Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: Pintolager on September 29, 2013, 09:34:37 pm
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After completing the away fans survey, it got me thinking of best away days. Not just for the stadia, but the whole experience - ease to get to/from, reception of hosts etc and I include grounds from everywhere you have visited, not just in the Championship.
My favorite is possibly Derby - easy to get to, good for pubs and in my experience, the locals are fine. Apart from Derby, I would add Torquay and Plymouth, though not really grounds you can do in 1 day
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With the possible exception of pubs, Cardiff City.
Wigan was also a very good day out and was one of the most welcoming.
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Yeovil has been my favourite away trip for over a decade now. Also enjoyed West Ham away.
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West Ham season before last was the best in many a season.
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West Ham was just totally different, programmes being sold by corner shops allsorts, a bit intimidating but a brilliant day out.
I'd been before with Hammers supporting mates but never looked at it from an away fans point of view and never thought we'd be playing them in the league
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Yeovil has been my favourite away trip for over a decade now. Also enjoyed West Ham away.
REALLY??? The ground is a shithole, miles from the town centre, which is itself miles from civilisation. The train station is miles from the ground, we always lose there and the terrace is uncovered.
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I've seen us win there though CB :):):) nah nah nah nah nah!
Cheers :)
BobG
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York city,propper ground and great drink and city,only 19 mins on the train so piss Easy to jib.
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I'm with Oslo on this, York, always loved the trip there.
Crawley is probably the most welcoming ground I have been to.
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For sum reason I always like going millwall
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Scunthorpe is my favourite. I just love how we are all jam packed in and if you reach out you can touch the crossbar.
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Difficult one this, as far as experiences go beyond the result alone.
I recall a FA Cup tie away at Chester's old ground in the early 80s - my dad sat in the stand and let me go on the terrace alone (I would have been 12/13 maybe?). It was a crap game, we lost 3-1 ish, and even then I think we were held back in the terrace a while after the game. My main memory of that game, is after the final whistle, the locked in DRFC supporters chanting the "beer, beer, we want more beer" chant. This was being belted out amongst others by a blind supporter, which I remember vividly. I was delighted to recognise the same blind supporter at the KM this season, some 30 years on.
But, back to the point, does Wembley 25 May 2008 count as "away"?
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Yeovil has been my favourite away trip for over a decade now. Also enjoyed West Ham away.
REALLY??? The ground is a shithole, miles from the town centre, which is itself miles from civilisation. The train station is miles from the ground, we always lose there and the terrace is uncovered.
The terrace being uncovered is one of the many things that I love about Yeovil. It is a proper football ground and even when we have got beat I have always enjoyed my trips down there. When we are in the same division it is the first game I look for. I guess it is each to their own - I am generally not bothered about how accessible a ground is from the station or how many pubs there are in the vicinity. I like proper traditional away days and for me, Yeovil ticks most of the boxes.
Difficult one this, as far as experiences go beyond the result alone.
I recall a FA Cup tie away at Chester's old ground in the early 80s - my dad sat in the stand and let me go on the terrace alone (I would have been 12/13 maybe?). It was a crap game, we lost 3-1 ish, and even then I think we were held back in the terrace a while after the game. My main memory of that game, is after the final whistle, the locked in DRFC supporters chanting the "beer, beer, we want more beer" chant. This was being belted out amongst others by a blind supporter, which I remember vividly. I was delighted to recognise the same blind supporter at the KM this season, some 30 years on.
But, back to the point, does Wembley 25 May 2008 count as "away"?
I hated Wembley, I don't find games like that enjoyable. Was the same for the Conference final and the JPT - the occasion is too big and it gets to me. I spent both play off finals stressed to the max and couldn't even wind down for the celebrations. They simply aren't enjoyable, way way way too much resting on them to enjoy the game and occassion.
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Brentford anyone? Few pints at kings x beforehand, pub on every corner of the ground, crammed in like sardines in that terraced end makes for a great atmosphere (same with Peterborough), and obviously the ground where and many others witnessed the greatest ever moment as a Rovers fan.
