Top 5 grounds and top 5 worst in League 2

[F!RTHY]

That has to be the best description of Bradford I've ever read

Now there’s an advertising campaign First busses could get behind.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

AT LAST...worst ground. Finally something we can win

 

[Back in the DHSS]

I really like Vale Park tbh, good ground decent pubs (Bulls Head especially) locals all seemed friendly enough. Had a nice pre game fry up in the Vale Cafe before too. Orient’s a good away day too what with location lots of good pubs plus enjoyed their pie and mash with a pint, perfect pre game warm up. Tranmere is quality too.

Worst ground Salford.

Vale Park is the Ace of Spades when it comes to league 2.Wish they’d of kept the old classic V shaped floodlights though. Don’t think the Titanic brewery tap(Bulls Head) can be beaten anywhere in league 2 for a pre match session. Some interesting architecture in Burslem too.

 

[valefan16]

It depends if judging purely on ground or the full away day experience.

Colchester is probably the worst experience due to location but the ground itself is decent enough.

Bradford is good in the side stand, not as good in the shack behind the goal.

Didn't mind FGR or Crawley to be fair, or Stevenage for that matter.

Good to see some fans embracing the Vale Park experience rather than getting of the coach in a working class area and assuming its shit, some decent boozers in Burslem.

 

[Agombar stool]

Don't even know why I'm sharing this as it shows how shit a fan I am but I have been to less than 10 grounds in this league so can't make a list.

FWIW I've been to Crawley, Colchester, Northampton, Orient, Hartlepool and Stevenage and they are all pretty unforgettable. I quite liked Hartlepool as the beer is cheap and the club gave the travelling fans vouchers for the club shop to thank us for making such a long journey. I had only driven from Edinburgh which was a doddle but still took the voucher, never look a gift horse in the mouth.

 

[Reremnart]

I am really not a fan of these "new build" grounds that have sprung up in the last 20 years or so starting with Glanford Park as I find them souless and are usually in the middle of nowhere or attached to a non descript retail park etc so my list reflects that. So in any particular order my worst 5 are

1. Forest Green. The away section is a disgrace especially that "stand" . I`ve seen bigger shoe boxes
2. Colchester (see above)
3. Walsall (ditto)
4. Scunthorpe (ditto)
5. Northampton (ditto)

Best
1. Bradford
2. Oldham ( the atmosphere there when we visit is always good although I`m not that keen on the switch of away ends. The Chaddy is a little basic to be honest)
3. Port Vale
4. Rochdale (sensibly redeveloped rather then have 4 similar connecting stands which look like they are made of Lego)
5. Swindon

I have had the pleasure of Sutton, Harrogate or Salford so I can`t comment about them but from what I`ve seen I don`t think I`ve missed much

 

[Andy Proctor]

I'm sure Bristol is a fantastic city and has lots of decent pubs but rovers ground has got be one of the worst in the league. They create a decent atmosphere get decent home gates so surely deserve something better than that. I've not been there since a 3 nil away win around 2010 so not sure if its improved or not but I thought there ground was terrible.

Forest Green I've only been there once and was on train and had a fantastic time drinking pre match in stroud which is a really nice town. Then you get a taxi or bus up to the ground you can sometimes from what I've been told get a drink from there supporters club bar. I also like the curry sauce and chips they do there too.

Stevenage have done up there ground now so looks alot better than what it was. They have an OK supporters club bar by the ground but apart from that there's nothing unless you walk 15 minutes or catch a bus into there town centre.

Bradford ground is probably the best in the league minus that stand behind the goal. It's alog better when they put away fans in the side part. The Bradford Arms pub isn't the best but if your coming on train I'm sure you can get a drink somewhere in there town centre.

 

[Crewelad87]

The New Lawn or whatever the new name of ground has become is the WORST ground for away supporters in entire Football League. It is a disgraceful embarrassment.
Pity because club have so much going right such as the organic pitch, which yearly wins awards.
BUT the truth is that FGR don't appear to care about away support [and even sometimes their own supporters].
In the Conference away fans watched game under cover in North Stand.
Now they must watch game in the open on the highest ground in the country. I have seen adults weep with cold after getting soaked to the skin in the bitter driving wind.
Reasons for moving away fans to uncovered stand are baffling. What was good enough for Conference fans is apparently not fit for EFL fans !!!!! Apparently those in North Stand must use same WC as for home fans in East Stand. F#ck sake, it's easy enough to cordon off one set of WCs and allow home fans sole use of other WC.

During a cold wet storm a couple of years ago fans from, I think, Bury organised a mass invasion into the half empty North Stand and the stewards could do nothing about it. If that should happen more than a few times it will make FGR think hard and start consider away supporters, who have paid good money to watch game. The bus shelter FGR built only has 100 seats.
The club is expected to remain in Nailsworth for next four years.

