Best/Worst Premiership Stadiums

[Melanius Mullarkey]

8 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

Got my Covid test on Friday as I'm a service industry worker, in people's houses every day repairing boilers etc, got my all clear text this morning, probably got umpteen other viruses though

Aye, I doubt there will ever be a Magee vaccine.

[bennett]

13 minutes ago, Flybhoy said:

Got my Covid test on Friday as I'm a service industry worker, in people's houses every day repairing boilers etc, got my all clear text this morning, probably got umpteen other viruses though

Can we arrange a PnB cheer for Magee....

[Flybhoy]

4 minutes ago, bennett said:

Can we arrange a PnB cheer for Magee....

Think that will be null and void 

[hoobahabba]

Pittodrie - I actually like it. Got a lot of character and I've had a very decent steak pie there before. It's old and rickety but not boring.

 

Celtic Park - World class stadium for atmosphere but you get shafted as an away fan.

 

New Douglas Park - Shite. Lack of stands means that it would be impossible to generate any atmosphere even if Livi or Hamilton could muster a decent attendance.

 

Tynecastle - Brilliant stadium. Prefer the location of Easter Road but Tynecastle has it beat for views and atmosphere.

 

Easter Road - Another brilliant stadium. Probably my favourite away day.

 

Rugby Park - The legroom is awful and pies are overrated. It's too big but it's not a bad stadium. Nice mixture of old and modern.

 

Almondvale - It's far too big for us but it would be a bloody good stadium if we had more fans. Having the corners filled in means it can get very loud for its size. Unfortunately, it's only ever filled by OF fans. The lack of decent boozers in the vicinity let's it down.

 

Fir Park - An ugly hodgepodge of weirdly proportioned stands and a squinty pitch. Can't say I'm a huge fan.

 

Ibrox - Once very smart but last time I went it was looking a bit rough. Can't generate the same atmosphere as Celtic Park but it's a more solidly constructed stadium with a bit more character. Again, for away fans it's not the best but better than Celtic Park.

 

Victoria Park - Never been.

 

McDiarmid Park - Awful colour scheme, awful location and a fairly mediocre stadium overall. I like the gradient of the main stand but the rest is meh.

 

St Mirren Park - Very boring. Preferred Love Street. However, the capacity is ideal for a club like St Mirren. Decent atmosphere.

 

 

 

 

[Ludo*1]

Out of the OF - Celtic seem to manage to get their stadium more rocking come a big European night but I much prefer being in the away end at Ibrox than I do at Parkhead. One of the shittest away ends in football.

[Guest JTS98]

On 15/05/2020 at 15:31, AberdeenHibee said:

The entrance is also a total joke and you are guaranteed to miss half the game if you aren't 40 minutes early.

I've repeatedly found this for derbies at Easter Road as well. I've missed the first ten minutes there a couple of times after turning up reasonably early. Every time we play there someone I know misses 10-15 minutes.

It's probably a police thing.

[Guest JTS98]

Depends how you look at it, but I can;t think of anywhere in Scotland better for watching a game than Tynecastle. It's got the full package of decent location, decent pubs etc, decent atmosphere, views, facilities etc. If it was someone else's, I'd be jealous.

I've always quite liked trips to Fir Park. Telling that it has 0 'Worst' votes. Again, location is fine, it gets a decent atmosphere for the crowds Motherwell get, and the away end is pretty good.

Hamilton is a decent day out. Good views etc.

The bad ones go into different categories for me. Pittodrie is shocking these days. It's falling apart and they have a cheek charging modern prices for the facilities there. Hearts' pricing can be a bit much, I accept, but I won't listen to Aberdeen fans on that one. Away fans should get into Pittodrie for 1970s prices.

Livingston perhaps suffers from the opposite end of the spectrum from Pittodrie. It doesn't feel lived in enough and is just somewhere I've never enjoyed going apart from the game we won 4-1 in 2005. That was fun. The rest of the time it just feels like a fucking chore to go there. Can't get excited about it.

Honourable mention for Rugby Park, which I feel conflicted about. I like a day out in Kilmarnock itself and in the past I've been to some games with a great atmosphere there. But in recent years it has died a death. Killie's crowds falling off a cliff make Rugby Park like watching a game on the moon. Boring.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by JTS98

[Yorky]

On 14/05/2020 at 22:34, Vancouver_Don said:

Maybe in the minority but I actually quite like the new St Mirren stadium. Its a decent atmosphere and like you said the facilities are much better than Love Street.

I know through one of the architectures who helped design the stadium that there are plans in place to eventually fill in the corners and increase the current capacity to 12,500. Not sure if that will still be in the works given the current climate of football.

