Favourite quirks of Scottish stadiums.

[David990]

Not a football stadium, but as the topic is about Scottish stadiums...

Scotstoun Stadium, Home of the Glasgow Warriors. Currently capped at 7351, but Glasgow have sold out every game played there since March 2017. Believe SRU may be thinking about talking to Glasgow Life (Who own the Stadium) into redeveloping the North stand to bring it in line with the Main stand to increase overall capacity to 10,000.

[Salvo Montalbano]

Like Scotstoun even with the track. I said elsewhere that I'd seen Edinburgh play at Meadownbank and really think the SRU should have done something similar there - temporary stands behind the sticks and/or the far side, the terracing open for the old rugby club feel and a decent capacity - rather than having them play at Murrayfield with 60,000 odd spare seats.

[Jeek]

Like Scotstoun even with the track. I said elsewhere that I'd seen Edinburgh play at Meadownbank and really think the SRU should have done something similar there - temporary stands behind the sticks and/or the far side, the terracing open for the old rugby club feel and a decent capacity - rather than having them play at Murrayfield with 60,000 odd spare seats.

Edinburgh have moved to Myreside and done just that. Whilst not perfect, it is an improvement.

[7-2]

On 12/4/2017 at 12:46, Swello said:

I'm a big fan of terracing and would love to see it back in whatever form - but I wonder how many people now (esp. in the top flight) would like to go back to open ends with no weather protection. Used to hate Tynecastle and Easter Rd for that reason and remember plenty of soakings at those places (most other grounds had some cover for away fans at that point if memory serves)...

You wouldn't get away with it without protection nowadays, quite rightly, but a terracing like that under a roof would be magnificent. You get something similar in the new rugby league stadia that have gone up in the last few years. 

[Swello]

2 hours ago, PauloPerth said:

Agree. I would like to see terracing return, but we used to put up with some very primitive conditions! And it would probably still be exactly the same now, if health and safety hadn't made clubs modernise.  Tynecastle, Easter Road and Dens have definitely improved as an away fan, due to not having to stand out in the open behind the goal.

On the flip side, Pittodrie, Fir Park, Firhill are all poorer for visiting fans than they were before redevelopment.

East End Park was my favourite pre-taylor ground - almost all covered, perfectly safe and could generate a really good atmosphere with only a few thousand supporters. That (and similar grounds) were never going to be improved by seating.

On the flip side, just being able to go to a game without getting soaked or wading in the pish flowing down the terracing from the stone age cludgies would elevate a trip to Tynecastle.

[PauloPerth]

54 minutes ago, Swello said:

East End Park was my favourite pre-taylor ground - almost all covered, perfectly safe and could generate a really good atmosphere with only a few thousand supporters. That (and similar grounds) were never going to be improved by seating.

On the flip side, just being able to go to a game without getting soaked or wading in the pish flowing down the terracing from the stone age cludgies would elevate a trip to Tynecastle.

Agree, was going to include East End and Brockville because they used to be two of my favourite away trips. Brockville was a shitehole but was great crack and atmosphere.

I didn't mention them as, though I preferred the older versions, there's not too much to complain about with the away stands at either East End or Falkirk, both covered, steep and close to the pitch, so as seated stands go, they're as good as we can expect.

[killiepiemuncher]

East End Park was my favourite pre-taylor ground - almost all covered, perfectly safe and could generate a really good atmosphere with only a few thousand supporters. That (and similar grounds) were never going to be improved by seating.
On the flip side, just being able to go to a game without getting soaked or wading in the pish flowing down the terracing from the stone age cludgies would elevate a trip to Tynecastle.

TV gantry at the security fence spoiled the view of the pitch at EEP, but nevertheless a great atmospheric terrace.

[Squirrelhumper]

 

I miss the old RP.

[NorthBank]

Don't know if it has already been mentioned but Love St was host to the Paisley Lions speedway team in 1975 and 1976. They made a hell of a mess of the track (not that you would notice at the time). Thankfully the track was effectively removed with the building of the stands at the Love St end and Caledonia Street end but there was still a track in front of the Main Stand and the North Bank.

[lionel hutz]

Of all the teams that have moved into new Digs, it seems that St Mirren's seemed the most pointless, from all accounts (I never been) Love Street looks like a relatively adequate ground, that could have been redeveloped if needed.

[paul wright scores]

6 hours ago, Squirrelhumper said:

 

I miss the old RP.

So do I  - was a great terracing and enjoyed some brilliant times there.

 

[paul wright scores]

5 hours ago, NorthBank said:

Don't know if it has already been mentioned but Love St was host to the Paisley Lions speedway team in 1975 and 1976. They made a hell of a mess of the track (not that you would notice at the time). Thankfully the track was effectively removed with the building of the stands at the Love St end and Caledonia Street end but there was still a track in front of the Main Stand and the North Bank.

The captain of the Paisley Lions brought some of the speedway bikes to my BB at this time as our captain was a big speedway fan.   I never actually went to the speedway though.

 

5 hours ago, NorthBank said:

 

 

 

[paul wright scores]

3 hours ago, Marr1 said:

Of all the teams that have moved into new Digs, it seems that St Mirren's seemed the most pointless, from all accounts (I never been) Love Street looks like a relatively adequate ground, that could have been redeveloped if needed.

I don't think they could afford to redevelop it further. 

I used to go to see St Mirren quite a lot in the Fergie days and there were some great crowds there.   The best night though was when we knocked them out of the Scottish Cup in 1978 as I went to school in Paisley at the time. 

[NorthBank]

3 hours ago, Marr1 said:

Of all the teams that have moved into new Digs, it seems that St Mirren's seemed the most pointless, from all accounts (I never been) Love Street looks like a relatively adequate ground, that could have been redeveloped if needed.

We were also £5M in debt party due to having to install under-soil heating and a new stand to meet stupid  league requirements at the time.  So when Tesco come along and say we'll pay off your debt, build you a brand new stadium and give you £750K for new training facilities it was a tough choice. Most Buddies would have been happy to have the old stadium upgraded where necessary. And for those that don't know Tesco sold the land a few years later for a lot less than they paid and developers are just about to build a nice wee housing estate on the hallowed turf.

[paulbrucerick]

7 hours ago, Squirrelhumper said:

 

I miss the old RP.

The old segregation fence was always enjoyable. Wasn't the same when you moved it to the end of the enclosure.

[Andy_K_97]

I don't think most people would welcome a return to uncovered terraces - I find it amazing that in this country of all places we had so many big exposed terraces in spite of the weather! I'd like to see more covered terracing as you can make a big noise with your friends that seems louder than it is because of the roof. Any time I've stood on a terrace - most recently in October at SC Freiburg v Hertha Berlin - it's been brilliant and I'd love to see more grounds introduce them. As long as they're policed properly they're perfectly safe places to watch games.

[HibeeJibee]

[HibeeJibee]

That's at Hampden of course. Note just 2 policeman appear to be in charge.


Also love this picture below of the Copeland Road bank at Ibrox - is there a single man present without his flat cap?

[Boghead ranter]

39 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said:

That's at Hampden of course. Note just 2 policeman appear to be in charge.


Also love this picture below of the Copeland Road bank at Ibrox - is there a single man present without his flat cap?

Aye, looks like a bowler doon the front.

[killiepiemuncher]

Aye, looks like a bowler doon the front.

Must’ve been at a lodge meeting.