sortitoutfoxy
Member
I'll start this off with a topical opinion.
My favourite ever away ground was Feethams, the former home of Darlo. It had everything you want from a lower league football ground.
The West Stand where the away fans were placed was accessible only down a cobbled road, when you got there you had a fantastic little stand alongside the pitch with a choice to stand in the paddock at the front or sit in the stand behind the rowdy standers. The atmosphere was always pretty good, the entrance was cheap and even the beer in town was cheap. All adding to a great day out in a great town.
My least favourite ground (or "arena") is the new fangled Northern Echo (Reynolds - call it what you will) Darlington Arena.
The one time I've been there to support City was undoubtedly a great occasion and nothing can take that away. But the rediculous white elephant of a stadium certainly did its best to spoil it...
It's famously all seater (and theres a bloody hell of a lot of seats at that) and far far far too big to make any atmosphere when only one in ten seats is occupied and one whole side is empty. Its also out of town which means not being able to see as much of the town (or pubs) due to the trek out to the ground. And of course the cost of the beer significantly rises inside the ground (at about the same rate the quality goes down...).
The cost of admission has also sky-rocketed. This has all led to a fer less enjoyable one day of the season for me and you.
But its far worse for the Darlo faithful who now have this to look forward to every week AND this new "arena" may well end up being the entire end for Darlo FC. Their recent stadium move has been described as moving from a two bed semi to a seven (try 27,500!) bed mansion - and everyone knows what'll happen if your salary isn't big enough to mantain the mortgage payments.
I just hope they have as many willing people as City did prepared to put a lot of time and money into the running of their trust - because after the sh*t dies down we know it'll be left to them to scrape up whatever's left.
Anybody else have any particular favourites or anti-favourites? A link between the two gets bonus points...
My favourite ever away ground was Feethams, the former home of Darlo. It had everything you want from a lower league football ground.
The West Stand where the away fans were placed was accessible only down a cobbled road, when you got there you had a fantastic little stand alongside the pitch with a choice to stand in the paddock at the front or sit in the stand behind the rowdy standers. The atmosphere was always pretty good, the entrance was cheap and even the beer in town was cheap. All adding to a great day out in a great town.
My least favourite ground (or "arena") is the new fangled Northern Echo (Reynolds - call it what you will) Darlington Arena.
The one time I've been there to support City was undoubtedly a great occasion and nothing can take that away. But the rediculous white elephant of a stadium certainly did its best to spoil it...
It's famously all seater (and theres a bloody hell of a lot of seats at that) and far far far too big to make any atmosphere when only one in ten seats is occupied and one whole side is empty. Its also out of town which means not being able to see as much of the town (or pubs) due to the trek out to the ground. And of course the cost of the beer significantly rises inside the ground (at about the same rate the quality goes down...).
The cost of admission has also sky-rocketed. This has all led to a fer less enjoyable one day of the season for me and you.
But its far worse for the Darlo faithful who now have this to look forward to every week AND this new "arena" may well end up being the entire end for Darlo FC. Their recent stadium move has been described as moving from a two bed semi to a seven (try 27,500!) bed mansion - and everyone knows what'll happen if your salary isn't big enough to mantain the mortgage payments.
I just hope they have as many willing people as City did prepared to put a lot of time and money into the running of their trust - because after the sh*t dies down we know it'll be left to them to scrape up whatever's left.
Anybody else have any particular favourites or anti-favourites? A link between the two gets bonus points...