| Stadium 22:18 - Sep 30 with 12648 views | BecclesITFC |
After the emotion of Sundays game, I did have a good look at our stadium. I am a bit of a stadium geek. I’m also very old school, in as far as, I don’t usually like new stadiums, as clean and bright as they might look on TV and in vlogs etc.
I’ve got to say, our stadium does look really sharp. All the corners now look really neat, the wendy house now looks much less like a wendy house (never liked it).
Liverpool, Fulham & now Villa vloggers mostly commented on how cool it looks.
I’m quite well traveled around English stadiums, completing nearly 75% of the 92. I’ve got to say, our ground is definitely up there now with the best (old school) grounds in England of its size.
Considering how bad it was 5 years ago, it’s remarkable what has happened to it.
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| Stadium on 22:37 - Sep 30 with 7919 views | Churchman |
Given how tired, unloved and shabby it looked just a few years ago, the transformation has been remarkable and the work put into it phenomenal. It looks and feels clean, smart and has a unique, historical (in a good way) feel to it.
It’s still an old stadium with all the issues that brings and the capacity now appears inadequate. Facilities like toilets still need improving and there’s lots to improve on. I’d love to see the Cobbold rebuilt or replaced one day, but we are years from that. In the meantime, if the money is available there’s plenty they can do.
The Wendy house? I never liked that either. My dad and I laughed at it when we first clapped eyes on it all those years ago (90s??). The replacement looks like a 70s tv has been slapped on it, but looking at it Sunday it fits rather well.
Overall, thank you to the owners, CEO and all who have done so much to do so much with the ground in such a short space of time. |  | | |
| Stadium on 22:41 - Sep 30 with 7886 views | davblue |
They have done a great job on tarting it up but it’s is all superficial really. The 2 side stands are tired and need replacing really, facilities aren’t up to scratch and the restricted views are plentiful in those top tiers of the side stands. |  | | |
| Stadium on 23:07 - Sep 30 with 7671 views | LittleBoyBlue1 |
| Stadium on 22:41 - Sep 30 by davblue |
They have done a great job on tarting it up but it’s is all superficial really. The 2 side stands are tired and need replacing really, facilities aren’t up to scratch and the restricted views are plentiful in those top tiers of the side stands. |
Hard to disagree. It's got a nice facade but there are fundamental issues. |  | | |
| Stadium on 23:30 - Sep 30 with 7526 views | Churchman |
| Stadium on 23:07 - Sep 30 by LittleBoyBlue1 |
Hard to disagree. It's got a nice facade but there are fundamental issues. |
Of course it has fundamental issues. We all know that. But sometimes you have to remember our starting point of 3.5 years ago. A club heading down to possibly L2 and lower with facilities that hadn’t been touched for 20 years. In the case of the west stand 40 years and the Portman/Cobbold 50.
From there to here is remarkable as is what’s been done to at least make the ground playable in the PL.with proper planning, funding and should we stay in the PL, the ground will be substantially improved over the next few years.
Until then, it’s about making the best of what we have and few can deny the owners are trying to do that. | | | |
| Stadium on 06:47 - Oct 1 with 7094 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
My brother commented how good the stadium looks on TV.
IMO the club have done an amazing job tarting up the areas that the camera can see.
But there are now more RV seats than ever and the kiosks/toilets are very tired.
Rome wasn't built in a day and all that, but the club desperately need to do something about the West Stand roof, so that fans in the back 6 rows (including premium Y block seats) get unrestricted views. | | | |
| Stadium on 06:47 - Oct 1 with 7079 views | LittleBoyBlue1 |
| Stadium on 23:30 - Sep 30 by Churchman |
Of course it has fundamental issues. We all know that. But sometimes you have to remember our starting point of 3.5 years ago. A club heading down to possibly L2 and lower with facilities that hadn’t been touched for 20 years. In the case of the west stand 40 years and the Portman/Cobbold 50.
From there to here is remarkable as is what’s been done to at least make the ground playable in the PL.with proper planning, funding and should we stay in the PL, the ground will be substantially improved over the next few years.
