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Post by rijono on Aug 10, 2022 21:54:23 GMT
Bit of fun for the seasoned supporter to compare the two grounds. Imagine they are both brand new today; what would be the pro’s and con’s of each and which one would you prefer and why?
For me, London Road had that large sloped concrete stepped standing section at the London Rd end of the pitch. It was a great view from there. However you can’t knock the Gallagher for atmosphere!
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Post by jdl on Aug 10, 2022 22:51:49 GMT
The main advantage of the Athletic Ground, perhaps the only advantage, was it was big. I can't remember the official capacity, but it easily took 10,000.
Other than that, it had all the usual disadvantages of a 'multi-purpose' stadium - the pitch was too far away, especially at the ends. Critics' Corner may have been an impressive terrace, but you were so far away from the action that it was rather pointless. Even in the Scotsman shed, there was still a dog/running tack between you and the pitch. The facilities were crap too - unless you were rich enough for the restaurant!
Whatman Way is almost perfect, so no real comparison. Its only potential problem is the opposite - it's not big enough. That can be got round with new stands, etc, and probably won't be needed anyway. Not for a few years, anyway!
I used to like walking down to the old ground (we lived in Barming, so it was a bit of a hike), but walking to the Gallagher is like going to a proper ground, especially if the lights are on and the choir is in voice.
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Post by yorkshirestone on Aug 11, 2022 12:04:22 GMT
At London Road, people tended to stick together from a demographic point of view, with a heavy emphasis on the more seasoned supporters hanging around the highest section of terracing known for obvious reasons as Critic's Corner, and the younger and more - ahem - wired supporters inhabiting the northern end of the Scotsman Stand. Those with more disposable income sat in the huge (compared to nowadays anyway) plastic bucket seats either in the main stand or the centre of the Scotsman. I've only been to a handful of games at the Gallagher so I can't say whether this flocking still occurs, but it's great not to have the dog track, so it's easy enough to get some sledging/friendly banter in, much more so than it was at London Road. The subterranean bar at London Road was never ever busy - even just before or after a game and was a bit pubby and had big black and white prints of the Stones playing in some European competition against Udinese, but the Spitfire lounge just seems too corporate and doesn't have the same vibe. That's change and progress though and I'm not complaining, I'm just grateful that unlike I suspect many on here at least I got to experience both.
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Post by steveh21 on Aug 11, 2022 12:26:42 GMT
The big standing corner was great.. The bars were good. The rest of the ground was not great.. but it was our ground and we loved it. Saw some amazing games. I remember being part of the matchday ground team and having to put out all the seats every game in the main stand and in the scotsman stand. The toilets at London Road were horrendous :-)
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Post by sword65 on Aug 11, 2022 12:38:07 GMT
The cellar bar at London Road was truly great and had the best jukebox in town. There was usually a good atmosphere between supporters and I cannot remember any trouble and Dave the barman was brilliant. The Spitfire lounge is a soulless barn serving ultra shit and grossly overpriced beers. I understand its undergoing a makeover well I would start that by knocking the fucker down and putting a proper social club in its place,one with character,pictures in the walls,trophies on display,a pool table and everything you would expect from a supporters bar. Get rid of Shepherd Neame and get dome decent beer in especially real ales.
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Post by hongkongstone on Aug 11, 2022 13:11:20 GMT
Having attended the Gallagher as a kid you sort of become immune to it's shortcomings (for example my eyesight would sttuggle with the distance from the pitch these days and as for the toilets.....). The Gallagher, being closer to the pitch does offer a much beter atmosphere and I cannot wait for the potential stand upgrades.
Do have some sympathies with Swordies view on the Spitfire lounge though but will check the upgrades on Saturday.
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Post by jdl on Aug 11, 2022 15:16:24 GMT
The cellar bar at London Road was truly great and had the best jukebox in town. There was usually a good atmosphere between supporters and I cannot remember any trouble and Dave the barman was brilliant. The Spitfire lounge is a soulless barn serving ultra shit and grossly overpriced beers. I understand its undergoing a makeover well I would start that by knocking the fucker down and putting a proper social club in its place,one with character,pictures in the walls,trophies on display,a pool table and everything you would expect from a supporters bar. Get rid of Shepherd Neame and get dome decent beer in especially real ales. I've rarely been moved to agree with a post so much - even a Sword post!
