Best Grounds

Best Grounds

Not been to Villa Park before Saturday. Agree with all those who’ve sung its praises. One of the best. Stands it stark comparison to Palace, which is probably the worst away ground I’ve ever had the misfortune to visit, particularly given that they’re now an established PL team.

Villa fans, who admittedly were quiet for long periods, also created more noise than I’ve heard for a long time, with their brief ‘Hi ho Aston Villa’ just before the start of the game and their almost orgasmic outburst of pleasure when they managed to score an equaliser against ‘little ol’ Brentford’.
 

Best Grounds

Fat Bee Slim said:
Villa Park is a beautiful ground, best in the league by a mile in my opinion.

I always liked Oldham, we used to get there early and could normally park in the front row of their giant car park and could even keep an eye on the car from the away end! Always freezing though.

Exeter is a great shout, liked our trips there. Wrexham too.

Bournemouth's used to be great, but is now plastic and terrible.

Like Huddersfield's stadium, hate their fans.

Couldn't believe how awful Selhurst was; I dont think I can remember a worse ground, certainly not from the seats we had. Could see the players' ankles on the far side of the pitch but nothing else. Genuinely would rather go to Luton!

Ashton Gate has always been good, and we've got a great record there.
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Re-Ashton Gate not when it really mattered.
 

Best Grounds

rebus said:
Easy park up for me. Got there 1.15pm and was five minute walk from ground on residents parking. Getting out was carnage.
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Star City does the trick- the half hour saunter back gives much of the traffic time to clear. Moreso if you stop for a bite to eat.
 

Best Grounds

Downbeat Bee said:
Springfield Park and The Withdean would be down among the worst.
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Withdean, I would agree with, but Springfield Park I would class as one I miss.
 

Best Grounds

Football grounds are football grounds to me and yes there are some worse than others, but they are what they are.
Sometimes the crappier the better.
Have I mentioned the Holte End in all its glory was unbelievable?
Scoreboard Paddock at Old Trafford was an early experience of watching a game with out pillars.
Loved the massive terrace at the Valley.
Loved Upton Park. South Bank or Chicken Run and a game under lights.
The Jungle at Parkhead.
I only ever sat in the Kop at Anfield.
Great experience.
Prestons old Deepdale was a classic stadium.
Molinueux.
Sadly when we were there in 1986 it had most of it shut, but those old stands had a wealth of history as did the club.

Dulwich Hamlet, Southall,Queen Street Horsham. These grounds were a work of art.
Alas they are no longer with us.
 

Best Grounds

horshambees said:
Football grounds are football grounds to me and yes there are some worse than others, but they are what they are.
Sometimes the crappier the better.
Molinueux.
Sadly when we were there in 1986 it had most of it shut, but those old stands had a wealth of history as did the club.
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I was at the same game.

You almost reach out and feel the history, dripping off those decaying stands.
 

Best Grounds

horshambees said:
Football grounds are football grounds to me and yes there are some worse than others, but they are what they are.
Sometimes the crappier the better.

Southall, These grounds were a work of art.
Alas they are no longer with us.
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Best Grounds

PLE said:

I was there
Good to see you yesterday Adam :wave:
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After getting thrown out of st james park and ending up in the Strawberry later that season, didn’t have to pay for a drink all night off the back of that result.
 

Best Grounds

sonofabee said:
It’s close between that, Wigan (Springfield Park), Colchester Community, The Withdean and Don Valley.
MK Dons stadium has no atmosphere but looks ok, sure I’ve missed somewhere but that’s my worst
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Crikey - The Withdean, went there a good few times but I don’t ever remember getting a decent result. Against the odds, Brighton were often a pretty decent outfit for some parts during that period. Just remember being sat in those temporary stands behind the goal with an athletics track between the pitch and it being impossible to follow the game. The home fans reaction was often the first clue that there was a goal or something going on.
 

Best Grounds

I think Villa Park is my favourite, followed by Hillsbrough. So much history.

I do like Craven Cottage although much of that has disappeared and the only historic part is the one stand and the cottage itself. Great day out though.
When I last went to Plymouth, I loved the contrast between the three new sides and the old, green main stand with the terracing at the front.

Worst ground is Colchester’s new place. Miles from anywhere and just a load of concrete with seats.
As small grounds go, Bournemouth have got it just about right, although I can’t believe they didn’t expand when they were in the prem.
 

Best Grounds

Brentford Bob said:
I think Villa Park is my favourite, followed by Hillsbrough. So much history.

I do like Craven Cottage although much of that has disappeared and the only historic part is the one stand and the cottage itself. Great day out though.
When I last went to Plymouth, I loved the contrast between the three new sides and the old, green main stand with the terracing at the front.

Worst ground is Colchester’s new place. Miles from anywhere and just a load of concrete with seats.
As small grounds go, Bournemouth have got it just about right, although I can’t believe they didn’t expand when they were in the prem.
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I thought Bournemouth were supposed to be getting a new ground at some stage.
 

Best Grounds

I've got a few favourites,
Bradford- Love the huge stands that don't match the rest of the stadium
Blackpool- I enjoy the atmosphere of the place
Sheffield Wednesday- the historic feeling you get from being there
Birmingham- Their fans are tossers but create a great atmosphere

I prefer the big old traditional stadiums in the north of England to the Readings, MK Dons, Brightons, Arsenals etc tbh
 

Best Grounds

Villa Park is my favourite. At the smaller end of the scale I really like Plainmoor. Great bar behind the stand there too. Looking forward to the Spuds new ground and also Goodison and Etihad this season.
 

Best Grounds

I agree with the above, Deepdale was full of character with old barrel roofs etc. Their new place is impressive built on the same site. And Plymouth is a lovely old ground, modernised now. I think you’re definitely influenced by results. My first visit to Exeter was the 7-1 victory. Magnificent day out.
 

Best Grounds

Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



IMG_20161015_163033.jpg
 

Best Grounds

paul_chatha said:
Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



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Favourite away day and weekend deffo but the in
ground experience isn’t great as too far away from the pitch and like watching ants
 

Best Grounds

The old tilework saying 'Aston Villa' on the outside of the ground is beautiful: I wish we'd incorporated a modern version of that into the BCS.
 

Best Grounds

Feethams was a favourite of mine with a bonus of always seeming to get something positive there and Northampton county ground the complete opposite
 

Best Grounds

I was at At James Park that day and slightly further to the left than the viewpoint in the pic. From there you can't even see the supporters in the near stand. Ludicrously high. Need oxygen masks.
 
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Best Grounds

paul_chatha said:
Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



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Both teams seem a bit light on numbers in that picture, I don't remember so many players being sent off!
 

Best Grounds

paul_chatha said:
Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



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I went there back in the mid 80s.
Open ends behind both goals and local support here there and everywhere.
They could have easily filmed Lord of the rings there without the elves.
 

Best Grounds

looneytunes said:
Feethams was a favourite of mine with a bonus of always seeming to get something positive there and Northampton county ground the complete opposite
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That old Northampton ground was dreadful with the open side because it doubled up as the county cricket ground. Six Fields on the other hand is a tidy little stadium albeit that someone has trousered all their redevelopment grant/loan which was supposed to be used to enlarge the main stand leaving just some of the girder work for it standing around the existing stand.
 

Best Grounds

Downbeat Bee said:
Visiting Villa Park (First time for me - which seems a bit strange) I was wondering what what GPGers thought were good / not so good grounds.

I'd certainly put Villa Park up there with Craven Cottage. 'The Emirates' certainly would not be up there. I liked Meadow Lane.

In bygone days Elm Park and Belle Vue certainly would not have been up there.
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up there with CC ? its a lot better than that ;) lol
villa is defo one of the best grounds to go to....you can feel the history just walking to it.......the away section is in an excellent position too :)
 

Best Grounds

BEEcool said:
Crikey - The Withdean, went there a good few times but I don’t ever remember getting a decent result. Against the odds, Brighton were often a pretty decent outfit for some parts during that period. Just remember being sat in those temporary stands behind the goal with an athletics track between the pitch and it being impossible to follow the game. The home fans reaction was often the first clue that there was a goal or something going on.
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We won 2-1 there under Coppell the year that Brighton won the league. Ingimarsson scored the winner, absolute scenes.
 

Best Grounds

JasonBee said:
The cottage has always been my favourite away ground .

Made my 3rd visit to villa park yesterday, probably next best favourite. Atmosphere always great & proper old skool ground. Only downside m40 /m6 always sh*t, pub selection is sh*t , Birmingham area is sh*t, apart from that I love it .
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you have to know where youre going in brum...its got some great places once you know :) i like the place...its down to earth and the people there arent stuck up their own arses like in various parts of london.....makes a pleasant change ;)
 

Best Grounds

paul_chatha said:
Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



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truly great city and decent ish ground BUT that away end is rubbish and ruins the whole experience...we had 3k there and we might as well have had 300 for all the difference it makes with atmosphere and being involved......if it was bottom tiers it would be 90% better ;)
 

Best Grounds

Ashford Bees said:
After getting thrown out of st james park and ending up in the Strawberry later that season, didn’t have to pay for a drink all night off the back of that result.
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i was thrown out too and Bernie and a few others. Great afternoon in the Strawberry teaching the geordies Bees songs
 

Best Grounds

TW1Bee said:
If you stood behind the goal you could touch the goal posts. I'm pretty sure the terrace retaining walls enclosed the goal nets.
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You could also carry on watching the game from the open urinals in the away end iirc.
 

