Football stadiums and stands - the good and the bad...

eh i dunno

Great thread.any book recommendations for stadiums?

Ulysses Gaze

Not all stadia with running tracks are terrible. I've always liked the look of this one - the Marakana in Belgrade



With this atmosphere, who cares about a running track?

In fact, it's probably advisable to have one.

inforfun

pappyodaniel wrote: »

I'm a big fan of the Velodrome in Marseilles.

I was.
I think that roof has ****ed it up.





Looks better on the outside now then before the renovation though.

Jelle1880

Massive fan of stadiums, I can look at them all day. Also fascinated by the old, abandoned grounds.

Might as well throw in my local team's one, both how it used to look back in the days and how it looks now:





Used to be the biggest stadium in Belgium, hosting pretty much all the Belgium - Netherlands games for decades.

Then due to lack of investment and refusing to modernise the club (and the stadium) it fell into disarray, had to have the capacity reduced several times until what's left now. New and previous owners have however invested a lot of money lately into renovating the old main stand, keeping it's original appearance but bringing the seats and facilities up to modern standards.

Comparison:



The only real issue is the big stand on the side, this is still the same from 1923 with little to no changes made, leading to issues like holes in the ground, rust, wooden benches that are basically rotting, piss everywhere due to a lack of proper toilets (although the new owners are working hard to change all that, but there's a big lack of government help in Belgium).

The thing is, we love it as it is. It's the heart of the stadium where the more fanatical fans stand, where the atmosphere comes from,...



Building a new stand would be great, but I hope they keep the old design (minus the poles keeping up the roof, they block the view often).

As for other grounds, I really like Craven Cottage for it's old fashioned look with that main stand. Other ones I have visited and loved include the Olympic Stadium in Munich (that roof...)



The old Olympiastadion in Stockholm with it's fantastic castle-like end.



Ibrox, with that beautiful facade (same reason I think Villa Park is a nice ground):



Dudenpark in Belgium, home ground for Union St Gilloise with it's protected facade and splendid flood lights:



http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UbBY_C4wli0/U4rkk0kIYGI/AAAAAAAACF8/o5v4xnl3zho/s1600/P1030986.JPG (too big to post I think)

Skylinehead

Jelle1880 wrote: »

Ibrox, with that beautiful facade (same reason I think Villa Park is a nice ground):

Speaking of facades, I miss Highbury.

Jelle1880

Higbury was a great ground as well, Villa Park was the example if I'm right.

All designed by Archibald Leitch, just like Ibrox.

MisterAnarchy

Omackeral wrote: »

Seattle Sounders FC Qwest Field

And just beside that you have the Baseball stadium Safeco Field which is very nice too.

The retractable roof on it is crazy looking .

Billy86

Safeco Field roof in motion, by the way...

Frankie Lee

As basic modern stadiums go I really like Rotherham's New York Stadium. Nice steepness to the stands and they managed to make the shape somewhat unique.

Ulysses Gaze

One I have always like is the Azadi stadium in Tehran



Also Ancona's stadium is unique as well



The San Fillipo in Messina is also an interesting design. Built about 13/14 years ago.

scudzilla

The old Wembley stadium was a kip, i went there quite a few times in the 80's, standing twice, seated twice and the terracing was dangerous.

When Whiteside scored the winner in the '85 final it was a full 5 mins before i put my feet down again, so overcrowded it was amazing nobody was ever seriously hurt, people climbing the roof supports for better views etc.

Another kip of a ground (from an away fans point of view) was Goodison Park, when standing, unless you stood at back of the very narrow terrace behind the goal, you were below pitch level looking up

Ulysses Gaze

scudzilla wrote: »

The old Wembley stadium was a kip, i went there quite a few times in the 80's, standing twice, seated twice and the terracing was dangerous.

When Whiteside scored the winner in the '85 final it was a full 5 mins before i put my feet down again, so overcrowded it was amazing nobody was ever seriously hurt, people climbing the roof supports for better views etc.

