[Football] Old Trafford compared to the Taxpayers' Stadium & Emirates

[Official Old Man]

I believe we are spoilt at the Amex because of the acoustics of the ground. With OT the roof is so high that the sound doesn't bounce around. Was quiet though. All those tourists out the front of the mega store taking photos and buying half/half scarfs got in the way of my photo!

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

what a joke these so called big clubs are??

 

[Is it PotG?]

Tiny concourse, too many hawkers selling moody merch and a library like crowd. The Emirates II with some Everest high seats that make WSU back row look like the dug out seats.

Awful place.

 

[Notters]

I thought I was going to hate the place but it was so much more impressive than the Emirates imho. It helped that the rake of the seats was nice and steep.

 

[kingcole]

If our seats were that small with such little legroom, the Amex would easily hold over 40k

 

[Beach Hut]

I really can't see how you you can say the atmosphere, from the united fans, in the second half was very good!

Also, why no big screens. Just a small electronic scoreboard which they've probably had since the 80s!

No giant screens as it is impossible to have them positioned where everyone could see them due to the stadium layout.

 

[jimtm69]

I've not been to Old Trafford for a while - I was last there about 10 years ago to see United v Newcastle with some freebie tickets as we were just in the area.

I agree it feels smaller than c75,000 and is less impressive than both The London Stadium and The Emirates, but unlike those stadia it has history and soul.

As commented above, the concourse was horribly cramped - just no space at all. I saw a few people with young kids and I did feel for them a bit.

The seats themselves were tiny - fortunately the only time we used them were at half-time. Everyone sitting would have been a squeeze.

On the subject of standing, I think that's the most standing I've seen in a ground. The United fans in the lower tier to our right were all standing as were those in the lower tier of the Stretford End AND plenty of them in the upper tier too.

Finally, for what I expected to be the very height of modern corporate football had plenty of touches of old football outside, the numerous tat sellers all around the ground (presumably they are allowed to be there) and lots of independent burger vans and the like. It felt how approaching a stadium on matchday should be, and I miss that we don't have that at the Amex.

Everybody in the upper tier in the Stretford was standing. It was all in reverse. Sitting down for half-time.

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[Tooting Gull]

Loved the day and experience. Agree with so many of the comments about keeping a bit of football soul despite the fact they are the richest club in the world. No need to ban all the tat sellers and independent food outlets, they add to it.
Atmosphere wise I was with a mate - not ideally - in the only home section singing throughout, the scoreboard paddock corner at the same end as Albion fans but opposite corner. They were good but small in number and even they were impressed with Brighton's support and play. Also went to the Emirates and by comparison it was plastic and forgettable.
Cracking day out.

 

[Jovis]

Overall enjoyed my day out, very proud of the team, Couple of things:

Bags policy was a joke. Had a small rucksack with a coat and spare jumper for my son. Told by security he would have to put the clothes on to get through the turnstile, at which point he could take them off and put them back in the bag. Pointless.

When they fluked their goal, a lovely lady sat in the disabled area as a helper turned round, gave us the finger and shouted “f*ck off gayboys”. I remarked on the appropriateness of this to a steward, and within minutes two policeman had arrived to remove her from her seat. They returned 10 minutes later asking if I wanted her ejected from the stadium. I said no, as I thought a word was probably enough. But they were clearly taking the issue seriously which was interesting to see. Consistent with the policy applied at other grounds?

 

[studio150]

Zero leg room when sitting in what felt like Poundland plastic chairs. Thankful for standing.

No large screen. May have just been my phone but no wifi and 4G kept dropping out every few seconds.

Concourse small. Surprised that prices for food drink were higher than the Amex. On a cold day hot drinks 50p more. Just hope PB didnt see these.

Unlike Emirates and Taxpayer felt closer to the pitch.

Traffic after the game horrendous.