Best Grounds

Downbeat Bee said:
Yeah but some more than others. Did you think getting relegated down there had the same importance as any other game?
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If we hadn't won there last year , who know knows what might have happened.
we also won their in the play offs and a couple of other crucial games.
Our record there is absurdly good so dont downplay it :sorted:
 

Best Grounds

Good - Villa Park, Gresty Road, Gigg Lane, The Cottage, The Valley, The Den (old and new), Hillsborough, Spotland, Huddersfield (new), Saltergate, Dean Court, St. James' Park (Exeter and Newcastle)

Bad/Ugly - Kennilworth Road, Loftus Road, Springfield Park, St. Andrews, The Priestfield, The Withdean, Don Valley, Somerton Park
 

Best Grounds

Best: Griffin Park, The Cottage

OK: Wycombe

Worst: QPR, Luton, Gillingham, Upton Park (hated it),
 

Best Grounds

8corner said:
Good - Villa Park, Gresty Road, Gigg Lane, The Cottage, The Valley, The Den (old and new), Hillsborough, Spotland, Huddersfield (new), Saltergate, Dean Court, St. James' Park (Exeter and Newcastle)

Bad/Ugly - Kennilworth Road, Loftus Road, Springfield Park, St. Andrews, The Priestfield, The Withdean, Don Valley, Somerton Park
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weirdly i quite like luton...its unique in its dumpiness but has a good away end and it still feels old school on big games.....the same with LR....you can feel the hate for us there thesedays ;)

i'll add sheff utd to the good list....great ground and away end and loads of pubs nearby and train only 15mins away.....tremendous city for football ;)
 

Best Grounds

I never had a problem with the Withdean.
Crap I know, but that win on the Friday night was excellent.
The defeats were rubbish.
Parking was easy I found.
Sometimes crap grounds have a uniqueness about them and Withdean was only temporary and it got the club back where it had to be.
Managed to sit in 3 sides of the ground there.
8
 

Best Grounds

nick logan said:
i was thrown out too and Bernie and a few others. Great afternoon in the Strawberry teaching the geordies Bees songs
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It was you, Bernie, Pep, Nigel and me I recall. Their loons were showing us their knife wound scars from a previous encounter with the Spuds.
 

Best Grounds

Nada Bee said:
Best: Griffin Park, The Cottage

OK: Wycombe

Worst: QPR, Luton, Gillingham, Upton Park (hated it),
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Thought you would have known better. Upton Park is the area, Boleyn Ground is/was the stadium. In laws from that area!

Agree about BG. In 1993 loads of us were (c)rammed into one half of the old South stand!
 

Best Grounds

paul_chatha said:
Newcastle for me.

Only been once with Brentford away. I remember turning the corner of a street in the Chinese Quarter and then being surprised by seeing that monolithic giant of a stadium right in front of me – perched high up on a hill - bang in the city centre.

Great people, also great for a stay over. Yes, I know there are a number of staircases to climb when you’re away. But you do get to see the cityscape from high up and for those whose eyes may not be as they once were – they do provide a big TV to see what’s going on down below.

Great Weekend.



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Never been, but I read somewhere that there is a really big stand at one end and if you sit in the back row, you are a quarter of a mile from the opposite goal line. Don't know if that's true or not?
 

Best Grounds

I hate international football. Tuesday night, my ****ing night off, and no match on the telly. So I'm watching old football on Youtube. Spurs V Arsenal from 1981 at the moment. White Hart Lane is a building site as they are building a new stand. Of course since then, they've redeveloped the whole stadium making it one of the finest in the world, knocked it all down again and built a brand new one next door. I am familiar with every player on the pitch and could reel off most of their career paths. If Spurs played Arsenal tonight, I'd probably vaguely recognise half a dozen names. I feel incredibly old.
 

Best Grounds

ruislip bee said:
That old Northampton ground was dreadful with the open side because it doubled up as the county cricket ground.
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I remember the first time I saw us play there. I bunked off work, in Milton Keynes and went with my ex father in law. I went to the ticket office but they wouldn't sell us tickets for the away terrace (despite me showing them my Brentford Lifeline card). Instead they said we could have tickets in "the new stand". That turned out to be a scaffolding and plank construction with a tarpaulin-like roof.
What a dump that was!
 

Best Grounds

Voice from the Braemar said:
weirdly i quite like luton...its unique in its dumpiness but has a good away end and it still feels old school on big games.....the same with LR....you can feel the hate for us there thesedays ;)

i'll add sheff utd to the good list....great ground and away end and loads of pubs nearby and train only 15mins away.....tremendous city for football ;)
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Another ground with a strange atmosphere is/was Swindon and Gillingham!.

Never went to old St Mary's but I quite like the away end at (newish) Southampton. Forrest is also a good ground.
 
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