Football grounds you've been to

[Jennifer Steadman]

I think I've been to 18 different grounds to see games (5 league grounds, 13 non-league grounds) and 2 as a tourist (national stadiums in Kosovo and Macedonia). Considering I've been going to watch football for the last decade, that's not a lot. I imagine some people here will have lost count of the number of stadiums they've been to.

Which ones have you been to? Which ones were your favourites and least favourites?

My 18 are:
League - Huish Park (Yeovil Town), Home Park (Plymouth Argyle), Stamford Bridge (Chelsea), Priestfield (Gillingham), Elland Road (Leeds United)
Non-league - Longmead (Tonbridge Angels), Homelands (Ashford United, but it was when Maidstone were groundsharing there), Treyew Road (Truro City), Gorings Mead (Horsham + Horsham YMCA), York Road (Maidenhead United), Hayes Lane (Bromley), The Gallagher Stadium (Maidstone United), Queen Elizabeth Stadium (Enfield Town), Victory Road (Leiston), Champion Hill (Dulwich Hamlet), Rookery Hill (East Thurrock United), Leylands Park (Burgess Hill Town), Colston Avenue (Carshalton Athletic)

Favourites are Longmead (obviously, although visiting groundhoppers tend to like it as well), Victory Road (very basic, but it was a sweet little ground) and Champion Hill (good bar). I quite enjoyed how non-league the Pristina City Stadium was too - unbelievable that it will host international cup qualifiers!

Worst ones were Rookery Hill (incredible that it's considered up to Conference South standards - to get to the toilets, I had to go through a hall hosting a children's karate class!!) and Gorings Mead (absolute sand pit). Home Park was a bit tragic because loads of the seats in front of me had been ripped out when Plymouth were in dire financial straits, and Elland Road was a weird experience because Cardiff's fans boycotted the game.

[Gavin Chipper]

No.

[Ben Wilson]

You missed one.

[Jennifer Steadman]

You missed one.

Not sure I can count going to the car park of the ground

[Mark James]

I've been to more than 20 in Ireland. 2 in England. 2 in Poland. 1 in Scotland. 1 in Germany. 1 in the Netherlands.

Favourites would be my home team's ground Richmond Park, the national stadium of Ireland the Aviva and the one in Germany which was Hannover 96's ground. Can't remember the name. Those are favourites due to the games played there rather than the stadiums themselves though.

I'm never really impressed by stadiums on their own. They're usually just concrete behemoths. It's the atmosphere and occasion that makes it. Was in Celtic Park when they qualified for Champions League a few years back and you could feel the concrete moving. It was amazing. Old Trafford on the other hand was shite. Seriously lacking atmosphere although they were beaten by Leeds. Would like to go back for a European fixture.

Least favourite though is Oriel Park, home to Dundalk in the League of Ireland. Place is a death trap. Horrible for away fans.

[David Williams]

Over a hundred.

[Marc Meakin]

I've been to West Hams old ground about a hundred times, Stamford Bridge around twenty times, Ive been to all the London POremier league grounds at least once, i have been to the old Wembley about a dozen times to watch football and the same amount to watch other sports including Speedway, American Football, WWF wrestling as well as pop concerts to watch Michael Jackson amoungst others.
Also been to Old Trafford and Oldhams ground.
Also been to Charltons Ground and QPR several times.

[James Robinson]

Supporting Huddersfield Town in league/play-off games: Burnley, Hull City (KCOM Stadium), Leicester City, Middlesbrough, Watford, Aston Villa, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bristol City, Burton Albion, Cardiff City, Derby County, Fulham, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers, Reading, Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bolton Wanderers, Bury, Charlton Athletic, Millwall, Milton Keynes Dons, Oldham Athletic, Peterborough United, Rochdale, Scunthorpe United, Blackpool, Crewe Alexandra, Doncaster Rovers, Hartlepool United, Notts County, Lincoln City, Tranmere Rovers, Stockport County.

Supporting Huddersfield Town in cup games: Arsenal (Emirates), Chelsea, Everton, Manchester City, Shrewsbury Town (Greenhous Meadow), Accrington Stanley, Grimsby Town.