Another kip of a ground (from an away fans point of view) was Goodison Park, when standing, unless you stood at back of the very narrow terrace behind the goal, you were below pitch level looking up

There's pics and videos of fans at Wembley climbing into the stadium so overcrowding must have been a massive problem.

eagle eye

The new San Mames is a wonderful stadium

Frankie Lee

They did a great job with it all right, especially when replacing a classic.

eagle eye

eagle eye wrote: »

The new San Mames is a wonderful stadium

From that angle, it kinda looks like the identikit generic "modern stadium".

That's not to say it's not impressive, in that modern way of comfort and functionality, but to me if you stuck up the same pic and said the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, I'd have assumed it was.

pappyodaniel

That Monaco Stadium.

inforfun

http://stadiumdb.com/

Try to get some work done now

HalloweenJack

Speaking of facades, this is the one for Het Kasteel, the Sparta Rotterdam stadium. Image is too big to embed so follow the link:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Rotterdam_spangen_spartastadion.jpg

dfx-

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I just hate any concrete bowl with a running track - more than I can say to be honest. Soul destroying places.

Huge fan of grounds with athletic tracks or separate and distinct stands or ends i.e. there's no filled in corners.

Olympic Stadium in Munich is probably my favourite ground that I've been to.

Fr Tod Umptious

inforfun wrote: »

http://stadiumdb.com/

Try to get some work done now

One that caught my eye there was the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.

An athletics stadium built in 1990 but demolished in 2013 with no plans to built an alternative.

What a waste.

Home of Rotherham for a few years too by the way.

Jelle1880

Have to say, CSKA Moscow's new ground seems to be gorgeous.

Looks special with that big tower, but nice.

SEANoftheDEAD

Fantastic thread.

Love unique looking stadium's.

Skylinehead

That CSKA stadium might just be my favourite, it's gorgeous. And it's not even finished!

Jelle1880

And it's not even for the World Cup either.

Jayop

I wonder could the GAA do something like they have at Monaco with the Hill end of CP?

Dirty Dingus McGee

Jayop wrote: »

I wonder could the GAA do something like they have at Monaco with the Hill end of CP?

I doubt it.The train line goes right behind the hill end.

The Canal End should have been left as a terrace aswell and you'd have a great all ireland final day with fans from each team at opposite ends of the ground.

It made for a great atmosphere in the 90's when it was like that.

Jayop

That's why I suggested it for CP because I know they can't close it over because of the houses and rail line. Maybe something open and artsy like the arches could go straight up from the back of the hill, wouldn't interfere with the line and the homes behind would still have light.

Won't happen anyway but it would be cool imo.

pavb2

The first picture of Villa Park taken in 1908 from a hot air balloon ... This is on the wall in the Trinity Road stand in Villa Park

Ulysses Gaze

The Estadio Monumental "U" in Peru



El Cilindro in Avellaneda in Buenos Aires. Home of Racing Club



It's pretty much right next door to their bitter rivals Independiente



Independiente's stadium is pretty nice now since its refurb

Ulysses Gaze

Suwon Bluewings stadium in South Korea has a great design - particularly the winged roof.

titan18

For some reason, I love Goodison Park. Old stadium, and most seats have restricted viewing, but something so ancient and **** about it that it becomes fantastic. Wooden seats and floors at the top of the Bullens Road stand is my favourite area there. If Everton winning, the stamping of the floor from the fans up there makes for great noise.

Also, if you end up stuck in the back of the Gwladys Street end or corner of the Bullens/Gwladys, you've got the most hilarious views of a pitch anywhere. Some beautiful views here

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxMx8dgCEAAn-3d.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxMiN33IQAA2GKX.jpg

Guy:Incognito

dfx- wrote: »

Huge fan of grounds with athletic tracks .

I went to watch rugby in Croke Park in 09 and it was fupping ****. I was miles away from the pitch, it looked lost in the middle. May as well have watched it on TV. Running tracks ruin things. You're way too far away from whats going on.

citytillidie

Stadium with a tower that is nearly a big white Elephant for Montreal



Impact play some games in it



Stade Saputo purpose built for the MLS in Montreal

Skylinehead

^ All hotlink protected.