I think it’s just fine but a supporters bar would have been nice. It would have nice to have seen the results if people had not voted for their own club.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Yorky

[realmadrid]

I have been part of the St Johnstone media team for 8 seasons now so will give this review looking at the media facilities the clubs offer. Ive done various roles at most of the grounds which gives access to a variety of areas 

Pittodrie -  Superb TV gantry with great views, pitch side its always cold when taking photos and the photographers room doubles up as the groundsman's room during the week. There was one trip in the years when the top tier of the Richard Donald stand was closed when the list of faults was left for all to see. When Tweeting the game you are in the main stand , a few issues with pillars but they do provide you with a RedTV feed. The positives for this are you get replays, negatives the play on the TV is going the opposite way to the play on the pitch so it can mess with your head. No dedicated press reporters room and you are issued with a voucher for a pie and a drink on arrival . The staff are always friendly.

Celtic Park - Another great TV gantry, possibly the best in Scotland and the view from the top of the roof of the main stand is great. Pitch side as a photographer there is not much room and those speakers pitch side are loud. The away end has the photographers pits so you can stand up to take pictures and not block peoples views. The photographers are looked after in the room under the corner at the other end of the main stand from the away fans and you always get home made soup at half time, very welcome on a cold day. When tweeting the game the view from the main stand is very good, great press room and a good selection of food at half time. Post game interviews can be an issue as security for the track is always being monitored. 

New Douglas Park - bar around 15 seats in the main stand with a small fold out table there are no press facilities at Hamilton. The photographers bibs normally smell really bad so I started to bring my own (as do most when going to Hamilton) and the photographers room when we play there is the gazebo . No idea where the pros keep all their equipment when the old firm play there. The TV gantry is entered via the Childs play area behind the gazebo and there is not normally much room so ive filmed for the manager from the side of the pitch 

Tynecastle - Pitch side is very tight as a photographer , you are basically in the stand but in general the fans are ok and i've had banter with them. The TV gantry again gives a great view. The press facilities in the new main stand are however an issue. If it's raining you get wet as they are placed right behind the dugouts, they have replaced the original covers with larger versions which now almost block your view of the game. Everyone on media has access to a large room in the new main stand with a great selection of food. I am sure Hearts will get the new stand right eventually.

Easter Road - Excellent in all areas, plenty room pitch side and the photographers are looked after in their own room by the famous 5 stand. Everyone else is in the main stand , good press room great views from the top tier of the main stand and well looked after. The TV gantry is just 1 row behind the press benches

Rugby Park - Again lots of room pitch side, good views from the small TV gantry. The press benches in the main stand have some pillar issues but its not as bad as Dens Park. Everyone from media is looked after in a room in the main stand. There have been cut backs on this over the years as there used to be a woman who signed you in and then got you tea, coffee etc but it was over the top compared to everywhere else

Almondvale - Very similar to rugby park pitch side , the gantry is very small so tend to film from the stand and the press box is opposite the main stand which must be interesting with the Old firm visit. No press or photographers room but you can go for a coffee in a room shared with the police at half time.

Fir Park - Like Celtic Park you need a head for hight's if you are going on the TV gantry but again it probably has the best view in the stadium. Pitch side the track and the slope on the pitch are not great and the groundsman and his team are the most precious about the pitch with post game interviews should anyone walk even on the edge of the grass. The media room is good with a wide selection of food and plenty TV's for pre game football and half time scores. 

Ibrox - From a media point of view my favourite away trip . It's the best we are looked after the facilities in the Main stand are great. The view from the press box or tv gantry points is good (You need to wear a harness for the TV points from the club deck). Pitch side the track is wide but you can get close to the pitch and move around without blocking views. Its a completely different experience to that of being an away fan at Ibrox.

Victoria Park - Used to be the worst media experience with zero facilities but the addition of the blue media pod towards the away end improved things . tight for pitch side and I don't know what they do to the pitch but it always smells damp when taking pictures (Not as damp as the Accies bibs) Filming for the club is done from the back of the stand and the press benches are adequate and give an uninterrupted view. 

McDiarmid Park - Pitch side with the wide track we are ok for taking pictures, our photographers room is tiny however.  The press box has a mix of indoor and outdoor benches, impossible to get out of if the person next to you does not move and our wifi Is not reliable . The best place to watch a game from is the gantry next to the stadium announcers room (The view in that room is ok if your doing the job on your own but if there are two of you while it can be warm on a cold day its hard for both to see all the pitch at once)

St Mirren Park - Sometimes the home support can be the most entertainment in the league, especially from the TV gantry where the fans who sit in front of it seem to not like each other. No issues as a photographer at all , plenty space and an ok room. Press seats are good as well as is the press room. 

 

 

[Radford]

That's a really interesting angle. @realmadrid

Do Saints have any plans to improve media facilities? 

Why can I never get 4G during a game? 