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For me, it's all about the visceral nature of the experience. For that reason, sanitised mono-bowls in faceless, Anericanesque retail parks on bright, breezy afternoons (and yes, sadly, that means the KMS) is the very antithesis of the true football experience.
It needs to be a night match. Urban/industrial location. In the daytime, a football ground is nothing special. People go there, rather than to the shopping centre because they rationally choose to. But at night, the football ground is the ONLY place. Glowing and glowering above the adumbral world below. Drawing people to it. To where the experience is.
The stadium has to be chaotic. Jarring, clashing architectural styles, each reflecting its own historical context. None of the soulless uniformity that is de-rigeur today. (Modern football architects deserve their own special circle of hell for the featureless obscenities they have foisted upon us.)
Ideally, the away end should be cramped, uncomfortable, intimidating. You are not there to be entertained. You are there to see your team fight against the odds whilst nominally stronger opponents, with thousands of home fans roaring them on, try to destroy you. You need to share the claustrophobic, nowhere-to-run-so-we-make-our-stand-here experience that the players are going through.
The crespuscular, febrile feel of a night match in a traditional, city centre stadium, against bigger opponents is what makes football for me. I've surprised myself by realising that my consistently favourite experience in recent years has been going to Bramall Lane.
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What a beautiful post BST.
It has made me think of Vetchfield in 2004. What a night match that was.
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Cheers Jenny. I've just put the Thesaurus away...
Actually, for the couple of hundred old folk who were there, that legendary LDV match at Wigan is the finest ever and always will be.
It had everything. It was a night match in the grimmest of post-industrial settings. A rotting corpse of an old ground. A far stronger opposition. A heroic performance from a side that was on its way to becoming, fleetingly, something very special.
And the sight of dozens of Dinny fans sliding on their arses down that mud bank. Legend.
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Your very descriptive post 'fits' my choice perfectly BST, Burnley.
With the added bonus that it's just 4 miles down the road for me.
JR has been quoted as saying that he 'longs' for us to emulate the achievements of Wigan & Hull Tigers....I mean City, & go on to reach 'the promised land' of the Premiership. Two clubs he obviously feels we can be 'likened' to with regards to our recent histories, progressing from the lower divisions to eventually reach 'the summit'. Again Burnley, I would argue, could be more likened to ourselves than both Wigan & Hull. A club surrounded like us, by 'bigger' neighbours, eating away at their following. There were less than 11,000 at their home game against Charlton on saturday & yet today they sit impressively in 2nd spot behind QPR.
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Jenny, I expected nowt vs Leeds at Wembley, just soaked in the occasion. I thought the stadium itself is superb and several quantum leaps ahead of the previous stadium.
The performance, and the win, was a bonus. Then the after match partying was pretty good too :)
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Leyton Orient away first game back in div 3 :scarf:
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i went on Kev Rogans Thorne Bus for the LDV Wigan game, The New Years day came in similar weather at Chesterfield was another cracker, Les Robinson tucking penalty away and Stevie Adams causing Praise and Grumble to melt down when he said he was glad he was tripped as he was about to fall down knackered anyway
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For localish grounds,I,ve always enjoyed and had some great times at Scunthorpe and York with Hull + Huddersfield being good too.Further afield,Strangely for some reason Rochdale has always been a favourite for me and talking of the non-bowlesque modern stadia,I have loved the charm of Hereford,Exeter and Wrexham over the years.
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Over the last few years my top 3 would be Newcastle, West Ham & Brentford for various reasons from the stadium and atmosphere regardless of the result to the result being everything at brentford.
Back in the day i loved trips to Millmoor, Bootham Crescent, Boothferry Park & Field Mill
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Gainsborough Trinity - pie and peas!
