Reflections on my first visit to the Emirates

[Shredhead]

Friendly atmosphere on way to and from it.
Brillliant stadium, but it hardly ever felt like a big atmosphere.
Was it my imagination or did the announcer not give the Fulham team line-up?
Crap beer on offer.
My Arsenal mate in the North Bank end said the people around him wer saying 'we CAN'T lose to Fulham'
Fulham were oh-so-unlucky.
Not enough bogs for visiting supporters.
Pissed bloke on tube asked an Arsenal fan who Arsenal had played, and he didn't know (or understand?). I told him and what the score was and he slurred he used to go to the Cottage in the 80s and started talking about Ivor and the other greats of that era. It ended up with a rendition of 'We are the Green Pole'! Class.
Back in Brighton by 9.20 and a few pints of Hophead to celebrate.

[mrska]

Nice Summary. Were the Fulham fans in good voice..  i was suprised with 3,000 there that i couldnt hear them much on tv?

[richie17]

I went the first couple of times it was open and didn't like it at all.  Better than Wembley but that's not saying much. Good that they stayed local but to go from Highbury, a real football ground, to this, which isn't (yet), must be a real shame for Arsenal fans.

[alfie]

I went the first couple of times it was open and didn't like it at all.  Better than Wembley but that's not saying much. Good that they stayed local but to go from Highbury, a real football ground, to this, which isn't (yet), must be a real shame for Arsenal fans.

I love the Emirates, what is a real football ground?, do you think when stands were first introduced that the supporters before used to say "all these stands much prefer a real football ground"

[richie17]

I went the first couple of times it was open and didn't like it at all.  Better than Wembley but that's not saying much. Good that they stayed local but to go from Highbury, a real football ground, to this, which isn't (yet), must be a real shame for Arsenal fans.

I love the Emirates, what is a real football ground?, do you think when stands were first introduced that the supporters before used to say "all these stands much prefer a real football ground"

Well I don't know, somewhere which really inspires you when you get there, and yes, perhaps even has a sense of history rather than tourism and revenue maximisation about it.  White Hart Lane is a real football ground, so is Upton Park.  The DW Stadium and the Madejski Stadiums aren't.


I don't suppose supporters said that at all. What a strange thing to say. Modern Stadia can be well done (see Hamburg or Leipzig; just not in this country, it seems).

[AlFayedsChequebook]

I have been to the Emirates a few times, including in the Arsenal end, and I am not a fan.

Very little atmosphere and the away fans seats are in a rubbish position in the corner.

[ffcfairy]

Definatley a nice ground, absolutley huge, shame its so quiet!
However.....trying to get home (when i say home i mean the bar in kings cross) was an asbolute NIGHTMARE!! At least a half hour queue for the train, then got seperated from 2 of my friends, luckily had one with me. Asked 10 police officers how to get to a certain road and 9 of them said 'I dont know I dont work here'! Why on earth they employ officers that dont know of the area is beyond me, especially when there are going to be so many people asking questions! There were no cabs for 40 minutes and in the end it took about an hour from leaving the ground to getting back to where I had to be. Was very stressful and would not want to do that every week.

[manxman]

There were no cabs for 40 minutes and in the end it took about an hour from leaving the ground to getting back to where I had to be. Was very stressful and would not want to do that every week.

We had the the same problem, no cabs at all! Every mini cab place we went they were either shut, or their taxis were a good hour away!

Me and my two mates spent a good hour and a half walking around north London trying to find the stadium. Absolutly no signs or directions, even when we asked people they were to arrogant to reply to us. The atmosphere in the Fulham pub though was unreal! Inside the stadium was rather poor, we kept being told to sit down when trying to make some noise and encourage others around us to get behind the team. Stadium is very nice, just a pain to get to.

Dont think ill be going there anytime soon, Camden  is a hole - Felt very uneasy walking around.

[Bartender 14]

Well, we went by tube from Leicester square and it was a fast connection to Arsenal station and then a 5 minute walk. Of course the Fulham team was announced, minutes before the presentation of the Arsenal line up. And during the match the line ups were presented on the screens frequently. Indeed a good performance of the Mighty Whites. The acoustics in the stadium is very peculiar, you can't hear the noise of the Arsenal supporters, so: well done! Good seats, the best I experienced in London so far. After the match we walked a bit further to Finsbury Park Tube Station were we got back quickly to Leicester square again. Halfway to the tube we had to stop for a Bobby on horseback, only 5 minutes and then could walk on to the tube station. Great evening, good point. 082.gif

[leonffc]

I have been to the Emirates a few times, including in the Arsenal end, and I am not a fan.

