Groundhopping
Posted on | September 6, 2009 | No Comments
Journalist Phil Hibble (left) is close to completing an ambitious quest – to visit all 92 league grounds in England. I asked him what started it all, where the best atmosphere is and if modern grounds cut the mustard against the old favourites.
CB: So what made you set yourself this testing goal? Did it start to evolve naturally or did you wake up one day and say ‘I’m going to visit every league ground?’
PH: A bit of both. I was in the pub on New Year’s Eve 2008 and we were talking about football grounds and I realised how few I had been to. I made it my mission to cover all 92 by the end of the year, either watching a game or just visiting the stadium. That then turned into all of us writing a list of seven things we had to do by the end of the year, so it’s been a busy year for me!
How do you do it exactly – ie do you base it around following your team or do you find yourself picking out plenty of random games to go to?
I will try and tie it in with something else ie-going to the north-east for a wedding. But as the time is short, it’s a matter of just going for random grounds now!
Any particularly interesting grounds outstanding from your list?
I like the quirkiness of grounds like Layer Road (RIP), Loftus Road and Craven Cottage. Highbury was probably my favourite. I would have loved to have seen Ayresome and Roker Park. Basically, my list is all the grounds that should or have already been condemned.
Luton's Kenilworth Road
Why do you think you’ve become interested in it and do you have a better half who thinks you’re mental?
My wife thinks I am beyond mental but is strangely supportive. I have an obsessive nature to complete silly bets and challenges. She probably thinks our marriage was some sort of bet I did in a pub years ago. Come to think of it…
You must have been to some lovely grounds, and some stinkers too – are there any that stand out as being traditional and pleasant and others that are maybe traditional and not so pleasant?
I am a big fan of old traditional grounds. Goodison Park has an amazing atmosphere and I like that fact that you have to watch the game through pillars. It’s probably something I am used to at Luton!
As for not so pleasant, any of the new grounds fit into that. Stoke depressed me. I live in Leicester so it sounds like treason, but their new stadium offers a tenth of the atmosphere of Filbert Street. And coincides with their recent fall from grace…
I tend to think the new Wembley is nice but looks a bit like an airport from the outside….
One of my first football memories was seeing the Twin Towers of Wembley and it never failed to excite me. It was such an anti-climax when I went to Wembley in the summer. Saying that, the inside of the stadium was impressive.
Even Fifa’s recommendations and requirements mention corporate hospitality for grounds (P122) -Have you ever felt a ground you visited had got the balance wrong on this (ie the Wembley no-show-after-half time tier)?
As much as I moan about hospitality, it’s here to stay and clubs need it to survive. That does not mean it’s all good for the game. In any of the new grounds, the balance always seems wrong. But putting my hypocritical hat on for a second, I did enjoy an excellent afternoon of drinking and eating at a box in Coventry’s Ricoh Stadium!
Game off at Bury
Where and when did you experience the best atmosphere?
After slagging Wembley off in the previous answer, I had a cracking day there for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The main reason was probably that it involved my own team winning a cup (I know it’s a crap one, but they all count!). And it was the only time you will ever get 42,000 Luton fans together. St. James Park is pretty amazing too. That’s Newcastle, not Exeter!
Personally I can’t help but judge a ground on how long it takes to get a pint and how much it costs. Have you ever experienced your own catering heaven and or catering hell on your travels?
I never learn from my mistakes. Despite dodgy stomachs, I still go back for more undercooked burgers at the games.
I suppose my stories are pretty similar. One of the games coincided with a drinking spree and one of my mates decided half-time was a great time to get a round of four pints in. As you can’t get drinks into the seating area, the stewards made him drink all four on the spot before he could watch the rest of the game. He missed the only goal while trying desperately to finished off the fourth.
Millenium Stadium, Cardiff
These days Premier League grounds feel very safe, but in my view they also feel a bit like prison exercise yards sometimes. What are your views on the level of safety and security which are prevalent at top-flight grounds?
One good thing about following Luton is that I grew up with terraces. I don’t buy the safety argument with the all-seater stadiums and with Luton going out of the league, I get to go back to the good old days of standing and watching games. One reason why my wife doesn’t come to games any more.
Highest/lowest price you’ve paid for a ticket?
Highest – £140 (Luton’s Wembley trip – don’t ask)
Lowest – £0 – After spending it up at the Cov executive box, the bill was mysteriously paid for by someone else. I wish I had got more drinks in now.
If you could change anything about modern football grounds, what would it be? IE cheaper tickets, bring back terracing etc.
Bring back terracing, plain non-flashy kits and Wimbledon. Basically 1988.
Tags: 92 league grounds > Goodison Park > groundhopping > Kenilworth Road > Luton Town > Millenium Stadium > new wembley > phil hibble
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