Worst Rugby Ground

First topic message reminder :

A recent statement by Ruan Pienaer made me think of this:

"Glasgow was probably the worst place I’ve ever played rugby"

Any other candidates ?

As an aside I agree him - Firhill

Glasgow please go back to Hughenden

Hobo wrote:Can I ask Muzzer - did you hear about us on Twitter?

I saw the site mentioned on the orginal 606, then joined up twitter a few weeks a go and was recommended by a friend to follow 606v2 on twitter.

Muzzers, what happened to Hughenden? I did much prefer when they played there but I did live about 5 minute walk from it! Also think I had a bad experience outside firhill when a wee fella came up to me and said if I gave him £5 he'd 'look after my car!?' I politely declined and moved my car!

The Liberty, no atmosphere, full of fat girls wearing pink hats and average rugby.

Maddog wrote:Muzzers, what happened to Hughenden? I did much prefer when they played there but I did live about 5 minute walk from it! Also think I had a bad experience outside firhill when a wee fella came up to me and said if I gave him £5 he'd 'look after my car!?' I politely declined and moved my car!

One of the reason's for Glasgow leaving Hughenden was Hillheads sports club wanted to sell some of there land for housing (the land which the stadium stood on) so the Warrior's up sticks and left. I've played at Hughenden and it badly needs some upgrading inside if it wanted to continue hosting the Warriors, there was a story that when Toulouse played there they asked people at the ground if they were being wound up and that they weren't playing there.

The housing project stalled for a few years so the stadium still stood, but the housing is back on track and back in February the bulldozers came in and flattened it which upset a lot of people.

More info here:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/editor-s-picks/anger-over-demolition-of-west-end-rugby-club-stand-1.1083455

I've yet to really experance any of the reported locals in Maryhill, Suppose I get there early enough to park behind the JH stand, though times I've walked up to the near by shops/chippy I've not seen any trouble. Though I've herd of other people being approched about watching there cars.

OK Firhill is hardly one of rugby's great venues, but it is nowhere near the worst either!

The stand that is normally open is absolutly fine, only issue being long qeues for the bar on the concourse. But then, it's a football ground that was never designed to be seeling beer - so that shouldn't come as a big surprise. Since they opened a third bar at the end last season it hasn't been as bad. The noise that hits the main stand from the JHS, I am told, is actually pretty loud, even if the atomsphere in the stand could be better.

I have never been in either of the other stands, but the North stand isn't 10 years old, and hence should have ample facilities and a reasonable view (for where it is). The Main Stand is admittedly a bit of a dump, but then that is 80 years old. Is it any worse than the stands at, say, Ravenhill, RDS, Rodney Parade ect..? I would doubt it. Only difference is, we only expect club officials to sit in it, all the other clubs expect fans to aswell.

I would have thought Pienaars coments are based entirely on the player facilities, which for the visitors aren't very good. And? If you go to any football ground in the country that is more than 20 years old, you will find the away dressing room is far inferior to the home one. It's called home advantage.

As for the area around the ground, it's not that bad! I have been to, I think, every rugby match there since Glasgow moved back - and only once have I ever seen any trouble.. And that was on my way to a Partick Thistle v Rangers cup tie. Not saying it's a particularly nice area or anything, but it's nowhere near as bad as some people would have you believe.

As for the worst.. Worst I have been to is probably the Liberty. Good spectator facilities, but in the middle of nowhere and completly devoid of any character atall. (If I hadn't already had to walk through Swansea to get there, I couldn't have told you where in the country I was. It looks identical to about 50 other football grounds!) Also devoid of any atmosphere - when I was there the Glasgow fans made pretty much all the noise, despite there only being about 100 of us. Didn't hear a peep from the home fans all game!

Although Murrayfield for an Edinburgh game (except v Glasgow) can be pretty bad aswell..

muzzer_mc wrote:
I know West Of Scotland have there own grounds and stand but I'm not sure if they have room for expansion there, never been there so hard to comment.

When the council were designing Scotston they asked the SRU to get involved so the stadium would suit rugby fans as well as athletics. In there wisdom the SRU declined so the council designed the stadium purely for Athletics. They could have had something like Sarries are planning.

Probably limited space for expansion at Burnbrae - room behind the posts (although that would possibly mean loosing their other pitches - or one at least), but probably not much room on the far side from the existing stand. Wouldn't have thought there is much in the way of parking or good transport links though.

Mind you, thats pretty much irrelevant - West have agreed to sell their current ground for housing and move out next to Murray Park. Not sure when/if that is actually going to ever happen though.

Great first post Craig - welcome to the forum

Good call for Sydney Olympic Stadium out at Homebush.

I saw Aus v England there and Aus v Wales (when we lost in the 59th second of the 79th minute).

I have never been anywhere with so little atmosphere in my life. I reckon I could have talked to someone over the other side of the field without too many difficulties.

vicarage road , watford looks like a nuclear testing ground !!!

Eugene cross park, ebbw vale.
The only rugby team that waters a water logged pitch in February. It worked though. They beat Newport that day!!
Had to feel sorry for the cheerleaders. Scania wheel nuts comes to mind!

I would like to second vicarage road not just the terrible stadium but also the area I mean who had the idea to put the hospital next door and the graveyard across the road.

St Helens in Swansea is up there for me. It seems about a mile from the pitch on the one side.