worst away grounds

[Syteanric 1]

a different thread and one which i hope we can all have a laugh with and get away from some of the cattyness on the board.

 During our time in the Championship/Div 1 we have had the fortune (or misfortune in some cases!) of going to many different stadiums... Facilities, comfort, view and other things all vary depending on an individuals experiances.

 So, over the years, what has been the best and worst stadium u have been too (not including the millenium or any of the premiership ones)

 My best one is Pride Park and St andrews... i was really close to the birmingham fans when were in the prem and when we scored it was really different knowing there was just a bit of tape between me and them!

 I like Pride park as well.. some might say its indentikit to some other modern stadiums but i have been there twice and, despite seeing us lose each time.. the atmosphere and views are exceptional!

 Worst ground.. a tough choice.. almost went for smellhurst or Elm Park but it has to be Grimsby doesnt it? its a short trip but it feels like forever.. the stewards are clueless, theres 1 refreshment stand.. and 1 girl serving (or there was when i went!) and u have to almost go through peoples gardens to get into the ground! im sure its where u go to die.

jas :)

[andy knights 0]

refreshing change I''d have to say the crewe ground was the worst for me stuck in that rickerty old shed while home support lavished in their new terrace

 

[Kathy 823]

Grimsby has more dog poo than anywhere in the world. I have never seen so much and it is always my overwhelming memory of trips to Blundell Park.

[No 9 - Bly<P><FONT size=1>Its better to have loved a short girl, than never loved a tall.<FONT><P> 0]

Southend was pretty poor, and I am looking forward to seeing if Luton is worse.

[Canary02 0]

By George, it''s a football one....

I strangely enjoy Loftus Road. It just feels like a proper football ground, and I like the corrugated iron touch which is always nice.

I really hate Selhurst. I don''t know anyone who likes it to be fair. Everything about it is glum and unsatisfactory. Grimsby is also a bit of a pit.

I''m on a long-term 20 year mission to do the 92 league grounds. Finances dictate I can only get to 4 away games plus my season ticket every year, and I''m only on 16 now, but I enjoy seeing the new places, and St Andrews and Pride Park are definitely on the To-Do list.

One tip if you fancy a bit of a different day trip: A mate of mine (also on the 92 trail but on 75 grounds) suggested a trip to Boston to watch them (mainly so he could add another ground to the list). It was hilarious and pressure-free because you didn''t really worry about the result, plus we had the pleasure of standing next to the corner flag and winding up Matt Bloomfield the ex-Ipswich player who was taking corners for Wycombe that day. Top entertainment just down the road.

[norfolkchance1 0]

Probably a toss up between Rotherham, Grimsby or Boltons old ground Burnden Park.

Burnden park probably gets the vote though as Bolton had stopped spending any money on it (As they knew they were going to a new ground). We were sat in this little temporary stand with a leaking roof during a very wet day, it took ages to get there and we got hammered with John Mcginley scoring if I remember correctly. 

Plus any ground which has a disused supermarket in one corner must be bad. 

[farley 0]

Worst is probably tonights hosts. Although a decent atmosphere can be created at Kenilworth Road, the stand is falling down, the seats are broken, and parking is a nightmare! Also, Selhurst park. For 30 quid, I''m never going back there again until it improves. Swindon, when in the open air seating is a nightmare, especially when it rained.

I don''t actually mind Grimsby, I have been to far worse. In fact, I''d rather visit Grimsby than Derby. I''m not a fan of the new, bowls such as Pride Park and the Walkers. Millwall is probably one of my favourite visits, just because (1) the view from the away end is probably one of the best you''ll get in the country, and (2) because, even when there aren''t many there, there is always a good atmosphere, however intimidating you may think it is.

Also, always enjoy Loftus Road. Going to Cardiff next week, and I am sure I am going to love Ninian. I like the old grounds with character. Loved Stoke''s Victoria Ground when we used to visit, apart from the home fans above the away terrace.

[farley 0]

Completely forgot to mention my least favourite ground in the country, having been there both when terraced and seated, and lost both times (also got wet when standing!)........................Fratton Park!!!!

