Best and worst away sections in the Premier & First Division Leagues.

[nr637]

Read about this somewhere before and thought it might be worth a look at our leagues. I suppose it could be aimed more at those fans who actually go to away games.

Which clubs would you say have the best location in terms of the view of the pitch for away fans and also what club would prefer not to have any away fans ?

From my experience, it has to be Dundalk for its away fan location and view, while I would say Shamrock Rovers make sure the away fans are not seen on TV with their location, as if they would prefer them not being there.

Just my opinion and experience.

Anyone!

[outspoken]

In the FD: Athlone - No real away end just put in the stand, great.

Bray - Unfriendly stewards, if you're out out in the ****ing rain it's cat, not as bad if allowed into stand aside from the robbo cop security.

Cobh - Can't see **** if you're behind the goals.

Dundalk - Utter disgrace, easier pill to swallow when allowed into the bar though

Harps - Bad but people up there are friendly

Longford - All it's missing is a roof and maybe a block of toilets that side but never an issue with fans using the facilities under the main stand

Treaty - Kip

Wexford - Not great

UCD - Again, no real away end as such, lads that were up there Friday said the place was filthy dirty, particularly the media area.

Kerry - Grand as long as there's not a big crowd, otherwise you're looking at the back of each other's heads.

[Neish]

Longford - All it's missing is a roof and maybe a block of toilets that side but never an issue with fans using the facilities under the main stand

I add the fact that the North stand is sectioned off, and is there hot food available at the ground? There was for a long time

[listowelceltic]

I'll give Bray the worst simply because I got soaked there. Plus the stewards taking flag poles off fans was a bit ott . The ground is OK in fairness.
Ill give Longford the best. It's a fine ground and the away section is grand. The lack of cover though is a big minus.

[joey B]

I always find talking about First division away sections a bit bald men arguing about combs,usually a roof is a luxury,in terms of pure facilities Athlone is the best even if it’s completely soulless …..

[MoydowMonty]

Dundalk's is embarrassingly bad. Treaty's was already poor but even worse with the stand closed off. While Harps isn't good, I secretly love it

Longford's is good and elevated, I like Bray too when the stewards aren't going full North Korea on away fans. Athlone's has good elevation and is sheltered, I like going there too.

[outspoken]

I add the fact that the North stand is sectioned off, and is there hot food available at the ground? There was for a long time

Work on the wall has begun and set to be completed fairly sharpish so hopefully that stand can be opened again, yes, there's a burger/hotdog van at every game.

Plus there's the clubhouse for tea/coffee and away fans always welcome

[nigel-harps1954]

Bray had a decent away area before they put in those abomination dugouts. Its probably the worst in the division now.

[cobhlad]

Treaty has to be the worst. It’s now essentially an unsheltered car park with no view behind the goal

[Neish]

Work on the wall has begun and set to be completed fairly sharpish so hopefully that stand can be opened again, yes, there's a burger/hotdog van at every game.

Had completely forgot about Eowyn wrecking the wall tbh.

Good that there is a burger van now, had been there a few time and there was nothing, thought it was a poor show as its out in the middle of nowhere and tea/coffee ain't enough. My first visit there (2012 or 2013) I decided to go to the pub instead of Supermacs in town thinking sure I get chips or something out there , couldn't believe there was nothing but the basics on offer. At the time Longford had been one of 4 grounds I hadn't been too, Limerick, Cork and Cobh were the others & since been to Limerick. But Longford was the only one I been to at the time (cabintely the only other one since) that had not chip van. Was there maybe 4 or 5 times since, last been start of 2024 season can't recall a chip van any of those times either

To be fair the view from the Longford away section is one of the best in the ground I've been to

[MoydowMonty]

Cabinteely's would have been the worst for me only they're not around anymore...or rather Stradbrook isn't around, Cabo themselves are Bray in disguise. But Stradbrook was one of the most miserable places I've ever been to, I feel blessed to not have to go there ever again

[outspoken]

Cabinteely's would have been the worst for me only they're not around anymore...or rather Stradbrook isn't around, Cabo themselves are Bray in disguise. But Stradbrook was one of the most miserable places I've ever been to, I feel blessed to not have to go there ever again

An unmerciful kip

[nr637]

Treaty has to be the worst. It’s now essentially an unsheltered car park with no view behind the goal

What is the situation with that way stand at the Markets Field, I thought it was something similar to Bohs away section! Why is it closed off and will it be re-opened again or is there a cost implication involved?

I thought Treaty United received significant new investment from its new ownership Canadian Tricor Pacific Capital, along with a seven-figure sum to professionalize the club, revitalize its home grounds, and improve both its senior men's and women's teams and youth academy in the coming years.

