Match day pricing....

[Another Walkley Owl]

I’d agree our Habbin terrace needs modernising. And the area behind the Habbin could do with being upgraded from burger vans and awful toilets to something a bit smarter. But I’d rather we stuck with awful facilities and kept the terrace than knocked it down and built a seated stand that no one really wants just so people can have a poo in a nice toilet.

From my experience of away games (both with Cambridge and Norwich), most away fans stand in seated areas anyway which renders seated stands pretty pointless.

My first ever away match (not counting Bramall Lane) 1983 FA Cup 5th Round Abbey Stadium, initially getting into the ground via some turnstiles behind the home end (Kop?) and being separated from the Cambridge fans by only a thin tall wooden fence that looked like it was going to give way at any moment from the kicks it was being given from both sides.
Then a walk down behind the "Main Stand" and up some rickety stairs/ ladders.(I didnt think they were safe and was worried as I hate heights) and into the small corner of the rickety old Stand set aside for away fans.
We sit in the wooden seats, with barely enough legroom even for a little 13 Year old.
Looking to our left to see Owls Fans in what could best be described as a tiny open terrace that looked as if it was set in the field behind it and across to see other Owls fans in about a third of a slightly Bigger Roofed terrace area.
(At least I think it was terraced the old memory isn't what it used to be)
Home fans sat about 20 feet to our right, Bloody hell this place was no Hillsborough!
It was what would now be described as a Tiny Shed, but it had Atmosphere and I loved it. (Wednesday winning probably helped)

We now have all seater Stadium, with roofs at nearly all Grounds, great choices of food and drink, Comfy (relatively speaking)seats, Corporate Areas, Superstores with Merchandise, Toilet facilities fit for Humans and most importantly they are so much safer for everyone including Families.
Back then we were often crammed in (and treated) like Animals, had a choice of a pie or Bovril, had Tiny club shops and ticket offices, toilets that would best be described as a Roofless brick building where you pissed against a wall with a sort of drain below.
God help you if you were female
I can't recall seeing any "Ladies" toilets in them days, (I''m sure they were there but as I wouldn't be looking for them, I didn't notice them) but I'm sure they wouldn't have been up to much!
Then there was the real danger of getting a good kicking (Yes even as a Child with his Dad at away games or with his mates at some home games).

But give me a time machine and take me back to Hillsborough in the 80s (or the Abbey or anywhere else for that matter) stood up with friends and/or family, the smell, (a mixture of Bovril, Pies, pipes,cigars, fags and farts) the sway of the Crowd, the Noise, the whole "real" matchday experience, compared to the sanitised soulless, quiet grounds (Barring away ends and even those are nothing compared to the old days)
Yes, I know I'm a Dinosaur but I'm so glad I got the chance to see those old days.

 

[Bartonyellow]

My first ever away match (not counting Bramall Lane) 1983 FA Cup 5th Round Abbey Stadium, initially getting into the ground via some turnstiles behind the home end (Kop?) and being separated from the Cambridge fans by only a thin tall wooden fence that looked like it was going to give way at any moment from the kicks it was being given from both sides.
Then a walk down behind the "Main Stand" and up some rickety stairs/ ladders.(I didnt think they were safe and was worried as I hate heights) and into the small corner of the rickety old Stand set aside for away fans.
We sit in the wooden seats, with barely enough legroom even for a little 13 Year old.
Looking to our left to see Owls Fans in what could best be described as a tiny open terrace that looked as if it was set in the field behind it and across to see other Owls fans in about a third of a slightly Bigger Roofed terrace area.
(At least I think it was terraced the old memory isn't what it used to be)
Home fans sat about 20 feet to our right, Bloody hell this place was no Hillsborough!
It was what would now be described as a Tiny Shed, but it had Atmosphere and I loved it. (Wednesday winning probably helped)

We now have all seater Stadium, with roofs at nearly all Grounds, great choices of food and drink, Comfy (relatively speaking)seats, Corporate Areas, Superstores with Merchandise, Toilet facilities fit for Humans and most importantly they are so much safer for everyone including Families.
Back then we were often crammed in (and treated) like Animals, had a choice of a pie or Bovril, had Tiny club shops and ticket offices, toilets that would best be described as a Roofless brick building where you pissed against a wall with a sort of drain below.
God help you if you were female
I can't recall seeing any "Ladies" toilets in them days, (I''m sure they were there but as I wouldn't be looking for them, I didn't notice them) but I'm sure they wouldn't have been up to much!
Then there was the real danger of getting a good kicking (Yes even as a Child with his Dad at away games or with his mates at some home games).