Oat23

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Suwon Bluewings stadium in South Korea has a great design - particularly the winged roof.

Also known as The Big Bird World Cup Stadium because of that roof as Suwon BW's name.

Always think of this fella

citytillidie

Skylinehead wrote: »

^ All hotlink protected.

Really I can see them all on the thread

Relikk

citytillidie wrote: »

Really I can see them all on the thread

You probably have to be a member of that particular forum, and signed in. That's why you're seeing them and we're not.

citytillidie

Relikk wrote: »

You probably have to be a member of that particular forum, and signed in. That's why you're seeing them and we're not.

Nah got them from here

http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/can/olympic_stadium_montreal

http://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/can/stade_saputo

No forum

Ulysses Gaze

Chivas Guadalajara Stadium - Built to resemble a volcano (sort of)

Red Kev

The 43,000 seater Red Bull Arena in Leipzig is built inside the old Zentralstadion, which often had 110,000 at a match, it could supposedly hold 120,000 at full capacity.



The old Zentralstadion was built using rubble from the ruins of Lepizig after the war, it was a bit of a mess and there would be a power outage in the district if they turned on the floodlights.



This pic is from 1987, my ex girlfriend is holding up one of the cards that form the "T" in "Sport"

pajor

inforfun wrote: »

But if you want a quick but painful death, walk into any Feyenoord pub in Rotterdam and say that De Kuip should be demolished for one of those modern soulless crap fests.

The fact that Ajax plays in one of those, with all the problems that came with it *, doesnt help Feyenoord to convince the supporters to give up on De Kuip.

Had a good chat once with an ex-colleague (here in NL) about this. The reasons are pretty obvious why it happens, but we both found it a pity that the Oranje don't play more games at De Kuip. You can see even on TV that the atmosphere is way more electric there than the AA, for either club or international games.

Edit: Just realised that this evening's friendly is in Eindhoven. So that's.. something.

inforfun

Yes, Dutch FA came back somewhat to their plans of playing all the matches in that disaster in Amsterdam.
Disaster as in the stadium isnt so bad but the pitch is.

But it will be the matches that would be pretty hard to sell out that have been moved to Rotterdam and Eindhoven. Like tonights match.
France is in Amsterdam, Belarus in Rotterdam. That idea.

Ulysses Gaze

Estadio Chinquihue in Peru

artanevilla

Dalyer - Home

salmocab

Ulysses Gaze wrote: »

Estadio Chinquihue in Peru

Based on these pictures thats my favorite stadium in the world

Ulysses Gaze

Stade de la Licorne in Amiens

FatherTed

MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps's stadium BC Place features a retractable roof:

major bill

What Dalymount will hopefully look like in 2020

dan1895

major bill wrote: »

What Dalymount will hopefully look like in 2020

Believe it when I see it. It'll get knocked and re-opened with just one stand built. The original plan for Tallaght was a stadium wrapped all the way around the pitch. It opened with just one stand. Markets Field plans showed four stands. It opened with one and some temporary seating. Bad record of finising these kind of projects in this country. Hopefully I'm wrong though.

BeepBeep67

Normally try and take in a stadium tour or match while on holidays, recently have been in:

Valencia's Mestalla for a match vs Roma


The San Siro during a pre season refurb


Brescia's Stadio Mario Rigamonti after in my very bad Italian and hand gestures convinced the painters to let us wander around


Sporting Lisbon's Estádio José Alvalade for a match vs Fiorentina, which earlier included the press conference where Slimani signed


All impressive (excluding Brescia) in their own right, the Mestalla had a great atmosphere and felt bigger than it's reported 55k capacity and is pretty nerve wrecking trying to tip along 12 inches of concrete with 2 kids, a MrsBeeps, arms full of merchandise and hotdogs while not trying to stand on punters feet and handbags. More than once a helpful hand prevented me from doing a Charlie Brown down to a lower seat !!!