That was us Crewe. Much better, behind the goal, it really improved the atmosphere with us behind the goal aswell. Maybe a reason for having the away fans on the open side.

 

[Greenacres]

The New Lawn or whatever the new name of ground has become is the WORST ground for away supporters in entire Football League. It is a disgraceful embarrassment.
Pity because club have so much going right such as the organic pitch, which yearly wins awards.
BUT the truth is that FGR don't appear to care about away support [and even sometimes their own supporters].
In the Conference away fans watched game under cover in North Stand.
Now they must watch game in the open on the highest ground in the country. I have seen adults weep with cold after getting soaked to the skin in the bitter driving wind.
Reasons for moving away fans to uncovered stand are baffling. What was good enough for Conference fans is apparently not fit for EFL fans !!!!! Apparently those in North Stand must use same WC as for home fans in East Stand. F#ck sake, it's easy enough to cordon off one set of WCs and allow home fans sole use of other WC.

During a cold wet storm a couple of years ago fans from, I think, Bury organised a mass invasion into the half empty North Stand and the stewards could do nothing about it. If that should happen more than a few times it will make FGR think hard and start consider away supporters, who have paid good money to watch game. The bus shelter FGR built only has 100 seats.
The club is expected to remain in Nailsworth for next four years.

Sadly I have to agree with you, the matchday experience for away fans has become little more than dreadful, from a point where it was at least tolerable. There used to be a marquee behind the North Stand, when the away fans were in there, which served as a temporary bar...OK, not perfect but far better than being stood out on an open terrace waiting for the game to start. It has got to the point where most of the people I watch games with are complaining to the club about how we treat away fans...why should we care I expect many would ask, but we do, it is about treating people decently and above all the reputation of our club.

At present there is barely a week that goes by without the announcement of yet another partner of the club, if only some of that income could be invested in a temporary roof over at least part of the West Terrace. It could then be recycled or offered to a local non-league team when we leave the ground. There is so much that our club gets right, that I am proud of, but on occasion (such as the facilities for away fans) we are quite frankly an embarassment.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Sadly never got to Exeter to say theirs (only time I tried in 2000 we got caught in traffic for 6 hours then turned around)

of them I have been to:

Orient: just a great ground for solid atmosphere, area, I like the combo of old and new plus been lots of times……facilities are crap but we’ll do I need ‘Harris’s for taking 1 min p*ss) I also like grounds where you are on side.

Hartlepool: probably more bias being there with Carlisle but that away end is superb when full, a tight crammed mess, but that means you take 8-900 fans the game feels more richer as away end full and atmos great. Lovely location near seafront although can be Baltic. Like the mixed combo of stands and like Carlisle a rare traditional paddock.

Oldham: one of them all seaters that still oozes character and whatever end they give you the noise levels can be great. This one also facilities not bad and decent enough leg room.

mansfield: more sentiment than anything. Only ground I have been at where I’ve been all four sides, seen that entire ground (well3 sides) develop and seen us promoted twice there. For its distance we always seemed to take a lot of fans so guess a few have similar feelings

Bristol Rovers: don’t know why but I like it. As mentioned above is probably down to the home atmosphere usually generated and we again always took many. Found Orient and Rovers were the two ‘southern’ grounds I’d always visit. A rare one for me when standing as I always normally sit. Did get to sit in that tall stand in an FA cup games years ago. Good area afew places to walk around. Normally good games.

 

[FGR Stroud]

At present there is barely a week that goes by without the announcement of yet another partner of the club, if only some of that income could be invested in a temporary roof over at least part of the West Terrace. It could then be recycled or offered to a local non-league team when we leave the ground. There is so much that our club gets right, that I am proud of, but on occasion (such as the facilities for away fans) we are quite frankly an embarassment.

Sadly that is impossible.
The EFL rule that fans must have a view of all 4 corner flags.
Putting a roof up would prevent that unless it is higher than top of 'bus shelter' and then it would be a dangerous hazard in windy conditions.
In decent weather the West Terrace is best place to watch the game. Close to the pitch with no sun in spectators eyes. That is why in previous years many FGR supporters chose to purchase season ticket there. They were prepared to tolerate awful bad weather. But it is not right that away fans, many of them women and children, should have the indignity of suffering the worst of winter weather at TNL when FGR could do better.

 

[northstandexile]

You talk about away fans in North Stand, every time we went in conference we always sat in the seats in the SOUTH stand and we could park at the ground near the far end.

It was far better then, whereas now the open side and two row stand where you still get wet is a disgrace.

 

[Greenacres]

You talk about away fans in North Stand, every time we went in conference we always sat in the seats in the SOUTH stand and we could park at the ground near the far end.

