The London Stadium

[Fug1]

I think Villa have done a good job with their upgrades, once the stand opposite the Holte is done I think it will hold around 55-60,000.

It proves you can make a ground bigger and still have a ground that is unique to your club.

[kancutlawns]

And the stadium has high quality facilities, is accessible whilst retaining it's heritage like the museum.

[Basualdo]

And the stadium has high quality facilities, is accessible whilst retaining it's heritage like the museum.

That sounds like a quote from it's website.

"Synergising tradition with meeting today's obligations. Optimising the matchday experience."

[Jonathan]

I think Villa have done a good job with their upgrades, once the stand opposite the Holte is done I think it will hold around 55-60,000.

It proves you can make a ground bigger and still have a ground that is unique to your club.

If you have the room to do that then great. Arsenal didn't, Spurs and Chelsea don't either.
The latter two though are both on the same sites, or almost.

[Zippy]

New stadiums are shit. Looks like Goodison Park's days are numbered too, which is a big shame.

I like Goodison and it's heritage as a grand old stadium is undeniable but it's inevitable that it'll have to make way for a spanking new multi tied, gleaming new stadium with corporate boxes all the way around a 50,000 arena. Just get bored with all these new homogenised, replica grounds, the novelty went after the Emirates and Wembley.

Yep, give me Anfield, Villa Park, Elland Road etc any day of the week. Imperfect stadiums but ones with history and real identities.

And it's associated with teams that are not successful anymore.
Liverpool realised that, hence the rebuild.
If you like your club being in the doldrums so be it. That's the way it is now.

I'm all for improvements. ER needs many and it sounds like the new owner is getting to work on it which is good. I think Liverpool have gone about it in the right way. Villa Park is also up to scratch despite its age.

New stadiums aren't a bad thing if done in the right way. I visited Juventus's new one a while back and it's miles better than the Delle Alpi to watch football in. I can see the reason for them on a club by club basis. Arsenal had to do it, and it makes sense for Chelsea and Spurs.

I just don't like identikit new build stadiums on the outskirts of town with a Tesco or a Premier Inn attached (Coventry, Bolton, Derby come to mind). They generally lack atmosphere and aren't necessarily a passport to success.

Above all else, I don't like clubs moving out of their traditional areas. I was actually glad to hear the likes of Chelsea and Spurs are staying in their heartland for their new stadia.

[Jonathan]

Not sure if you have been to The Madejski but I think that's an excellent new stadium.

[Zippy]

Yep, not a bad stadium by any means. Saw rugby there when London Irish played there. I even like the KIng Power in Leicester. Still very much in the Leicester heartlands near the old Filbert Street and on the right day, can generate a good atmosphere.

I feel staying in the area is so important for a new stadium, if viable. I know a Coventry fan and he says what he misses most about Highfield Road is the tradition of meeting mates at the same boozers near the ground before walking up. There's nothing like that out at the Ricoh as it's rather isolated. Seems to be a similar complaint now for West Ham. An Arsenal friend however said he likes the fact the Emirates is so near Highbury and the routine he's been doing for so many years with his dad has pretty much stayed the same. It also still feels like an Arsenal area to him.

[Basualdo]

Yep, not a bad stadium by any means. Saw rugby there when London Irish played there. I even like the KIng Power in Leicester. Still very much in the Leicester heartlands near the old Filbert Street and on the right day, can generate a good atmosphere.

I feel staying in the area is so important for a new stadium, if viable. I know a Coventry fan and he says what he misses most about Highfield Road is the tradition of meeting mates at the same boozers near the ground before walking up. There's nothing like that out at the Ricoh as it's rather isolated. Seems to be a similar complaint now for West Ham. An Arsenal friend however said he likes the fact the Emirates is so near Highbury and the routine he's been doing for so many years with his dad has pretty much stayed the same. It also still feels like an Arsenal area to him.

I have never been in the Madejski but I know - or knew - the area quite well from its days before the stadium. Back then the only pub I can think of within semi reasonable walking distance was the Engineers. Of course that may all have changed now.
I used to be a season ticket holder for a couple of seasons at Elm Park many years ago, and and the Spread Eagle just seconds away from the main stand and all the pubs on the Oxford Road just two or three minutes walk away made all the difference to an enjoyable day.

