My thoughts on the new stadium

Things ain’t what they used to be



My thoughts on the new stadium

The E******s Stadium – Home sweet home?


The ground lacks a sense of identity and this leads to a lack of atmosphere. One of the few regular chants at Highbury was "We're the Clock End/North Bank” etc and at times it was fantastic. Leeds at home in 2004 was a prime example of this. It went on for about 10 minutes with all four sides involved and culminated in TH14 scoring his fourth and Arsenal's fifth (I think) and the roof nearly came off when he scored.

People now say where do you sit ? Err, blue quadrant. WTF is blue quadrant, sounds like something from the film The Running Man. Block 8 or Block 10 ? It has no identity.

Also, the inside of the ground could be massively improved to generate atmosphere. I remember before we moved there was a poll on the club’s official website to name the new bars at the stadium. Yeah fine if you are in club level. The bars and food places now look like one giant car park with big plastic signs stuck over them.

The customer service you get there? It's virtually non-existent. It's the same in the club’s various shops. The traditions and standards of the club should run all the way through the club at whatever level you are at. You are representing Arsenal FC. Whether you are serving me a hot dog, selling me an overpriced shirt or captaining the team you should have it drummed into you that you are representing Arsenal FC and there is a level of decorum that should be applied when doing so.

The drinks you can get are shockingly priced. How on earth can you justify £3.80 for a plastic semi chilled half pint bottle of Bulmers? Come on, explain how this is justified. It's a complete p***take. It's not just the drinks, the food is beyond a joke, so much so that I wouldn't even entertain having a pie (incidentally why do the minced beef pies taste like some sort of Bolognese pie?)

In the North Bank you had bars actual bars where you could get a drink (beer/wine/spirits) and separate places for food. Have the same here? Yeah, I have kids and when I take them when they are older I'll get in a queue for a coke and hot dog but people who just want a drink should be able to get a drink.

This all adds to the atmosphere problem. I often don’t go for a drink at half time as you have to leave five minutes before the end of the half to get a drink. In the Clock End we all used to go down at half time get a pint or two and sing at the away fans through the gate. That built up atmosphere.

I had a season ticket in the Clock End for ten years and it generated atmosphere having season ticket holders next to the away fans. Now as far as I am aware there are NO season tickets next to the away fans. That astounds me as every week you will have different people sitting there getting outsung by hardcore away fans save for the odd "Who are ya?" and "Arsenal..." There's no banter, no comedy wit there. Whilst I like the idea of the REDsection, why not move it down next to the away fans, or add a new section down there ? I know the club will have to be consulted on this but I think it is a must to generate atmosphere.

Whilst I may have gone off on a tangent with regards to some of the issues they are all related to the whole match day atmosphere, A great number of people I speak to say the same thing - "Yeah nice stadium, nothing like Highbury though."


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