Other grounds I've been to for other games: Millennium Stadium and Manchester United (for play-off final), Wembley (for England game), also Celtic Park for the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.

[Jennifer Steadman]

Fuck, I completely forgot about Wembley Idiot. Another one for my list.

[Gavin Chipper]

You missed one.

Wasn't CO:HUD at the Huddersfield grounds as well? If so, I'm already on two.

Actually I have been to a few more. I've got a friend who is an Oxford United fan, and I've somehow been forced into going to a few games with him. As well as Oxford United's ground (I have half a feeling they moved as well so that would count twice if so) I think I've been to Reading and Lewes.

[Jack Worsley]

I've done 12 in total. In order of first visit, they are: Old Trafford (Man Utd), DW Stadium (Wigan, then called the JJB Stadium), Bloomfield Road (Blackpool), Christie Park (Morecambe old), Stamford Bridge (Chelsea), Valley Parade (Bradford), Gigg Lane (Bury), Wembley, Holker Street (Barrow), Etihad Stadium (Man City, but was England's friendly against Turkey last year), Brunton Park (Carlisle) and the Globe Arena (Morecambe new). I also went on a stadium tour of the Nou Camp (Barcelona) while on holiday in 2006 but I'm not sure it counts if you didn't watch a match.

Wembley was a great day out on both occasions (when Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League and also went the following year to watch Mansfield Town, but lost the FA Trophy final against Darlington). Bloomfield Road was always a good atmosphere before the hostility towards the owners and boycotting of matches by fans started. My least favourite has to be Bradford. The away end and surrounding areas were grotty and unsightly, and yet the stadium has hosted Premier League football as recently as 2001. Holker Street was also a shithole but that's more understandable for non-league grounds.

[Euan Slatter]

Ashton Gate, Millennium Stadium, Wembley Stadium, Bristol Road. So 4...

Plus Cardiff City Stadium in May

[Matt Bayfield]

I've seen either club or international football matches at:

• Carrow Road (Norwich City)
  De Kuip (Feyenoord)
  The Valley (Charlton Athletic)
  National Hockey Stadium (MK Dons, former stadium)
  Wembley Stadium (England)
  Stonebridge Road (Ebbsfleet United)
  Vicarage Road (Watford)

There are other football grounds which I've intentionally visited for reasons other than seeing football. From memory, these include St James' Park (Newcastle Utd), Liberty Stadium (Swansea CIty), Deva Stadium (Chester City), Kirklees Stadium (Huddersfield Town), Stadium:MK (MK Dons), Amsterdam ArenA (Ajax), Rheinpark Stadion (FC Vaduz), Old Trafford (Manchester Utd). I've also walked past several grounds, including Stamford Bridge (Chelsea), just because I happened to be visiting somewhere nearby. In theory, I've also visited West Ham United's current home, the London Stadium, but that was during the 2012 Paralympics, before it was converted to football use.

[David Williams]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

[Edward McCullagh]

I've watched football matches at:

Anfield (Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea, 1998)
Parkhead (Celtic 2 or 3-1 Dunfermline or Kilmarnock, 2006-7)
Windsor Park (Northern Ireland 0-2 Israel, 2013)
Longmead (Tonbridge 1-1 Staines, 2013)
White Hart Lane (Spurs 3-1 Dnipro, 2014)
Etihad Stadium (Man City 0-2 Arsenal, 2015)
Camp Nou (Barcelona 6-1 Roma, 2015)
Old Trafford (Man United 3-2 Arsenal, 2016)
Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan (Sevilla 2-1 Valencia, 2016)

I've also been to the following stadia/grounds for other sports:
Casement Park, Clones and Croke Park (GAA)
Wembley (rugby and NFL)
Murrayfield (rugby)

Best experience was seeing this goal
Worst experience was sitting through 80 minutes of Scotland 6-9 Argentina on a cold and murky November afternoon at Murrayfield.

[Matt Bayfield]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

There must be lots of example of three teams having used the same ground over a short period, but the only one which springs to my mind immediately for English professional clubs is Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Wimbledon).

[Marc Meakin]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

The Boleyn Ground or Wembley Stadium

[Marc Meakin]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

There must be lots of example of three teams having used the same ground over a short period, but the only one which springs to my mind immediately for English professional clubs is Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Wimbledon).

