Deppo Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Considering how terrible the Withdean is, I wondered what people's worst football stadiums were and why? Apart from Fratton, are there any you have been to that are worse than the Withdean? Here and abroad. Adding your own photos will win you extra points.
REDARMY79 Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Not worse than the Withdean, but Gresty Road, Crewe is one of the worst I have ever been to. Even had a pillar blocking my view to all but about 20% of the pitch!
Saint_Jonny Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Oldham because its only got 3 stands. Carlisle because its a shed and the away end trails off one end of the pitch and you and up with a bad neck. Deepdale because they never have any ****ing beer.
Spudders Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Deepdale because they never have any ****ing beer. that's not really fair, not strictly the ground is it! If we are going to include other factors, then I'd also say the city of manchester stadium, as I had a cold when I went there
StBiffa Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 I think the worst ground I went to was Elm park when we were beaten in the league cup in the mid 90`s. NOt only a sh1te result but constant rain and zero cover made it a horrible night!
Hemel Saint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 in order... worst... Farton Park - no comment needed then ...Withdean - refused to go yesterday. Its a joke! (mind you, gutted I didnt go, now!) then.... Filbert Street - Away at Filbert Street must have been like an away fan going to the Dell and Wolves.... Their fans watching us, not the game... then the Subway after the game,
ericb Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Gillingham's was pretty ****ing horrific last season, a stand made from scaffold that looked like it was going to buckle at any point. Also agree with the elm park one, and for pure oddness - of the place, people & ground - i'd add barnsley too. Still takes a lot to beat fratton mind, but we're not allowed to say that
Winnersaint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Valley Parade circa March 76 came with crumbling terraces, rusty crash barriers and s h i t segregation hence flying Party 7's. If I remember rightly most of us didn't bother with the exits but left the ground over the corrugated metal at the back of the Spion Kop terrace which had been trampled down. Eastville, the former home of Bristol Rovers was a dump also. An elevated section of the M32 was very close to the back of an open uncovered terrace with a similar corrugated metal back to that at Bradford.
Window Cleaner Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Considering how terrible the Withdean is, I wondered what people's worst football stadiums were and why? Apart from Fratton, are there any you have been to that are worse than the Withdean? Here and abroad. Adding your own photos will win you extra points. The old Valley Parade was a regal dump,when we played there in the Cup in 76 Wellington Boots were absolutely necessary.Caught fire though and has been redeveloped a bit, still a dump though.
Kenilworthy Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 While the Withdean is an awful stadium, we can't say we haven't enjoyed playing there as we never lost - 3 wins and 1 draw in 4 visits. The worst league ground I ever went to - although not with Saints - was Northampton's old ground which was 3 sided as it was used for cricket. With Saints it would have to be Oxford's Old Manor Ground - crumbling open terrace or shoebox like temporary stand with toilets as dark and dank as the dungeons at Warwick Castle.
JustMike Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 memorial stadium, 1 stand looks like a cricket pavilion, the end behind the goal is no more than a marquee.
Gorgiesaint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 The worst league ground I ever went to - although not with Saints - was Northampton's old ground which was 3 sided as it was used for cricket. Yep, the County Ground at Northampton for me as well, been there a few times. It's one of the long sides that faces the cricket pitch that doesn't have any stands, and in fact I'm sure just had a rope with some people standing behind it!
bridge too far Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 While the Withdean is an awful stadium, we can't say we haven't enjoyed playing there as we never lost - 3 wins and 1 draw in 4 visits. The worst league ground I ever went to - although not with Saints - was Northampton's old ground which was 3 sided as it was used for cricket. With Saints it would have to be Oxford's Old Manor Ground - crumbling open terrace or shoebox like temporary stand with toilets as dark and dank as the dungeons at Warwick Castle. I was going to say this, too. And Wycombe's old ground, Loakes Park, was pretty dire. Massive downhill and sideways slope too that always favoured the home team.
opthomps Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Rotherham playing at the don valley stadium in sheffield was dire, athletic tacks at football is a big no no in my book. I wonder what the olympic stadium will be like when the hammers take over.
cryoman1965 Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Not worse than the Withdean, but Gresty Road, Crewe is one of the worst I have ever been to. Even had a pillar blocking my view to all but about 20% of the pitch! Went there for a cup replay mid week. The seaints had a nice all seater stand which was good in my opinion. Maybe you ended up in a sheet bit of the ground. Elm park and Manor ground for me. Gillingham was ok till the heavens opened in the second half.
