Football

[CarterUSM]

I'm getting on a wee bit, mid 30s, and I find myself saying "football isn't what it was when I was a kid" and it is increasingly depressing.

At every top level and probably lower ground, in Scotland and England anyway, we've got stewards who think they are the police and get a kick whenever they get someone chucked out; rip off prices for food, last time I bought a pie and bovril at an SPL ground it came to over £4 despite being absolute muck; vastly overpriced tickets, it was over £40 to get into Celtic Park for non season ticket holders last night and at the moment football at the top level is as far away from the 'common man' as it ever has been.

I probably enjoy going to Highland League/Junior matches more than I enjoy going to SPL matches these days.

I agree with you there mate, though I still go to Ibrox, I visit a first div club also several times a season and make bi monthly visits to my favoured Championship club.

 

[Chew Chew]

Well I am 48 so imagine how I feel !
I have the same thoughts as you about what has happened to football. And indeed I haven't been to a single Villa game this season. I now concentrate on non league and foreign football and doing some ground hopping

I'd love to do a bit more ground hopping, at the moment I've done every Scottish league ground, every Highland League ground apart from Wick, Fort William and Strathspey, and about 20 Junior grounds.

 

[BlythPower]

I'm going to vastly contradict myself here but whilst I accept that football clubs are business and need to be run as such they are too business orientated. Fans aren't 'customers' who are to be screwed for every penny they can afford, they are the club. Without them there is nothing.

Without the inconvenience of fans in the ground there's the Sky TV money; TV rights, shirt sales, etc in China and the rest of the Far East.

 

[CarterUSM]

I'd love to do a bit more ground hopping, at the moment I've done every Scottish league ground, every Highland League ground apart from Wick, Fort William and Strathspey, and about 20 Junior grounds.

I've done every Scottish league ground too, but i've only done 2 Highland league grounds, one of them was Harmsworth park , Wick funnily enough! It must have nearly 15 od years ago at least though, as it was a Highland league match versus Peterhead.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Ah, football ground bashing, maybe when I'm all out of track to bash I'll join the mass hoards of people who do it. I'll put up a list later of grounds done.

 

[Minilad]

I'd love to do a bit more ground hopping, at the moment I've done every Scottish league ground, every Highland League ground apart from Wick, Fort William and Strathspey, and about 20 Junior grounds.

I love it. I am up to 366 grounds now. Although my Scottish total is rather embarrassing. 16 League grounds 1 non league and 1 junior

 

[Chew Chew]

Without the inconvenience of fans in the ground there's the Sky TV money; TV rights, shirt sales, etc in China and the rest of the Far East.

Good point, well made.

What is the income, percentage wise, of the fans in the ground as opposed to the total income at the likes of Manchester United or Chelsea? I wouldn't think it is above 40%?

I've done every Scottish league ground too, but i've only done 2 Highland league grounds, one of them was Harmsworth park , Wick funnily enough! It must have nearly 15 od years ago at least though, as it was a Highland league match versus Peterhead.

I fancy heading up to Wick when Cove play up there but I don't drive and the train times are terrible so it would be the bus up and back from Inverness and a 12 hour round trip.
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I love it. I am up to 366 grounds now. Although my Scottish total is rather embarrassing. 15 League grounds 1 non league and 1 junior

That's some total!

 

[Minilad]

That's some total!

In goundhopping circle its nothing. There are people around who have done well over 5000

 

[Chew Chew]

In goundhopping circle its nothing. There are people around who have done well over 5000

5000.

That's a ridiculous amount of grounds!

If you've seen a match at every ground that is 45 weeks in football grounds!

 

[Minilad]

5000.

That's a ridiculous amount of grounds!

If you've seen a match at every ground that is 45 weeks in football grounds!

There are at least 6 people I know personally who can beat 5000 !
If you think some people are anal when it comes to trains you wanna see these lot

 

[Chew Chew]

There are at least 6 people I know personally who can beat 5000 !
If you think some people are anal when it comes to trains you wanna see these lot

And there was me thinking I was doing not bad on about 90 including some foreign grounds!

 

[Minilad]

And there was me thinking I was doing not bad on about 90 including some foreign grounds!

Well as they all say its not a race. Just do it because you enjoy it. Thats what I do. I know I will never catch up with them but I enjoy it and thats enough for me

 

[Chew Chew]

Well as they all say its not a race. Just do it because you enjoy it. Thats what I do. I know I will never catch up with them but I enjoy it and thats enough for me

Very true.

Not a single bloke these days so I can't see it getting too much higher without getting it in the neck.

 

[Minilad]

Very true.

Not a single bloke these days so I can't see it getting too much higher without getting it in the neck.

The bain of all men and their hobby's

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Seeing as all of the football ground enthusiasts seem to have come out today, what's your favourite ground you've ever been to? Mine would have to be Ashburton Grove. The worst? Selhurst Park.

 

[Minilad]

Seeing as all of the football ground enthusiasts seem to have come out today, what's your favourite ground you've ever been to? Mine would have to be Ashburton Grove. The worst? Selhurst Park.

