Worst away end you've been in?

[GrayBlade]

There have been a lot over the years, Aldershot, Halifax, Luton as mentioned elsewhere but even some of the big grounds were pretty poor. The Witton? end at Villa was big but had a rubble strewn grassy top and had no cover from the weather just like so many more. Behind the goal at Upton Park you were lower than the pitch and similar at The Baseball Ground.
Also don't forget the delights of The Den.

And to make matters worse at the old Baseball ground if you were standing near the front, your view was always blocked by a sad pillock with a sheep’s head on a stick.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Milmoor - 2500 people trying to get out at the same time through a passage about 5ft wide. I quietly panicked, I won't lie.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

The away pen at Hereford, makes you feel like part of a herd of cattle #shudder#

York last season..stuck us away in a pokey piss stained corner miles away from the pitch, I like old grounds and stuff but this was just depressing and felt like it was being run down.

The open away end at Swindon..wasnt so bad last season when we went as it was an early spring night and the Blades performance made you forget it was a bit chilly and the p.a. tannoy speakers on the poles by the perimeter of pitchside ruining the view a bit!

 

[tyneblade]

Has to be Stockport, they had an away "side" that was built from railway sleepers on cinders. I remember a cup game in the early 80s where so many of us had travelled that you could feel it move under your feet. I also remember that the football special got us there early enough to see Bob Hatton and Steve Neville inspecting the pitch in their afghan coats smoking cigars.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

Never went there but im sure some off here will have...the away end at Boothferry Park didnt look exactly like you'd have fun and pick daisies on it judging by the old pictures ive seen??

 

[GrayBlade]

Fratton Park, (soaked to the skin..Brown’s late winner), Saltergate, Blundle Park, Baseball Ground, Vale Park, the Sty.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

I had to go back and get my shoe which fell off, dodging bricks a long the way.

Milmoor - 2500 people trying to get out at the same time through a passage about 5ft wide. I quietly panicked, I won't lie.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I had to go back and get my shoe which fell off, dodging bricks a long the way.

Yeah it was bottles when I last went. Scrubbers.

 

[Tyler Durden]

York last season..stuck us away in a pokey piss stained corner miles away from the pitch, I like old grounds and stuff but this was just depressing and felt like it was being run down.

Ah, the Prostate Cancer Stand. Nice that they're promoting a charity but naming an area of the ground after it is a bit much.

Yeah that away end is a dilapidated, uncovered shitheap. Went to watch York a couple of times when United were shite and I couldn't be bothered with the away matches. Nice, friendly club.

 

[Trigger Blade]

I went to a night game at Aldershot, cup replay after a 0-0 at the lane. I remember it being foggy and only seeing up to the half way line, couldn't even see the goal they scored we just heard the Cheers, it was like walking through a park to get to your seat, trees everywhere got back to sheff around 4 then work at 7. Bad times.

I was at that game. The only thing I recall is that you could still swop ends at half time, but only after the players had gone down the tunnel. They closed two gates to stop supporters getting in the way, a bit like a level crossing.

What a grim night that was, although I was working in Kent, so the journey home was short.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

Certainly was grim trigger, along with the flat beer

 

[Blade in Cordoba]

Mansfield years ago around 88 or so, hiding from the driving sleet behind a chain link fence. It was so cold most people there were various shades of blue, teeth chattering and shivering like crazy. And like an idiot I was wearing my new leather jacket, took a week for it to dry out.

I remember it like yesterday. Baltic conditions with freezing fog so cold it hurt to breathe. Feet didn't thaw out until about a week later!

 

[S64 Blade]

I agree Bristol Rovers has very basic facilities, but therein lies the charm. Despite the obvious shortcomings it is ten times better than one of these new plastic grounds, miles from town with no atmosphere.

Give me the Memorial Stadium ahead of the likes of say the Weston Homes ground at Colchester.

HH

Not only that, the view and atmosphere that can be generated on the terracing is awful (no roof - also means you get wet).

 

[spongebobblade]

Mansfield years ago around 88 or so, hiding from the driving sleet behind a chain link fence. It was so cold most people there were various shades of blue, teeth chattering and shivering like crazy. And like an idiot I was wearing my new leather jacket, took a week for it to dry out.

After all these years it still stands out as the coldest and wettest I've ever been at a game. Couldn't wait for the final whistle

 

[mattbianco1]

Always thought Peterborough was shit (behind goal standing) or on side (seated on wooden chairs). Not been on that new stand of theirs.

Swindon last season I ended up behind the goal. That was awful.

Yeovil wasn't "bad" as such, it was quaint. However when I went it was sunny so not too bad.

Gillingham is horrific.

Bolton - only time I've been was in FA Cup 3rd round just before we signed Gary speed. Away fans separated by a line of stewards, we got kettles by little chavs throughout and particularly at the end when we had won 0-1. Stewards did nowt until Blades fans reacted then all of a sudden lay into us.

 

[Muttley]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Saltergate yet.

 

[South London Blade]

Layer road at Colchester was grim. Tiny shallow terrace covered by a wrinkly tin leaky roof.

Top few rows at Selhurst Park you can see fuck all if over 5 foot 2.

Barnsley when it was an open terrace was always 'fun'.

Gillingham has to win hands down though, what a thoroughly depressing shit hole. Crap pubs, dogshit covered roads on the walk to the ground and the 'stand' that shakes like a shitting dog everytime somebody moves.