Some great shouts on here though. Scunthorpe for the results, York for the proximity, West Ham for the day out (and the beers under the stand). Newcastle for the sheer awe inspiring scale of the stadium. Loved the old Field Mill back in the day, the atmosphere and the huge blue metallic stand to the left of the away end. We've been lucky to experience so much at both ends of the spectrum.
The main thing I miss is covered terracing behind the goal. Loved the Shay and London Road for that.
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I went to The Shay a few weeks ago and they now put away fans in the new main stand which was very disappointing - I had gone on the basis that I expected to be on a terrace behind the goal.
If you are talking about food, it has to be Kidderminster all the way, nothing will beat their scran.
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OH and I enjoy Yeovil too Jenny.
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For me, it's all about the visceral nature of the experience. For that reason, sanitised mono-bowls in faceless, Anericanesque retail parks on bright, breezy afternoons (and yes, sadly, that means the KMS) is the very antithesis of the true football experience.
It needs to be a night match. Urban/industrial location. In the daytime, a football ground is nothing special. People go there, rather than to the shopping centre because they rationally choose to. But at night, the football ground is the ONLY place. Glowing and glowering above the adumbral world below. Drawing people to it. To where the experience is.
The stadium has to be chaotic. Jarring, clashing architectural styles, each reflecting its own historical context. None of the soulless uniformity that is de-rigeur today. (Modern football architects deserve their own special circle of hell for the featureless obscenities they have foisted upon us.)
Ideally, the away end should be cramped, uncomfortable, intimidating. You are not there to be entertained. You are there to see your team fight against the odds whilst nominally stronger opponents, with thousands of home fans roaring them on, try to destroy you. You need to share the claustrophobic, nowhere-to-run-so-we-make-our-stand-here experience that the players are going through.
The crespuscular, febrile feel of a night match in a traditional, city centre stadium, against bigger opponents is what makes football for me. I've surprised myself by realising that my consistently favourite experience in recent years has been going to Bramall Lane.
You are Giles Brandreth and I claim my £5
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Was on the same bus for the Wigan and Chesterfield games, they were truly great days.
The thought of coming home soaked and covered in mud now is so alien that I can hardly believe it happened but indeed it did and it was much more enjoyable than the happy clappy manufactured plastic atmospheres of today's game. The whole 'matchday experience' stuff makes me want to gip!
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I don't know how I forgot Newcastle in my opening post...a great experience all round, was just knackered climbing upto the 7th tier or whatever it was and I've always found Geordies as very hospitable folk too. As for food, I loved the pasties they did down at Plymouth, hence part of the reason for me mentioning them
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Scunny, Stevenage and Pompey. They're exactly how football should be.
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Rob
I was modelling myself more on Stuart Hall.
Errr. No. On second thoughts, I'll retract that.
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I used to enjoy those away trips that took absolutely hours to get to. Either by car, coach or train!! I recall going down to Torquay one year in the early 80's. I'm sure that the game was an evening kick off on a Saturday? We left Donny in the wee small hours crammed into an MOT failure car. Various stop off at service stations, meeting up with like minded fans from all over the country. Made good progress to Torquay, a few drinks, great fish and chip and then settle down on the terraces to see us lose!! Long journey home, stopping at a few 'half way houses' pleading with the driver to stop off for a toilet break and eventually getting home as dawn was coming up on the following day! Smashing days!!
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That away play-off semi final at Chester takes some beating. God, I was absolutely spent after that rollercoaster! No idea how the players must have felt.
The following season’s trip to Boston was memorable, also. (Your father is your brother……..etc. Classic)
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Grimsby is pretty cool, a stroll along the seafront followed up with 3pts lol
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Best away days:
Chester
Mansfield
Brentford
West Ham
Derby
Leeds
Ignoring Wembley and Cardiff and Stoke
They were fab years
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Scunny for the 3 points. Scarborough used to be a good day out. Always like Peterborough as well, loved the away end there.
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Still nothing has beat West Ham for me. What a f**king day!!
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Charlton in the play offs. I’ll take the memories of celebrating Andy Butlers goal to the grave.
