Pretty to look at from the outside is the only positive. Dire inside, appalling views, zero atmosphere, simply not a stadium for football. I liked the Boleyn ground, this stadium is everything that is wrong with modern football.
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Pretty to look at from the outside is the only positive. Dire inside, appalling views, zero atmosphere, simply not a stadium for football. I liked the Boleyn ground, this stadium is everything that is wrong with modern football.
Exactly my thoughts. Very impressive from the walkway that leads to it from the Westfield shopping centre. But the atmosphere was non-existant inside, and the pitch was so far away.
I guess most City fans in the upper section agreed as they spent most of the first half shouting at a West Ham fan with “curtains” 🙄
Never seen such a big gap between the two tiers, it was absolutely huge. Completely killed all atmosphere. Levy and Spurs had the right idea, might as well knock it down and start again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord Dargavel
I'm going to disagree although I fully accept that I am in a minority on this. I thought the facilities were first rate and there was plenty of atmosphere from the home fans with whom I was sitting. Generally, they were happy with the new stadium although they all loved their old place. Funnily enough it's the locality of Upton park that they miss most as the sterile shopping centre and bars , they say, that spoils it rather than the use of a converted athletics stadium. I got the impression they accepted that a move was needed for the club to thrive and that the old area was incapable of providing the space and transport infrastructure to support a large sports stadium.
I’d only been to the stadium previously when it was configured for athletics (Olympic games and World Championship) but I thought that the ground last night was fantastic as well. Just beautiful.Quote:
Originally Posted by Majorblue
Ok, some seats are a bit too far from the pitch (I was in the lower teir and it was fine) and the sound tends to go up and out I suspect but any lack of atmosphere I think is due to the West Ham fans.
I was genuinely taken aback when I walked up the steps and got my first sight of the pitch. Way nicer than Wembley I thought.
For the sake of argument, I counted how many steps it is across the "drawbridge" between the original stadium and the lower tier tacked on seating....30. I thought the atmosphere, as a result of the gap, was the worst probably anywhere I've been too. The concourse area is a strange layout but spacious (and pricey but they do a tasty chicken balti pie). Thankfully there are giant screens as the view from the lower tier of the action at the other end if the pitch is poor. And as for outside the stadium at the away end.....a vision of a future dystopia (think Blade Runner) combined with Berlin circa January 1946. So, one to tick off the list but won't be in a hurry to go back.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa
Our players must have felt the same, as they certainly didn’t play football in it.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAWHATHAHAHAAHAHAHAHACUNTHAHAHAHAHAQuote:
Originally Posted by William Treseder
Attachment 2769
I'm not sure what those spaces between the lower and upper tier are for or why they were included in the first place. Maybe they'll be filled in but that won't stop you feeling like you're sitting in another borough.
The lower tier near the pitch was added in after the Olympics and covers the athletics track/some of the original seating. The gap allows access under the new lower tier seating which can be removed when the stadium is used for athletics. Strange to see (athletic stadium) seating unused partly under the lower tier seating.....and the lighting seems to be for athletics rather than football. Too bright. No new seating can be added but more seats are going in sale at the backs of the upper tier to increase WHU capacity to around 60, 000. They just haven't been on sale yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebirdman Of Alcathays
Reminded me somewhat of the Parc des Princes, even where we were sat in the upper tier felt similar. Difference being the huge gaps everywhere, most notably splitting the away fans. From an atmosphere point of view I'd rather we took fewer fans and just crammed them all into one tier. I guess there's a reason why the away fans are placed there.
To be fair the West ham fans at times gave it a go, the stupid bubble song is always one I end up singing in my head however much I try not to but it's still at times quite a sterile atmosphere there.
Beautiful stadium outside, even so inside, just not for football. I'm sure over the years though they will modify it where possible and make it their own.
Thought their cattle herding was unecessary at the time but when I easily got on the train at Stratford station I think that worked quite well to be fair to them.
Cheers for the explanation. :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by IanD
Attachment 2770
Just worked out how to upload images so it may as well be this one. There's people under the lower tier and the athletics track, if you look closely. Lower tier is physically detatched from the rest of the stadium, hence the poor atmosphere as there is no natural centrs for starting chants. Plus you have WHU supporters partly behind you in the lower tier, which is odd.