QuoteImproved: ED / terryland , Worst : United Park it's a terrible dump & twenty quid for the pleasure. , Favourite: Dalymount is always my favourite away ground , great view , great atmosphere, great club bar.
It s that time of year again best 11/best attendances etc what's the fans views on grounds visited this season are the improving or getting worse ? What's your favourite
Improved: ED / terryland , Worst : United Park it's a terrible dump & twenty quid for the pleasure. , Favourite: Dalymount is always my favourite away ground , great view , great atmosphere, great club bar.
Worst grounds, Pats and Drogs
.Bestundalk, as long as you don't go to the away sections
Not much to choose from in the 1st Division but my favourite was Tolka and least favourite was Waterford/Wexford. Waterford is too far from the pitch and Wexford is far too open. Lack of atmosphere there the night they won the league was shocking.
Athlone Town AFC 1887-2017
Best: Inchicore (proper football ground, good view from the stand)
Worst: Hunky Dorys (needed a tetanus booster afterwards)
I was a bit disappointed with both Terryland and Markets Field. I had heard great reports about both but they didn't meet my expectations. The views from the away corner in Terryland are poor, while the stand in the Markets Field is miles from the action.
Athlone - Good to get visiting there this season again. Possibly one of the best main stands in the League of Ireland, unfortunate that the rest of the ground looks like a desolate wasteland.
Cabinteely - While it's far from perfect, it's a grand First Division ground. Not sure why they kept the temporary seating in the ground for the entire season when they weren't letting people sit in it outside of their opening game vs Wexford. A small covered stand on the far side of the stepped terrace and Stradbrook would be a lovely little First Division ground. Great bar there.
Cobh - Made my first visit to St Colmans Park this season. Brilliant bar, lovely little ground, very enjoyable visit.
Shelbourne - Tolka Park has definitely seen much better days. Sad that it's gone into such ruin. Still has a great bar and a bit of atmosphere about the place yet.
UCD - Belfield Bowl is a great little ground. Sets a great precedence for smaller First Division teams.
Wexford - Needs a lot of improvement for Premier Division. Coldest ground in Ireland (move over Bray). Best clubhouse in the country, but the ground isn't too great for spectators.
Waterford - Easily the best ground in the First Division, but it's just annoying the pitch is so far away from the stands.
Overall, UCD, Waterford, Athlone and Cobh make for grand experiences. Cabinteely needs work. Shelbourne need to do something drastic about Tolka...preferably knock the place down and build fresh. Wexford, with a few upgrades, could be a grand spot.
Less said about atmospheres the better though as far as First Division goes.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Ahahahahahahaahahah I was there when they won the league it was one of the best atmospheres I've seen all season, the standing was literally shaking there singing section was that loud that night. But whatever.Originally Posted by ATFC-1887
Terryland probably the best away one for me. Was the biggest home support I've seen there last week and the biggest travelling support I've seen us bring. Views are decent from both sides, the newer stand is probably one of the best in the league and the old stand creates good noise. Turners Cross is always up there but I didn't manage to get down at all this season.
Only ground I didn't visit this year was the brandywell so here goes
Bohs - Fantastic main stand and good noise when it gets going as a result, lack of facilities for away fans is frustrating though as it's impossible to get food at HT and the jacks is miles away.
Bray - Sh1thole, no atmosphere.
Cork - Best ground in the country, although toilets for away fans are a disgrace.
Dundalk - Less said the better.
Drogs - See above
Finn Harps - Best chipper in the league, handy toilets on away side but after that it's a horrible horrible dive, can't wait to see new ground built if it ever comes, although credit to the harps fans when it's full and the atmosphere is right there's still something a bit special about the place.
Galway - Second best ground behind Turners. Fantastic view from main stand, fantastic atmosphere and fantastic faculties with easy access, maybe it's better than turners overall.
Limerick - New ground is a massive improvement but hate being behind the goals and food is a marathon away for away fans. Work needed mr Sullivan, who was looking for feedback when we were down there. Nice to see him welcoming fans it must be said, only one who did. And saying he didn't expect Conor O'Donnell to be so sh1te was a highlight of the season 😂
Sligo - Fantastoc atmosphere in the away end with the low roof, good toilet and parking facilities, decent food services but the restricted view kills it. 4 stars.
