Mad Stad v The Amex

Stat Brother · Sep 16, 2013

Clearly it's a non contest what with one being an identikit bowl and the other being an award winning modern day design icon, but:-

Back in the day I went to Elm Park, then onto The Madejski for the Malongo game.
I'm sure, at the time, I was very impressed with Reading's new home, esp as we were Withdean bound.
It's still in a great location, the view is excellent, the rake of the stands, the atmosphere WE can generate in there, all stuff that I'm sure the Reading fans are proud of, albeit not proud enough to sing about!!.

But blimey Charlie look at what you could have won.
There's no place like home.

Stat Club Juniors absolutely slated The Madejski as they compared it with what they are used too.
If I didn't know better I'd think they were Martin Perry's (grand) children.
The concourse is too small, only 2 telly's, no sound, uncomfortable seats, only 1 screen inside the stadium, no info on the screen, only 2 mascots, I'm sure there was more.
I'm just grateful I didn't buy them a pie.

Jack Daniels · Sep 16, 2013

And your point is?

Lost on me.

Attacking the ground without attacking it. As one of the first built back in the late 90's it set the blueprint for the others. So it's not actually an identikit.

Guess its what people will say about the Amex in 20 years time. When the most modern grounds have electronic adjustable seats or Harry potter style staircases or whatever the latest gizmo is.

Basically the mad stad is a bit dated.....as you would expect.

Brighton TID · Sep 16, 2013

Stat Brother said:
Clearly it's a non contest what with one being an identikit bowl and the other being an award winning modern day design icon, but:-

Back in the day I went to Elm Park, then onto The Madejski for the Malongo game.
I'm sure, at the time, I was very impressed with Reading's new home, esp as we were Withdean bound.
It's still in a great location, the view is excellent, the rake of the stands, the atmosphere WE can generate in there, all stuff that I'm sure the Reading fans are proud of, albeit not proud enough to sing about!!.

But blimey Charlie look at what you could have won.
There's no place like home.

Stat Club Juniors absolutely slated The Madejski as they compared it with what they are used too.
If I didn't know better I'd think they were Martin Perry's (grand) children.
The concourse is too small, only 2 telly's, no sound, uncomfortable seats, only 1 screen inside the stadium, no info on the screen, only 2 mascots, I'm sure there was more.
I'm just grateful I didn't buy them a pie.

Packed into away concourse like sardines. Ground OK with no frills. Staff seemed polite and chirpy.
The ground is crying out for fans who sing and chant to get things buzzing.

Icy Gull · Sep 16, 2013

Not been to the Mad Stad but although very different to the Amex I quite like both Hull and Derby's newish stadiums. I can see why the lack of seats in the North,particularly relative to the West and East, look a bit odd to visiting fans at the Amex.

Gwylan · Sep 16, 2013

Stat Brother said:
Back in the day I went to Elm Park, then onto The Madejski for the Malongo game.
I'm sure, at the time, I was very impressed with Reading's new home, esp as we were Withdean bound.
It's still in a great location,

Are you sure? The Mad is the second worst-located stadium I've been to (the R&D was worse). I was there for the game we won 2-1 (when Kitson scored). I was still at the stadium an hour after the game ended (and I hadn't had a post-match drink) and only got my 11.00 train with minutes to spare. It's never come close to taking 90 minutes to a town centre after a game before: truly dreadful.

Even at its worse, you should never wait more than 40 minutes to get away from the Amex. In fact, the Mad is a benchmark of just how good the Amex is for transport

Horses Arse · Sep 16, 2013

Stat Brother said:
Clearly it's a non contest what with one being an identikit bowl and the other being an award winning modern day design icon, but:-

Back in the day I went to Elm Park, then onto The Madejski for the Malongo game.
I'm sure, at the time, I was very impressed with Reading's new home, esp as we were Withdean bound.
It's still in a great location, the view is excellent, the rake of the stands, the atmosphere WE can generate in there, all stuff that I'm sure the Reading fans are proud of, albeit not proud enough to sing about!!.

But blimey Charlie look at what you could have won.
There's no place like home.

Stat Club Juniors absolutely slated The Madejski as they compared it with what they are used too.
If I didn't know better I'd think they were Martin Perry's (grand) children.
The concourse is too small, only 2 telly's, no sound, uncomfortable seats, only 1 screen inside the stadium, no info on the screen, only 2 mascots, I'm sure there was more.
I'm just grateful I didn't buy them a pie.

Bad fan I know but it was my first away game at a modern ground since getting season tckts at the amex.

When I previously went to Reading i was impressed but yesterday was just struck by how ordinary it looked and how cheaply finished it was. We are certainly very very lucky.