 

[Groucho Blade]

Blackpool in the late seventies, I think. One end of the ground was closed, so both sets of fans were crammed on one end, separated only by a brick wall over which came bricks, bottles, golf balls etc. Horrible game which we lost 1-0 I think...could barely see it as our corner of the ground didn’t really face the pitch...

 

[sitwell]

Anywhere small where you can barely get a view above pitch level.

Goodison park back in the day ,you were at pitch level ,couldn't see anything ,the lucky ones got on a 4 inch shelf at the back ,getting on it was a 2 man job and with Utds shooting you were a bit of a sitting duck. Its still awful now for away fans.
Maine Rd was my worst though ,a fight before you got in stuck in a corner under a floodlight with a shit view in the rain ,we always lost and the a fight on the way back to the car. If you really think about we actually paid money to do this ,bonkers really.

 

[Linz]

Watching the Gillingham v Portsmouth game on Sky reminds me how miserable the Priestfield away end is. Held up by scaffolding, the stand moves when you walk on it, no roof, it always seems to be cold and we always play shit there. Surely the worst away end in the League?!

Apart from that first match under Adkins where a 4-0 dicking was compounded by the relentless August sun...

I'm going to be controversial and say Arsenal's Highbury. The crush down the back after the cup game illustrated why they needed to move. If only they'd not made the Emirates so soulless.

 

[Piffle and Tosh]

Plymouth.
Only because it was freezing and daft cunt here left his coat in the hotel room and I'd got a polo shirt on.

I nearly cried.

was that the Tuesday night game we lost 3-0 it was freezing ?

 

[coaxingstar71]

Never went there but im sure some off here will have...the away end at Boothferry Park didnt look exactly like you'd have fun and pick daisies on it judging by the old pictures ive seen??

Haven't been to some of these other grounds but went to Boothferry Park in the early 80's and can verify it was a dump. Parts of it were uncovered and we were getting soaking wet so we squeezed in under cover only to get swept up and nearly crushed to death as there were very few or no barriers. I was 12 at the time and it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience!

 

[Bonzodog]

We were on the back foot still talked about 42 years on.

Spot on I was glad to get back just about in one piece.

 

[Liverpool blade]

Goodison park back in the day ,you were at pitch level ,couldn't see anything ,the lucky ones got on a 4 inch shelf at the back ,getting on it was a 2 man job and with Utds shooting you were a bit of a sitting duck. Its still awful now for away fans.
Maine Rd was my worst though ,a fight before you got in stuck in a corner under a floodlight with a shit view in the rain ,we always lost and the a fight on the way back to the car. If you really think about we actually paid money to do this ,bonkers really.

Maine was shit. I do remember us winning there once though!. I believe the score was 3-2 but can't remember the year?. Utb

 

[I should coco]

Haven't been to some of these other grounds but went to Boothferry Park in the early 80's and can verify it was a dump

When we went in the 4th divsion it wasn't even an 'end' as we had part of one side. There was some netting hanging from the roof to try and stop some of the missiles though.

We were about 18/19 and I remember we were well chuffed to find a Stones pub. Inside grown men (Blades) were giving us free full pints as they couldn't drink it. About the worse draft beer I have ever had in the UK.

First game I can remember 'Don't you ever...' (Prince Charming) being sung.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

God, this could be a list...

Halifax, wall fell on me!

Millmoor, bricked.

Scunthorpe (original ground) BBC confronted by a female top boy. That was funny, but the ground was falling down.

Birmingham (as mentioned elsewhere, first time I properly encountered football violence)

Hull, more precisely Boothferry Park. Dump

Baseball Ground, I got right at the front and saw nowt but legs and boots.

Luton. See Hull

Plymouth. See Luton

Grimsby. Awful place, improved by a Cooperman pitch invasion...or was that York? Another dump.

Aldershot. Poor view and then confronted by squaddies leaving.

Altrincham, pissed it down and the Blades were embarrassingly shite.

Stockport. Fell off a railways sleeper and twisted by ankle quite badly.

I could go on but it's getting a bit depressing!

 

[speedymcgeady]

Maine was shit. I do remember us winning there once though!. I believe the score was 3-2 but can't remember the year?. Utb

From 2-0 down,iirc.Beagrie,Frain and Morris.

 

[metalblade]

Millmoor was pretty shit. Halifax is one that sticks in my mind as an utter dump, I think it was there where we came out in pitch black darkness and somehow got into some pig pens jumping fence after fence to get out. One night at Burnley was bad too it was still light when we got there but after the game pitch black all the surrounding houses had either been knocked down or were stood derelict no lights anywhere had a right job finding the coaches and was just walking over piles of bricks. Carlisle was a right shit tip in the 70's all the concrete terrace had broken up leaving ammunition all over the place, it was funny seeing their top lad take a lump straight on the forehead that fucker knocked his tam o shanter off . Them were the days stood on mud banks when it rained or in a dust cloud if it was dry.

 

[sitwell]

Nobodies mentioned Chester where we actually lit a fire to keep warm ,lost 3-2 I thnk Butlin and Bourne era
The old Den was bad too having to watch the match with your hand acting as a visor for incoming coins, rocks and telegraph poles.

 

[nicksufc]

When Blackpool came up to the Championship they had a temporary away end, completely exposed to the elements, shocking view, no facilities.