[Football] Worst away end you have been in watching footy.

[clapham_gull]

Leeds road was pretty shit, can’t remember us ever winning there either.

That Leeds lower tier is quite special. You have to wait for everyone else to get out before you do.

 

[Taybha]

Cold Blow 1978 i think was the very first away game I went to without my older Brother who liked the beer so much sometimes we wouldn't actually get to wherever we'd travelled to at all, so I dumped him and his merry band and went on my own, I've one overriding memory of that day and it was why did I go on my own!

It's probably one of the only times I've been to football not wanting us to score as you could tell there were Millwall fans in amongst the few hundred Brighton fans.

Yup we scored, polite applause from the away fans, then from the home end to the right a mass bundle of epic proportions which seemed to last for ages with the game still going on.

For reasons unknown to man or beast a small group of Brighton fans had decided they were going to take the Millwall end,this isn't hearsay I was there and watched it happen, in those days it was the police that sorted out the aggro and I genuinely felt sorry for them having to try and sort that mess out.

So thanks to the Brighton heroes that obviously had no concern for their own welfare the Millwall fans in our end were now out for blood and without much of a police presence fights started all over the place, being 8 stone wet and not wanting to get a good hiding I decided to leave early and promptly got lost in New Cross, not a place to get lost on matchdays, somehow managed to get back home without any incident and said to myself that's the last time I ever go to Cold Blow, and it was.

The old den may not have been the worst place I've seen us play but it certainly remains that way in my head.

Places I'm glad we don't have to go to anymore are Doncasters Belle View , Southampton The Dell, Charlton The Valley and bloody Stoke, Oldham has to be the coldest place on the planet to watch football, of the stadiums we visit now Everton has to be the worst just pipping Selhurst .

I actually watched us play from the away end at Withers when we played Halifax with chums from oop North and without a shadow of doubt it is the very worst place I've ever watched a professional game of football.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I can't let Gillingham get away without a mention. Rubbish town to visit, a pain in the arse to get to, and a shoddy little stadium. The amusing irony is that, all those years after their chairman so gleefully accepted, what was it, half a million quid? to host us, his club is still playing home games in front of a wonky, exposed scaffold stand which could almost have been lifted straight off the running track at Withdean. Karmic joy indeed.

Being the small-minded, petty, vindictive person that I am, I couldn't help smiling at yesterday evening's football round up on BBC South-East. Perhaps failing to realise that the Brighton area had been tacked on to their region (or because, being based in Kent they wanted to make some sort of point), they always used to lead with Gillingham. But now someone must have had a word, and the Gills are shown after Albion AND Albion women. What a beautiful thing!

 

[Durlston]

The old uncovered terrace at Plymouth Argyle.

There remains one happy memory of clinching promotion there in 2002 but the rest - rocks thrown from Argyle fans into the ground from the outside, having to walk through a very dodgy park where their hooligan crew, Central Element, always seemed to be laying in wait for any scarfers to punch (cowards to do that) and the feeling that you've travelled so far you feel like you're in a different time zone (Carlisle never felt like that strangely for some reason. Faster trains?). Summed up the bleak facilities for away fans for so long.

They've done their ground up and it looks really nice with all the green seats. Would be a great FA Cup draw this season!

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

The old uncovered terrace at Plymouth Argyle.

There remains one happy memory of clinching promotion there in 2002 but the rest - rocks thrown from Argyle fans into the ground from the outside, having to walk through a very dodgy park where their hooligan crew, Central Element, always seemed to be laying in wait for any scarfers to punch (cowards to do that) and the feeling that you've travelled so far you feel like you're in a different time zone (Carlisle never felt like that strangely for some reason. Faster trains?). Summed up the bleak facilities for away fans for so long.

They've done their ground up and it looks really nice with all the green seats. Would be a great FA Cup draw this season!

Yes it would, I hope every year.
The trouble in the park still exists but mainly for when Exeter or either Bristol clubs visit, although some others too.
Rocks no longer thrown into the ground.
New main stand now, Home Park is a very decent ground, very good away end.
Surprised no mention of Exeter City, people have a point with Yeovil but at least the terrace is large and banked, Exeter is tiny, uncovered, almost flat, shocking toilets and food (improved a bit now)
Also Bristol Rovers, open, stuck down one side in a corner and a marquee behind the goal.
Also Swindon, open but seated.
Open away ends are terrible, cold, wet and no atmosphere, should be free to get in.