It was far better then, whereas now the open side and two row stand where you still get wet is a disgrace.

The South Stand was the away end, with seats, for the first few seasons after we moved in, but that was swapped for the North maybe seven or eight years ago...then to the West Terrace more recently. The small stand in the south west corner, near the changing rooms, opened a couple of years ago.

 

[BarraMatt]

I think a re run of this thread in a years time will have us well within the worst list, ha.

 

[Tinnion's right foot]

Forest Green I've only been there once and was on train and had a fantastic time drinking pre match in stroud which is a really nice town. Then you get a taxi or bus up to the ground you can sometimes from what I've been told get a drink from there supporters club bar. I also like the curry sauce and chips they do there too.

Yes, I had some great chips and curry sauce there too. Trying to get the bus back down the hill afterwards took hours though.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

He’s not wrong though. Bradford and it’s surrounding towns like Saltaire, Haworth and the countryside around it are well worth a visit. One of my favourite things about following football is it’s taken me all over this country to places I might not usually visit. Bradford aside as it’s fairly close to what was home. Trips as a kid to ice skating and the film museum stick in my mind.
But there’s a lot of good, interesting things to see and do in all of our towns and cities. Yeah, a lot of the places will have some sketchy areas but so do any large conurbations.

Saltaire is a lovely place.
Me & the misses based ourselves there,while walking the Leeds/Liverpool canal,Haworth,Bingley 5 Locks etc,all nice places.We stumbled into Shipley,which was a bit grim though.
West Yorks is general is nice,the Calder & Hebble Navigation is also,another great area to walk.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

I agree, layer road had some quality about it. it hosted championship games, yet the new bland dump is so boring like so many.

Many make fun of mansfield for not having a stand down the side of the pitch, we could have 2 nothing stands like colchester but instead have a 5,500 stand which can belt out some real noise, much happier with that

Field Mill is a decent ground,the day out was even better in the days of the Early Doorz pub.
Without doubt, the best barmaids in any football pub in the country.

 

[denzel ecfc]

The New Lawn or whatever the new name of ground has become is the WORST ground for away supporters in entire Football League. It is a disgraceful embarrassment.
Pity because club have so much going right such as the organic pitch, which yearly wins awards.
BUT the truth is that FGR don't appear to care about away support [and even sometimes their own supporters].
In the Conference away fans watched game under cover in North Stand.
Now they must watch game in the open on the highest ground in the country. I have seen adults weep with cold after getting soaked to the skin in the bitter driving wind.
Reasons for moving away fans to uncovered stand are baffling. What was good enough for Conference fans is apparently not fit for EFL fans !!!!! Apparently those in North Stand must use same WC as for home fans in East Stand. F#ck sake, it's easy enough to cordon off one set of WCs and allow home fans sole use of other WC.

During a cold wet storm a couple of years ago fans from, I think, Bury organised a mass invasion into the half empty North Stand and the stewards could do nothing about it. If that should happen more than a few times it will make FGR think hard and start consider away supporters, who have paid good money to watch game. The bus shelter FGR built only has 100 seats.
The club is expected to remain in Nailsworth for next four years.

Actually I don't think you are bad at all. I love being on terracing, and whats more its along the whole side. Much better than being hemmed in like at Rovers. And being able to see the game whilst queuing for a vegan coffee is a unique experience. I guess if it had been raining or if I needed to sit I might feel differently

The worst of all time was Wimbledon when they played at Kings Meadow. They only gave you 50 or so seats and you couldn't see one corner of the pitch from the terracing. If there was an EFL rule about being able to see all the flags they failed it.

 

[Sydney Posse]

For me it’s a combination of the place as an away day experience and the ground

favourites

Tranmere. Great stadium, friendly when we play there, cheap beer, great away end, reasonable pubs
Bradford. Like others have said I think the City gets negative publicity which isn’t deserved. I stayed up there with the mrs in the north of the city a few years ago and found it pretty impressive and only a stones throw from some beautiful places. Ground and support is great as well
Orient. Always been a favourite over the years. Good pubs near the ground, friendly loyal supporters with big clubs on the doorstep
Bristol Rovers. I like the City, and I like the ramshackle feel of the ground. Atmospheric when we play there
Carlisle. Always liked their ground. Can remember watching Exeter there when the new stand was a big terrace. Good atmosphere, nice town, good pubs

not so good

Colchester, a bit soulless and bloody miles from the town
Northampton. Again a bit soulless for me, also bad memories of bad times when Exeter were rock bottom and on the verge of going under and we played there on the final day of the season
Stevenage. Couldn’t find anything of note in the town centre, and couldn’t find a pub near the ground, but did go in their social club. Atmosphere not great on any of the trips there to date

 

[BarrieOwl]

I've done 18 of em.

