Tuesday 12 January 2010

Why we love old grounds!



Most new grounds (and there are plenty in the Championship) are very similar but some you like more then others. It may be that your team always gets a good result there or that it always has a good match atmosphere. I quite like the Walkers Stadium at Leicester and one of the reasons is it's close proximity to the old Filbert Street ground. Most of the old ground is now covered my student accommodation that may be modern and fresh looking but could place you at any modern university in the UK.
But when you walk round the back of the student accommodation you find yourself in the tight Victorian terrace streets that bring back memories of night games in front of capacity crowds at Filbert Street.
the best part of the old ground was the entrance to the away stand, just a small entrance between two terrace houses in Burnmoor Street 9picture above), through the turnstile and you found yourself in a stand not much wider than the houses you squeezed past.
An experience you will probably never have again in the top two divisions. A similar experience can still be found at non league Luton Town, where away fans still enter their end between two small terrace houses, and where the male toilet is part of someones back garden.
Views, seats, catering and safety may be better at these new grounds but it is hard for any to have that unique feel that grounds like Filbert street had.

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