Shamrock Rovers - I don't like tallaght it always feels soulless due to the open ends. Excellent facilities all round though. 4 stars.
St Pats - Proper football stadium, easy access to toilets although it would be great to see an away end chipper. 3.5 stars.
Wexford - Ferrycarrig is a strange one, as a FD ground it does the job but for PD the club will need to come up with a traffic plan as the night they won the league was a disaster. Clubhouse is best in the country and now has draft beer. Needs more toilets all around the ground. And yes it's cold. 3 stars. 2.5 at premier level.
Waterford - Was there in pre-season quality stands, grand parking, good toilets, decent food, decent shop. Running track isn't half as bad when your not ****ed. 4 stars.
Athlone - Nice little stand, excellent toilet facilities and decent car parking (petty they wouldn't tarmack the rest but as a LTFC fan I know how expensive that can be as we've looked into it several times). Could do with more food outlets but then again demand not there for FD games, was probably the best set up in terms of security and serving away fans when in the PD last season. All it's missing is 3 other stands, the place is zombie like. 3 stars
Longford - Our away end has improved with the new fence giving fans a great place to hang flags, looks very impressive on match day, main stand has finally sorted out its bird sh1te problem thanks to installing an electronic device that keeps the crows out, outside wall painted with a new sign, massive car parking facility, toilets need work, one of the best and the cheapest clubhouses in the country, brilliant food services for home and away fans (crowd depending), could do with making the shop more accessible and having somewhere to sell merchandise but no doubt there's been improvements made and that's all been down in large part to the supporters club, credit to everyone involved there.
So to recap,
Best - Cork/Galway
Worst - Dundalk/Drogs
Most improved - Galway.
You mean the 30 people in the corner singing and the rest of the ground making absolutely no noise. If you honestly think that was one of the best atmospheres all season you must not of been at many Premier games. It was terrible. But i suppose, this is coming from the lad who said Sheriff were the best side you seen too.
Last edited by ATFC-1887; 15/10/2015 at 10:46 PM.
Athlone Town AFC 1887-2017
Il get the photos so coz there was easily 80 people in the singing section that night. Agree with you the rest of the stand was sat on their hands but the singing section more than made up for them.
In fairness a good gust of wind would make that Wexford stand shake always worried I was about to die when we visited there.
Third stand been given the go-ahead to start construction during the off-season. They've already done some of the preparatory work on the outside.
Great review Outspoken although I'm worried about how much food you eat at League of Ireland grounds.
Best grounds in the League are without any shadow of a doubt Tallght & Turners cross.
If Tallaght stadium had the 2 ends finished it would be best ground without any argument in the league
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
I really don't understand the praise that Turners Cross gets. The away section I sit in is falling apart and the toilet facilities are as bad as anywhere else in the league.
People must be going to a different ground than I am.
Best view in the league in the Jodi but crap behind the goal.
But I love a trip to Dalymount.
I sat in the stand in Oriel for the first time this season, great view.
Good to have Galway and Longford back this season, two very enjoyable grounds to visit.
Here on a technicality.
On premier league grounds I prefer the older ones with some character like Dalymount, United Park and even Oriel Park. The Brandywell has that feel to it too. Places like Tallaght and no matter how much noise their ultras make or pyro lit off just has no edge to the place. Pity that Strokestown road is out so far from town, decent ground but having only one stand with a roof doesn't help it. Also they hadn't an away section for us last week which I didn't think was allowed anymore. The Showgrounds is very open too maybe if the Railway got a roof it would help. Turners Cross and Terryland are two of the recently developed grounds that seem to have got it right. Bray is a kip.
It's a pity all clubs follow the British model when developing grounds I'd prefer to see "safe standing" seats like you see in Germany but I guess that costs more.
always sit in the stand in oriel for the most part a decent view apart from the away end goal is obscured by glass.
I've always liked the Richmond experience, moreso when McDowell's was open but if you get there early enough Tavey's is grand. The ground itself obviously is old but lt has a bit character to it and the low roof on the stand makes for a good atmosphere when you have a decent away following. I like Galway as well, very professionally run match night as well. Have never been a big fan of the Brandywell on the other hand.
Upwards to the vanguard where the pressure is too high.
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