Hard one to answer really as I go to a lot of grounds that are just a pitch and not much else. So I suppose you could say they are the worst. But for me the worst would have to be the identikit grounds that are sprouting up everywhere these days. The likes of Shrewsbury, St Mirren, Northampton. All basically the same ground with different coloured seats
As to favourite. Well in terms of sheer size and wow factor the new Wembley takes some beating. As does Camp Nou and the Allianz Arena. But my favourite would probably be something a little more down to earth. My favourite ground I visited last season was, believe it or not, Ayr United. And a special mention to Greenock Morton. They are the sort of grounds I enjoy most. Proper traditional grounds with more than a hint of rundownness about them !

 

[CarterUSM]

I always loved the old Brockville, absolutely cracking when it was full to capacity. Believe it or not, I also miss the old Celtic Park, and the old Hampden. I , like XCdriver also hate the almost identical legoland grounds of today such as St Mirrens. East Fifes is also shocking as is Dumbartons, one stand with nobody else around the perimeter is just soul destroying. Dahn sarf, I love the New den for it's hostile atmosphere , though not quite as hostile as the original and architecturally boring, Chelsea used to be better before they put all the seats in too, and I always found Villa parks Holte end to be impressively large. Hate Newcastles ground though, it's just all wrong.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I love St James' Park (Newcastle). Being an away fan, you are right at the top of the tall stands, behind the goal. Trouble is, you can't see anything at ground level, but there are some nice views over the city. I quite liked Highbury (Arsenal) too when I visited, as well as the Stadium of Light. The Kingfield Stadium at Woking is full of memories for me, as is Ewood Park when Rovers were average but safe and were still under the old owners, plus Cup games down at the Millenium Stadium.

Having said all of that, I cannot stand Old Trafford or Goodison Park, what an awful pair of grounds they are.

 

[Chew Chew]

Seeing as all of the football ground enthusiasts seem to have come out today, what's your favourite ground you've ever been to? Mine would have to be Ashburton Grove. The worst? Selhurst Park.

That's a question and a half.

Different grounds are great for different reasons for the memories they hold.

In terms of facilities and all round general *WOW* I'd go for the Allianz Arena in Munich, atmosphere wise I'd go for the Millerntor (St Pauli), Recreation Park in Alloa will always be a favourite ground as it is the first ground I went to.

In terms of worst ground I'd go for the Camp Nou or the Stadio delle Alpi.

Forgot to say, not strictly a football stadium but the Millennium Stadium is cracking as well. I was in there for the Calzaghe v Kessler fight.

 

[DarloRich]

I have found one of the articles i was looking for (from the excellent David Conn in the Gaurdian).

Have a read. It should take you up ot the last adminsitration (2009) and explain a little of the strange world that Darlo fans have been forced to inhabit for the last decade

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/mar/11/darlington

 

[tigerroar]

We've finally submitted the planning application for our new ground. Unfortunately there's little point sharing the link because the demand for the files seems to have broken the City Council website!

 

[DarloRich]

http://twitpic.com/80cyea

that might get a few answers as to waht is going on at Darlo

 

[YorkshireBear]

Nicest ground i have ever been to hmmm would have to be hillsborough :P Unfortunately most of my away games have been to absolute holes.... Worst was stocksbridge park steelers though

 

[Donny Dave]

Like others, I've been to a few grounds while following Scunthorpe United (and Brigg Town, Gaisnborough Trinity and Winterton Rangers, plus a couple of other local sides), Best ground I've been to would probable be the KC Stadium, although Stamford Bridge does come a very close second.

Obviously non league grounds to populate the majority of the list at the bottom, but notable exceptions are Boothferry Park (Hull) and Bell Vue (Doncaster) (both before they moved). Winterton isn't a fun place to be on a wet and windy night either!

 

[BlythPower]

I love St James' Park (Newcastle).

St James' Park is Exeter City's ground! Newcastle play at the Sports Direct Arena.

 

[blackettstreet]

Newcastle play at the Sports Direct Arena.

hock:hock:hock:hock:

no. we. do. not!!!!!!!!! ...:cry: stupid ashley

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Sion have been docked 36 points by the Swiss FA after the whole Europa League debacle :roll:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16366160.stm

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sion have been docked 36 points by the Swiss FA after the whole Europa League debacle :roll:

This must have been the news that the Swiss national side were hoping for.

FC Sion should now be excluded from any UEFA tournament sine die.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I highly doubt the Swiss FA came up with that off their own back. I suspect UEFA and FIFA had a bit of input. So often times it happens where I think FIFA should be disbanded, it is a twisted, backward, corrupt governing body.

 

[Chew Chew]

I highly doubt the Swiss FA came up with that off their own back. I suspect UEFA and FIFA had a bit of input. So often times it happens where I think FIFA should be disbanded, it is a twisted, backward, corrupt governing body.

Have Sion threatened to sue the Swiss FA and Jesus, Mary and Joseph yet?

I 100% agree with what you've said about FIFA not being the most 'transparent' of organisations but Sion broke the rules. They broke the rules by signing and playing players during a signing ban so deserve what is happening to them.

I think their owner is going to ruin them though which is a pity for their fans.
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Listening to the radio they are speaking about goal line technology. How can anyone say they don't want it? The closer the officials get to making the right decision 100% of the time the better that has to be surely?

It works in rugby league, rugby union, tennis and cricket so why not football?

I'd go one step further and give each team 3 'appeals' during each match as well like they get in tennis and American football.

I know it will only work at the top levels where there are tv cameras available but I see it as a win situation for everyone. It only takes about 90 seconds for the decisions to be made so it won't add loads of time onto a match.