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Post by jdl on Aug 11, 2022 15:19:50 GMT
The big standing corner was great.. The bars were good. The rest of the ground was not great.. but it was our ground and we loved it. Saw some amazing games. I remember being part of the matchday ground team and having to put out all the seats every game in the main stand and in the scotsman stand. The toilets at London Road were horrendous :-) Critics' Corner is now just a grassy slope with a few trees. I gradually got over the years of hurt of walking past the old ground, but, even now, 10 years after WW opened, that particular sight still gets me. Mind you, going round the back and having a look at the old reserves' pitch is still pretty hard.
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Post by Tony G on Aug 11, 2022 17:47:30 GMT
The cellar bar at London Road was truly great and had the best jukebox in town. There was usually a good atmosphere between supporters and I cannot remember any trouble and Dave the barman was brilliant. The Spitfire lounge is a soulless barn serving ultra shit and grossly overpriced beers. I understand its undergoing a makeover well I would start that by knocking the fucker down and putting a proper social club in its place,one with character,pictures in the walls,trophies on display,a pool table and everything you would expect from a supporters bar. Get rid of Shepherd Neame and get dome decent beer in especially real ales. What was the first record/track on the jukebox? Let’s see who remembers.
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Post by steveh21 on Aug 11, 2022 17:56:57 GMT
'Dartford Get Battered (Everywhere They Go) - by DJ Hak and the Barham Band
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Post by sword65 on Aug 11, 2022 18:00:40 GMT
The cellar bar at London Road was truly great and had the best jukebox in town. There was usually a good atmosphere between supporters and I cannot remember any trouble and Dave the barman was brilliant. The Spitfire lounge is a soulless barn serving ultra shit and grossly overpriced beers. I understand its undergoing a makeover well I would start that by knocking the fucker down and putting a proper social club in its place,one with character,pictures in the walls,trophies on display,a pool table and everything you would expect from a supporters bar. Get rid of Shepherd Neame and get dome decent beer in especially real ales. What was the first record/track on the jukebox? Let’s see who remembers. I would imagine it was the Stones club song, I always put"playground twist" by Siouxsie and the Banshees on first😁
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Post by Tony G on Aug 11, 2022 18:23:34 GMT
What was the first record/track on the jukebox? Let’s see who remembers. I would imagine it was the Stones club song, I always put"playground twist" by Siouxsie and the Banshees on first😁 Spot on Mick. Steve yours would be the current no. 1 track
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Post by yorkshirestone on Aug 12, 2022 10:31:44 GMT
The big standing corner was great.. The bars were good. The rest of the ground was not great.. but it was our ground and we loved it. Saw some amazing games. I remember being part of the matchday ground team and having to put out all the seats every game in the main stand and in the scotsman stand. The toilets at London Road were horrendous :-) I can't absolutely remember them, but as recently as 2015 Barnsley still had unroofed male toilets that were essentially a brick wall with gloss black paint to pee against, with the old style heavy duty ceramic half pipe trough at ground level. Kids today, they don't know they're born
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Post by jdl on Aug 12, 2022 12:57:11 GMT
The big standing corner was great.. The bars were good. The rest of the ground was not great.. but it was our ground and we loved it. Saw some amazing games. I remember being part of the matchday ground team and having to put out all the seats every game in the main stand and in the scotsman stand. The toilets at London Road were horrendous :-) I can't absolutely remember them, but as recently as 2015 Barnsley still had unroofed male toilets that were essentially a brick wall with gloss black paint to pee against, with the old style heavy duty ceramic half pipe trough at ground level. Kids today, they don't know they're born "ceramic half pipe"? You were lucky! LR just had a metal trough. And nothing as sophisticated as gloss black paint!
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Post by scooby on Aug 12, 2022 17:59:48 GMT
No doubt about it, London Road was the best! Scotsman Stand was the place to be where many a fun time was had eg v.gillingham, Exeter local derbies. Even though miles away will still not go into a wicks. Thompson has a lot to answer!!!
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