VectisSaint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Kenilworth Road, what a ****hole. Worse that Nottarf Krap, especially in the late 70s/early 80s. The year Millwall rioted there we played just after I think, definitely the scariest few minutes of my life after the match finished, then to get down that ****ty little alley way between 2 houses to get out. But then Luton is a **** hole anyway, even without the football ground. Elm Park was great, at least when I lived along the road and could walk to the ground from home even if it was to see the Royals.
teacher Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Colchesters old ground - a couple of seasons ago went there, as the song goes I've got a shed, that's bigger than this!! As we entered the ground it become apparent that there wasn't enough room for all the supporters but yet the idiot on the PA kept saying "Can all the Southampton supporters move right into the stand to let everyone in". Nice idea of course if you want to die!
ericofarabia Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Not worse than the Withdean, but Gresty Road, Crewe is one of the worst I have ever been to. Even had a pillar blocking my view to all but about 20% of the pitch! Wash your mouth out!! I went there back in the 90's to watch them in a League Cup match - think it was v Darlington and they won 4-0. I was visiting a mate in Uk who is a great Crewe fan and we went corporate!!! Nice little bar / lounge behind the goal with excellent views - and could sit outside on a balmy aug night with a beer in hand. It might not sound much but at the time we were Premiership and couldn't offer any of these facilities FFS Also saw Dario Gradi outside the ground prematch happily mingling with the fans. All made for an enjoyable day out. Elm Park back in 77? League Cup what a dump, but the classic for me was Wimbledon's Plough Lane in The Fa Cup late 70's - freezing cold night and we were setting up bonfires on the terraces to keep warm. The loos were a portacabin with 2 urinals and one crapper at the top of the terraces, but you could see what was going on whilst having a slash which was quite considerate!!
70's Mike Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Colchesters old ground - a couple of seasons ago went there, as the song goes I've got a shed, that's bigger than this!! As we entered the ground it become apparent that there wasn't enough room for all the supporters but yet the idiot on the PA kept saying "Can all the Southampton supporters move right into the stand to let everyone in". Nice idea of course if you want to die! in the 70's they had wooden terracing
explorer saint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Scarbourough we played there in the early nineties when they were in the league, it was a CCC tie and the away end side was a grass bank
Tom8558 Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Winchester City's denplan stadium IMO is better than the withdean.
Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Bloomfield Road the first year they were in the Championship. My ****ing God, what a **** hole.
krissyboy31 Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 The Valley back in 1977-78 promotion season. Had the largest capacity in the league back then due to high banked terracing going round three sides of the pitch. What a sh!thole that was!!! Bradford's Odsal Stadium, where the Bradford Bulls and Bradford PA play is similar but doesn't have all the vegetation growing out of the terracing that Charlton had.
Ohio Saint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 What is a stadiums? Please excuse this pedantic post.
Katalinic Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Firs Park East Stirling was bad, massive concrete wall at one end - the game against Arbroath was pretty poor too. In about 1993 I went to a Welsh Cup game - Merthyr Tydfil v Swansea in the away end. Terrible ground still with a metal cage but the atmosphere was mental, Cardiff fans turned up and started fighting with the Merthyr and Swansea fans (who were already fighting with each other). To top it all, in the Swansea end some Welsh nationalists started fighting with other Swansea fans who had put up a Northern Ireland flag with "Swansea Loyal" on it. The most hostile atmosphere I have ever experienced at a football match and there was probably only about 3000 people there.
Fan The Flames Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Northampton, the away end in the eighties was a cage and it was no surprise it caused people to act like animals. Aldershot **** ground and the locals threw **** into the away end. Gillingham, Walsall's old ground, Twerton Park, Selhurts, Old Den there were loads of dumps in the eighties and nineties.
The9 Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 (edited) What is a stadiums? Please excuse this pedantic post. It's like a more socially acceptable version of stadia. Can someone please just say Somerton Park and get it over with ? Also, Molineux was a crap-tip for away fans when I went there in 1993. Due to the redevelopment plan the away fans were in the far left corner of the South Stand in a section which actually faced the SIDE of their new stand - the very furthest right edge of the away section was in line with the touchline. The rest of the away fans, had they looked directly forwards wouldn't have been able to see the pitch. From the far left of that section, you could only see the back of the new stand, the car park, and the near penalty area at about 170 degrees. Next to the away section was a massive load of mesh and netting, and I think the home fans had already vacated the stand by then. Edited 24 April, 2011 by The9
hamster Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 The Dell wasn't all that tbh. Only joshing. Priestfid isn't a pTch on what it was for a real footie experience but I still love the place. I never liked being in The Cage at Norwich though, iirc there was no lighting in there either.
dune Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Filbert Street used to be a very poor view for away fans if you were in row A or B. You couldn't see the other side of the pitch for the camber. However the worst stadium i've been to has to be The New Den. Cheap and nasty and no character at all.
dune Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Bloomfield Road the first year they were in the Championship. My ****ing God, what a **** hole. I always thought bloomfield road wa a good ground. It was similar in character to the Dell. But I suppose at your age it's all about nice shiny subuteo stadiums.
benjii Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 I think the worst ground I went to was Elm park when we were beaten in the league cup in the mid 90`s. NOt only a sh1te result but constant rain and zero cover made it a horrible night! I was going to say Elm Park. Right old ****hole.