Until then, it’s about making the best of what we have and few can deny the owners are trying to do that. |
I don't disagree with that either... | | | |
| Stadium on 07:20 - Oct 1 with 6929 views | Churchman |
| Stadium on 06:47 - Oct 1 by LA_Tractor_Boy |
My brother commented how good the stadium looks on TV.
IMO the club have done an amazing job tarting up the areas that the camera can see.
But there are now more RV seats than ever and the kiosks/toilets are very tired.
Rome wasn't built in a day and all that, but the club desperately need to do something about the West Stand roof, so that fans in the back 6 rows (including premium Y block seats) get unrestricted views. |
I’ve only ever sat that far back in the West Stand a couple of times many years ago now, but do remember how intrusive the roof is.
I’d be interested to know from any engineers here how easy it’d be to replace it with something better and in keeping with NS/Churchmans? Is it do-able? Certainly looking at it from underneath it looks its age. | | | |
| Stadium on 08:22 - Oct 1 with 6707 views | LA_Tractor_Boy |
| Stadium on 07:20 - Oct 1 by Churchman |
I’ve only ever sat that far back in the West Stand a couple of times many years ago now, but do remember how intrusive the roof is.
I’d be interested to know from any engineers here how easy it’d be to replace it with something better and in keeping with NS/Churchmans? Is it do-able? Certainly looking at it from underneath it looks its age. |
Phil commented recently that he's heard whispers of a new roof for the West Stand potentially being in the offing at some point, although nothing definite. Would reduce the number of restricted view seats and potentially allow the addition of some extra rows at the back. | | | |
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| Stadium on 08:31 - Oct 1 with 6669 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
| Stadium on 22:37 - Sep 30 by Churchman |
Given how tired, unloved and shabby it looked just a few years ago, the transformation has been remarkable and the work put into it phenomenal. It looks and feels clean, smart and has a unique, historical (in a good way) feel to it.
It’s still an old stadium with all the issues that brings and the capacity now appears inadequate. Facilities like toilets still need improving and there’s lots to improve on. I’d love to see the Cobbold rebuilt or replaced one day, but we are years from that. In the meantime, if the money is available there’s plenty they can do.
The Wendy house? I never liked that either. My dad and I laughed at it when we first clapped eyes on it all those years ago (90s??). The replacement looks like a 70s tv has been slapped on it, but looking at it Sunday it fits rather well.
Overall, thank you to the owners, CEO and all who have done so much to do so much with the ground in such a short space of time. |
Sorry, what do you two mean by "The Wendy House"?! I've been going to PR for more than 30 years and have no idea what you're talking about! |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Stadium on 08:52 - Oct 1 with 6560 views | Churchman |
| Stadium on 08:31 - Oct 1 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Sorry, what do you two mean by "The Wendy House"?! I've been going to PR for more than 30 years and have no idea what you're talking about! |
The entrance where the players came out with it’s funny little pitched roof against the stands either side always reminded us of a wendy house.
https://www.soccerbible.com/design/photography/2017/02/residence-portman-road-ip
Fourth picture down. Theres quite a funny reference to it in the article plus some interesting pics of FPR [Post edited 1 Oct 2024 8:56]
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| Stadium on 08:59 - Oct 1 with 6510 views | textbackup |
I love it, as I love Villa park. 4 stands. Proper.
Few Villa fans I know were there and they said within the away end you could hear their fans saying ‘this is great this place’ |  |
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| Stadium on 09:02 - Oct 1 with 6471 views | Pinewoodblue |
One of the problems with Cobbold is the lack of legroom when seated. Question for those in block A.
Is it less of a problem with safe standing?
Would it be OK to build up and over , leaving the current stand as it is?
There would be plenty of room to improve facilities in the lower levels of the new area.
Presumably Cobbold is likely to be roofless for the best part of a season ,once work begins. |  |
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| Stadium on 09:03 - Oct 1 with 6462 views | hype313 |
| Stadium on 08:59 - Oct 1 by textbackup |
I love it, as I love Villa park. 4 stands. Proper.
Few Villa fans I know were there and they said within the away end you could hear their fans saying ‘this is great this place’ |
Saw a VIlla fan on X saying what a proper stadium PR is.