 

[Ginja 43]

Rotherham not only had an awful ground but an awful town, quite possibly the worst dump ive ever seen.I really liked the stadium of light and agree that pride park is also very nice, one of my personal favourites was the keepmoat stadium

[Tom NCFC 0]

I haven''t been to many away matches but i''ll say Valley Parade aka Bradford''s just because it was soooooo empty. There must have been only 10% of the seats full, it was a horrid atmosphere just because of the lack of voices. The Madejski  (Pardon the spelling) is a nice stadium.

[Archie 0]

fratton park really is a dump. at least some of the other rubbish stadiums like elm park/ashton gate had terracing at the same time

the stadium of light is a great stadium and had a great atmosphere, in stark contrast to somewhere like reading where you''d think the home fans were at a funeral

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="farley"]

Worst is probably tonights hosts. Although a decent atmosphere can be created at Kenilworth Road, the stand is falling down, the seats are broken, and parking is a nightmare! Also, Selhurst park. For 30 quid, I''m never going back there again until it improves. Swindon, when in the open air seating is a nightmare, especially when it rained.

I don''t actually mind Grimsby, I have been to far worse. In fact, I''d rather visit Grimsby than Derby. I''m not a fan of the new, bowls such as Pride Park and the Walkers. Millwall is probably one of my favourite visits, just because (1) the view from the away end is probably one of the best you''ll get in the country, and (2) because, even when there aren''t many there, there is always a good atmosphere, however intimidating you may think it is.

Also, always enjoy Loftus Road. Going to Cardiff next week, and I am sure I am going to love Ninian. I like the old grounds with character. Loved Stoke''s Victoria Ground when we used to visit, apart from the home fans above the away terrace.

[/quote]

forgot Millwall.. been there once and found the stewards friendly, the atmosphere relaxed and the views, as u say, Very good... id go there again.

jas :)

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

This should be a nice diversionary thread if we try not to slag off the teams, or the supporters of the teams, that play there .........

Best and worst are always tough choices. The Walkers Stadium, St Mary''s, Pride Park - a 4-0 City win always helps - and The Stadium of Light are all good but I think Molineux just shades it.In terms of facilities it must be one of the best medium sized grounds anywhere. The pillar-less view is excellent and I''ve always found it easy to get a pie and a pint...........

Worst ground, taking into account the pedigree of the club, should be Selhurst Park. The leg-room and view in the Arthur Wait Stand is terrible and you can just forget about paying a half-time visit to the less-than-inviting Gents or the '' refreshment facilities ''. For what''s on offer the admission price stinks too. But I''m going for Rotherham United''s Millmoor. Set in a grim wasteland the whole place seems to held together with good luck. The toilets are less than basic, easy access to the tea-bars almost non-existent, and the sight of those portakabin '' executive boxes '' away to the left of the visiting supporters huddled in the Railway End raises the odd titter or two...........

Perhaps the kindest solution would be to drop a bomb on the place, which bizarrely, seems to have already occurred. Stumbling, blinking, into the light leaving the stand, the away fan is confronted by a huge pile of twisted metal in the scrapyard behind the exit. On my last visit this mountain, in deepest Yorkshire, was surreally topped by a London Underground train carriage calmly awaiting it''s fate.......

It felt like walking into a scene from one of those post-nuclear holocaust films.........

 

 

[Northern Canary 0]

Ground such as Crewe and Rotherham are my favourites that I have been to. I found City of Manchester stadium and others had a lot less personality.

[Holtys revenge 0]

I have memories of Maine Road where we had to stand in the open in the corner section in pouring rain (normal for Manchester) before the stewards took pity on us and let us into the Kippax alongside. Huge ground, four completely different stands, in the middle of somewhere that made downtown Baghdad look peaceful.

Springfield Park Wigan was a khazi. Fratton Park as many have said is a disgrace, St Marys is superb apart from gormless stewards, Burnley has a bit of character although the natives can be hostile - they still hate poor old John Bond. I also like Loftus Rd and agree that Smelhurst is among the worst. Never been to Rotherham, Crewe or Grimsby though!

[......and Smith must score. 1,596]

[quote user="andy knights"]

refreshing change I''d have to say the crewe ground was the worst for me stuck in that rickerty old shed while home support lavished in their new terrace

[/quote]

You didn''t say in your post but if you were there on the day of Iwan''s last appearance in a Canary shirt, Championship party day, then I didn''t think anyone would''ve noticed.

Happy times.........

[Huddy 0]

Crystal Palace is a bit of a dive, it takes ages to get there on  a coach, it''s an  ancient old fashioned dupm, plus we always lose.