Or Wembley, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur or England

[Jon O'Neill]

Anfield ~15 times
Upton Park/Boleyn Ground ~15 times
Wembley ~5 times
Victoria Road (Dagenham and Redbridge) ~50 times

Can't be bothered to check the names of the stadiums for the following teams as all are less than 3 times:
Bromley
Aveley
East Thurrock United
Concord Rangers
Romford
Hornchurch

Probably missing a few off this list.

[Jennifer Steadman]

Can't be bothered to check the names of the stadiums for the following teams as all are less than 3 times:
Bromley
East Thurrock United

Hayes Lane (Bromley)... Rookery Hill (East Thurrock United)

there you go xoxo

(Yay for more Ryman representation though. Aveley!! That's a name I've not heard in a while)

[David Williams]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

There must be lots of example of three teams having used the same ground over a short period, but the only one which springs to my mind immediately for English professional clubs is Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Wimbledon).

Revised question. Three different grounds . . . Completely forgot about Selhurst Park! The same team figures twice, by the way.

[Jack Worsley]

Quiz question. Two different grounds, on each of which I've seen three different teams play a home game.

There must be lots of example of three teams having used the same ground over a short period, but the only one which springs to my mind immediately for English professional clubs is Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace, Charlton Athletic, Wimbledon).

Revised question. Three different grounds . . . Completely forgot about Selhurst Park! The same team figures twice, by the way.

San Siro (AC Milan, Inter Milan and Italian national team) and Stadio Olimpico (Roma, Lazio and Italy)?

[David Williams]

San Siro (AC Milan, Inter Milan and Italian national team) and Stadio Olimpico (Roma, Lazio and Italy)?

Much nearer home.

[Marc Meakin]

San Siro (AC Milan, Inter Milan and Italian national team) and Stadio Olimpico (Roma, Lazio and Italy)?

Much nearer home.

Maine Road....City and United played there after the war plus maybe, England

[Jack Worsley]

Loftus Road? QPR's home ground, Fulham played there from 2002-04 and it also seems like the sort of ground that might host an England U21 match or something.

[James Laverty]

OK, this might take a while

FOR GAMES (Leagues correct for 2016-17 season)

PREMIER LEAGUE: KC Stadium (Hull), Walkers/King Power Stadium (Leicester), Anfield (Liverpool), Etihad Stadium (Man City), Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough), Brittania Stadium (Stoke), The Hawthorns (West Brom)

CHAMPIONSHIP: Villa Park (Aston Villa), Oakwell (Barnsley), St Andrews (Birmingham), Ewood Park (Blackburn), Pirelli Stadium (Burton), Prideless Park (Direby), Craven Cottage (Fulham), John Smith's Stadium (Huddersfield), Elland Road (Leeds), St James's Park (Newcastle), The World Famous City Ground (Nottingham Forest), Hillsborough (Sheff Wed), Molineux (Wolves)

LEAGUE ONE: Reebok/Macron Stadium (Bolton), Valley Parade (Bradford), Ricoh Arena (Coventry), Sixfields Stadium (Northampton), Glanford Park (Scunthorpe), Bramall Lane (Sheff United), New Meadow (Shrewsbury)

LEAGUE TWO: Keepmoat Stadium (Doncaster), Blundell Park (Grimsby), Field Mill (Mansfield), Meadow Lane (Notts County)

NON-LEAGUE: Bootham Crescent (York), Sincil Bank (Lincoln), Regatta Way (West Bridgford FC), Stoke Lane (Carlton Town), Eagle Valley (Arnold Town), Greenwich Avenue (Basford United), Liberty Way (Nuneaton Town), Wheatsheaf Park (Staines Town), Blackwell Meadows (Darlington 1883), Wheatley Park (Garforth Town), i2i Stadium (Tadcaster Albion)

NON ENGLISH: Celtic Park (Celtic), Firhill (Partick Thistle), Hampden Park (Queens Park/Scotland), Fir Park (Motherwell), Easter Road (Hibernian), Murrayfield (Technically not a football stadium, but Hearts have used in on European nights), Olympiastadion (Hertha Berlin/Germany), Philips Stadium (PSV Eindhoven)

OTHERS: Highfield Road (former Coventry stadium), Filbert Street (former Leicester stadium), Saltergate (former Chesterfield stadium), Eton Park (former Burton stadium)

TOURS NOT ALREADY MENTIONED: Emirates Stadium (Arsenal), Old Trafford (Man United), Camp Nou (Barcelona), Amsterdam ArenA (Ajax/Netherlands), Stade de France (France)

OTHERS: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)- meeting, Boleyn Ground (former West Ham stadium).

