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[Albion] Stadium Observations



Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,952
Surrey
With the new smell wearing off, there are a few of these (especially from away fans). Looking at Molineux Mix for example, I read some quite familiar ones:

Noise:
Firstly, their fans think we are quiet and say that it was never like that in the Goldstone days. I'd say there was little argument last night, everyone on here is saying the atmosphere was very flat. But it's interesting because we all know the atmosphere isn't always like that, and yet we get the same comments even when it's not actually true. My conclusion is that the sound doesn't travel well. For the Marseille game I was sat near the Marseille fans and you couldn't hear the north much, yet I went down the other end for the last 5 mins and it clearly was noisy even before we scored.
In short, noise at the Amex doesn't travel well but this is common across many modern stadiums. I do wonder what fans of other clubs think of the noise they generate at home. I mean I've been to Wolves a few times and can honestly say they are about as noisy as West Ham.

Transport/Location:
The transport situation at the Amex is getting increasingly shit. Obviously we are now getting 30k+ every game whereas it was only up to 22k in the first season, so maybe that is to be expected. The reliance on the trains is a real problem though. Southern are absolutely shit regardless of the logistics of improving the quantity of trains. So too is the stewarding on and around the platforms where carriages are allowed to leave half empty. I'm not sure more car parking within walking distance is a complete solution either, as it seems there is always a huge bottleneck and queuing on the A27 slip road. I'd be surprised if the club hasn't looked at making improvements and would love to know what solutions are possible.

Other stuff:
Largely positive from pretty much every visitor. Drinks, pies, concourses, stadium look and feel, fan zones etc. All good.
 




portlock seagull

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2003
17,778
Quiet stadium is most subjective debate in football, probably always will be.

Transport situation is dreadful, got worse and afraid to say also, probably always will be.

As a footnote, obviously much beyond our control (try getting a train anywhere in this country!) but lots is, if there was an appetite to improve. Which proven there isn’t. As has been discussed numerous times in countless other posts and threads.
 


Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
12,953
Brighton
I agree with you on the noise front. It doesn’t travel at all. That’s not to say we make a hell of a noise, because we rarely do. I’ve sat in the south stand before and not heard a peep from the North, when I’m sure they’re trying. I think the problem is that our North Stand is just too small. It’s not like some of the larger kops you see at other grounds, and sticking another tier on it might not make much difference. All these assumptions aside, I agree the sound doesn’t travel much. It’s still a lovely home to have though.

On transport, I still don’t understand why another platform hasn’t been put in at Falmer to allow for a shuttle service. Or why not build a city tram service that can serve the Lewes Road and Falmer. The latter would benefit all the office development up the Lewes Road as well.
 




Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,958
Kick off times are a massive influence on noise. Monday nights / Sunday lunchtimes are without doubt the worst at any ground you go to but I'd imagine shite kick off times will only get worse not better as Global TV is put before the local fan.

The acoustics at the AMEX are also undoubtedly weird. People at the same game but at different ends of it can say that the North was either quiet or noisy depending on where they sit. It's a shame, as I'm sure it was considered during planning and designed accordingly.
 




Milano

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2012
3,930
Sussex but not by the sea
If the club wanted to or if it were even possible you can't even begin to consider expanding the north with the current state of transport, imagine adding another 3-4k onto the current chaos.
The club can't do much about transport, all they can do is make the stadium better which they are trying to do with the new fan zone thing.

As for Wolves fans - the next set of away fans to visit their place will be singing about libraries, it's the same in 99% of grounds. Home fans are typically a bit shit.

The stadium is still fantastic and I still pinch myself but one area that the club can control and I'm afraid has got steadily worse is the concourse catering. Sodexo are a joke. Even piglet pantry seem to have decided to get into the race to the bottom with the new ridiculous card pie holders. Want your pie cold within minutes or a pie filling down your sleeve? We've got that covered.
 




Arthur

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
8,761
Buxted Harbour
Appreciate this won't get much sympathy but 1901 is getting progressively worse every year game. The need to have a restaurant in MWB has ruined it for normal matchday goers. They have a load of staff focusing on drinks for the restaurant and only a couple serving the people queuing.

The staff are atrocious but clearly not trained by anyone. Last night post game it took 20 minutes to get a drink. They only had one bar open for some reason so everyone staying for a beer was forced to use that. 3 cokes (bottles) and 2 pints should be an easy order and take no time at all. No glasses at all for the coke (this was directly after the final whistle...what had then been doing all second half??) and the beer was served was a good inch of head.

I went back for a second pint and a lime and soda. No queue but took 10 minutes to get served as the first pint she gave me was half head. Came back with a 2 inch head which I sent back again. The girl was slopping out the head down the sink (clearly don't record wastage) but then not committing to pulling the pint and just filling it up again with very little actual beer.

And don't get me started on the Guinness surger cans!! Half of the staff don't know how to work the machine. It's not a full pint so everyone complains and takes an absolute age to pour. Guinness seems to be pretty popular. I don't know why they don't have it on a keg line? Can only assume it's not feasible due to wastage?

First world problems I know but frustrating when you are paying for a premium service and getting one that is a lot worse than the concourses.
 




Jim in the West

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 13, 2003
4,954
Way out West
To be fair to the Wolves fans, it was a bit library-like at times. But they were pretty crap, too. Hardly heard anything from them….compare that to (say) Leeds - who (much as we hate them) have a very vocal away following.
 