[topcat(The most tip top)]

52 minutes ago, realmadrid said:

 

Tynecastle - Pitch side is very tight as a photographer , you are basically in the stand but in general the fans are ok and i've had banter with them. The TV gantry again gives a great view. The press facilities in the new main stand are however an issue. If it's raining you get wet as they are placed right behind the dugouts, they have replaced the original covers with larger versions which now almost block your view of the game. Everyone on media has access to a large room in the new main stand with a great selection of food. I am sure Hearts will get the new stand right eventually.

 

 

 

This is in part because Tynecastle is unusual in having the "Main" stand on the east side 

It would be more usual to have the West Stand as the main stand as it's the one that gets shelter from prevailing wind and shade from the afternoon sun

 

 

 

If you found this post interesting then I suggest you checkout the Quirks of Scottish Stadia thread for more of this kind of trivia

 

[realmadrid]

3 hours ago, Radford said:

That's a really interesting angle. @realmadrid

Do Saints have any plans to improve media facilities? 

Why can I never get 4G during a game? 

Yes in that a new media lounge is planned , the area used by players families is to be converted into a set up similar to that at Motherwell and Kilmarnock . The families will then move next door to the Muirton Suite at half time. It can then be set up with an interview desk and branding as they do at Motherwell , Rangers etc . 

As it stands the food etc comes up the stairs at half time and a few others just help themselves and the bit by the BBC desk becomes a bottleneck. If everything is moved downstairs it should help

The whole mast and wifi situation at McDiarmid is a nightmare, the Wifi had to be strengthened  at a fair cost to even let Saints TV work but its just not good enough. Its so frustrating to hit send on a goal graphic for it then to take 50 seconds to load and the moment is lost. The club know the issue and its been raised a few times in informal meetings.

[realmadrid]

2 hours ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

This is in part because Tynecastle is unusual in having the "Main" stand on the east side 

It would be more usual to have the West Stand as the main stand as it's the one that gets shelter from prevailing wind and shade from the afternoon sun

There are a few on the East side in the whole SPFL. 

Even when Tynecastle was being rebuilt the buildings behind the West stand would have prevented that becoming the clubs main stand. Now it would have been possible but would still feel like entering via a side street. 

[topcat(The most tip top)]

There are a few on the East side in the whole SPFL. 
Even when Tynecastle was being rebuilt the buildings behind the West stand would have prevented that becoming the clubs main stand. Now it would have been possible but would still feel like entering via a side street. 

Chester City have a main stand on the east side because otherwise they’d be Welsh

[tamthebam]

11 hours ago, realmadrid said:

I have been part of the St Johnstone media team for 8 seasons now so will give this review looking at the media facilities the clubs offer. Ive done various roles at most of the grounds which gives access to a variety of areas 

Pittodrie -  Superb TV gantry with great views, pitch side its always cold when taking photos and the photographers room doubles up as the groundsman's room during the week. There was one trip in the years when the top tier of the Richard Donald stand was closed when the list of faults was left for all to see. When Tweeting the game you are in the main stand , a few issues with pillars but they do provide you with a RedTV feed. The positives for this are you get replays, negatives the play on the TV is going the opposite way to the play on the pitch so it can mess with your head. No dedicated press reporters room and you are issued with a voucher for a pie and a drink on arrival . The staff are always friendly.

Celtic Park - Another great TV gantry, possibly the best in Scotland and the view from the top of the roof of the main stand is great. Pitch side as a photographer there is not much room and those speakers pitch side are loud. The away end has the photographers pits so you can stand up to take pictures and not block peoples views. The photographers are looked after in the room under the corner at the other end of the main stand from the away fans and you always get home made soup at half time, very welcome on a cold day. When tweeting the game the view from the main stand is very good, great press room and a good selection of food at half time. Post game interviews can be an issue as security for the track is always being monitored. 

New Douglas Park - bar around 15 seats in the main stand with a small fold out table there are no press facilities at Hamilton. The photographers bibs normally smell really bad so I started to bring my own (as do most when going to Hamilton) and the photographers room when we play there is the gazebo . No idea where the pros keep all their equipment when the old firm play there. The TV gantry is entered via the Childs play area behind the gazebo and there is not normally much room so ive filmed for the manager from the side of the pitch 

Tynecastle - Pitch side is very tight as a photographer , you are basically in the stand but in general the fans are ok and i've had banter with them. The TV gantry again gives a great view. The press facilities in the new main stand are however an issue. If it's raining you get wet as they are placed right behind the dugouts, they have replaced the original covers with larger versions which now almost block your view of the game. Everyone on media has access to a large room in the new main stand with a great selection of food. I am sure Hearts will get the new stand right eventually.