And it is, such a huge amount of change in the past 3 years, looks so much better.
But the Cobbold and West Stands both need updating, then it will be an absolute dream of a ground. |  |
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| Stadium on 09:04 - Oct 1 with 6457 views | hoppy |
They ought to revisit… as looking at those pictures from 2017 is so different! |  |
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| Stadium on 09:11 - Oct 1 with 6411 views | witchdoctor |
| Stadium on 08:31 - Oct 1 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Sorry, what do you two mean by "The Wendy House"?! I've been going to PR for more than 30 years and have no idea what you're talking about! |
really?!? |  | | |
| Stadium on 09:11 - Oct 1 with 6407 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
One thing we probably take for granted is how perfectly located it is.
If coming by train you can literally see it as you come out of the station and it's a less than 10 minute walk.
If driving, like any ground it's a bit of a bun fight to get out, but it's pretty close to the A12.
And if going into town for beers/food, that's not far either. | |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Stadium on 09:15 - Oct 1 with 6341 views | flykickingbybgunn |
| Stadium on 09:02 - Oct 1 by Pinewoodblue |
One of the problems with Cobbold is the lack of legroom when seated. Question for those in block A.
Is it less of a problem with safe standing?
Would it be OK to build up and over , leaving the current stand as it is?
There would be plenty of room to improve facilities in the lower levels of the new area.
Presumably Cobbold is likely to be roofless for the best part of a season ,once work begins. |
Before we got our season tickets we used to sit in all different parts of the ground.
We are now in Block B in the Cobbold.
For the Maidstone game we were moved out and got seats in the middle of the West Stand upper. We found that the seats appeared to be smaller and the leg room much shorter than we are used to.
I keep hearing on here that the seating in the Cobbold is bad but it is not true when compared to the other side. |  | | |
| Stadium on 09:16 - Oct 1 with 6307 views | Fixed_It |
| Stadium on 08:31 - Oct 1 by The_Flashing_Smile |
Sorry, what do you two mean by "The Wendy House"?! I've been going to PR for more than 30 years and have no idea what you're talking about! |
Even if you don't know, surely it's not difficult to work out?! |  |
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| Stadium on 09:26 - Oct 1 with 6229 views | artsbossbeard |
We now have an exec box behind us in the West Stand, which was open for the 1st time on Sunday.
Had quite the fallout with the Stand Manager and a somewhat aggressive steward at the Fulham game , where we were ordered to sit down and we point blank refused. We've been standing for 3yr and a bit years and never been asked prior but, as promised to the Stand Manager on the day, we obliged with their request now that the exec box is operational.
There's an outside balcony area right behind us, which gives a concern as I'm sure that if you were a company paying 6k a game for this box, you'll def have a West Ham, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea fan in attendance and a potential for some aggression in the event of some cockerney style mouthy-ness.
I might write to the club*
* I won't. |  |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Great thread… stadium bowl is looking great, blacked out… BUT on 09:48 - Oct 1 with 6129 views | unstableblue |
Portman Road is looking fantastic this season. All centred on the new pitch which is now in top condition.
I like all the blacking out of walls, block entrances, and I think the new advertising screens on the upper sections of the North and Sir Alf improve the look of the stands.
The new exec boxes and the press box have improved the look of the Pioneer stand no end… but there are a lot of tired blue seats that need changing - I’m sure this will happen. These improvements build on the new dug outs which were a game changer.
The way they’ve done the new press box is clever, as they discussed on TWTV it’s very blacked out in that corner now and it is like a sci-fi pod that seems to have landed in there.
The new lower screen added to the main stadium screen has improved the screen estate they’ve got.
BUT, I think a big issue remains the physicality of the Cobbold and Pioneer stands. First the legroom is poor in the Pioneer and worse in the Cobbold - if you switch to the North Stand the difference is incredible. The toilets and catering in the Pioneer lower areas needs attention - why not configure the fan zone so some of it can be used at half time?! Seems crazy this isn’t done.
As for the Cobbold it’s so old now. And the desperate clamour for tickets mean we need the capacity of a rebuild. Am sure the club will wait till we are settled in the Premier League. But I think we can fill a 40k stadium in the Championship. As Crystal Palace have planned you could build most of the new stand structure around the current Cobbold, thus not losing capacity for too long.