Glad its only a once a season visit wouldn't be keen going every week had the feelof a large country house where the owner has fallen on hard times and had to open for visitors given the large tourist following.

 

[Bozza]

Surprised that prices for food drink were higher than the Amex.

I was surprised at their "6 for £13" thing...

2 * pints
2 * pies (or hot dogs)
2 * snacks (grab pack of crisps or chocolate bars)

There may be some meal deals at the Amex that bring the prices down a bit but individually isn't that about £20?

 

[clapham_gull]

I was surprised at their "6 for £13" thing...

2 * pints
2 * pies (or hot dogs)
2 * snacks (grab pack of crisps or chocolate bars)

There may be some meal deals at the Amex that bring the prices down a bit but individually isn't that about £20?

They don't sell pints

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[Lady Whistledown]

I thought Knockaert contributed massively to us losing yesterday. I accept this is just my opinion and could never be proven, but from the moment he bottled the 50/50 in the middle of the pitch and then spent two minutes rolling around on the floor pretending to be in agony the United fans were up for it. It was quiet before that but he annoyed them and got the whole place up for it. .

I've no idea whether he "bottled" it or not (haven't seen any replays) but yes, I remember thinking at the time, the last thing we needed to do was to wake up the snoozing tourists in the crowd and get their players wound up enough to give a shit. That's exactly what happened. The previously silent masses raised themselves from their quietly grumbling state and started to get into the game, which in turn raised their players. I'm not actually against letting play go on when a player is down, as it's infuriating to see footballers laying prone for ages, and then leaping to their feet as soon as the referee stops the game, but it was enough of a moment to wind up both sets of fans.

As for OT itself, I like various other people it seems was surprised how it felt much smaller inside than I expected (I have been bef. ore but I have very little recollection of it). Agree with Bozza that the tat sellers scattered around all approaches do actually add to the colour of the occasion, whatever my feelings on half & half scarves. Took us a fair while to get away on the tram after, but I don't think we can really complain, as it's inevitable when you have 70,000 people all trying to escape the same location.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Much more impressive than the Emirates.

 

[drew]

Did anyone have to use the bag drop? My daughter usually takes a small ruck sack with her but because of the info coming out before the game, we just took a plastic bag (had a few extra layers of clothing). Allowed through the first search but told to go to the bag drop. Ignored that and just put the extra layers on and folded up the bag and put it in my pocket.

Seems very OTT. The bag was checked, it had clothing in it so why the need to take it to a bag drop. Saw plenty of fans with rucksacks so assume they dropped them off!

 

[kingcole]

They don't sell pints

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Correct. It was servied in a pint glass (I mean a pint plastic) but it was barely half full.

 

[The Oldman]

Liked the view inside the stadium but thought the away concourse was awfully cramped and the decor very tatty. Also used the toilets at 1. 15 so not in use for long. Either we have the most disgusting toilet mannered fans or the toilets, both urinals and cubicles had not been cleaned prior to the match. Final moan the steps in the seating area were very high and saw a number of folk having difficulty especially descending.

Apart from that I enjoyed the experience although the home trip on the coach was seemingly going on forever. Back indoors at 1.00 am

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Liked the view inside the stadium but thought the away concourse was awfully cramped and the decor very tatty. Also used the toilets at 1. 15 so not in use for long. Either we have the most disgusting toilet mannered fans or the toilets, both urinals and cubicles had not been cleaned prior to the match. Final moan the steps in the seating area were very high and saw a number of folk having difficulty especially descending.

Apart from that I enjoyed the experience although the home trip on the coach was seemingly going on forever. Back indoors at 1.00 am

It didn't help the Jct 12-11 on the M25 was closed with a diversion that took an age.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Correct. It was servied in a pint glass (I mean a pint plastic) but it was barely half full.

Au contraire. The beer I bought for somebody was an entire pint glass full*.






*Two thirds beer and one third froth, thanks to the vigour with which the server dispensed the contents of the bottle into the plastic cup.