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Post by localboy86 on Jul 11, 2019 10:36:03 GMT
Owing to the postponement of last Saturdays match at Redhill this weekend we finally play our first official pre-season friendly (after one inter-club training game and a behind-closed-doors game at Millwall this week). I know the players have been back in training a couple of weeks now and this would have predominantly focused on fitness and strength work. The players now need minutes in their legs in preparation for the season ahead.
Of course this Saturday’s trip to Sloughs Arbour Park marks a return to the scene of last seasons FA Cup penalty heartache. Eight months on from that and there’s a new chapter starting at Sutton United post-Paul Doswell with managerial and player changes aplenty. Matt Gray’s wielded the axe with many familiar faces moving on and with the current squad needing adding to still before August 3rd I presume they’ll be several trialists utilised over the next couple of friendlies. Slough are one step ahead of us in their schedule having already played Eastleigh on Tuesday night (losing 4-3).
Anyone heading over to this one?
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Post by Stewart on Jul 11, 2019 10:41:41 GMT
I will be going.
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tonyd
1st team Player
Posts: 1,496 
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Post by tonyd on Jul 11, 2019 12:19:55 GMT
I'll be at AIK v Elfsborg.
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 11, 2019 13:59:53 GMT
I'll be at AIK v Elfsborg. That sounds like a much better choice. There's very little to recommend regarding Slough, neither team nor stadium.
Is the new stadium in Stockholm built on the same spot as the old Rasunda stadium? I was there 21 years ago. Had plenty of character but was looking somewhat tired.
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tonyd
1st team Player
Posts: 1,496
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Post by tonyd on Jul 11, 2019 14:17:41 GMT
I think it’s further out than the Rasunda. I’ve been to 7 Swedish grounds and 3 of them are no longer in use. AIK, Hammerby’s Soderstadion and the Olympic Stadium where Djurgardens
used to play. So I’m redressing the balance with AIK’s new one and theTele2Arena on Sunday, which Hammerby and Djurgsrdens now share (Djurgardens v Malmo).
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 11, 2019 16:57:04 GMT
Oh right, fair play to you, you're obviously a bit of a ground hopper, like myself then? Rasunda's the only one I've visited in Scandinavia, mind you. Just back from the women's WC. Took in 5 games and 4 new grounds (I'd already been to Parc des Princes 20 years ago). Visited Valenciennes, Reims, Rennes and Le Havre. Also planning a trip to Belgrade at the end of Sept to see the Partizan v Red Star derby and hopefully another game while I'm there as there are (at least) 4 teams in Belgrade.
In terms of Sweden, I'd like to see a game at IFK Gothenburg. Their ground looks old school.
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Post by readingrebel123 on Jul 11, 2019 18:33:18 GMT
I'll be at AIK v Elfsborg. That sounds like a much better choice. There's very little to recommend regarding Slough, neither team nor stadium.
Is the new stadium in Stockholm built on the same spot as the old Rasunda stadium? I was there 21 years ago. Had plenty of character but was looking somewhat tired.
Presume you mean Slough are not a league team. As for the stadium, quality 3G pitch and plenty of parking for supporters. |
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 11, 2019 19:03:02 GMT
That sounds like a much better choice. There's very little to recommend regarding Slough, neither team nor stadium.
Is the new stadium in Stockholm built on the same spot as the old Rasunda stadium? I was there 21 years ago. Had plenty of character but was looking somewhat tired.
Presume you mean Slough are not a league team. As for the stadium, quality 3G pitch and plenty of parking for supporters. Sorry, I should've said town, not team. I went there with Gillingham last season in the FA Cup. They sold too many tickets and we couldn't stand in front of the seats so we were 6 deep along the side of the pitch in the areas where the stand didn't extend to. For a stadium that's only a couple of years old I thought it was pathetic to be honest with you mate |
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Post by readingrebel123 on Jul 11, 2019 19:54:15 GMT
Presume you mean Slough are not a league team. As for the stadium, quality 3G pitch and plenty of parking for supporters. Sorry, I should've said town, not team. I went there with Gillingham last season in the FA Cup. They sold too many tickets and we couldn't stand in front of the seats so we were 6 deep along the side of the pitch in the areas where the stand didn't extend to. For a stadium that's only a couple of years old I thought it was pathetic to be honest with you mate Just over 2.000 for the Gillingham game in ground that has a current maximum capacity of 3,000 doesn't sound like selling too many tickets. The stands behind the goals each hold 800 so perhaps you might have got a better view there? I don't think any ground in the country allows supporters to stand in front of seated areas. |
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Post by sallycat on Jul 12, 2019 6:17:40 GMT
Ours does! But that's cheating, sort of, because ours are raised so even the front seats are well above anyone standing.