But overall Portman Road is already transformed and well done to Ashton and his team for driving this. And as fans of other clubs point out - we’re a classic ground style right in the Town. |  |
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| Stadium on 09:51 - Oct 1 with 6100 views | unstableblue |
| Stadium on 09:11 - Oct 1 by The_Flashing_Smile |
One thing we probably take for granted is how perfectly located it is.
If coming by train you can literally see it as you come out of the station and it's a less than 10 minute walk.
If driving, like any ground it's a bit of a bun fight to get out, but it's pretty close to the A12.
And if going into town for beers/food, that's not far either. |
The walk down from the stadium is further improved as you get that real vista of the new sign and badges behind the Sir Alf stand.
They still have land to develop there but the walk through behind the stand is also good.
The memorial gardens are a nice touch and well done. | |
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| Stadium on 09:54 - Oct 1 with 6079 views | unstableblue |
| Stadium on 09:15 - Oct 1 by flykickingbybgunn |
Before we got our season tickets we used to sit in all different parts of the ground.
We are now in Block B in the Cobbold.
For the Maidstone game we were moved out and got seats in the middle of the West Stand upper. We found that the seats appeared to be smaller and the leg room much shorter than we are used to.
I keep hearing on here that the seating in the Cobbold is bad but it is not true when compared to the other side. |
Both stands legrooms are poor and just not up to modern standards. But frankly we’re all very lucky to have a season ticket so can’t complain!! But a new Cobbold needed. The Pioneer issue will remain for some time.
When I’ve moved to the North for a game, you can’t believe how positively different the legroom is. | |
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| Stadium on 09:55 - Oct 1 with 6080 views | hoppy |
| Stadium on 09:26 - Oct 1 by artsbossbeard |
We now have an exec box behind us in the West Stand, which was open for the 1st time on Sunday.
Had quite the fallout with the Stand Manager and a somewhat aggressive steward at the Fulham game , where we were ordered to sit down and we point blank refused. We've been standing for 3yr and a bit years and never been asked prior but, as promised to the Stand Manager on the day, we obliged with their request now that the exec box is operational.
There's an outside balcony area right behind us, which gives a concern as I'm sure that if you were a company paying 6k a game for this box, you'll def have a West Ham, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea fan in attendance and a potential for some aggression in the event of some cockerney style mouthy-ness.
I might write to the club*
* I won't. |
We were potentially right behind you on Sunday then, as we were in the new executive lounge at the end. Where we were sitting, in the balcony bit, I don’t see that anyone in front would be a problem if they were standing, as it seemed high enough to not be an issue - unless you’re really tall, are you?! | |
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| Stadium on 10:04 - Oct 1 with 6005 views | artsbossbeard |
| Stadium on 09:55 - Oct 1 by hoppy |
We were potentially right behind you on Sunday then, as we were in the new executive lounge at the end. Where we were sitting, in the balcony bit, I don’t see that anyone in front would be a problem if they were standing, as it seemed high enough to not be an issue - unless you’re really tall, are you?! |
That is right behind us!
We've got a couple of tall(ish) chaps in our little group but even then, they wouldn't get in anyone's way should they stand but fine with complying with the club request.
We were more annoyed with the way that the message was conveyed to us as we get on really well with our regular steward. We basically had someone stand at the top of the stairs, point in our general direction and shout "SIT DOWN!" at us. He may well have been greeted with some industrial language hence the Stand Manager visit... | |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Stadium on 10:09 - Oct 1 with 5946 views | Churchman |
| Stadium on 09:55 - Oct 1 by hoppy |
We were potentially right behind you on Sunday then, as we were in the new executive lounge at the end. Where we were sitting, in the balcony bit, I don’t see that anyone in front would be a problem if they were standing, as it seemed high enough to not be an issue - unless you’re really tall, are you?! |
I thought you sat in the stalls with the dregs like me? Bit of an upgrade isn’t it? I presume you are taking on airs and graces and chucking cake crumbs at the plebs below 😀 | | | |
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