[David Williams]

Maine Road....City and United played there after the war plus maybe, England

How old do you think I am? And it's not Loftus Road, either.

[David Williams]

As this one has rather run out of steam, the answers are

Anfield - Liverpool (something over a thousand times), Manchester United and Wales (but not England - or Everton!)

Racecourse Ground - Wrexham, Total Network Solutions and Wales

[Conor]

Kenilworth Road (Luton - many times)
Stamford Bridge (Chelsea vs Southampton)
Old Trafford (Man Utd vs Everton)
Estádio António Coimbra da Mota (Estoril Praia vs Sporting da Covilhã)
Stade de France (France vs Iceland)
Amsterdam ArenA (Netherlands vs France)
Maracanã (Flamengo vs Coritiba)
San Siro (Inter Milan vs AC Milan)

[Gavin Chipper]

You missed one.

Wasn't CO:HUD at the Huddersfield grounds as well? If so, I'm already on two.

Actually I have been to a few more. I've got a friend who is an Oxford United fan, and I've somehow been forced into going to a few games with him. As well as Oxford United's ground (I have half a feeling they moved as well so that would count twice if so) I think I've been to Reading and Lewes.

I've also been to Colchester Town's stadium because that's where the start and finish of the half marathon is.

[Euan Slatter]

I take it you mean United, right??...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchester_Town_F.C.

[sean d]

Around the 100 mark in 16 countries. And now I'm going to have to compile a list.........

[Gavin Chipper]

I take it you mean United, right??...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchester_Town_F.C.

Yeah, maybe. One generic unimaginative name or another. It's football.

[sean d]

Ok, I get to 30-40 games a season these days, down from 50+ in the pre-kids days. I reckon I've seen Dundalk in about 40 grounds (in a 20-22 team league), I'm probably forgetting one or two:
St Mels- Athlone
Athlone Town Stadium- Athlone
Dalymount- Bohemians (also Dublin City, Shamrock Rovers, cup finals, Euro games etc)
Carlisle Grounds- Bray
St Colmans Pk- Cobh
Turners Cross- Cork
Brandywell- Derry
United Park- Drogheda (also various Dundalk home games)
Oriel Park- Dundalk (also various other non-Dundalk games)
Bellurgan United- Dundalk home games
Finn Park- Finn Harps
Terryland- Galway
Whitehall- Home Farm (also Dublin City)
Station Rd- Kildare County
Buckley Pk- Kilkenny
Lansdowne Road - Cup final (also internationals etc)
New Lansdowne Road/Aviva stadium- cup finals and Champions League (also internationals etc)
Jackman Pk- Limerick
Thomond Pk- Limerick
Strokestown Rd- Longford
Gannon Pk- Malahide
Gortakeegan- Monaghan (also Dundalk home games)
Sandy Lane- Rock Celtic
RDS- Shamrock Rovers (also finals)
Tallaght- Shamrock Rovers (also finals, Euros)
Tolka Park- Shelbourne (also Dublin City, Shamrock Rovers, finals etc)
Showgrounds- Sligo
Santry- Sporting Fingal (also Dub City)
Richmond Park- St Pats (also Shamrock Rovers, Dublin City)
Belfield Park- UCD (also underage international)
UCD Bowl- UCD
RSC- Waterford
old Goldenball- Wayside Celtic
new Goldenball - (Bray Wanderers friendly)
Ferrycarrig- Wexford
Stade de la Frontiere, Luxembourg- Jeunesse Esch
Varteks Stadion, Croatia- Varteks
FH Hafnarfjordur, Iceland- FH
AFAZ Stadion, Netherlands- AZ Alkmaar
Also watched games in these grounds in in ROI:
Croke Pk (Ireland national team)
Dubarry Park (Athlone Town)
Iveagh Grounds (St James Gate)