Not sure traipsing around a shitty flood prone trading estate with the fumes from Europe's busiest motorway filling my lungs is the same thing.

[JW90]

Yep, not a bad stadium by any means. Saw rugby there when London Irish played there. I even like the KIng Power in Leicester. Still very much in the Leicester heartlands near the old Filbert Street and on the right day, can generate a good atmosphere.

It has in the past few seasons but it took well over a decade for the stadium to actually feel like home. Filbert Street wasn't perfect and I think people look back with rose tinted glasses but it had character, it looked different and the latter years had some cracking games, especially cup matches. The current ground, when full, is a good place to be- the atmosphere in the past couple of years has been excellent (albeit helped by the clappers which divide opinion) but with 10k empty seats it looked and felt flat and soulless.

I agree that keeping it in the same area is a good move but it is a shame we couldn't renovate Filbert St, that could've saved a bit of money and a lot of pain.

[Sinbad]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

Reg is right, it will still end up as an big emotionless bowl.... Only two seasons ago, your mate Mourinho was slagging off Chelsea fans, regarding the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. And we all know that Mourinho is never wrong, in your eyes...

[Jonathan]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

Reg is right, it will still end up as an big emotionless bowl.... Only two seasons ago, your mate Mourinho was slagging off Chelsea fans, regarding the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. And we all know that Mourinho is never wrong, in your eyes...

it may we'll be but my point was if you don't build a bigger stadium then you won't compete and win the big trophies in the future.
That's been proved I think. Oh, maybe not

[Sinbad]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

Reg is right, it will still end up as an big emotionless bowl.... Only two seasons ago, your mate Mourinho was slagging off Chelsea fans, regarding the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. And we all know that Mourinho is never wrong, in your eyes...

it may we'll be but my point was if you don't build a bigger stadium then you won't compete and win the big trophies in the future.
That's been proved I think. Oh, maybe not

Very funny !

[Jonathan]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

Reg is right, it will still end up as an big emotionless bowl.... Only two seasons ago, your mate Mourinho was slagging off Chelsea fans, regarding the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. And we all know that Mourinho is never wrong, in your eyes...

it may we'll be but my point was if you don't build a bigger stadium then you won't compete and win the big trophies in the future.
That's been proved I think. Oh, maybe not

Very funny !

I tend to think nowadays all stadiums can be emotionless but based more on the changing demographic of the fans.
I heard that the average age of a Chelsea season ticke holder is 55 which I can imagine could be a bit worrying if true and then have 95,000 club members chasing 8,000 tickets for league games. It's probably the members that more create the atmosphere.
There are a few places that have not changed, but they are the exception.

[Sinbad]

Both Chelsea and Spurs are not moving Reg. Big difference.
Also, bear in mind these will be football stadiums, not one that's been converted.

Reg is right, it will still end up as an big emotionless bowl.... Only two seasons ago, your mate Mourinho was slagging off Chelsea fans, regarding the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. And we all know that Mourinho is never wrong, in your eyes...

it may we'll be but my point was if you don't build a bigger stadium then you won't compete and win the big trophies in the future.
That's been proved I think. Oh, maybe not

Very funny !

I tend to think nowadays all stadiums can be emotionless but based more on the changing demographic of the fans.
I heard that the average age of a Chelsea season ticke holder is 55 which I can imagine could be a bit worrying if true and then have 95,000 club members chasing 8,000 tickets for league games. It's probably the members that more create the atmosphere.
There are a few places that have not changed, but they are the exception.

I agree with that age of the season ticket holders, thats all down to what the clubs are charging per season, and that's not only Arsenal.
All seater stadium don't help the atmosphere either, well that's unless you're an away fan at the Emirates, aways fans seems to be allowed to stand for the whole 90 min, where as in the home sections, the stewards are all over any fans who dare to stand up.

[Carlos J]

That's the same most places, Sinbad. Away fans stand. Poor stewards, not well trained aren't going to take everyone out, so leave it. Though yet to see Boro away in the PL, but will be the same.