But give me a time machine and take me back to Hillsborough in the 80s (or the Abbey or anywhere else for that matter) stood up with friends and/or family, the smell, (a mixture of Bovril, Pies, pipes,cigars, fags and farts) the sway of the Crowd, the Noise, the whole "real" matchday experience, compared to the sanitised soulless, quiet grounds (Barring away ends and even those are nothing compared to the old days)
Yes, I know I'm a Dinosaur but I'm so glad I got the chance to see those old days.

Agree complete with your post - although You say take you back to the 80s. But we also had perimeter fencing - caged in like animals. And we all know what that lead to at your stadium. Perhaps in your time machine you could rip them down on the morning of April 15th.
I always remember oxfords manor ground. The fences were so high and barbaric.
amazing to think they are still in existence by lower league polish teams.

 

[eric read]

Agree complete with your post - although You say take you back to the 80s. But we also had perimeter fencing - caged in like animals. And we all know what that lead to at your stadium. Perhaps in your time machine you could rip them down on the morning of April 15th.
I always remember oxfords manor ground. The fences were so high and barbaric.
amazing to think they are still in existence by lower league polish teams.

I'd have The Manor back in a heartbeat.

Away fans hated it, away teams hated it, we loved it. It was home. 100% more enjoyable than our current 3 sided abomination, named after a man I despise.

PS: Barbaric is a great description of The Manor!

 

[Indian Dan]

Got to agree. I preferred the Manor.

Problem is that grounds like that - not that here are many left - drag clubs down. Like it or not, revamped stadia is a pre requisite for club progression.

The bog wall in the Town End where I first stood at he CG in 1968 is still there, ffs. The Stratton Bank ditto. Damning indictment.

 

[Laker]

Got to agree. I preferred the Manor.

Problem is that grounds like that - not that here are many left - drag clubs down. Like it or not, revamped stadia is a pre requisite for club progression.

The bog wall in the Town End where I first stood at he CG in 1968 is still there, ffs. The Stratton Bank ditto. Damning indictment.

You're correct, and there tends to be an attendance increase whenever a club moves to a new ground.

I don't have a problem with modernising really but I do have a problem with identikit stadiums which have no character. I agree the Abbey is out of date now but in my head we shouldn't move from there - revamping it should be the aim, not relocation. And in any revamp, I'd love terracing (or safe standing as a minimum) to remain. The choice of whether to stand or sit actually means less people stand in seated areas which in turn leads to a better experience for those who want to sit. And those who choose to stand obviously would prefer that too. It really is win win.

Of away grounds I can think of quickly where I've been in a seated stand but stood because that's what some fans want and the rest have to follow, I can think of Stevenage, Leyton Orient, Southend, Northampton, Derby, Birmingham, West Brom, Stoke, Liverpool, Wolves, Portsmouth and I'm sure there's way more. And you only have to look at the likes of the Kop, the Stretford End, the Matthew Harding Stand, the new Spurs end (and the old one), the Barclay at Norwich, Derby's home end, Wrexham's home end etc to see that home fans want to stand behind their goal too - none of them use the seats that are actually there, they could just rip them out.

It's a real challenge for clubs to manage but I would hate the Newmarket Road End to become a seated stand. It would make it a much less enjoyable experience and the atmosphere would definitely be much worse.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

Agree complete with your post - although You say take you back to the 80s. But we also had perimeter fencing - caged in like animals. And we all know what that lead to at your stadium. Perhaps in your time machine you could rip them down on the morning of April 15th.
I always remember oxfords manor ground. The fences were so high and barbaric.
amazing to think they are still in existence by lower league polish teams.

I think we were the last football league club to have fences right up to 2007 at Gay Meadow on the Station End behind one end of the stadium. To think how that was allowed only 14 years ago! One thing that sticks out to me was every time the away team scored, the fans in the away end would climb to the top of the fence and it would make one hell of a racket!!

How I miss Gay Meadow so, so, SO much.

 

[huddsmoose]

We're lucky that the Councils in Cambridge will only allow the University to build anything. We'd have had a soulless bowl years ago if they had anything but complete disdain for the football club.

