new wembley .. first impressions...

[Withdean Wanderer]

Very picky, but I feel there is too much of a gap between the fans and the pitch. Maybe it seems closer than it looks, but one massive plus with the mill stad was that it was very intimate.

I can only assume you never went to the old Wembley....

 

[Simon Morgan]

I can only assume you never went to the old Wembley....

I didn't and I'm aware it was much worse, but I was just saying they should have taken a leaf out of the Mill Stad's book.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I'm glad that the designers of the new Wembley retained the steps to the royal box, but they need a bit of a re-design, especially the bit where the players disappear under the stands and then re-emerge. It was slightly comical, rather than dignified. It looked like Ryan Giggs and John Terry were leading their teams on a bit of an impromptu post-match stadium tour...

Also, having the steps flanked by stewards in hi-viz sircoats was a bit of a shame. In times past, the players would start the climb to the royal box in football kit, only to emerge at the top covered in scarves, hats and flags. Just a sign of the times I guess.

Only other thing I didn't like was the tunnel. Its really wide and on the half-way line. It used to be great when the opposing teams players had to stand vitually shoulder to shoulder, until they got the signal to start walking to the pitch down that seemingly endless narrow tunnel.
Then they had that long, long trudge to the centre of the pitch, that really sorted out the men from the boys. In those few moments, as they made what must have seemed like the longest walk of their lives, you could tell who was 'up for it' and who was losing their nerve before the game had even begun.

Sadly, all that has been designed out of the new Wembley, as I imagine it has been designed by people who understand everything about building stadiums, but nothing about football.

 

[Gazwag]

I didn't and I'm aware it was much worse, but I was just saying they should have taken a leaf out of the Mill Stad's book.

Having seen games at both I feel that there is not much difference in distance at all.

"Old Wembley much worse" - behind the goals the front row was the same distance from the pitch as the away end at Withdean

 

[Exmouth Seagull]

I went to Wembley !!!

Yesterday - Conference play-off final.

Stadium is superb, a massive improvement on the old Wembley, and well worth a visit.

Transport links are still an embarrasment to the country, only a modest 40,000 there yesterday, yet the whole area was one huge traffic jam, our coach got there just 15 mins before kick-off. Should have been built at the NEC or somewhere like that with motorways and mainline rail services leading directly to it.

Facilities and cleanliness cannot be faulted at this stage. Nice seats, loads of leg room, views much better than the old Wembley. Personally though the new arch doesnt quite do it for me, doesnt have the same magic the old twin towers had.

Come on you Seagulls, I wanna see the Albion there next time.

 

[SurreySeagulls]

I went on Saturday for the most boring Cup Final in the modern era. Fantastic ground and the view I had for my £35 ticket was fantastic. Didn't take as long to get on the tube after the game and from memory was quicker than the 'old' Wembley. Food prices are extorinate but then you don't have to buy any.

Next game England v Brazil

 

[withdeanwombat]

Went for the Exeter v Morecambe game,in the Exeter end.Stadium is nearly as good as Falmer will be,though I had to park in Taunton and get a bus.

40,000 there,284 of them from Morecambe,but for any who were neutrals (like me ) the team that won was best by a country mile.Exeter's keeper deserved better,though.A defence WOULD have been useful!

 

[Storer68]

Its 'alright' as a stadium (having been twice now) but its still a bit "run of the mill" feels about it, and foor £850m it should feel a lot better than it does!. Its really like a lot of new stadia (the obviousl one being Arsenal's Emirates Stadium). The design is prety standrd and it feels a bit sanitised. Yes its got lots of room and the views of the pitch are excellent, even if you are sitting right at the back of the top tier.

Howerer, if you are, you are so far away from the game (and that's vertically speaking) that you don't really feel part of the action. For all the old Wembley's faults (and there were loads) you did always feel part of the game regardless how crap the view (especially once they pout the fences up along the sides)was or whether you were ankle deep in piss.

IMHO 7 out of 10. Quite good effort.

But I prefer the twin towers than the arch.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Excellent summary by Bry Nylon.

The old Wembley was fine if you were on the halfway line and not in the cheap seats, but half the crowd had poor views of the action. Sitting behind the goal was a joke because you were so far away.

I haven't been yet, but am curious to know how "enclosed" the stadium feels. I was hoping that the stadium would have that "bowl-like" intimidatory atmosphere of a Mill Stad or a Dortmund stadium, but these stands seem fairly gently shelving by comparison.

 

[Storer68]

It does have a "bowl" like feel to it (becasue it is a bowl rather than 4 seperate stands as the old one was) but the atmospehere is better the lower you sit. if you are on the top tier you don't realy get much idea of the atmosphere of the place because you are so high up.

I was watching the game through binoculars to get a decent view.

IMHO it is a bit Wembly "Lite"

 

[Storer68]

I'm glad that the designers of the new Wembley retained the steps to the royal box, but they need a bit of a re-design, especially the bit where the players disappear under the stands and then re-emerge. It was slightly comical, rather than dignified. It looked like Ryan Giggs and John Terry were leading their teams on a bit of an impromptu post-match stadium tour...

Also, having the steps flanked by stewards in hi-viz sircoats was a bit of a shame. In times past, the players would start the climb to the royal box in football kit, only to emerge at the top covered in scarves, hats and flags. Just a sign of the times I guess.

Only other thing I didn't like was the tunnel. Its really wide and on the half-way line. It used to be great when the opposing teams players had to stand vitually shoulder to shoulder, until they got the signal to start walking to the pitch down that seemingly endless narrow tunnel.
Then they had that long, long trudge to the centre of the pitch, that really sorted out the men from the boys. In those few moments, as they made what must have seemed like the longest walk of their lives, you could tell who was 'up for it' and who was losing their nerve before the game had even begun.

Sadly, all that has been designed out of the new Wembley, as I imagine it has been designed by people who understand everything about building stadiums, but nothing about football.

IN the old stadium there were 39 steps to the Royal Box.

In this one there are 109!!!!! Imagine trying to climb them after you've just lost in extra time :thud: