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With an elite playing surface and the recent spruce up post promotion, it’s genuinely such an impressive stadium. Fan’s close to the pitch, 30k and just has the feel of what a real football ground should look like. The little things have really mattered from a visual standpoint, way more modern but it’s kept the historic appearance.
If we can get the Cobbold done in the next 3-5 years and west stand improved as well, I’d go as far as saying, it would be one of the best stadiums in the country, especially in terms of a club that’s kept its original home. Up to the fans the make it an atmosphere to match the arena!
Another reason we need to establish in the PL. I am sure it would accelerate even more projects which will keep Ipswich firmly on the map for generations to come.
Agree with all that. The ol girl is looking quite splendid from afar. Except…. Still think the North should have been a single tier Dortmund style stand.
Agree with all that. The ol girl is looking quite splendid from afar. Except…. Still think the North should have been a single tier Dortmund style stand.
Incredible how the black and white contrasts, the blue around the pitch make that much of a significant difference to optics of the old stands.
Gone are the days of yellow paint and brown seats in the Cobbold lower. It’s still got a long way to go but those improvements won’t really be felt until we rip up the sides stands.
The hospitality I was pretty impressed with as well considering how quick they had to do it. Not quite Sofi but I guess the Rams had a but more of a budget and some space.
Agree with all that. The ol girl is looking quite splendid from afar. Except…. Still think the North should have been a single tier Dortmund style stand.
Agree with all that. The ol girl is looking quite splendid from afar. Except…. Still think the North should have been a single tier Dortmund style stand.
I think the problem with the NorthStand is one of space. The area to build wasn’t very deep and there’s not a lot of room. It’s a real shame as the old stand had a brilliant atmosphere, not replicated by the new one.
The work to smarten the ground up in the last five years has been phenomenal. It was a bit of a neglected mess with a rubbish pitch, poor floodlights and filth. Everything signalled decay. It doesn’t now - credit to the owners and those who have worked on it. It looks cared for.
Lots to do though. The back of the West Stand is good for space, but a bit of a mess really. There’s an opportunity there. The Chicken Run side? We all know that needs replacing if at all possible. The 55 year old stand isn’t fit for purpose.
Whatever is done, I do hope the character of the ground is deemed a priority and retained. It is interesting and unique and will get more so as soulless identikit bowls replace old grounds.
I think the problem with the NorthStand is one of space. The area to build wasn’t very deep and there’s not a lot of room. It’s a real shame as the old stand had a brilliant atmosphere, not replicated by the new one.
The work to smarten the ground up in the last five years has been phenomenal. It was a bit of a neglected mess with a rubbish pitch, poor floodlights and filth. Everything signalled decay. It doesn’t now - credit to the owners and those who have worked on it. It looks cared for.
Lots to do though. The back of the West Stand is good for space, but a bit of a mess really. There’s an opportunity there. The Chicken Run side? We all know that needs replacing if at all possible. The 55 year old stand isn’t fit for purpose.
Whatever is done, I do hope the character of the ground is deemed a priority and retained. It is interesting and unique and will get more so as soulless identikit bowls replace old grounds.
Imagine being a West Ham fan (an awful thing to ask at this time in the morning sorry 😂)
Upton Park was a great stadium to visit,now look at what they are asked to sit in its blooming awful,but then when you convert a athletics arena to a football stadium this is what happens and it will never work.
Imagine being a West Ham fan (an awful thing to ask at this time in the morning sorry 😂)
Upton Park was a great stadium to visit,now look at what they are asked to sit in its blooming awful,but then when you convert a athletics arena to a football stadium this is what happens and it will never work.
Never mind hey 😂😂
Yes, it’s a bit early to imagine something as bilious as that.
I detested Upton Park/Boleyn Ground because of the area it was in and the animals that infested it - despite having a West Ham supporting gf for a short while. But boy was it characterful. Close to the pitch it was an intense and atmospheric ground. You knew exactly where you were and it was a really stupid idea for them to leave it in favour of the Olympic Stadium.
I haven’t been to the latter as a football ground. Only for the Olympics and a few years later for the World Championships by when it was known West Ham were being given it. I couldn’t then see how it could ever be a football ground. My season ticket holding West Ham neighbour (sadly passed away now) thought it was fine initially but gradually began to mourn the loss of the Boleyn, as he called it.
I suppose to truly offer a view, I ought to visit the ground if/when we next play them, but frankly I’ve no desire to go there for football. Unlike Portman Road, it appears everything a football ground should not be.
Yes, it’s a bit early to imagine something as bilious as that.
I detested Upton Park/Boleyn Ground because of the area it was in and the animals that infested it - despite having a West Ham supporting gf for a short while. But boy was it characterful. Close to the pitch it was an intense and atmospheric ground. You knew exactly where you were and it was a really stupid idea for them to leave it in favour of the Olympic Stadium.
I haven’t been to the latter as a football ground. Only for the Olympics and a few years later for the World Championships by when it was known West Ham were being given it. I couldn’t then see how it could ever be a football ground. My season ticket holding West Ham neighbour (sadly passed away now) thought it was fine initially but gradually began to mourn the loss of the Boleyn, as he called it.