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That away play-off semi final at Chester takes some beating. God, I was absolutely spent after that rollercoaster! No idea how the players must have felt.
The following season’s trip to Boston was memorable, also. (Your father is your brother……..etc. Classic)
That game at Chester was the most nerve racking I have ever been to.
I really thought I was going to have a heart attack during that penalty shoot out.
My blood pressure must have gone sky high.
Never want to get so worked up at a football match again. That was awful. Did not enjoy that game one bit.
The only enjoyment was when we had got through it and were safely in the final.
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That away play-off semi final at Chester takes some beating. God, I was absolutely spent after that rollercoaster! No idea how the players must have felt.
The following season’s trip to Boston was memorable, also. (Your father is your brother……..etc. Classic)
That game at Chester was the most nerve racking I have ever been to.
I really thought I was going to have a heart attack during that penalty shoot out.
My blood pressure must have gone sky high.
Never want to get so worked up at a football match again. That was awful. Did not enjoy that game one bit.
The only enjoyment was when we had got through it and were safely in the final.
Amazing match, it had everything. Remember seeing loads of their boozers absolutely rammed with donny fans.
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York, Lincoln, Scunny were always good away days but nothing beats Brentford!
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York, Lincoln, Scunny were always good away days but nothing beats Brentford!
Lincoln is a great shout! Had some memorable days out there with the Rovers but it could be a bit dodgy at times!
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Still nothing has beat West Ham for me. What a f**king day!!
Now that was a cracking day out. I took a couple of mates into a pub on Barking Road that was full of Rovers fans. They were amazed at our support. We made loads of noise in the ground too. I was proud to be a Rovers fan that day.
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Barnsley for me. Wife’s family are from Bolton on Dearne and they’re all Barnsley fans. Used to meet up for fish and chips at B.O.D and then onto the game. Remember queueing on Barnsley road for ages for a night match when we took around 5k. Great people and happy memories
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Swansea at the vetch and first game at the liberty were both fun.
I enjoyed Yeovil, went on my own on a Tuesday night and ravenhill got the winner.
Mansfield has always been entertaining, my dad celebrating in the home end after we were going nuts when blundell scored the second.(he worked in Mansfield). Second time I went I got thrown out by the stewards and the police after flagging the goalkeeper off to his face when he came behind the goal after taking out heffs. Then had 6000 Mansfield fans singing bye bye bye bye to me, but still saw Stocks last minute equaliser when our fans poured onto the pitch.
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Torquay (like playing in Europe), Brentford (4 boozers)and Swansea (Vetch), yes that night match Jenny
But the winner …The old Spotland in the 70’s was a real mucky up ground. Couldn’t get in as they didn’t have change for a five pound note, had to wait for supporters to go in before finally gathering enough change, about £3.80
Thought this is very Mickey Mouse… until we got battered 3-1, think Ted Hemsley scored, to put us one up, then we fell apart, though,before the ground did to be fair. Division 4 at it’s worst… lovely stuff
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have had a couple of great trips to Peterborough on the old terrace - the 1-0 midweek win in 97/98 was fantastic, and back there a few seasons later with the place packed to the rafters - both brilliant in their own way; always enjoyed scarborough too - usually in spite of the scoreline - and darlo and hartlepool too
if I had to pick one, though - bloody hell - maybe that win at oakwell in the fog in 2004 - beyond mental in the away end - nothing better than absolutely slaughtering local rivals on their own midden... :cool:
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Charlton in the play offs. I’ll take the memories of celebrating Andy Butlers goal to the grave.
There have been so many great away days but despite losing on pens the Charlton game is right up there as one of the best.
That Butler goal and the aftermath was amazing and when Marquis headed in that third goal I had an out of body experience.
The only time I have ever felt like that at a football match.
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That away play-off semi final at Chester takes some beating. God, I was absolutely spent after that rollercoaster! No idea how the players must have felt.
The following season’s trip to Boston was memorable, also. (Your father is your brother……..etc. Classic)
That game at Chester was the most nerve racking I have ever been to.