70's Mike Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 really started me thinking, especially these days where H&S has taken over,about grounds years ago. many spring to mind Oxford Plough Lane, Wimbledon Elm Park, Reading Layer Road, Colchester Eastville, Bristol Rovers The Old Den was no pleasure palace but after saying all that the worst for lack of facilities for away fans etc has to be Fratton or though to be fair the queues on the Milton for a p*ss and a pint at half time were never short
lambertsrightleg Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 living in exeter it really pains me to say it but the away end there is horrendous.
saints-cris Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 I went to college near the Withdean, one breaktime me and a mate decided to go walkies, went to the Withdean and just wandered in. No one stopped us.. we walked across the pitch, sat in the dugout etc and left pretty underwhelmed. It gets my vote despite it being an athletics track. Colchester last season just coz of that bloody tannoy. Jeez.
View From The Top Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 In recent years, Hereford. In days of yore the Manor Ground and Elm Park spring to mind, with Kenilworth Rd making a triple sh*thole jackpot.
paulwantsapint Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 gotta be said wembley for zds ruined my illusion as a 10 year old that the home of football/ national stadium was going to be the best ground ever the score board didn't work the toilets didn't exist forest won which made for a horrible day
country bumpkin Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 southport york city plough lane wigan had a grass bank at one end carrrick not a pleasant place manor ground elm park lot of **** grounds fourty years ago
RedWillie Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Manor Ground in the 80's - awful, awful closely followed by Kenilworth Rd, luton
hamster Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Actually most mentioned were miles better than these modern flat pack 'arenas'
Frank's cousin Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Easy - not sure the name of the ground, but Steaua Bucharest's, 2003 - crumbling concreate, grass growing through it - built into a bank which seemed to be the only way in and out, no toilet, no roof and tropical like storm on a cold wet night, no sleep, straight back on the bus to airport and we lost 1-0.... would not have missed it for the world! ;-) ****ed myself laughing (sorry) that those lads who had changed about £300 into Romanian, Lei, found you could get totalled on about a tenner and could not exchange it back! sorry but I had tried to warn folk about this on the old boad at the time ;-)
Deppo Posted 24 April, 2011 Author Posted 24 April, 2011 Actually most mentioned were miles better than these modern flat pack 'arenas' And so in one sentence hamster disregards every post written so far.
JackFrost Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Easy - not sure the name of the ground, but Steaua Bucharest's, 2003 - crumbling concreate, grass growing through it - built into a bank which seemed to be the only way in and out, no toilet, no roof and tropical like storm on a cold wet night, no sleep, straight back on the bus to airport and we lost 1-0.... would not have missed it for the world! ;-) ****ed myself laughing (sorry) that those lads who had changed about £300 into Romanian, Lei, found you could get totalled on about a tenner and could not exchange it back! sorry but I had tried to warn folk about this on the old boad at the time ;-) The Stadionul Ghencea. They refurbished in 2006 apparently
Deppo Posted 24 April, 2011 Author Posted 24 April, 2011 The Stadionul Ghencea. They refurbished in 2006 apparently Either they did or they didn't.
Frank's cousin Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Either they did or they didn't. LOL - Your posts make me contemplate the love that dare not speak its name Deppo
Pedro Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 Agree with Bucharest, did we get soaked but great day. Open toilet on the bank, shame i slipped up in the mud, stiil, too hammered to care.
Cabrone Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 The old Stamford Bridge was a dump. You were so far from the pitch that there was a car park between you and the players. What a soulless bowl. Elm park was crap - toilets were a wall painted with gloss paint, the away end at the City ground was a wind tunnel and Fratton smelt of wee. Best away end for me was Carrow road, it was long and steep and made for some superb surges that took you 10-15m down the terrace. No longer there thanks to good old health and safety.
Huntingdon Posted 24 April, 2011 Posted 24 April, 2011 I agree with a number of other posters on Manor Ground, Oxford I remember going there on a Boxing Day, or a Xmas fixture. We had some 3000 fans standing in rat infested alleyway, waiting to get in. The rats were literally running past us! We lost 3-0 if I remember rightly, with the ex-Spurs striker David Leworthy scoring a couple Terrible ground
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