Top 5
Orient - reyt away day
Rochdale - decent allocation and easy to get to
Tranmere, love away end and decent booze
Carlisle - dunno why but always enjoyed it even for an Ldv game in winter
Exeter - only been once but train down as easy and despite the score was decent.

Worst 5
Mansfield, Ballache trip despite locality
Colchester, bland
Scunny, just wank all around
Walsall, probably cos WMP are awful
Vale, always difficult for ale

 

[FGR Stroud]

I think a re run of this thread in a years time will have us well within the worst list, ha.

My 1st visit to Barrow reminded me of a rundown 1950s stadium with all the metalwork covered in rust.
But it was one of my favourite places to visit. In those Conference days there was no segregation with fans mixing for convivial football talk.
FGR's last visit to Barrow in Conference was in their promotion winning season and Barrow had introduced segregation. FGR were 2nd team to play there under these new rules and it was a horrible experience. Really horrible.
The 1st set of fans to visit Barrow under segregation was Lincoln and apparently there had been a bit of trouble with bottles being thrown.
When the 25 FGR fans [mostly pensioners] turned up for game a fortnight later there were almost as many police as them. The police were videoing everybody and everything. And instead of friendly small talk the home crowd had become extremely very hostile. Okay a baying hostile home crowd is nothing new but it was unexpected at Barrow.
Anyway FGR had the last laugh and came away with a 3-2 win.

 

[Salvador]

I think a re run of this thread in a years time will have us well within the worst list, ha.

I quite liked Barrow when we visited for the cup a few years ago. The right level of ramshackle . Though I was surprised it met League standard when you came up.
It’s near the town centre, some decent pubs and for anyone on a train line towards Manchester or the Lakes it’s easy to get to by train, despite the loooooong journey. I see you put a roof on the end we were in, which will make it better!

 

[Huntsman94]

Worst for me goes to Colchester. Just everything that is wrong about a football stadium especially when you compare it to Layer Road. Agree with others about Northampton being a bit soulless too.

For sheer stature Bradford’s Valley Parade is brilliant. Leyton Orient is a good away trip as is Port Vale. I think people will enjoy their trip to Sutton as well.

Oh and I’ve never been to Salford’s ground but I’m putting that up there with the worst. Just because… It’s Salford

 

[chipmunx]

I quite liked Barrow when we visited for the cup a few years ago. The right level of ramshackle . Though I was surprised it met League standard when you came up.
It’s near the town centre, some decent pubs and for anyone on a train line towards Manchester or the Lakes it’s easy to get to by train, despite the loooooong journey. I see you put a roof on the end we were in, which will make it better!

the Villa fans loved it up here on Tuesday (even ignoring their great result) - £8.50 for 3 pints and a coke in one of the local watering holes went down extremely well - they also liked that it was a "proper" football ground.

 

[Trapdoor]

Just got charged 6.50 for a pint in Harrogate.
Speaking as a London resident, can I just ask: what the fuck is this?

 

[Agombar stool]

Just got charged 6.50 for a pint in Harrogate.
Speaking as a London resident, can I just ask: what the fuck is this?

Wouldn't you be better served asking the bar person?

 

[JaredSUFC]

AT LAST...worst ground. Finally something we can win

Haha, no.

For those who’ve never been to Gander Green Lane you’re in for a treat. It’s an Conference South standard ground currently with a few temporary structures. The away terrace is shallow (but covered, so maybe a step up from FGR I guess). The away seating is currently a temporary stand. I think we’ve replaced the away toilets so that’s an upgrade.

 

[Railway Blue]

I would never put Swindon in the top five. Their stewards are scum.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Haha, no.

For those who’ve never been to Gander Green Lane you’re in for a treat. It’s an Conference South standard ground currently with a few temporary structures. The away terrace is shallow (but covered, so maybe a step up from FGR I guess). The away seating is currently a temporary stand. I think we’ve replaced the away toilets so that’s an upgrade.

Never been, but sounds similar to ours apart from there is no cover in the away standing area.
Actually, just google imaged your stadium whilst writing this - we have to concede defeat by a few tents I think

 

[denzel ecfc]

Colchester and Northampton were definitely designed by a council planning officer who's never been to a game in their life. More about parking and A road links that any sort of soul or atmosphere or facilities. The soul destroying retail park next door, usually with a Harvester, and a Pizza Hut or a Frankie & Benny's, just drains the life out of me like a dementor.

Shrewsbury is the exact same. Lower down, so are York.

4 stadiums in different corners of the country, all basically identical.

I don't think there's even a harvester near Colchester's ground. Barely anything unless you include the McDs and Costa over the A12 half a mile away.