[Albion] What’s the worst away day in the 92?

[Brian Fantana]

Tommy Elphick also ripped off his black armband after the goal and threw it on the floor. Dean Wilkins got a cup of tea thrown at him in the aftermath.

The main stand was tiny meaning Bas was moonwalking about 5 metres away from the grieving relatives

These days, I live very close to Hartlepool and they don't really like us as a club solely for that match/incident. I went to one of their Fans United-style events when they were struggling after being relegated from the EFL the first time a few years ago and I got a load of abuse for wearing a Brighton shirt.

 

[jcdenton08]

I quite liked Cambridge too.

Having not been before I was envisaging a quaint old ground near a college or library with people floating past in punts.

Instead we took a seemingly never ending walk through a council estate. The pub we stopped off at halfway for much needed refreshment was notable for two things. Everyone in the pub turning to look at us as we walked in and for everyone having, cumulatively, three teeth and three hundred and forty tattoos, some of which were spelled correctly.

It was certainly educational but not, perhaps, in the way I expected.

I was quite surprised when I finally visited Cambridge a few years ago to visit a mate. I naively had in my head it would be like Oxford, because of the uni connection.

Oxford is a beautiful city, one of the nicest in the country in my opinion. Cambridge… isn’t. The town centre is okay, but I was surprised how modest it all is compared to Oxford.

Oh and I saw a fight outside the train station between two drunks and a woman who looked a bit like the drunk guy out of Shameless.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Hartlepool is a bit of a grim one (in terms of getting to, the ground being freezing and there being no decent away pubs), but Bas Savage scoring a very, very late winner after pinballing the ball off seemingly their entire team was hugely enjoyable.

What wasn't SO enjoyable was that he then proceeded to do a moonwalk right in front of their main stand, where the atmosphere was a little sombre because there'd been a minute's silence before the game for one of their players who'd recently died in a car crash.

Have to disagree about Hartlepool - not about Bas Savage's celebration, but about the pre match drinking - we found a great little social club (50p I believe to get in) fairly close to the ground.

 

[heathgate]

The old Doncaster away 'cage'

The old Southampton Dell away fans 'cage' ....

Both shite

 

[tigertim68]

West Ham is shit if it's midweek and you are going to and from the shopping centre on a time constraint. It's actually a decent away day on an afternoon when you can frequent the micro brewery bars around Hackney Wick and not get caught in the transport mele. Whilst the atmosphere last night was muted on both sides, I don't remember it being bad at all in the 3-3 or last year's 2-0 win in our end at least even if the fan split is less than ideal.

Avoid in midweek is the lesson I learnt.

We always play there in the week though

 

[Bodian]

You don't get wooden seats any more. we had to rip them up in the away end for UEFA regulations, during the Europa Cup season.

Besides, wide wood seats or narrow plastic seats? I know what I'd prefer.

I'll check them out and see what they are like later in the season!

 

[Taybha]

Take it nobody has stood on the terrace at Exeter in January then

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Everton - just terrible views. Overrated atmosphere.
Yeovil - goodness it absolutely hammered down on that open terrace, then an age to get out

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Have to disagree about Hartlepool - not about Bas Savage's celebration, but about the pre match drinking - we found a great little social club (50p I believe to get in) fairly close to the ground.

Always used to go there, was it called the Corner Post or something similar? Very welcoming and used to get a great ham and pease pudding bap in there.

Also, one year my mate was dismayed to find no pies in the away end (they were good pies). A steward went off into the home end and brought back a box full of freshly cooked pies to make sure we didn’t miss out.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Doncaster Rovers in late 1980s after all the stands "accidently" burnt down.

Awful exposed place out by the racecourse, no shelter and no sight lines whatsoever.

On the other hand I always enjoyed watching the storms coming in towards the uncovered and completely exposed away end at Oldham - freezing cold and soaked though.

 

[portlock seagull]

I always think Wycombe is a ball ache. Miles from the station, at the back of a god awful industrial estate that takes hours to get out of, no pubs near by. The ground itself is fine, and decent atmosphere can be made, but not pleasurable experience.

Park and ride at Handycross jct on m40, take bus downhill and in less than 5mins you’re in a lovely little ground surrounded by trees. Fan zone outside, have a drink. Completely hassle free. What’s not to like?

 

[portlock seagull]

Few grounds are terrible these days, in the old skool sense. Hassle is the main factor so fair shout re: Reading, Stoke etc

Have to say the Amex is right up there though. God damned awful place to get to and from especially if driving from long way.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

The worst most exposed ground in shit weather the football league used to have only one winner.

Withdean

 

[S.T.U cgull]

For many similar reasons to Reading - out of town, nowhere to drink (close by) beforehand - and generally just being a pain to get to… Bolton
Blackburn worth a shout purely on account of the place being a complete dump

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Elland Road, shit ground, shit fans, shit facilities, shit location, obnoxious security.

You just reminded me of the Matchbook oafs at Orient*, ex-boxers who made us all go to our allocated seats. Which reminds me, the same happened at Barnet the second time I went to Underhill. Twats.

*That said, second easiest away venue for me.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I can only assume you've never had to change trains at Basingstoke.

Are you Dent, Arthur Dent?

 

[zefarelly]

Yes its pricey but there are some plus points.

Good food options (especially for veggie/vegan). Not bad drink options in the ground.

Outside catering/food not bad

Pubs/bars/ restaurants nearby

Proximity to multiple transport options - yes they all go back via london bridge etc

Good for parking /driving

However, it isnt a football stadium in terms of sight lines and atmosphere last night was muted

In terms of worst places, stoke is up there inntop 2 divisions. Also think current everton is a poor ground. And palace when you take away the rivalry is in nobody's top 10 as an experience

If we go beyond top 2, always remember cheltenham as a poor away ground with an attitude from club/stewards designed to cause problems

I really enjoyed Everton this season . . . Last time I went to Cheltenham, my little brother was there at Uni, and the burger van went up in flames, a memorable day out.

Gillingham for me, I don't think I enjoyed going there once. In fact most of its been erased from memory.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

So let's get this right. All of the PL and EFL grounds, including our own are hated by at least one person posting on the thread.

Any casual reader from overseas would conclude we English are a bunch of self-loathing miserabilist masochists who are happy only when moaning about the state of everything while doing nothing to change anything, and instead plodding along, grubbing around in our own dirt in search of more punishment and misery.

So I'll say this. Bury was nice. Big open terrace behind the goal. Decent half time pie.
Lincoln was pleasant.
Stadium of light, a nice day out.
Gay Meadow was decent
Anfield has always been fun, whether following the Albion or . . . sorry, what?
Blackpool is great.
Wigan and Leicester were great for parking
Prenton Park, very nice

My will to live has now recovered.

 

[nicko31]

The Withdean, sorry but it was …

 

[zefarelly]

The Withdean, sorry but it was …

1 rung up from Gillingham.