 

[withdeanwombat]

There have been some real duds out there. I volunteer Oldham, Exeter and Yeovil. Bit of a saving grace for Exeter is that it’s a decent little city and the ground’s not too far from town and drinky places. Oldham is Or was cold,wet and grotty. Yeovil’s only good point is......sorry, can’t think of one. It’s rumoured there are pubs somewhere there.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Yes it would, I hope every year.
The trouble in the park still exists but mainly for when Exeter or either Bristol clubs visit, although some others too.
Rocks no longer thrown into the ground.
New main stand now, Home Park is a very decent ground, very good away end..

Strange one that. They announced the rebuilding of the Mayflower grandstand to quite some fanfare, and at what appears to be considerable expense for a club at their level, only to end up with a new stand that still has supporting pillars blocking the views from some seats, where the roof doesn't cover the seats at the front, and which somehow manages to look pretty much like the old stand, but without the terracing at the front.

Always had a soft spot for Plymouth for some reason, but the finished project does look somewhat underwhelming to me! Perhaps space or funding limited their options, but I'd have thought they'd have seized the opportunity to build something a bit more modern-looking.

(this is the new stand, in case anybody was wondering).

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Strange one that. They announced the rebuilding of the Mayflower grandstand to quite some fanfare, and at what appears to be considerable expense for a club at their level, only to end up with a new stand that still has supporting pillars blocking the views from some seats, where the roof doesn't cover the seats at the front, and which somehow manages to look pretty much like the old stand, but without the terracing at the front.

Always had a soft spot for Plymouth for some reason, but the finished project does look somewhat underwhelming to me! Perhaps space or funding limited their options, but I'd have thought they'd have seized the opportunity to build something a bit more modern-looking.

(this is the new stand, in case anybody was wondering).

Well l don't think it looks too bad at all, and in keeping with the rest of their ground really. There are far far worse stands out there.

 

[SAC]

Strange one that. They announced the rebuilding of the Mayflower grandstand to quite some fanfare, and at what appears to be considerable expense for a club at their level, only to end up with a new stand that still has supporting pillars blocking the views from some seats, where the roof doesn't cover the seats at the front, and which somehow manages to look pretty much like the old stand, but without the terracing at the front.

Always had a soft spot for Plymouth for some reason, but the finished project does look somewhat underwhelming to me! Perhaps space or funding limited their options, but I'd have thought they'd have seized the opportunity to build something a bit more modern-looking.

(this is the new stand, in case anybody was wondering).

It's odd that it isn't the same length as the open seats but then I don't think the old stand was either. Also odd that they didn't make it safe standing at the bottom where the old terrace was.

I imagine that it is all down to cost, £8 million doesn't go that far when building new stands.

 

[Razzoo]

Blackpool. They were doing the end up so stuck us on the side towards the corner. I was absolutely freezing all day. It's a depressing shithole plus after the match had a terrible Italian meal in a restaurant that was packed and I had high hopes for.
The B and B was cold too. I probably will never go to Blackpool ever again.

 

[Swansman]

Well l don't think it looks too bad at all, and in keeping with the rest of their ground really. There are far far worse stands out there.

Looks like a nice stand though I agree with edna that it doesnt look very modern (not that modernity has any intrinsic value when it comes to architecture).

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Strange one that. They announced the rebuilding of the Mayflower grandstand to quite some fanfare, and at what appears to be considerable expense for a club at their level, only to end up with a new stand that still has supporting pillars blocking the views from some seats, where the roof doesn't cover the seats at the front, and which somehow manages to look pretty much like the old stand, but without the terracing at the front.

Always had a soft spot for Plymouth for some reason, but the finished project does look somewhat underwhelming to me! Perhaps space or funding limited their options, but I'd have thought they'd have seized the opportunity to build something a bit more modern-looking.

(this is the new stand, in case anybody was wondering).

You are right but that is not a very good picture of it.
Argyle were hoping for better but due to money issues they had to keep the same shape as the old one. But they stripped it right back to the steel frame and all the old brick bits and the dressing rooms were demolished, new concrete terracing with seats at the front that was shocking, new seats in the stand, lighting and sound system, new bars, hospitality and boardroom, it really was a complete rebuild and actually looks quite nice, the old stand inside and out was dreadful.
Of course they wanted a cantilever stand that connected up with the other stands as they thought they were going to get but this was the very best they could do. The uncovered seats at the front are the worst part but still so much better than what was there before.
If England had won the world Cup bid, Plymouth was going to be one of the grounds to host some games and would have got the stand they thought they were getting.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Looks like a nice stand though I agree with edna that it doesnt look very modern (not that modernity has any intrinsic value when it comes to architecture).