I really thought I was going to have a heart attack during that penalty shoot out.
My blood pressure must have gone sky high.
Never want to get so worked up at a football match again. That was awful. Did not enjoy that game one bit.
The only enjoyment was when we had got through it and were safely in the final.
Same here, crammed in behind the goal. It was boiling. I was having a panic attack during the penalties. Had to borrow my mates ventolin to get me through it.
Torture!
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I was on an early shift in Leeds for the Chester match. Dashed home after work to watch it with my late sone. He was desolate after we went one down. I said that there was a long way to go despite fearing the worst. The game was torture but a sublime ending. I always felt that we would beat Dagenham even at 2-2.
My son couldn’t watch the last bit and was down in the bar when we scored the winner. What a day.
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My memory of Chester, the great escape and a Chester lad getting lobbed in the canal. Great day out :scarf:
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Charlton in the play offs. I’ll take the memories of celebrating Andy Butlers goal to the grave.
There have been so many great away days but despite losing on pens the Charlton game is right up there as one of the best.
That Butler goal and the aftermath was amazing and when Marquis headed in that third goal I had an out of body experience.
The only time I have ever felt like that at a football match.
Still gets me that police advised the penalties to be taken at the other end to us. Not sure if it’s ever been decided that way in any other match before or always been the coin toss.
The Butler chant though was class!
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I was on an early shift in Leeds for the Chester match. Dashed home after work to watch it with my late sone. He was desolate after we went one down. I said that there was a long way to go despite fearing the worst. The game was torture but a sublime ending. I always felt that we would beat Dagenham even at 2-2.
My son couldn’t watch the last bit and was down in the bar when we scored the winner. What a day.
I don't actually remember much about the game apart from some worldy saves by Andy Warrington. My time was spent singing to the point of my vocal chords bursting out of my eye sockets.
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Charlton in the play offs. I’ll take the memories of celebrating Andy Butlers goal to the grave.
There have been so many great away days but despite losing on pens the Charlton game is right up there as one of the best.
That Butler goal and the aftermath was amazing and when Marquis headed in that third goal I had an out of body experience.
The only time I have ever felt like that at a football match.
Absolutely. What a game it was. Some.great shouts in this thread but that was the best for me. Atmosphere from our fans was outstanding that night.
Some outstanding wins and performances in the championship years too. The boxing day win at forest was a huge turning point for us that year and a great win.
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I was on a cruise to Norway when we played Charlton. Intermittent WiFi meant a nightmare and I got back my cabin as the penalty shoot out took place. I couldn’t make head nor tail of it until the final score came through. What a sickener. My late son texted me to say how proud he was of the team that night.
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My memory of Chester, the great escape and a Chester lad getting lobbed in the canal. Great day out :scarf:
That day was absolute torture. I remember Andy Warrington pulling off a point blank save from Daryl Clare just after half time that literally would have killed me off if it’d gone in.
Walking miles back to the car wasn’t fun either. On more than one occasion we had to ‘persuade’ the Chester fans to let us pass down the street.
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Another that comes to mind is when we played Rochdale away & Dave ‘Bruno’ Jones scored a hat trick on what was (I think) his debut. The terrace behind the goal was absolutely rocking. Think we won 0-3.
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I was on a cruise to Norway when we played Charlton. Intermittent WiFi meant a nightmare and I got back my cabin as the penalty shoot out took place. I couldn’t make head nor tail of it until the final score came through. What a sickener. My late son texted me to say how proud he was of the team that night.
Some pleasant memories to coincide with your young’en Idler which is nice.
Seeing all the away end with our arms swaying in the air will live long in the memory.
Also vividly remember seeing Tommy hit it and soon as he struck it I thought ‘goal’.
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Another that comes to mind is when we played Rochdale away & Dave ‘Bruno’ Jones scored a hat trick on what was (I think) his debut. The terrace behind the goal was absolutely rocking. Think we won 0-3.
