Saturday 27 June 2009

Histon F.C



Team

Histon F.C

Ground name

Bridge Road

Stand names

1

Grandstand(s)

3

2

Bridge Road End

2

3

Rec End

2

4

Covered seating stand

4

Capacity

3,750 (950 seat)

Atmosphere

The home support is small considering how small the club used to be but is set in lovely grounds

3

Facilities

The toilet queues are long but food have hardly any queues unless against rivals (Cambridge United)

7

Accessibility

Easy parking and in a few minutes walk from ground

8

Positives

Lovely surroundings and new stands

Negatives

Strange grandstands that have been built at different times and only has a small seating capacity

Overall

30


On one side of the ground is the Main Stand. It is a traditional looking stand that is covered and all seated. It only runs for about a third of the length of the pitch and straddles the half way line. The seated area is elevated above the pitch meaning that spectators have to climb a small set of stairs in front to access it. There are windshields to either side and the Club’s offices are located in the building behind. During 2007 a further 500 covered seats were installed next to this stand in front of the new Cambridgeshire County FA Headquarters building, which gives this side of the stadium a bit of an odd look. Opposite is another small seated stand which is covered and looks quite tidy. Both ends are virtually identical small covered terraces, that look to have been recently constructed. The ground is completed with a set of eight floodlights, four of which run down each side of the pitch. There is quite a lot of greenery to be seen around the perimeter of the ground, re-enforcing its rural look.

Walsall F.C


Team

Walsall

Ground name

Bank’s stadium

Stand names

1

Floors 2 Go Stand

6

2

Text 6446 Health Stand

4

3

West Bromwich Building Society Stand

4

4

Homeserve Stand

4

Capacity

11,300

Atmosphere

There is a low roof for away fans which lets them make some noise

7

Facilities

Did find that the queues were quite long but the food was of a good quality

7

Accessibility

To access the ground you have to walk behind this retail park but it does give a good amount of parking if you get there early enough

6

Positives

Good food and tidy ground

Negatives

Looks a bit lop sided with the main stand at one end and only 15 rows back on 3 sides

Overall

38



The Saddlers moved to the Bescot Stadium in 1990 from Fellows Park. With the opening of the now named Floors 2 Go Purple Stand in 2003 the Club are finally getting a ground to match their ambitions. This new stand is for home fans and is a large two tiered affair that completely dwarfs the rest of the ground. It is smart looking, with a glassed area running across its middle, which houses the concourse. Unusually, it has a slightly larger upper than lower tier. This end before it was re-developed was previously called the Gilbert Alsop (a former Walsall playing great) Stand, but in a commercial sponsorship deal, has been renamed theFloors 2 Go Stand. Similarly the H.L. Fellows Stand has been renamed the Txt 64446 Health Stand. A sign of the times I guess...

The rest of the stadium is totally enclosed with three of the stands being roughly the same height, giving it a 'box-like' feel. These stands are not particularly big, around 15 rows high. The corners are filled, but only for advertising hoardings. Above the
Homeserve (William Sharp) stand there is a small electric scoreboard, whilst on one side there is a small television camera gantry precariously perched on the roof. One unusual feature are the strange looking floodlights, which sit on the roofs of the side stands. The main disappointment is the large number of supporting pillars in each of the older stands (the new Floors 2 Go Stand is pillar free). As Walsall unfortunately very rarely fill the stadium, this is not a huge problem. However, for big games this can be very annoying if you are unlucky enough to get seated behind one.There is also a small electric scoreboard on top of the Homeserve (William Sharp) Stand.

Thursday 25 June 2009

Gillingham F.C






Team

Gillingham F.C

Ground name

Priestfields Stadium

Stand names

1

Medway Stand

8

2

Rainham End

7

3

Gordon Road

4

4

Gillingham End (The Brian Moore)

1

Capacity

11,582

Atmosphere

Away open air so it harder to make an away atmosphere but home fans can make it lively

7

Facilities

The away stand is a temporary one but I’ve heard from many sources that the facilities are very good considering.

6

Accessibility

The parking isn’t always easy around the ground because of the many houses that surround it but the train station is 5 mins away.

5

Positives

The ground is clean and it has been totally been rebuilt in the last 10/15 years

Negatives

The uncovered can be windy ans wet in the winter and in the summer the sun shine directly at the Medway Stand

Overall

38



Priestfield Stadium has been virtually re-built since the current Chairman Paul Scally took over in 1995. On one side of the ground is the impressive two tiered, Medway Stand, opened in 2000, with a row of executive boxes (the type which you can sit outside of) running across the middle. Opposite is the tidy all seater Gordon Road Stand. Unfortunately though, it contains a number of supporting pillars, which may hinder your view. This also has an unusual TV gantry perched on its roof. The Rainham End has also been re-developed, with a single tier cantilevered stand, which replaced a former terrace. It is an open all seated temporary stand has been erected on what was the former Gillingham End terrace, it is hoped that this will be replaced with a permanent 3,200 seated stand at some point. This stand has been named the Brian Moore Stand in memory of the legendary commentator and lifelong Gills fan.

NORTHAMPTON F.C





Team

Northampton F.C

Ground name

Sixfields stadium

Stand names

1

West Stand

7

2

South Stand

6

3

Alwyn Hargrave Stand

5

4

Dave Bowen Stand

5

Capacity

7,653

Atmosphere

The Northampton game had a great atmosphere from both sets of fans

6

Facilities

The was no queues for the toilets or food and drink

7

Accessibility

You had to pay on the day for our game also got parking ticket for parking in retail park

2

Positives

15 year old ground but still seems new (no supporting pillars ect.)

Negatives

Seem a very boring grey brick and metal everywhere and the stewards where quite overbearing

Overall

38


The Club moved from their old County Ground to the new stadium in October 1994. This neat all seater stadium is located on the outskirts of Northampton. Sixfields has three small covered single tier stands, and another larger single tier covered West Stand (capacity 4,000), at one side of the pitch.
Away supporters are housed at the South Stand. A large hill overlooks the ground, where small numbers congregate to watch the game free, even though they can only see half the pitch!