Beach Hut · Sep 16, 2013

Sterile atmosphere for home fans but car wise easy to access and exit.

dougdeep · Sep 16, 2013

People who complain about public transport at the Amex should try getting away from the Mad Stad.

One Teddy Maybank · Sep 16, 2013

dougdeep said:
People who complain about public transport at the Amex should try getting away from the Mad Stad.

Didn't go yesterday, but last time out absolutely.

sparkie · Sep 16, 2013

Mad Stad is one thousand times worse to get away from on public transport than the Amex in my experience.

Stat Brother · Sep 16, 2013

I guess it's a public v private transport issue.

I parked at the £8 waste ground, walking an equivalent(ish) distance to the ground as car park 1 at the uni, and coming out I didn't even stop, straight back onto the motorway.

Stat Brother · Sep 16, 2013

Jack Daniels said:
And your point is?

Lost on me.

Attacking the ground without attacking it.

That's cos I'm not attacking it, other than a few digs at their atmosphere.

As said having been to the horrible pit that was Elm Park, their move must have been fairly similar to our own.
I went there while we were still at Withdean and I must have been impressed/jealous, because of that.

The kids though, on their first away trip, looked at Madejski through very different eyes, comparing it only with The Amex, as HA says 'it's very ordinary'.

It didn't help when I was asked:-

'how much will the sweets be at Reading?'
and I replied 'there won't be a sweet shop at Reading'. :lol:

5mins-from-amex · Sep 16, 2013

I can remember being jealous of the new den when it was built, at the time it seemed light years ahead of the Goldstone...

gullshark · Sep 16, 2013

There are 2 perhaps 3 things the Mad Stad has that would improve the Amex

1) You *can* park there, it may take donkies years to get out of some of the car parks but never the less, you can choose to park there. Although it's nowhere near as good for public transport or cyclists.
2 and 3) The rake of the stands and the ends behind the goals. Although there is a dodgy change in rake halfway up the stand and I tripped over twice going up the stairs.

Gilliver's Travels · Sep 16, 2013

Bit of balance needed here. Somewhat unfair comparing a stadium built 15 years ago with our own. But with both being seen by the dismissive away fan as soulless bowls in the middle of nowhere, transport most certainly becomes a talking point.

Based on my experience yesterday, I don't understand the MadStad public transport criticisms. There were queues of empty shuttle buses waiting at the station and, most satisfyingly, just outside the ground afterwards, with a maximum 10 minute wait to board in each direction. Perhaps Sky and the 18,000 attendance had something to do with that.

It's become somewhat unpleasant seeing our fans acting all superior about other clubs' grounds. After all, our own has its undeniable disappointments – particularly the [necessarily] small North and South stands. The Madejski's ends are both decent, and its interior design is not at all unpleasant. Sure, the Amex has far more exterior style and far classier cladding but, as others have observed, I would have given my right arm for a MadStad back in the Withdean years.

With catering being such an NSC hot topic, I was interested to see that the Madejski booths seem to be offering more imaginative hot food options than ours. But, in that Fosters' away stand, it was no surprise to see the complete absence of any real ales. And it was the same depressing story in the hospitality bars.

Provision of decent beers is the one area of catering where I think we can be justifiably proud of what is on offer to all fans at our own ground.

ozzygull · Sep 16, 2013

I think the Mad Stad is a nice compact stadium. It would have a great atmosphere if the home fans bothered to make some noise. Living in Reading I went to see it when it first opened and I was blown away, I would have loved it to be ours. To compare the Amex which cost a lot more and is new is a bit unfair. I no longer have stadium envy when I drive past the Mad Stad anymore and I love the Amex. But after the Withdean if the Amex looked like the Mad Stad I would have been very happy.

WhingForPresident · Sep 16, 2013

Beach Hut said:
Sterile atmosphere for home fans but car wise easy to access and exit.

Took an hour to get out of the car park yesterday. That wasn't easy. Is nice to have the option though I suppose.

papajaff · Sep 16, 2013

The ONLY thing wrong with the Mad Stad are the concourses which are too small. I like their stadium and to slate it is just so bloody narrow minded.

The Amex seems to have given people the right to strangely slag everywhere else off. I hate this attitude.

London Irish · Sep 16, 2013

I must be one of the few on here who've been to the madstad more than the Amex - I've always been a massive fan of the reading stadium, it really ticks every box, rarely had a bad transport experience and I think the sight line angles of the seats are about the best around, which is more important to me than a pretty looking external design

NS Herald · Sep 16, 2013

My first visit and overall impression not bad.

I LOVE to see smart food outlets outside which helps to create atmosphere of a proper sporting occasion. Away end has good views and able to make good noise helped by sensible stewarding allowing standing in the back half

Was surprised how quiet their fans were.

Overall GVFM day out

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