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Worst grounds

Started by Andy S, July 18, 2021, 10:24:45 AM

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SP

Quote from: mrmicawbers on July 18, 2021, 03:40:00 PM
Can there be a worse ground than Gillinghams?

Definitely not, an absolute pit, I would not care to return to the club from Kent. Really had to keep your wits about you going there.

I could be wrong, bit I'm sure our last meeting with them resulted in a 3 or so goal victory.

grandad

Exeter´s St James Park. The away end is 6 steps & uncovered. It was pissing down & we asked if we could transfer to the covered stand. The stewards said no & the Police said if we left the ground to get into the stand we would be refused entry. Vowed to never go there again.
Where there's a will there's a wife

Bas White

Surely the worst has to be the old County Ground at Northampton?  Uncovered and the toilets were an open sewer


Southdowns White

Birmingham, Derby, Gillingham,  horrible people humourless nuckledraggers. Someone mentioned Chesterfield, always a little mob ready to have a pop at us after the game, but then it is Derbyshire.

Twig

In terms of abuse, the worst I suffered was leaving Stamford Bridge after an away game. It was during the 70's but I forget when or whether it was cup or league. Bloody horrible experience though.

70sPimlico

Quote from: Bas White on July 18, 2021, 09:19:21 PM
Surely the worst has to be the old County Ground at Northampton?  Uncovered and the toilets were an open sewer
I was stopped from going in with two other friends about 20 years ago as we looked like trouble. Honestly, at that time in my life, I probably was. We were eventually  let in and sat through the most unmemroable game. I think we won


SP

Quote from: Twig on July 18, 2021, 10:00:42 PM
In terms of abuse, the worst I suffered was leaving Stamford Bridge after an away game. It was during the 70's but I forget when or whether it was cup or league. Bloody horrible experience though.

Around that time, a cup game I think, the travelling Palace fans were set on big time by the blue scum & the police did nothing to protect them.  My neighbour, who narrowly escaped a beating has never been back to a league game since.

Whitestone

Quote from: 70sPimlico on July 18, 2021, 10:46:02 PM
Quote from: Bas White on July 18, 2021, 09:19:21 PM
Surely the worst has to be the old County Ground at Northampton?  Uncovered and the toilets were an open sewer
I was stopped from going in with two other friends about 20 years ago as we looked like trouble. Honestly, at that time in my life, I probably was. We were eventually  let in and sat through the most unmemroable game. I think we won

Think you'll find it was a bit more than 20 years ago. They moved to Sixfields in the early 90s. Only went there once. That was enough.  Agree though it was an unusual ground being three sided with the cricket field opposite the main stand. The old Colchester United ground, Layer Road was another 0 star ground but loads of character.

Twig

Quote from: SP on July 19, 2021, 06:19:34 PM
Quote from: Twig on July 18, 2021, 10:00:42 PM
In terms of abuse, the worst I suffered was leaving Stamford Bridge after an away game. It was during the 70's but I forget when or whether it was cup or league. Bloody horrible experience though.

Around that time, a cup game I think, the travelling Palace fans were set on big time by the blue scum & the police did nothing to protect them.  My neighbour, who narrowly escaped a beating has never been back to a league game since.

It was a dark time for football hooliganism, I hope we never return.


Stoneleigh Loyalist

Back in our promotion season in the 90s the last away match which confirmed promotion was Mansfield. A grim run down place.

Penfold

Quote from: Whitestone on July 19, 2021, 07:01:46 PM
Quote from: 70sPimlico on July 18, 2021, 10:46:02 PM
Quote from: Bas White on July 18, 2021, 09:19:21 PM
Surely the worst has to be the old County Ground at Northampton?  Uncovered and the toilets were an open sewer
I was stopped from going in with two other friends about 20 years ago as we looked like trouble. Honestly, at that time in my life, I probably was. We were eventually  let in and sat through the most unmemroable game. I think we won

Think you'll find it was a bit more than 20 years ago. They moved to Sixfields in the early 90s. Only went there once. That was enough.  Agree though it was an unusual ground being three sided with the cricket field opposite the main stand. The old Colchester United ground, Layer Road was another 0 star ground but loads of character.

