[Albion] What’s the worst away day in the 92?

[Guinness Boy]

You might have seen from other threads I was far from impressed with West Ham. With its ex athletics stadium feel and poor location, not to mention incredible expense, the ground is a terrible experience.

Essex must have been empty last night. I’ve never seen so many Zavetti coats and flat caps.

And then there was the total lack of atmosphere and the huge gap between top and bottom away tiers.

But is this recency bias? Are there worse trips? Do we just put up with Palace because of the rivalry? Is there a particular grief hole you loathe or somewhere where a trip went totally tits up?

What’s your worst?

 

[Horses Arse]

That was the worst atmosphere last night certainly. Hasn't been that bad there before, the whole stadium was asleep.

I don't mind the ground too much, fantastic pub at Hackney wick, good route to Hackney wick and a 15 min walk to the ground. Travel to/from not that bad normally.

Palace is worse, but that is mainly due to the kettling nonsense and the pathetic drum

 

[Farehamseagull]

Timely - Stoke is right up there!

 

[ROSM]

Yes its pricey but there are some plus points.

Good food options (especially for veggie/vegan). Not bad drink options in the ground.

Outside catering/food not bad

Pubs/bars/ restaurants nearby

Proximity to multiple transport options - yes they all go back via london bridge etc

Good for parking /driving

However, it isnt a football stadium in terms of sight lines and atmosphere last night was muted

In terms of worst places, stoke is up there inntop 2 divisions. Also think current everton is a poor ground. And palace when you take away the rivalry is in nobody's top 10 as an experience

If we go beyond top 2, always remember cheltenham as a poor away ground with an attitude from club/stewards designed to cause problems

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Going back, the Manor Ground was miles from anywhere, a route march round the stadium to the away end and a weird, model village style ground with a few bemused students having a field trip. And we normally lost.

 

[Eric Youngs Contact Lens]

PL : Palace is just awful facilities wise, but the atmosphere becuase of the rivalry makes it intriguing/tolerable. West Ham is a great "tourist fan experience" becuase it is a great spectacle, but the atmosphere is awful for away fans. All that said, the most disappointing away experience I had on both these measures combined was Everton away a couple of years ago, and I was really hoping/expecting to love an old school, historic ground , but the view, netting, pillars, split away section etc was horrible.

Of all time : Oldham away c1989/90 : open terrace, wind, sleet, terrible performance, utterly miserable experience .

 

[Simster]

That was the worst atmosphere last night certainly. Hasn't been that bad there before, the whole stadium was asleep.

I don't mind the ground too much, fantastic pub at Hackney wick, good route to Hackney wick and a 15 min walk to the ground. Travel to/from not that bad normally.

Palace is worse, but that is mainly due to the kettling nonsense and the pathetic drum

This, basically. The atmosphere is gash at West Ham and the stadium isn't a football stadium, but like you I have good personal reasons for enjoying my time there.

Palace is a ballache from start to finish. I don't even aspire for a ticket anymore. All that kettling bollocks as well as terrible last century facilities. I have a good mate who is a Palace STH and he doesn't even bother for that match. Can't be arsed to drag his 13 year old through the feral twats spewing abuse in his direction for wearing a Palace scarf. Palace away is terrible.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

West Ham to me, seems to be all the crap of modern football but without any of the benefits. Hassle getting in with all the A4 bag and searching nonsense, overpriced drinks and food, plastic feel to the stadium with huge gaps and spaces everywhere, some gaps and spaces are tarpaulined over and a muted and crap atmosphere. At least with other new grounds they are comfortable, architecturally coherent and you can see.

I'd far rather visit Palace...at least it feels real.

 

[nicko31]

Kassam Stadium is an awful place, terrible ground, terrible access, out of town on a tin pot industrial estate

 

[Gwylan]

Think current everton is a poor ground. And palace when you take away the rivalry is in nobody's top 10 as an experience.

I actually think that Everton is one of the better away games. A proper stadium and one not in the middle of nowhere. Agree about Palace, wouldn't go again, even if I had a free ticket.

Reading is the most miserable ground that I've been to; no atmosphere and an absolute ball-ache to get to

 

[Husty]

Kassam Stadium is an awful place, terrible ground, terrible access, out of town on a tin pot industrial estate

Yeh came here to say this. Granted most of our fanbase will have no clue what the experience at a L1/L2 away ground is like... but fair to say LOTS of them are a terrible experience. To call West Ham the worst away day in the country, when you're a short connection from all the pubs in central London is laughable. Kassam certainly one. I hear Salford is appalling. Gillingham? Walsall? Reading? Barrow?

 

[ROSM]

I actually think that Everton is one of the better away games. A proper stadium and one not in the middle of nowhere. Agree about Palace, wouldn't go again, even if I had a free ticket.

Reading is the most miserable ground that I've been to; no atmosphere and an absolute ball-ache to get to

Watching through a net, rickety stairs/seats etc. Yes it's traditional and liverpool the city makes up for a lot but as a ground it was once great but now such a drain

Agree re reading in every sense

 

[Charles 'Charley' Charles]

I always think Wycombe is a ball ache. Miles from the station, at the back of a god awful industrial estate that takes hours to get out of, no pubs near by. The ground itself is fine, and decent atmosphere can be made, but not pleasurable experience.

 

[rippleman]

Burnley

Long trip. Ugly town, ugly ground, ugly fans.

 

[Lenny Rider]

I think getting to Mansfield in December 1999, no one in the car having the sense to turn our phones on, and finding out from Tom Watt ( He of Albert Square fame) on Talk Sport that the game was off

 

[Badger Boy]

I always found Newcastle really overwhelming, it's right in the centre of town which is easy from a place you don't know perspective but it also meant that there were people absolutely everywhere all of the time. I always found it really packed and busy - and that was before you climbed into the sky for their away section.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Yeh came here to say this. Granted most of our fanbase will have no clue what the experience at a L1/L2 away ground is like... but fair to say LOTS of them are a terrible experience. To call West Ham the worst away day in the country, when you're a short connection from all the pubs in central London is laughable. Kassam certainly one. I hear Salford is appalling. Gillingham? Walsall? Reading? Barrow?

Given the demographic of NSC, something you often mock, most of the board will have extensive experience of Gillingham and Reading, particularly the former! Walsall has twenty times the soul of West Ham. You 'hear' about Salford do you? And did you think Solly March was shit because you spent your weekends at Barrow?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Palace for all the reasons @Simster explains.
Spurs (for the 25 mile walk up the Seven Sisters road (albeit not been to the new stadium)
Stoke because every time I've been there the weather has been diabolical
But for pure shitness, terrible view due to the angle of the terrace, and apparent poverty around the stadium despite being in the affluent South,

 

[Nobby]

Middlesbrough.

Dead end town, fog and rain all day every day, no decent pubs, and getting to the ground is a walk back into the 1950’s

 

[Guinness Boy]

Middlesbrough.

Dead end town, fog and rain all day every day, no decent pubs, and getting to the ground is a walk back into the 1950’s

That's a good shout. But at least there's an atmosphere. You can hear a mouse fart at West Ham. And, as an additional point, that was never the case at Upton Park which was one of the best away days.