Well l can think of some grounds where modern stands have been built, and look so out of place alongside the remaining old fashioned architecture that remains in the stadium..

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

You will also see the new dressing rooms and supporters bar in the corner.

https://youtu.be/TfYNoKhhxQg

 

[atfc village]

Yes it would, I hope every year.
The trouble in the park still exists but mainly for when Exeter or either Bristol clubs visit, although some others too.
Rocks no longer thrown into the ground.
New main stand now, Home Park is a very decent ground, very good away end.
Surprised no mention of Exeter City, people have a point with Yeovil but at least the terrace is large and banked, Exeter is tiny, uncovered, almost flat, shocking toilets and food (improved a bit now)
Also Bristol Rovers, open, stuck down one side in a corner and a marquee behind the goal.
Also Swindon, open but seated.
Open away ends are terrible, cold, wet and no atmosphere, should be free to get in.

Exeter is covered now.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Well l can think of some grounds where modern stands have been built, and look so out of place alongside the remaining old fashioned architecture that remains in the stadium..

Ha, well I didn't mean to suggest it was shit, and I'm sure it's a significant improvement on what went before. Though I gather they had to take tickets off sale in the upper tier at the start of the season due to issues with "the matchday experience". They've certainly had complaints about a lack of legroom in the new seats.

I was only expressing my surprise that they hadn't gone for something more modern within the existing footprint (especially as the rest of Home Park is fairly modern and uniform). At least losing the roof support pillars, if nothing else. But as RC has pointed out, perhaps money was an issue.

May also be one of those places that looks better in person than in photos. I like Plymouth, as I said. I wish them well.

 

[Bodian]

Blackpool. They were doing the end up so stuck us on the side towards the corner. I was absolutely freezing all day. It's a depressing shithole plus after the match had a terrible Italian meal in a restaurant that was packed and I had high hopes for.
The B and B was cold too. I probably will never go to Blackpool ever again.

If that's the game I remember - then the pubs had no ale either. When I asked why not, they said that they only sold lager in the winter, as they wouldn't sell enough proper beer before the barrel went off as they didn't have much custom for about four months. Huge place too, can just imagine it heaving with youth in summer. By the way, you were lucky to get an Italian. The time before, we just wanted something simple like a jacket potato - but it literally was only fish & chips at every single place. Except one, that had a 'special' on. Fish, chips & mushy peas.....

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

Strange one that. They announced the rebuilding of the Mayflower grandstand to quite some fanfare, and at what appears to be considerable expense for a club at their level, only to end up with a new stand that still has supporting pillars blocking the views from some seats, where the roof doesn't cover the seats at the front, and which somehow manages to look pretty much like the old stand, but without the terracing at the front.

Always had a soft spot for Plymouth for some reason, but the finished project does look somewhat underwhelming to me! Perhaps space or funding limited their options, but I'd have thought they'd have seized the opportunity to build something a bit more modern-looking.

(this is the new stand, in case anybody was wondering).

Yes, I don't know why they didn't just continue round from the other three stands and enclose the ground, perhaps with a second tier on the main stand. Maybe they wanted to preserve something of the old ground, but it still seems odd.

In terms of worst away ends, Reading's Elm Park took some beating. A dilapidated old open terrace with appalling toilets, and it was the first place I really came across homophobic chants being directed at us (this was in the 1990s; maybe I just hadn't noticed it before then).

One of the more modern away stands that really doesn't impress me is at Watford. While the view from the stand itself is fine, the concourse behind is positively dangerous, being only about 10 feet wide. I remember going there for a FA Cup game in 2011, when they gave us the whole end, and going for a half time drink was not a pleasant experience. I know the home fans in there for most games get the same experience, but at least they can use the concourse in the Graham Taylor Stand.

Another one I didn't think was great (not the stand itself, where you could have a superb atmosphere if it was full, but the area behind) was Griffin Park. There was no concourse, just an entrance area, and it just couldn't handle the numbers attending. Finally, talking of Millwall, were any of you there when the fans to the left of us, who I think were about their worst, tried to set fire to the terrace after we beat them in the Play Off and John Robinson scored the winner?

 

[Seagull Stew]

Colchester

 

[heathgate]

The Dell
Oxford Utd
Doncaster (old place)

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