Favourite quirks of Scottish stadiums.

[GordonD]

4 hours ago, WILLIEA said:

When I was a wee boy my father got posted to Shotts.

He was returned the next day because they hadn't put enough stamps on.  

[invergowrie arab]

You would need a fair field of vision to see the Ochils and Ben Lomond. Maybe the Campsies.

You can obviously see the Ochils from Forthbank and despite never having been there can't think there would be much in your way to obstruct a view of Ben Vorlich and Stuc a Chroin

[GordonD]

1 hour ago, CityDave said:

 

Am I right in remembering that when Motherwell were building that stand, they tried to raise the money by selling away supporters discounted tickets for their games at Fir Park for the next three seasons? And the response was underwhelming because no indication was given on what would happen if either the visiting club or Motherwell themselves were relegated within that time?

[Davie Bhoy]

Whatever happened to the talk of Motherwell moving to a new stadium? Always felt a club like Motherwell could be doing with something similar to what St Mirren have.

Not a big fan of Fir Park. I know CityDave likes the stand but I found it to be poor with the catering facilities in the middle serving both the lower & upper tiers not able to cope with a large travelling support. I found it to be the same as Easter Rd that despite going down about 5-7 mins before kick-off, you still don't get back to your seat until about 5 mins into the 2nd half.

Also been at games at Fir Park where the roof hasn't done a good job of stopping the rain from dripping down. If you're unfortunate enough to be in that seat where the drips come down you have a poor 90 mins ahead of you.

[PauloPerth]

1 hour ago, CityDave said:

I find Fir Park unusual visually with those big oversized advertising boards on the stands. Its one of the best grounds for an away fan in my opinion, with excellent facilities and a good view of the pitch. I wouldn't mind getting into that East Stand for the atmosphere there, it always sounds good from the away stand. On wikipedia it is claimed that from the top deck of the South Stand you can see the Ochils and Ben Lomond.

Unusual pylons for the floodlights as well next to the South Stand.

 

Funny you say that, I don't like Fir Park as an away fan.  I imagine the view from the upper level is outstanding, but it's never open for us.  The away end is set back too far from the pitch, and it never feels like a very good atmosphere.

I understand the advantage of building a huge stand at one end, as it keeps all the old firm fans at that one end and stops them having half the ground, as they do when they visit the rest of us, but it does make the ground look out of proportion.

As an away fan, Tynecastle is obviously good for the view and atmosphere, and I like Ross County cos you're close to the pitch and the ground is a sensible size to get a wee bit of atmosphere at.  Accies is a great view, being high up and close to the pitch, though obviously only being 2 sided detracts from it a bit.

Outwith the premier, other grounds which I enjoy for view and atmosphere as an away fan are: Tannadice, East End, Starks Park, Palmerston, Gayfield, Station Park.

[Salvo Montalbano]

Echo the above. Fir Park is a bit of a poor away day IMO - a few times it's been unclear which stand we've to go to and if you turn up at the Main Stand it's a hell of a trek round to the away stand as you have to walk the long way round. When you get there its another of those stands where you enter at ground level then have to climb a huge flight of stairs to then walk back down to your seat (another fair trek if you sit at the front). I'm not sure if my views are clouded by getting beat all too often there though. 

[CityDave]

I haven't been for a while to Fir Park so the experience might have changed a lot since. They used to sell a quorn curried pie in the pie shop there and I tried one and felt sick afterwards. Certainly not even a patch on the chicken curried pies at Easter Road or up in Dingwall.

My first experience there was with ICT in a cup match I think where we won 1-0 with a chip over the keeper from Barry Wilson. I remember also before the game the players warming up with the Caley Thistle lads taking shots at goal. One Barry Wilson hard hit shot went over the bar just missed a couple of folk and smashed a seat into fragments. Seen the look on Barry's face when one of our supporters held up the largest piece for him to show him what he had done.

Never had the experience of sitting in the Main Stand, but then shouldn't you already know where you are going to be seated before you go if you check your club's website, the Motherwell website or the club forums. Do a bit of homework before you go down.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2016 by CityDave

[shull]

2 hours ago, Davie Bhoy said:

Whatever happened to the talk of Motherwell moving to a new stadium? Always felt a club like Motherwell could be doing with something similar to what St Mirren have.

Not a big fan of Fir Park. I know CityDave likes the stand but I found it to be poor with the catering facilities in the middle serving both the lower & upper tiers not able to cope with a large travelling support. I found it to be the same as Easter Rd that despite going down about 5-7 mins before kick-off, you still don't get back to your seat until about 5 mins into the 2nd half.

Also been at games at Fir Park where the roof hasn't done a good job of stopping the rain from dripping down. If you're unfortunate enough to be in that seat where the drips come down you have a poor 90 mins ahead of you.

Why did your fellow fans wreck some of the Stand at Fir Park? 

Vermin 

[Salvo Montalbano]

2 hours ago, CityDave said:

Never had the experience of sitting in the Main Stand, but then shouldn't you already know where you are going to be seated before you go if you check your club's website, the Motherwell website or the club forums. Do a bit of homework before you go down.

 

 

This is a few years back before clubs took things like that seriously but IIRC we were told initially that we'd be in the away stand then it was in the paper that Motherwell had changed that since travelling numbers were low so we'd be in the Main but when we arrived none of the stewards knew anything and it was only when we couldn't find an away fans gate that we knew that the original information was actually correct. It's not uncommon btw - I've been sent to two different gates at different ends of the ground at Morton, Cowdenbeath, Peterhead, Forfar and a few others over the past 5 or so years. Maybe it's more common in the lower leagues with a relatively large away support or I've just been unlucky, I don't know.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

The most poignant quirk about Fir Park is the way that the Phil O'Donnell Stand is tragically cut short

[Davie Bhoy]

Why did your fellow fans wreck some of the Stand at Fir Park? 

Vermin 

Best ask the ones who wrecked them.

[cannonfoda]

re: Brockville - My mate stayed in the house that had the window opening onto the terracing.... I got a round of applause from the falkirk first team when they were training and I threw up out the window

 

 

[jagfox]

Gala Fairydean

 

[jagfox]

Happy birthday Firhill 

Side Shed

 

[itzdrk]

Decent quir found at Easter Road yesterday.

You can get out and smoke at half time, the only other all seater im aware of doing this is Kilmarnock.

[grumswall]

You get out at half time at starks aswell.

[GordonD]

21 minutes ago, grumswall said:

You get out at half time at starks aswell.

Yes, but at Easter Road the fans go back in for the second half.

[CityDave]

Watched two different games at two different grounds once in one wet winters afternoon. New Elgin v Inverness City kicked off at 1.30 so when that game finished I walked over to and managed to sneak in through an open gate at Borough Briggs to watch Elgin City v East Stirlingshire getting in just before half time. Wearing my black and white bar scarf I wear for IC I blended in nicely.

That was terrible of me not paying though. It was a good day.

Used to get in at half time for free at Telford Street Park (Caledonian FC) back in the 80's and early 90's when unable to make the start of the game. This also might have happened for the first season ICT were in the Scottish Leagues and playing there. Did other clubs that far up allow people in for free at half time or was this more particular of non league football? Maybe they still do.

[Steve_Wilkos]

2 hours ago, grumswall said:

You get out at half time at starks aswell.

And Pittodrie

[lionel hutz]

talking about Mountains and Football grounds surely Sauchie Juniors is a shout.

It's on the homepage for NLS FFS.