And we can get up around the 80 mark with these
Aston Villa- Villa Pk
Arsenal- Highbury
Crystal Palace (and Wimbledon)- Selhurst
Charlton- Valley
Chelsea- Stamford Bridge
Liverpool- Anfield
Maidenhead- York Rd
ManU- Old trafford
Millwall- New Den
QPR- Loftus rd
Reading- Elm Pk
Reading- Madejski
Slough- Wexham Pk Stadium
Tottenham- White Hart Ln
West Ham- Upton Pk
NI: Ballyclare- Dixon Pk,
Crusaders- Seaview,
Cliftonville- Solitude,
Linfield- Windsor Park
SCOT: Hibernian- Easter Rd
WALES: Swansea- Liberty
BELGIUM: Club Brugge- Jan Breydal
HUNGARY: national team- Nepstadion
SLOVAKIA: Inter Bratislava- their ground
ITALY: Napoli- San Paolo, Roma- Olimpico, Sorrento- Stadio Italia
FRANCE: PSG- Parc de Princes
Olympic final 2000- Olympic Stadium- Sydney
2006 World Cup at Dortmund , Munich , Gelsenkirchen , Stuttgart x2, Berlin

Rather annoyingly missed out on games in Czech Republic at Viktoria Zizkov in the pre-smartphone days when we turned up 24 hours late and Slavia Prague when we mistimed kickoff, and in Spain when Espanyol moved kickoff to a Sunday night.
Also visited or at least had a good look at Barcelona, Espanyol, Munich Olympic stadium, Wembley, Laugardsvollur (Iceland national stadium), Throttur in Iceland, The Oval (Glentoran) , The Mardyke in Cork, Tamworth, Goodison, Adams Park (Wycombe), Stade Rennais, Poljud in Split, Zizkov, Ulloi Ut (Ferencvaros), Sydney Cricket Ground, Ta’Qali in Malta, Tynecastle (Hearts)

[Phil H]

Not the biggest haul by any means, but quite a nice spread IMO.

SCOTLAND (League):

Celtic Park (Celtic)
Hampden Park (Scotland/Queen's Park)
Ibrox Stadium (Rangers - but only for Scotland games and cup semi-finals involving Celtic, in my case)
Pittodrie Stadium (Aberdeen)
Tynecastle Park (Heart of Midlothian)
Tannadice Park (Dundee United)
Easter Road Stadium (Hibernian)
McDiarmid Park (St Johnstone)
Firhill Stadium (Partick Thistle)
Shyberry Excelsior/New Broomfield (Airdrie)
Brockville Park (Falkirk) - no longer in use, now superseded by the Falkirk Stadium/Westfield
Broadwood Stadium (Clyde)
Dumbarton Football Stadium (Dumbarton) - aka Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Bet Butler Stadium, Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium
Central Park (Cowdenbeath)
Station Park (Forfar Athletic)
Links Park (Montrose)
Firs Park (East Stirlingshire)
Meadowbank Stadium (Edinburgh City)


SCOTLAND - Other:

Allan Park (Cove Rangers)
Ainslie Park (Spartans)
Prestonfield (Linlithgow Rose)
Volunteer Park (Armadale Thistle)
Memorial Park (Thornton Hibs)

Murrayfield Stadium (used by Hearts for European games in 2004-05 and friendly v Barcelona in 2007)
Oriam Performance Centre (Scotland U-16s)


ENGLAND:

Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
Stadium of Light (Sunderland)
The Hawthorns (West Bromwich Albion)
KC Stadium (Hull City)
Madejski Stadium (Reading)


IRELAND:

Aviva Stadium (Republic of Ireland)
Dalymount Park (Bohemians)


SPAIN:

Santiago Bernabeu (Real Madrid)


OTHERS - Tours, club shops etc:

Old Trafford (Manchester United)
Amsterdam ArenA (Ajax)
Nou Camp (Barcelona)
Vicente Calderon (Atletico Madrid)