 

[masi51]

We're lucky that the Councils in Cambridge will only allow the University to build anything. We'd have had a soulless bowl years ago if they had anything but complete disdain for the football club.

Yes you are very fortunate that you dont have away fans parking close
They can get on the train and walk the 2 and half mile from the station.
Does not really matter if they get wet because they will then spend best part of two hours on a open terrace.
No facilities because plans to build a hotel and supporters club although being passed through the planning stage more than 20 years ago never materialised.

 

[huddsmoose]

Away fans can park close to the ground if they want. Better to get the train and pub crawl in to the ground though as there are some great pubs on the way.

 

[eric read]

Got to agree. I preferred the Manor.

Problem is that grounds like that - not that here are many left - drag clubs down. Like it or not, revamped stadia is a pre requisite for club progression.

The bog wall in the Town End where I first stood at he CG in 1968 is still there, ffs. The Stratton Bank ditto. Damning indictment.

I've got nothing against new stadiums, if they're done properly, with a bit of character and thought. There are some great examples around, where the move has been the catalyst for an upturn in the club's fortunes.

We had to move, that's accepted, but what's heartbreaking is the abomination that we ended up with, courtesy of Firoz Fucking Kassam. An absolute masterclass of how not to do it. God I fucking hate the place!

 

[masi51]

I wonder if the supporters saying they favour the old style grounds really have sampled many of the new grounds.
The only advantage i can see in these grounds are your nearer the action.
The only two stadiums that i have been in and wanted to get out pretty much straight away are the new Wembley and the Etihad.
Our own stadium is now not modern but what lets it down is the lack of places to get a beer.
I suppose its each to there own but i will never again walk 2 plus miles to a stadium and stand in the pouring rain on a terrace.....................
The is a reason stadiums went all seated...........Crush injuries, fires Disasters

Lets never go back there

 

[Bobbin']

I understand the need/want for clubs to move to a new stadium but just so pleased it’s something we’ll probably never need to do.

We’re so fortunate that we were able to upgrade to a great stadium whilst keeping character and remaining in the middle of housing estates and rows of terraced houses. We’ve got the best of everything.

 

[Davidimp]

I understand the need/want for clubs to move to a new stadium but just so pleased it’s something we’ll probably never need to do.

We’re so fortunate that we were able to upgrade to a great stadium whilst keeping character and remaining in the middle of housing estates and rows of terraced houses. We’ve got the best of everything.

You guys are the opposite you went back home.

 

[Bobbin']

You guys are the opposite you went back home.

True!

 

[SMH]

I understand the need/want for clubs to move to a new stadium but just so pleased it’s something we’ll probably never need to do.

We’re so fortunate that we were able to upgrade to a great stadium whilst keeping character and remaining in the middle of housing estates and rows of terraced houses. We’ve got the best of everything.

I find this to be the case with most London clubs, Fulham are a good example. Probably my favourite ground and whilst they are building a new stand, it won’t turn the place soulless whilst the cottage remains. Only Brentford have bucked the trend moving into what looks like another unimaginative flat packer.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

I loved Belle Vue but it’s romanticised in my head, I know it was really a shithole and falling to pieces. Our problem was and still is that the land is council owned and they plus SYP were never going to sanction its redevelopment due to the proximity of the racecourse. We now have the Keepmoat yes it’s a soulless bowl but without it we wouldn’t have a club simple as that.

 

[Imp in Branston]

It was muted before about us moving to a new stadium away from the city centre. Even the new build was going to be many, many years away from anything even remotely resembling a starting phase from the initial concepts.

Then when our new chairman came in it seemed that we were happy to have a different view on any potential move. Sincil Bank is hemmed in and access is difficult, revenue on non match days is one main reason we were looking to try and change it to help supplement the team on the pitch like some other clubs do. Increasing the capacity in the Stacey West stand this next year and all the pitch and other infrastructure spending sounds like we will be staying put for the foreseeable future. I reckon most Imps fans will be glad to hear that.

 

[K-Win]

Most Pompey fans just switch off whenever talk of a new ground comes around again. This has been going on for nearly 50 years now starting with John Deacon back in the early 70s. Each new owner trots out their "vision" and each owner eventually disappears with the blueprints long since discarded.