Easter Road - Excellent in all areas, plenty room pitch side and the photographers are looked after in their own room by the famous 5 stand. Everyone else is in the main stand , good press room great views from the top tier of the main stand and well looked after. The TV gantry is just 1 row behind the press benches

Rugby Park - Again lots of room pitch side, good views from the small TV gantry. The press benches in the main stand have some pillar issues but its not as bad as Dens Park. Everyone from media is looked after in a room in the main stand. There have been cut backs on this over the years as there used to be a woman who signed you in and then got you tea, coffee etc but it was over the top compared to everywhere else

Almondvale - Very similar to rugby park pitch side , the gantry is very small so tend to film from the stand and the press box is opposite the main stand which must be interesting with the Old firm visit. No press or photographers room but you can go for a coffee in a room shared with the police at half time.

Fir Park - Like Celtic Park you need a head for hight's if you are going on the TV gantry but again it probably has the best view in the stadium. Pitch side the track and the slope on the pitch are not great and the groundsman and his team are the most precious about the pitch with post game interviews should anyone walk even on the edge of the grass. The media room is good with a wide selection of food and plenty TV's for pre game football and half time scores. 

Ibrox - From a media point of view my favourite away trip . It's the best we are looked after the facilities in the Main stand are great. The view from the press box or tv gantry points is good (You need to wear a harness for the TV points from the club deck). Pitch side the track is wide but you can get close to the pitch and move around without blocking views. Its a completely different experience to that of being an away fan at Ibrox.

Victoria Park - Used to be the worst media experience with zero facilities but the addition of the blue media pod towards the away end improved things . tight for pitch side and I don't know what they do to the pitch but it always smells damp when taking pictures (Not as damp as the Accies bibs) Filming for the club is done from the back of the stand and the press benches are adequate and give an uninterrupted view. 

McDiarmid Park - Pitch side with the wide track we are ok for taking pictures, our photographers room is tiny however.  The press box has a mix of indoor and outdoor benches, impossible to get out of if the person next to you does not move and our wifi Is not reliable . The best place to watch a game from is the gantry next to the stadium announcers room (The view in that room is ok if your doing the job on your own but if there are two of you while it can be warm on a cold day its hard for both to see all the pitch at once)

St Mirren Park - Sometimes the home support can be the most entertainment in the league, especially from the TV gantry where the fans who sit in front of it seem to not like each other. No issues as a photographer at all , plenty space and an ok room. Press seats are good as well as is the press room. 

 

 

I've taken photos at St Mirren and Motherwell. Both clubs are very friendly. I got a cup of tea and a biscuit at St Mirren (normally I just queue up at pie stalls and pay for a pie because you get in free anyway and I like to give something back) and they have a separate photographers room. I do remember being warned about the Fir Park groundsman but I thought "fair enough" considering the slagging they got for their pitch a few years ago.

Berwick and Montrose are probably the two grounds I've enjoyed taking photos at the most- they're quite open so you get the light and sometimes you get a spectacular sunset if it's a winter game and you're feeling artistic.  

[Pet Jeden]

On 19/05/2020 at 15:47, Yorky said:

I think it’s just fine but a supporters bar would have been nice. It would have nice to have seen the results if people had not voted for their own club.

Like this, maybe?

[Stellaboz]

Hearts then Hibs for best away days, in terms of ground and bars. Not so much for results.
A note on Pitoddrie, I've sat all 4sides of the ground and they're all absoluytely brutal. Even the Main Stand somehow seems to be below average for watching the actual game.

[akuram]

That's a really interesting angle. [mention=424]realmadrid[/mention]
Do Saints have any plans to improve media facilities? 
Why can I never get 4G during a game? 

The 4G signal in the main stand sometimes is ok then sometimes nothing. Even outside in the car it’s very unreliable. Do different networks work better than others at the ground. I have sky so I assume it’s O2 network.

[Loonytoons]

But none of them dare mess with the guy in the pink top. He's the ring leader.

When Forfar played Killie in the cup, the Killie ultras were completely outdone by the Forfar ultras and eventually got thrown out by the cops.
They were a complete foaming mess. The whole experience was just bizarre.

I really liked the ground, one of the better new builds. But then, I'm a short arse and didn't have to worry about my knee caps.

Tynecastle is the best for atmosphere, great design, the noise just seems to get amplified and thrown back down onto the pitch.

Easter Road, pretty decent too.

Having had the misfortune to sit in the better seats at Celtic Park, not so good. The poorer seats are just abysmal. Outside the ground the wee nyaffs, irrespective if Celtic are playing or not, seem to think it's acceptable to sleekitly punch visiting fans in the face. On several visits I have witnessed this strange behaviour.

Ibrox; long time since I've been there but Rangers have lost on my last three visits. Quite enjoyed the experience in the ground probably because of that. The knuckle draggers and old Strathclyde Police outside the ground; not so much on the upper end of enjoyable spectrum.

Only other one I've been at is McDiarmid. Really needs a crowd but great spectator views.