Milano

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2012
3,930
Sussex but not by the sea
Appreciate this won't get much sympathy but 1901 is getting progressively worse every year game. The need to have a restaurant in MWB has ruined it for normal matchday goers. They have a load of staff focusing on drinks for the restaurant and only a couple serving the people queuing.

The staff are atrocious but clearly not trained by anyone. Last night post game it took 20 minutes to get a drink. They only had one bar open for some reason so everyone staying for a beer was forced to use that. 3 cokes (bottles) and 2 pints should be an easy order and take no time at all. No glasses at all for the coke (this was directly after the final whistle...what had then been doing all second half??) and the beer was served was a good inch of head.

I went back for a second pint and a lime and soda. No queue but took 10 minutes to get served as the first pint she gave me was half head. Came back with a 2 inch head which I sent back again. The girl was slopping out the head down the sink (clearly don't record wastage) but then not committing to pulling the pint and just filling it up again with very little actual beer.

And don't get me started on the Guinness surger cans!! Half of the staff don't know how to work the machine. It's not a full pint so everyone complains and takes an absolute age to pour. Guinness seems to be pretty popular. I don't know why they don't have it on a keg line? Can only assume it's not feasible due to wastage?

First world problems I know but frustrating when you are paying for a premium service and getting one that is a lot worse than the concourses.

I disagree. It should get sympathy, you are paying ~£100 a match ticket. If I were paying that I'd expect the pre/post match service to reflect the price.
You should give the club this feedback, you are more likely to get the club's attention as 1901 than you are a lowly STH like me....
 




Mackenzie

Old Brightonian
Nov 7, 2003
34,017
East Wales
The atmosphere was quiet last night, you could hear the players at times, home crowds seem to have lost the ability to sing all around the country. I wonder why?
 








A mex eyecan

Well-known member
Nov 3, 2011
3,883
Appreciate this won't get much sympathy but 1901 is getting progressively worse every year game. The need to have a restaurant in MWB has ruined it for normal matchday goers. They have a load of staff focusing on drinks for the restaurant and only a couple serving the people queuing.

The staff are atrocious but clearly not trained by anyone. Last night post game it took 20 minutes to get a drink. They only had one bar open for some reason so everyone staying for a beer was forced to use that. 3 cokes (bottles) and 2 pints should be an easy order and take no time at all. No glasses at all for the coke (this was directly after the final whistle...what had then been doing all second half??) and the beer was served was a good inch of head.

I went back for a second pint and a lime and soda. No queue but took 10 minutes to get served as the first pint she gave me was half head. Came back with a 2 inch head which I sent back again. The girl was slopping out the head down the sink (clearly don't record wastage) but then not committing to pulling the pint and just filling it up again with very little actual beer.

And don't get me started on the Guinness surger cans!! Half of the staff don't know how to work the machine. It's not a full pint so everyone complains and takes an absolute age to pour. Guinness seems to be pretty popular. I don't know why they don't have it on a keg line? Can only assume it's not feasible due to wastage?

First world problems I know but frustrating when you are paying for a premium service and getting one that is a lot worse than the concourses.
re the short measure pints, that seems to be pretty well the norm in every stand. It’s down to training. What makes it worse is that they use pint to brim glasses not pint to line. PTL means the liquid must go to the line and can have as much head as you like then as you’ve got a full pint. PTB should not have more than 2mm of head, anything more than that then they are serving short measures. I almost always end up asking them to fill the glass properly, much to the staffs annoyance.

To be honest I’m amazed that after all this time the catering/club haven’t had issues with weights and measures.
 


Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
12,953
Brighton
Lack of space, cost, insufficient use....
I would have thought that the stadium could claim sufficient use. If the stadium owners would like it to be used for other sporting and entertainment events then you could argue there is definitely sufficient use. As to space, that can be created. Cost, well yes, everything costs. It's about what and how Brighton & Hove want to develop I guess.
 


Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
12,953
Brighton
It's not my intention to be rude but pretty much everything in this thread has been done to death on NSC already.
If we can somehow get the thread to focus on fish puns then we can bring it to a close then.
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
20,684
Born In Shoreham
The atmosphere was quiet last night, you could hear the players at times, home crowds seem to have lost the ability to sing all around the country. I wonder why?
Depends on the game & opposition we could still be playing now and not look like scoring. I’ve been to Wolves a few times and they go quiet as soon as they go a goal down.
 






Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
12,953
Brighton
If the club wanted to or if it were even possible you can't even begin to consider expanding the north with the current state of transport, imagine adding another 3-4k onto the current chaos.
The club can't do much about transport, all they can do is make the stadium better which they are trying to do with the new fan zone thing.

As for Wolves fans - the next set of away fans to visit their place will be singing about libraries, it's the same in 99% of grounds. Home fans are typically a bit shit.

The stadium is still fantastic and I still pinch myself but one area that the club can control and I'm afraid has got steadily worse is the concourse catering. Sodexo are a joke. Even piglet pantry seem to have decided to get into the race to the bottom with the new ridiculous card pie holders. Want your pie cold within minutes or a pie filling down your sleeve? We've got that covered.
That 'football in a library' chant is sooooo boring. Can we all please stop it?

Unless we're playing Marseille that is.
 


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