That was a great day Herbert, the same game that Paul Chrichton saved the same penalty 3 times!
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Halifax Town away on Boxing Day 1992 was a good one. We were trailing 2-0 right up to nearly 90mins then Centre Half Steve Richards scored a brace in injury time to secure a 2-2 draw, scenes in the away end!
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Halifax Town away on Boxing Day 1992 was a good one. We were trailing 2-0 right up to nearly 90mins then Centre Half Steve Richards scored a brace in injury time to secure a 2-2 draw, scenes in the away end!
Going nuts on a frozen tarmac slope.
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Another that comes to mind is when we played Rochdale away & Dave ‘Bruno’ Jones scored a hat trick on what was (I think) his debut. The terrace behind the goal was absolutely rocking. Think we won 0-3.
That was a great day Herbert, the same game that Paul Chrichton saved the same penalty 3 times!
It wasnt the same game, BR , Brunos hat trick on debut was 1989 , Chrichton was year after, a remarkable couple of games to win , to win 3 nil and have memorable events in each
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York Street Boston.
My second team .
Only played a few times there of course but they were always belter games. Crammed in at the York st end and then the final
Time played there when we packed out the Townend Terrace. Sadly no longer used but remains there un touched and unchanged from the day they closed the gates for the final
Time
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Blackpool and Grimsby for me.
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Charlton in the play offs. I’ll take the memories of celebrating Andy Butlers goal to the grave.
There have been so many great away days but despite losing on pens the Charlton game is right up there as one of the best.
That Butler goal and the aftermath was amazing and when Marquis headed in that third goal I had an out of body experience.
The only time I have ever felt like that at a football match.
Still gets me that police advised the penalties to be taken at the other end to us. Not sure if it’s ever been decided that way in any other match before or always been the coin toss.
The Butler chant though was class!
We were clearly cheated.
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Early 70's Torquay away Aug Bank hols. Travelling on Arthurs Traction bus through the night. Traffic jam one of the lads sat in the open doorway handing in bottles of milk from the milk float stuck on the inside of the bus then fruit from the fruit and veg van also on the inside lane.
Meet where I drop you .
The big lads throwing deck chairs into the sea, red hot weather poor game 1-1 if I remember. Anyway the evening in Torquay and back to the pick up point. No bus. What do we do walking along the prom what comes in the opposite direction a Trackie bus. We changed the pickup didn't any body tell you ?
Back to Donny minus 1 passenger, the vicar had been retained in Torquay by the constabulary a large bunch of bananas had been lifted. My future brother in law broke the news to Dave's mum when she asked him "where's our Dave?"
A great day out
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Halifax Town away on Boxing Day 1992 was a good one. We were trailing 2-0 right up to nearly 90mins then Centre Half Steve Richards scored a brace in injury time to secure a 2-2 draw, scenes in the away end!
Going nuts on a frozen tarmac slope.
Yeah and jumping over the wall and celebrating with the players!!
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Another that comes to mind is when we played Rochdale away & Dave ‘Bruno’ Jones scored a hat trick on what was (I think) his debut. The terrace behind the goal was absolutely rocking. Think we won 0-3.
That was a great day Herbert, the same game that Paul Chrichton saved the same penalty 3 times!
It wasnt the same game, BR , Brunos hat trick on debut was 1989 , Chrichton was year after, a remarkable couple of games to win , to win 3 nil and have memorable events in each
Correct, isnt getting older a bitch!
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The atmosphere when Rob Jones scored the 94th minute winner at Stevenage took some beating, or the 3-1 win at Rushden and Diamonds..
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The atmosphere when Rob Jones scored the 94th minute winner at Stevenage took some beating, or the 3-1 win at Rushden and Diamonds..
We seemed to come from behind and scored late winners so many times during that league one title season. Only fitting the season ended the way it did. That team never knew when it was beaten.
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For me every away game in our conference promotion season
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Still nothing has beat West Ham for me. What a f**king day!!
Superb day that. Diouffff