On the plus side, every fan's personal match day experience hasn't had to change too much. Same journey to the ground, same pub etc. Seeing the way that many other fly-by-night owners just discard their club's ground and all the history and relocate to some desolate, edge of town location, I think we've actually been quite fortunate.

 

[BarrieOwl]

£24 for Shrewsbury at ours, bit hefty.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Moving from Hillsborough is a very moot point, on one hand we would shed some of the burden of the name dating back to that horrible day in 1989 and perhaps that is needed but there's so much I'd miss if we moved, we did a projective image of what we would like to renovate had England won the right to host World Cup 2018 and the plans were absolutely superb and I'd rather that than move.

 

[Luke Imp]

It was muted before about us moving to a new stadium away from the city centre. Even the new build was going to be many, many years away from anything even remotely resembling a starting phase from the initial concepts.

Then when our new chairman came in it seemed that we were happy to have a different view on any potential move. Sincil Bank is hemmed in and access is difficult, revenue on non match days is one main reason we were looking to try and change it to help supplement the team on the pitch like some other clubs do. Increasing the capacity in the Stacey West stand this next year and all the pitch and other infrastructure spending sounds like we will be staying put for the foreseeable future. I reckon most Imps fans will be glad to hear that.

We'll have to go it alone if we chose to do it. Being part of the Western Growth Corridor project is a decent idea in theory but it's Government and Council led and will take years and years, especially when you consider a new road and bridge need to be agree even before they start building.

The location is pretty decent, it's near Lincoln Uni and closer to the City Centre than Sincil Bank currently is. I just wish we could sort the parking out around SB. There's nowhere near enough.

 

[Bobbin']

I find this to be the case with most London clubs, Fulham are a good example. Probably my favourite ground and whilst they are building a new stand, it won’t turn the place soulless whilst the cottage remains. Only Brentford have bucked the trend moving into what looks like another unimaginative flat packer.

Probably lack of space in London contributes to that.

In recent years I can only think of Arsenal, who only moved across the way, Spurs who were fortunate enough to practically be on the same plot and of course West Ham who took advantage of the Olympics, even though the majority of their fans detest it. Oh Wimbledon too.

There was talks years ago (Back in the PL years) of a potential move to the Greenwich Pensinula close to the 02 arena. Would have absolutely hated that. Thankfully that should never, ever happen now as there’s plenty of apartments etc up instead. We also had plans to increase The Valley to 40,000 when we was in the PL so hope that’s the route we go down again should it ever be needed.

 

[Si Robin]

There was talk around 10-15 years ago of us moving to a plot on the Racecourse into what would have been an identikit like Col U and Shrewsbury. A lot of fans were excited by it, but I love Whaddon Road.

The most recent talk has been of a land swap. The ground is council owned, so there was talk of our car park being used for housing and then the land just to the north of the car park being a new entrance (effectively meaning Whaddon Road would no longer be the main entrance). There's been talk of a new Main Stand since promotion to the Football League in 1999 to aid non-football ventures, but as usual it never progresses past the talking stage. We've already rebuilt two stands from scratch, and renovated the terrace behind the goal, including putting a roof on, so the Main Stand is the only tired aspect now. The ground is big enough for us at the moment, but an increase to, say, 10,000 capacity wouldn't hurt.

 

[Millerbri]

We were forced out of Millmoor in 2008 by the owner who wanted the new Chairman, Mr Stewart to pay out an extortionate rent to carry on using the ground.
The Main Stand was halfway through a renovation (still is) but Tony Stewart refused to pay and took us to Don Valley for 4 long years.

He kept his promise to build a £20 million new stadium and in 2012 the New York Stadium opened its doors.

I loved watching us at Millmoor and it was a horrible place to come for visiting teams with cramped dressing rooms and old facilities.
We often used this to our advantage and had lots of great days and nights down there.

Would I want to go back?
Not a chance, in reallity without viewing it through our rose tinted specs, it was a complete shit hole and completely out of touch with modern day living.

The new stadium is light years better, there isn't a bad seat in the ground, the facilities are modern and its actually a few hundred metres nearer the town centre and railway station.

I suppose we were lucky in that respect, I can understand fans not wanting to move to a new stadium somewhere out of town especially if there are no pubs around the ground. But you can move to a new stadium without losing too much identity, if it's planned right and built in the right place.

 

[Si Robin]

I loved my trip to Millmoor in 2007.