Actually in terms of grounds, i''ve visited MK Dons, it''s artificial and when we scored it felt like the stand was going to collapse.

Rotherham, Port Vale, crewe come to mind as awful, shabby, small, backstreet grounds, also wallsall but we played great there when i went so didnt matter.

Good thread

[oh huckerby 0]

and not even a mention of portwoman road?

[still holding out for new heroes 0]

swindon the worst I''ve ever been to....my favourite use to be Roker park (standing, fabulous atmosphere 1920s scoreboard)

[WestMidlandCanary 0]

Personally, I love going to Gresty Road. I think the Crewe fans are just excellent and the away stand just adds to a fantastic atmosphere. As earlier said, those of us fortunate enough to be there on our last away day of the promotion season will never forget it and those people helped make that day. Of the new stadiums, Pride Park clinches it as the fans at Wolves let it down.

As for the person wishing to go to Ninian park...I just hope you''re aware of the absolute fanatical hatred about to be directed at you by about 1000 screaming teenagers away to your right......

 

OTBC

[CambridgeCanary 0]

Millwall 1970 to 1990.  Ow ah ow ah stayin alive, stayin alive stayin alive

[CambridgeCanary 0]

Millwall 1970 to 1990

Ow ah ow ah stayin alive stayin alive

More imporatnt than comfy seats and tasty pasties.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Surely there is nothing to compare to the violent, standing, exposed, unsegregated, cages etc grounds of the 70''s.

[Sing, Sing, wherever you may be... 0]

worst-walsalll,.like going to mfi.,carlisle,fulham

favourite-barnets underhill {the smell of greasy burgers wins you over},psv eindhoven,san siro

Most intimidating-millwall[the old den], wolves  and west ham.

[Branston Pickle 4,149]

There are plenty of ''poor'' grounds around the country, but for me they do often have a certain amount of charm, from the strangeness that is Luton''s beach huts, to Brighton and MK Dons odd grounds (or even Plough Lane when they were there).  To be honest though, I''d have them over the soulless flat pack stadia of Derby/Southampton any day.

That said, two of my ''worst'' away grounds of the past are the Dell at Southampton with its awful views, as was Millwall''s (Old) Den.  The Binners Poortman Road, whilst being a decent enough ground considering they are a bunch of scummers, did really pee away fans off by splitting them up at either end of the stand (do they still do that? I''ve not been to a derby game there for a few years) for no apparent reason.

My favourite away ground in this division is probably Hillsborough, with lots of history and good support, but I am a little biased as they are my ''second'' team (my Mrs is from up there).

[Sing, Sing, wherever you may be... 0]

uea canary-keepmoat stadium? as in the keepmoat stadium doncaster moved into 6 weeks ago?

[south stand corner terrace 0]

I notice Grimsby has been bought up on a couple of occasions, can anyone remember the mini pitch invasion there in the mid nineties.  Akinbiyi scored in the last minute to make it 2-2 and people were jumping over the small fence to get on the pitch probably about 20 or 30

[Splendid Rush 8]

I would say Fratton Park. Last time I was there we wre losing and a kid behing me got hit by a snooker ball that was thrown from the home fans.

Also, Grimsby, Wycombe, Gillingham, Palace...

[yellow blood 0]

[quote user="kneeelo 74"]I notice Grimsby has been bought up on a couple of occasions, can anyone remember the mini pitch invasion there in the mid nineties.  Akinbiyi scored in the last minute to make it 2-2 and people were jumping over the small fence to get on the pitch probably about 20 or 30[/quote]

 

I was there on the pitch that day...the terrace steps were so inviting and was easy to get on to the pitch to celebrate.

 

Worst grounds - Withdean (Brighton), Barnet, MK Dons, Blackpool - all "stands" more appropriate for the 18th at St Andrews.

Best ground - without question Stadium of Light (Sunderland).

 

Although current favourite is the Emirates. Was there for the Manure game and the last minute Henry goal certainly made the stadium even more impressive.

[farley 0]

I, too was on the pitch in the 94th minute after Akinbyi somehow managed to actually say on his feet for once! Also remember the Grimsby lads in the stand next to us trying to climb the mini-fence to have a go!

I much prefered Grimsby when they had terracing (FA Cup 3rd round in ''94 I think?)