despite the relatively small crowd (2,000 tops), was a really great atmosphere! I think the relaxed pyrotechnic and booze-in-the-stands policies may have helped somewhat....

 

[AndyT]

Worryingly the grounds that are mostly featuring as "worst" choices are actually some of my favourites, Layer Road, Kenilworth Road, Aldershot (the ground in a park) are to my mind wonderfully weird, quirky and full of character. I cannot understand the love of all the soulless new megastructures, however high tech, that are replacing the old proper football stadia.

One of the few "newish" grounds that I liked was Nene Park, a tidy little ground eminently suitable for a lower league team. It is nothing short of criminal that it was razed after barely 20 years.

And if one wants "atmosphere" the Old Den on a cold, wet evening, anyone?

^
This.

There's some wonderful old photos of grounds back in the day, rammed to the rafters. Facilities were probably pretty archaic, even in those days, but I bet the people there really felt part of something special.

The guts of football, as a working class sport, were ripped out by Sugar and BSkyB in 1991 'The Revolution' but if HG Wells Time Machine did ever exist, I'd love to be transported back to those grounds of the 40's and 50's. Just for one afternoon.

 

[KAB]

Best: New Wembley
Worst: Withdean
Fave: Marassi (Genoa/Sampdoria) Atmosphere aplenty.

 

[Floval Flyer]

Best Stadium
Either Stadio Olimpico, Rome or Stade de France in Paris

Favourite Away Ground
Villa Park or the old Highbury Stadium

Worst Away Ground
Probably the old Layer Road ground or modern day the 3 sided Oxford Utd stadium


Most memorable game:
England v West Germany - 1990 WC Semi Final @ Stadio delle Alpi, Turin

 

[RobM]

oh come on, Chadfields isn't that bad! Did you ever go to Aveley's old ground or Waltham Abbey!?

Yes, both; it's a close call for sure!

 

[rigsby]

Probably the best ground to see Southend, excepting Wembley, is Goodison Park (4,000 of us for the FA Cup 3rd Round Tie in 1992).

Best ground is The Emirates for facilities, but I still like the tradition of the older style grounds in a lot of ways, as well.

Probably the worst, though it's being harsh, is Newport County in 1983.

I may well have been at that game. I forgot how bad that stadium was.

 

[AndyT]

It was a 1-1 draw. I think Danny Greaves scored for us.

We were on some open terrace with a very small roof and seemed to be a long way from the pitch.

 

[rigsby]

It was a 1-1 draw. I think Danny Greaves scored for us.

We were on some open terrace with a very small roof and seemed to be a long way from the pitch.

Yes remember the stand but cant remember the score. I also remember Danny Greaves being a brief terrace hero with a run of poached goals.

 

[AndyT]

Saw his away debut at Chesterfield. He scored after about 2 minutes.