Great pies and us winning to confirm League 1 safety go a long way towards that though.

 

[T.A]

We were forced out of Millmoor in 2008 by the owner who wanted the new Chairman, Mr Stewart to pay out an extortionate rent to carry on using the ground.
The Main Stand was halfway through a renovation (still is) but Tony Stewart refused to pay and took us to Don Valley for 4 long years.

He kept his promise to build a £20 million new stadium and in 2012 the New York Stadium opened its doors.

I loved watching us at Millmoor and it was a horrible place to come for visiting teams with cramped dressing rooms and old facilities.
We often used this to our advantage and had lots of great days and nights down there.

Would I want to go back?
Not a chance, in reallity without viewing it through our rose tinted specs, it was a complete shit hole and completely out of touch with modern day living.

The new stadium is light years better, there isn't a bad seat in the ground, the facilities are modern and its actually a few hundred metres nearer the town centre and railway station.

I suppose we were lucky in that respect, I can understand fans not wanting to move to a new stadium somewhere out of town especially if there are no pubs around the ground. But you can move to a new stadium without losing too much identity, if it's planned right and built in the right place.

Is it still standing? If so how has no one bought it yet?

 

[Millerbri]

Is it still standing? If so how has no one bought it yet?

Yes it's still standing and owned by the Booth family.

The old girl looks a bit forlorn, but it's got a sporting covenant on the land so he can't extend the scrapyard into it.

There was talk about the Titans Rugby Club using it, but it never came to anything.

It's sad to see it slowly falling apart, but it's history and although most older Rotherham fans get nostalgic about it, the new generation and plenty my age love NYS.

 

[Millerbri]

I loved my trip to Millmoor in 2007.

Great pies and us winning to confirm League 1 safety go a long way towards that though.

We've still got the pies.

Rotherham was home to Puka Pies first I believe but they sell rhem at loads of places now.
They sponsor the Main West Stand where I sit.

 

[eric read]

We were forced out of Millmoor in 2008 by the owner who wanted the new Chairman, Mr Stewart to pay out an extortionate rent to carry on using the ground.
The Main Stand was halfway through a renovation (still is) but Tony Stewart refused to pay and took us to Don Valley for 4 long years.

He kept his promise to build a £20 million new stadium and in 2012 the New York Stadium opened its doors.

I loved watching us at Millmoor and it was a horrible place to come for visiting teams with cramped dressing rooms and old facilities.
We often used this to our advantage and had lots of great days and nights down there.

Would I want to go back?
Not a chance, in reallity without viewing it through our rose tinted specs, it was a complete shit hole and completely out of touch with modern day living.

The new stadium is light years better, there isn't a bad seat in the ground, the facilities are modern and its actually a few hundred metres nearer the town centre and railway station.

I suppose we were lucky in that respect, I can understand fans not wanting to move to a new stadium somewhere out of town especially if there are no pubs around the ground. But you can move to a new stadium without losing too much identity, if it's planned right and built in the right place.

Rotherham is a really good blueprint of how to do it, if you do have to move.

Steep stands, close to the pitch, atmospheric but has all of the modern facilities, and is quite unique too. It's no coincidence that since moving there gates have gone up and Rotherham's fortunes have improved.

 

[Millerbri]

Rotherham is a really good blueprint of how to do it, if you do have to move.

Steep stands, close to the pitch, atmospheric but has all of the modern facilities, and is quite unique too. It's no coincidence that since moving there gates have gone up and Rotherham's fortunes have improved.

Thanks for your thoughts.

It did help that Rotherham Council value having a football league club.
They were very supportive and made sure the land was made available.
They did offer a loan as well but it's never been totally clear as to whether we took up the offer.

It is a quite confined area of land with probably inadequate space for parking at the ground itself.
Luckily there are several car parks within less than half a mile of the stadium.

If we ever get permission to knock down the old Guest & Chrimes buildings, that would free up quite a bit of space.
Tony Stewart wanted to put a hotel there but English Heritage are an obstacle not easily ignored.
The frontage of the building is worth saving but the rest is just worthless industrial warehouses.

The whole area around the ground is to be redeveloped over the next couple of years with lots of residential housing/flats/shops and a cinema/theatre.
There is supposed to be riverside bars and cafes as well so if it all comes to fruition, it will be a good away day.