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 12, 2019 7:16:32 GMT
Sorry, I should've said town, not team. I went there with Gillingham last season in the FA Cup. They sold too many tickets and we couldn't stand in front of the seats so we were 6 deep along the side of the pitch in the areas where the stand didn't extend to. For a stadium that's only a couple of years old I thought it was pathetic to be honest with you mate Just over 2.000 for the Gillingham game in ground that has a current maximum capacity of 3,000 doesn't sound like selling too many tickets. The stands behind the goals each hold 800 so perhaps you might have got a better view there? I don't think any ground in the country allows supporters to stand in front of seated areas. I didn't have any choice of where to stand, that's my point. It was an FA Cup tie, segregation was in force, I was an away supporter with no option of wandering over behind one of the goals. I was stuck along the far side of the pitch with the rest of the Gills contingent. I don't expect to be able to obstruct someone's view by standing in front of their seat. I expect the correct amount of tickets to be sold for the away supporters to prevent something like that from occurring. Surely STFC know their "away" capacity? Yeah sure, they managed to squeeze 800 of us along that side but many were standing, several deep in an area that wasn't even level ground, but sloped slightly upwards towards the pitch. I was luckier than most because I'm 6"2 but I spent most of the game on tiptoes just to get a view and plenty saw nothing at all. One of my friends left at HT because it was pointless him being there. The attitude of the stewards was basically "put up with it or leave". Your experience of STFC is clearly different to mine, but given what I've just described I'm sure you can see why I have a very negative impression of the place? |
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Post by readingrebel123 on Jul 12, 2019 10:08:02 GMT
Just over 2.000 for the Gillingham game in ground that has a current maximum capacity of 3,000 doesn't sound like selling too many tickets. The stands behind the goals each hold 800 so perhaps you might have got a better view there? I don't think any ground in the country allows supporters to stand in front of seated areas. I didn't have any choice of where to stand, that's my point. It was an FA Cup tie, segregation was in force, I was an away supporter with no option of wandering over behind one of the goals. I was stuck along the far side of the pitch with the rest of the Gills contingent. I don't expect to be able to obstruct someone's view by standing in front of their seat. I expect the correct amount of tickets to be sold for the away supporters to prevent something like that from occurring. Surely STFC know their "away" capacity? Yeah sure, they managed to squeeze 800 of us along that side but many were standing, several deep in an area that wasn't even level ground, but sloped slightly upwards towards the pitch. I was luckier than most because I'm 6"2 but I spent most of the game on tiptoes just to get a view and plenty saw nothing at all. One of my friends left at HT because it was pointless him being there. The attitude of the stewards was basically "put up with it or leave". Your experience of STFC is clearly different to mine, but given what I've just described I'm sure you can see why I have a very negative impression of the place? No excuses for the 4 corners of the ground, they are not suitable for large crowds like the Gillingham game. No comfort to any supporter stuck in a corner at one of these 'one off' games but hopefully you can appreciate this is not the norm for all other games where attendances are a lot lower. |
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 12, 2019 10:20:33 GMT
Rebel23, absolutely, I'm sure the ground is more than adequate for a National South match. No argument from me at all about that. I would say, though, that if STFC have ambitions to step up a level to the National Prem, the away supporters would probably need to be re-housed, possibly behind one of the goals, because there are a decent handful of ex-league teams (in particular) who will bring more than 800 followers, depending on the time of the season and distance involved, of course.
I wish I'd visited for one of the CONIFA games, last summer, instead. That would've been a much better experience.
Re the Gills cup tie in question, you were very unlucky to lose to us on the day. Oldaker's goal was a moment of brilliance but we didn't really turn up and if you'd had your shooting boots on I think we would've been out on the day, never mind a replay.
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Post by Andy K on Jul 12, 2019 10:45:28 GMT
Rebel23, absolutely, I'm sure the ground is more than adequate for a National South match. No argument from me at all about that. I would say, though, that if STFC have ambitions to step up a level to the National Prem, the away supporters would probably need to be re-housed, possibly behind one of the goals, because there are a decent handful of ex-league teams (in particular) who will bring more than 800 followers, depending on the time of the season and distance involved, of course. I wish I'd visited for one of the CONIFA games, last summer, instead. That would've been a much better experience. Re the Gills cup tie in question, you were very unlucky to lose to us on the day. Oldaker's goal was a moment of brilliance but we didn't really turn up and if you'd had your shooting boots on I think we would've been out on the day, never mind a replay. To be fair we've been to plenty of grounds who have struggled to accommodate adequately a much smaller travelling Sutton contingent under segregation and these are in the same league! Anyone who has been to Bromley, Aldershot, Maidenhead or York in those conditions will know none of them have been exactly glorious experiences regardless of the football! |
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Post by medwaysider on Jul 12, 2019 11:31:13 GMT
Rebel23, absolutely, I'm sure the ground is more than adequate for a National South match. No argument from me at all about that. I would say, though, that if STFC have ambitions to step up a level to the National Prem, the away supporters would probably need to be re-housed, possibly behind one of the goals, because there are a decent handful of ex-league teams (in particular) who will bring more than 800 followers, depending on the time of the season and distance involved, of course. I wish I'd visited for one of the CONIFA games, last summer, instead. That would've been a much better experience. Re the Gills cup tie in question, you were very unlucky to lose to us on the day. Oldaker's goal was a moment of brilliance but we didn't really turn up and if you'd had your shooting boots on I think we would've been out on the day, never mind a replay. To be fair we've been to plenty of grounds who have struggled to accommodate adequately a much smaller travelling Sutton contingent under segregation and these are in the same league! Anyone who has been to Bromley, Aldershot, Maidenhead or York in those conditions will know none of them have been exactly glorious experiences regardless of the football! Andy, not sure they've struggled to accommodate. Rather, they had plenty of space to play with but for reasons best known to themselves, decided to be miserly and squeeze us into a space the size of a shoe box! York for example have a reasonably large (for this level) away terrace but decided to only open a fraction of it.
What was the issue at Aldershot? I've only ever been there with Gills and we were given the usual away allocation (part of the covered terrace and the bit round the corner). Presume they "did a York"?
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