Much changed now. Went there a couple of years ago for cricket. Where the football ground was is now further seating for the cricket and an indoor cricket school. That also has some corporate facilities overlooking the field. The County Hotel is still standing but the old turnstile block next to it was bricked up.

In Northants pavilion, there are some good photos of how the ground looked prior to 1994 when the football team moved out.

As a football ground, The County Ground was awful. Especially the Meccano stand on the half way line. Also, the less said about the bogs at the away end......

Birmingham White

Maine Road in the Keegan/Tigana days was vile. Horrible atmosphere and it just felt dangerous. Loads of their hooligans staring at Fulham rather than watching the game. That is the worst ground I have watched Fulham at. I know they came looking for aggro after the game too.

Birmingham in the late 80's was awful. I remember watching us lose 3-2 in a midweek game there. They were top of the league, we were bottom and Gary Brazil missed a penalty. There must have been about 100 Fulham fans there that evening. Blues tried to charge at us across the wasteland outside the ground after the game. It was only the police dogs that kept them away. Horrible lot.


AnotherVicHalomLoveChild

The old Den @ Millwall, seriously intimidating.

The old concrete stand (no cover) @ Reading's Elm Park

The 6 or was it 8 concrete steps 9again no cover) @ Doncaster Rover's old ground - but as we were 91st or 92nd & @ the very bottom of Division 4 we managed an away 2 - 0 win against Sammy Chung's DR team who were near the top.
Mickey Adam's blackanwhite army climbed away from the bottom & the rest as they say is history.
I stopped off to watch the match heading for Leeds on business. Somewhat shamefully some "nice" shirtless FFC fans burned £5 notes yelling "loads of money.." @ the DR fans. Bless them they had the old wooden rattle noise mekers. The burgers probably killed some who ate them!

cmg

Quote from: AnotherVicHalomLoveChild link=topic=82258.msg1261276#msg1261276 date=1626720470

The 6 or was it 8 concrete steps 9again no cover) @ Doncaster Rover's old ground -
/quote]

Ah! Belle Vue - a right dump just over the road from the racetrack.
Will always live in my memory, not for any abuse or danger but because their chairman burnt down their main stand. Whenever I hear moans about our current ownership I always think of Ken Richardson.

HV71

Quote from: Stoneleigh Loyalist on July 19, 2021, 07:35:37 PM
Back in our promotion season in the 90s the last away match which confirmed promotion was Mansfield. A grim run down place.


Remember that night very well. I was a Director at Mansfield at the time - we tried our best to be welcoming - sending a crate of champagne down to the dressing room . Sadly it is a run down town - it was never wealthy - but the closure of the mines really did see it suffer. Hopefully though you suffered no harm from the locals.


mrmicawbers

Quote from: Birmingham White on July 19, 2021, 07:45:20 PM
Maine Road in the Keegan/Tigana days was vile. Horrible atmosphere and it just felt dangerous. Loads of their hooligans staring at Fulham rather than watching the game. That is the worst ground I have watched Fulham at. I know they came looking for aggro after the game too.

Birmingham in the late 80's was awful. I remember watching us lose 3-2 in a midweek game there. They were top of the league, we were bottom and Gary Brazil missed a penalty. There must have been about 100 Fulham fans there that evening. Blues tried to charge at us across the wasteland outside the ground after the game. It was only the police dogs that kept them away. Horrible lot.
A load of us walked back to the Station together and had to repel some grief.We went to a pub by the station and they were trying to get in there too.The police wanted us gone and stuck us all on the same train going back.

Southdowns White

I remember all those uncovered terraces mention above, Freezing cold, windy and wet, Reading, Southend, Colchester, Doncaster, Chesterfield, Mansfield to name a few. The sun never seemed to shine, nearly always dark by half time, the football was certainly nothing to write home about, the only nice thing was the damp grass smell as you clasped your half time cup of tea or bovril. I do remember getting chased through Mansfield after the game by a group of skinheads,  we later heard they were from the local coal mining community.   We are spoilt these days!

Fulhamfan666

Milwall, Gillingham, West Ham, Wolves


Barrett487

Barnet (back in the day).... play with, or without the slope.

Grumpy Old Fart

Just to stick up up for St.James Park (the Exeter version) - the away end is completely covered now.