[nr637]

In the FD: Athlone - No real away end just put in the stand, great.

Bray - Unfriendly stewards, if you're out out in the ****ing rain it's cat, not as bad if allowed into stand aside from the robbo cop security.

Cobh - Can't see **** if you're behind the goals.

Dundalk - Utter disgrace, easier pill to swallow when allowed into the bar though

Harps - Bad but people up there are friendly

Longford - All it's missing is a roof and maybe a block of toilets that side but never an issue with fans using the facilities under the main stand

Treaty - Kip

Wexford - Not great

UCD - Again, no real away end as such, lads that were up there Friday said the place was filthy dirty, particularly the media area.

Kerry - Grand as long as there's not a big crowd, otherwise you're looking at the back of each other's heads.

I was at Cobh last Friday, there were about 25+ Treaty fans in the away Town end behind the goal. They were delighted to have seated cover from the rain with toilets nearby. They were also delighted to be able to have food facilities available even if they had to walk to the other end at half time. They mostly thought the view was okay especially if you are not directly behind the goal. It was considered very reasonable considering what they have experienced around other grounds.

[De Town]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but it always fascinates me to hear/read people complaining about there being no hot food or no tea/coffee available at a ground. You're spending about 2 hours of your day at a match. Can you not have your tea/coffee/burger/chips/whatever before/after the game from a place in town or en route to the game? Baffles me altogether!

I genuinely do not understand those complaints at all, but again, maybe it's just me.

The view of the pitch the most important thing for me at any away end, with cover over your head and decent toilet facilities an added bonus.

[2 Year Contract]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but it always fascinates me to hear/read people complaining about there being no hot food or no tea/coffee available at a ground. You're spending about 2 hours of your day at a match. Can you not have your tea/coffee/burger/chips/whatever before/after the game from a place in town or en route to the game? Baffles me altogether!

I genuinely do not understand those complaints at all, but again, maybe it's just me.

The view of the pitch the most important thing for me at any away end, with cover over your head and decent toilet facilities an added bonus.

If you’re travelling straight from work in order to make kickoff and want to get home at a reasonable hour after the match, going looking for food afterwards isn't ideal and having the food in the ground can be far handier

[Neish]

Cabinteely's would have been the worst for me only they're not around anymore...or rather Stradbrook isn't around, Cabo themselves are Bray in disguise. But Stradbrook was one of the most miserable places I've ever been to, I feel blessed to not have to go there ever again

Yeah it was pretty basic to say the least, decent bar is the best I could say for it.

Myself & Nigel-harps organised away buses for several years, one the we were at Stradbrook there was a Prom or something on in the club house, they still served us but we had to drink in the gym

[Neish]

If you’re travelling straight from work in order to make kickoff and want to get home at a reasonable hour after the match, going looking for food afterwards isn't ideal and having the food in the ground can be far handier

100% Some just don't get it

Longford is the nearest away day for Harps in the First division buts its still a 4-5 hours round trip (depending on delays) plus 2-2.5 hours in the ground. And that's what we consider just up the road. Its double and some time triple that regularly for Harps travelling away

[oriel]

Dundalk away is just shocking, no idea how that will pass for a PD licence next year if we go up. It should be closed off full stop, sort a temp stand behind that goal area, one was there for 2014 LC final v Rovers and final league game v Cork C same season, looked great, but no idea if finances are there for it now, probably not.

Always felt though, what Pats and Shels have to offer (granted its behind a goal) is not too much better for a terrace going fan, both uncovered and wide open to the elements also.

Drogs away is a decent enough view and the cover adds to the atmosphere, but the steps are very high, was there a few times when a good few surged forward, can be dangerous.

[brendy_éire]

Drogs away is a decent enough view and the cover adds to the atmosphere, but the steps are very high, was there a few times when a good few surged forward, can be dangerous.

It's an awful view. Unacceptably bad. You can't see the whole pitch, which is as low a bar as can be set for an away area.
The steps are high, uneven, crumbling, the toilets are revolting.

Drogheda, along with Dundalk and Sligo, are the grounds I generally don't go to any more due to state of them. Unfortunate, as they're the three closest PD grounds.

No real issue with any of the other PD away areas, but the toilets in Tolka are pretty bad. At least they'd replaced the broken bulbs on my last visit, so you could actually see where you were going.

Was at Treaty for our cup match this year. I enjoyed the novelty of standing against the fence beside the pitch, but if there was a half decent away crowd, it would have been crap.

Honourable mention to UCD. Grumpy stewards aside, it's my favourite away. Decent view, and because it's quiet, can hear what the players are saying on the pitch.