Sunday, 30 January 2011
What a Swan Song!
Captain calamity ruined the day for the locals and difficult to say the O's deserved a victory but the scoreline said they did so on the roll. The drive down the M4 was a nice easy drive and parking at the stadium was no problem (though a bigger crowd would change that). The Liberty Stadium is a nice modern structure shared with the Ospreys. I had an excellent view from right at the back of the West Stand. Food and drinks were average; PG Tips and burger for under a fiver by 40 pence.
I got my ticket at the ground on the day for £15 so a reasonable price. The atmosphere was fairly limp but with the ground two thirds empty perhaps that wasn't surprising. I think S4C had the match live and it was freezing early doors. All considered though it was a ground I would recommend.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Boing, Boing Baggies!
First live Premiership match for years and it was a good one. Five goals and a home win. The ground was packed and the atmosphere very good.
Once through the turnstiles the area under the stands wasn't big in that the West Stand was clearly partitioned along its length. PG Tips for the tea so that was nice. I didn't try the food as I had eaten with my family in town before catching the train out from Snow hill. The trains were good, £1.90 return and a 7/8 minute journey then a five minute walk.
Its not the biggest ground but that probably helps with the atmosphere because it was close to being full with some twenty five thousand watching. The away fans were vocal except when they were behind. The locals were fine though slightly cynical about the Baggies actually getting a win but that might be more down to their poor recent form (five straight defeats). Another ground I would return to for good football and average facilities.
Once through the turnstiles the area under the stands wasn't big in that the West Stand was clearly partitioned along its length. PG Tips for the tea so that was nice. I didn't try the food as I had eaten with my family in town before catching the train out from Snow hill. The trains were good, £1.90 return and a 7/8 minute journey then a five minute walk.
Its not the biggest ground but that probably helps with the atmosphere because it was close to being full with some twenty five thousand watching. The away fans were vocal except when they were behind. The locals were fine though slightly cynical about the Baggies actually getting a win but that might be more down to their poor recent form (five straight defeats). Another ground I would return to for good football and average facilities.
Monday, 3 January 2011
Madjestic Reading?
Another Park & Ride experience. The football stadium is a new one rather than nineteenth century affair. It is nice enough but no longer anything special and empty; I'm not sure I would be able to pick it out from a bunch of other recent builds.
Inside the food doesn't rate well but the tea was real PG Tips. A cold winter's bank holiday and good opposition should have meant a good crowd but Burnley only brought 1,000 fans (was that Reading restricting the number? - because they filled their area). Anyway there were some six thousand empty seats.
The home fans did muster a multi drum band. Also some vocal locals with incredulous bias. And the music build up to the team coming on was a some piece of work. I doubt the impact lasts and it certainly didn't work for Reading as they went behind, starting badly but I was impressed at the effort.
The Clarets played their part well and if Marney could have shot right he'd have wrapped up the result all by himself with three good chances. He took none of them, Shane Long however took his and Reading ran out eventual winners. I had to wait for about quarter of an hour for the return bus but still a good day's football. I'd be happy to go again.
Inside the food doesn't rate well but the tea was real PG Tips. A cold winter's bank holiday and good opposition should have meant a good crowd but Burnley only brought 1,000 fans (was that Reading restricting the number? - because they filled their area). Anyway there were some six thousand empty seats.
The home fans did muster a multi drum band. Also some vocal locals with incredulous bias. And the music build up to the team coming on was a some piece of work. I doubt the impact lasts and it certainly didn't work for Reading as they went behind, starting badly but I was impressed at the effort.
The Clarets played their part well and if Marney could have shot right he'd have wrapped up the result all by himself with three good chances. He took none of them, Shane Long however took his and Reading ran out eventual winners. I had to wait for about quarter of an hour for the return bus but still a good day's football. I'd be happy to go again.
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