I suppose to truly offer a view, I ought to visit the ground if/when we next play them, but frankly I’ve no desire to go there for football. Unlike Portman Road, it appears everything a football ground should not be.
[Post edited 15 Jan 5:27]
I went as an away Ipswich fan last year and if we go up, I really hope that they get relegated just so that I don’t have to go back. The ease of getting there is the only thing going for it.
I went as an away Ipswich fan last year and if we go up, I really hope that they get relegated just so that I don’t have to go back. The ease of getting there is the only thing going for it.
It is cr@p isn’t it - running track means views are rubbish as you are so far from the pitch. Football needs stands with a steep incline. I suspect it’s not helped them on the pitch either as the intimidation factor (at Boleyn) for opposition players is gone (since fans are so away) and kills the atmosphere.
Yet to speak to a Hamemer that likes the ground. I’m split in that there’s a lot of entitled fans who don’t realise big crowds alone don’t make you a top 6 team. Their income per head is far lower at West Ham due to cheap season tickets. On the other hand a lot of their fans didn’t want the Olympic stadium in the first place and it ripped the soul of the club.
Yes, and the other thing about it is it's so well located, five minutes from the station and ten (if that) from the town centre and a load of pubs and restaurants. Walking distance for a lot of the town too.
I remember walking round the ground on the morning we got relegated to League 1, the sense of being uncared for epitomised the club back in 2019.
I still get those butterflies in my stomach as I did back in the late 70's early 80's when I lived in Ipswich and would jump on my bike even during the Summer holidays when nothing was happening just to see the ground . Quite bizarre looking back I guess
All those years later and now living in Sheffield I still get those very same feelings ...and I love it !
Yes, it’s a bit early to imagine something as bilious as that.
I detested Upton Park/Boleyn Ground because of the area it was in and the animals that infested it - despite having a West Ham supporting gf for a short while. But boy was it characterful. Close to the pitch it was an intense and atmospheric ground. You knew exactly where you were and it was a really stupid idea for them to leave it in favour of the Olympic Stadium.
I haven’t been to the latter as a football ground. Only for the Olympics and a few years later for the World Championships by when it was known West Ham were being given it. I couldn’t then see how it could ever be a football ground. My season ticket holding West Ham neighbour (sadly passed away now) thought it was fine initially but gradually began to mourn the loss of the Boleyn, as he called it.
I suppose to truly offer a view, I ought to visit the ground if/when we next play them, but frankly I’ve no desire to go there for football. Unlike Portman Road, it appears everything a football ground should not be.
[Post edited 15 Jan 5:27]
I'm amazed an architect hasn't come up with a truly convertible athletics <--> football stadium. The Stade De France's lower tier rolls out for football, and folds up at the back to join with the upper tier:
That's the closest I've seen, but front of lower tier is still too far from the pitch, and isn't steep enough:
Singapore stadium did something similar:
But again, end result is fans are too far from the pitch.
Better than the London Stadium, but still not really a football stadium. Maybe it's impossible to truly replicate the required proximity, steepness, and single tier kop at one end. But for the London Stadium to not even have have a proper retractable lower tier that joins seamlessly with the upper is an epic design fail. I'd hate it if I was a West Ham fan.
Agree with all that. The ol girl is looking quite splendid from afar. Except…. Still think the North should have been a single tier Dortmund style stand.
I was on some sort of fans committee along with David Sheepshanks in regards to the building of the new north stand. Was some time ago now, the only two things I can remember of it was that a rather large man with a ginger beard wanted a McDonald’s in it, and the main reason it couldn’t be just one tier (what sheepy was desperate for) was the row of terraced houses on Alderman Road. Down to proximity of new stand to the houses and blocking of the sunlight.
I was on some sort of fans committee along with David Sheepshanks in regards to the building of the new north stand. Was some time ago now, the only two things I can remember of it was that a rather large man with a ginger beard wanted a McDonald’s in it, and the main reason it couldn’t be just one tier (what sheepy was desperate for) was the row of terraced houses on Alderman Road. Down to proximity of new stand to the houses and blocking of the sunlight.
When Liverpool wanted to build their new massive main stand, they just stuffed cash in the mouths of the home-owners on the street behind, bought their houses and demolished them to make space. Maybe we couldn't afford to do this back then. No excuse for the Churchmans design fail though.
Gamechanger have done a great job, the ground now compared to the Evans era is night and day. With the proposed improvements it's be gonna be some ground ten years from, now.
Imagine being a West Ham fan (an awful thing to ask at this time in the morning sorry 😂)
Upton Park was a great stadium to visit,now look at what they are asked to sit in its blooming awful,but then when you convert a athletics arena to a football stadium this is what happens and it will never work.
Never mind hey 😂😂
The Etihad was an athletics stadium that was converted to a football stadium, however they designed it from the outset that the running track would be removed. Might not be top of everyone's list, but better than what West Ham have ended up in.
The Etihad was an athletics stadium that was converted to a football stadium, however they designed it from the outset that the running track would be removed. Might not be top of everyone's list, but better than what West Ham have ended up in.
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