Very little atmosphere and the away fans seats are in a rubbish position in the corner.

I'll second that. I've only been in the home end (once for Fulham plus a couple of others) and think it's over rated. I think the experience is tarnished by the 60000 knobs around you!!
At least you get leg room though, unlike Old Trafford.
Even in the home end the stewards are over fussy. Probably worse than ours were a few years back.
And then there's the ban on the St George in there, meanwhile African flags of countries represented by Arsenal players are allowed.

[Pata]

It's just too comfortable, though can't argue with the leg room.

The fact that the lower tier is so shallow doesn't make for the best view from the away end in the first 10 rows and does dissipate the atmosphere in the home end. The atmosphere in the away end... well, depends on the away following, I suppose. Found the stewards to be generally agreeable in the terms of standing.

PS Preferred Highbury - proper historical ground; however, the view from the back rows of the away end in the lower tier of the West Stand was akin to the view through a letterbox.

[finnster01]

"I guess it depends on the away following?" WTF? We don't have good supporters at the Emirates? We have real fans and not you plastic red scouser fans living in Brixton

WUM alert again. Scousers starting to wind us up prior to next League game.

What is your problem mate? Can't you just stay away because you piss a lot of people off here? Does that make you happy?

[alfie]

I went the first couple of times it was open and didn't like it at all.  Better than Wembley but that's not saying much. Good that they stayed local but to go from Highbury, a real football ground, to this, which isn't (yet), must be a real shame for Arsenal fans.

I love the Emirates, what is a real football ground?, do you think when stands were first introduced that the supporters before used to say "all these stands much prefer a real football ground"

Well I don't know, somewhere which really inspires you when you get there, and yes, perhaps even has a sense of history rather than tourism and revenue maximisation about it.  White Hart Lane is a real football ground, so is Upton Park.  The DW Stadium and the Madejski Stadiums aren't.


I don't suppose supporters said that at all. What a strange thing to say. Modern Stadia can be well done (see Hamburg or Leipzig; just not in this country, it seems).

Why do you suppose supporters did not say that sort of thing, and why is it a strange thing to say.
I was just trying to say that not everybody has the same view of what is a football ground, you have your opinions and i respect that, i just happen to like the Emirates more than i did Highbury.

As for maximisation is that not something that is trying to be done at the Cottage with the new Riverside stand,  sorry mate i like a bit of comfort now days and the Emirates gives me that, and i am definately one of those supporters that at my age like to sit down and not stand.

[richie17]

I can't argue with that and sorry if I seem to be a bit difficult.  Not meant to be, I just find the whole new stadium thing a bit strange.  I agree it's better to be comfortable than not - I don't think that's my problem with the emirates.  It just felt like a huge cinema or shopping mall or car showroom to me.

[General]

First time I went was with a friend for the Arsenal vs Liverpool game - evening kick off and his seats where a bit higher then ground level and behind the dugouts.. maybe a bit to the left. Emirates had just opened and Arsenal beat them 3-0. It was an amazing experience and the ground looked phenomenal.

I went back to watch fulham play at the emirates and although hiding in the second tier above the dugouts still thought it was great. Fulham played arsenal off the park that day under Roy and we drew 1-1.

It doesn't have that aura about it though... It seems souless, but I can imagine it'll gain one in the years to come.

[alfie]

I can't argue with that and sorry if I seem to be a bit difficult.  Not meant to be, I just find the whole new stadium thing a bit strange.  I agree it's better to be comfortable than not - I don't think that's my problem with the emirates.  It just felt like a huge cinema or shopping mall or car showroom to me.

Richie17 you are not being difficult, you have an opinion thats fair enough for me.

[Jimpav]

I was given a spare ticket for the Gooners match against Citeh tonight.

I've no affiliation with either team but it should be a spectacle and I have to admit that I'm looking forward to my first visit to the Emirates.

I'll report back later!

[MrFantastic]

The stadium seats are kinda farther from the field than they are in some other EPL stadiums but other than that it looks as a great stadium to watch a game.

[Burt]

No stadium on earth will beat Craven Cottage in my affections  :004:

[HatterDon]

I watched the Carling Cup today. I must admit as a frequent visitor to the Highbury Library in the early 70s, I was surprised at the noise the Arse faithful put up today. I've never heard the Emirates that loud. The funniest part was that even the announcer noted that everyone in red stood up to "Stand Up If You Hate Nasri."   064.gif