Is England's WORST Stadium REALLY That BAD?

[@FootyAdventures]

Go to expressvpn.com/footyadventures to get 61% off ExpressVPN with 6 months free!

[@davidcunningham2287]

Well done Sam mate

[@helens3693]

Your statement early on is wrong. It is not a football stadium used for international athletics, it is an international athletics stadium used for football. That distinction makes a big difference when considering why it's not great for football.

[@davethehat56]

@@helens3693 you had me really puzzled there. I checked what I wrote and I clearly said it is an athletics stadium

[@jmmypaddy]

That distinction is important for sure and renders this video pointless. Thank you for saving me time from watching :)

[@harrycooper6617]

🤓🤓🤓🤓

[@bhvillaman4401]

​@@jmmypaddythat says alot more about you than anyone else mate

[@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe]

The stadium was built for Athletics. So all the other football teams and also former Gateshead Thunder rugby league team that have played there were well aware of the slight drawbacks of playing at an Athletics stadium. Still, a lot cheaper than building their own stadiums.

[@123bwlch]

All the video needs to say it's a athletic track in 2 seconds end of video. Poor subject choice, stick to Scotland if this is your content back in England.

[@FrancoisDufook]

🎉

[@bhvillaman4401]

​@@123bwlchcomments like this are why I hate the Internet. Things don't have to be correct all the time man. If you dont like it watch something else. Dont moan, find a way to spread your knowledge if it means that much to you.

[@MidlandMark]

Back in about 2010, I was there to watch Gateshead play AFC WImbledon; they'd taped a section of the main stand off for us to sit in, which was fine. About 15 minutes in, the stewards appeared, ripped the tapes away, and told the few hundred of us to "please move across a bit", as a couple more coachloads had just arrived form London so, while continuing to chant and clap, we all got up... all moved five seats to the right... and all sat down again! The town of Gateshead has had no luck with their teams, and the lack of a decent stadium hasn't helped - they try their best, but the place is just too open, and the pitch too distant, to get a real atmosphere going, which is a shame.

[@andyallom4357]

The worst thing about this stadium is that the bastard Gateshead Council didn't guarantee us a ten year lease last season, and we got kicked out of our rightful place in the playoffs.

[@heedstats]

That situation has been resolved now, but atmosphere would be better if we had out own 5,000 stadium. GMBC Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council

[@richl6966]

Get a proper ground rather than having one off the council.

[@lordhenrywotton95]

It’s a pretty ridiculous situation. Football clubs being promoted are great for the local economy, how were they so short sighted?

[@samuelpinder1215]

​@@lordhenrywotton95labour is how.

[@RockyBanana97]

GMBC = Gateshead Must Be Cold

[@davethehat56]

I am a football fan and an ex athlete who has run at this stadium. It is obviously an athletics stadium and because of the layout of the athletics facilities the crowd are even further from the pitch than other athletics stadiums. Let’s be realistic though, if Gateshead had the resources to build a more suitable football ground they would probably have done it by now. Fact is they don’t, so they have to make do with the best available solution. They could choose to divert resources from players into a ground but that would see them end up somewhere in the Npl. So that is the choice; have a nice ground and no money for players or have a strong team and scratch around for a. Ground.

[@danseakins]

£22 seems like a lot for National league, I pay £23 at Cambridge United in League One

[@123bwlch]

Rip off England. A £10 or less to watch Caernarfon FC who played in Europe this season.

[@0BN02]

£22 is about average for the southern national league clubs these days. £24 at my team Barnet and £25 (!) at Dagenham when I went the other week. Gateshead asking £22 pound to sit in a different postcode with no bar if you’re an away fan is a pisstake however.

[@RW-nr6bh]

​@@123bwlch While I support an English club I'm close to the border and have watched a fair bit of Cymru Premier. I would agree that for the comparative standard of football, the Welsh pyramid is considerably better value for money than England. The standard of play is certainly better than people realise, as the likes of Caernarfon, Aberystwyth, Haverfordwest, etc don't compete with English clubs offering English wages for players. If you're in the Western half of Wales and play part-time you're not going to traipse over the border for a few extra quid. The European bit isn't all that relevant though (English clubs get their 'big fish' opportunity via the FA Cup, as Caernarfon used to), it's the day-to-day League action that counts.

[@IanConcannon]

A running track always detracts from watching a match. Too far away.

[@andyallom4357]

Give DB30SportsTV a check out - the big nervous lad being interviewed at 8 mins. An excellent channel, with Gateshead and loads of other non league matches covered, three or four games a week. Top lad, top channel.

[@johngallacher7360]

Main Stand very like old Meadowbank.

[@alanfox691]

Yes, it is that the mainstand at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow is very simmer when I have been to watch Glasgow Warriors play in the rugby there.

[@ArchiesFootballAdventures]

Gateshead fan here, always welcome back, just maybe don’t come on a Tuesday night it’s never that good 😅 a good Saturday game and you’ll get your moneys worth 👊

[@tomhardie8197]

Rochdale fan here and it's the same on our end 🥲, always a dreadful showing on a Tuesday but able to pull that back ever so slightly on a Saturday

[@MidlandMark]

And, now the town centre's been redeveloped, some damn good eateries.

[@tonysutton6559]

I think that your scores were a little harsh on every category other than the facilities. I hate pitches in the middle of running tracks but this one place is still better than the dreadful Withdean Stadium used by Brighton for a number of years.

[@noahbrown6970]

God, the Withdean 🤢🤢🤢

[@philipashley9084]

Newcastle rugby ground would be a much better venue. It's strange the town has not had a proper football ground for decades considering the talent in the region.

[@FlatDerrick]

Kingston Park already has the Rugby Union team and Newcastle United women, it can't handle Gateshead too.

[@jamespallister2031]

Wrong side of the river. It’s the reason why Newcastle didn’t use the site in the 1990s where the sage centre is even it would be super logical

[@Nosaveddataretro]

Then it's not Gateshead is it?

[@stevenwilcox8631]

The sad reality is that unless you have owners who have the financial clout to buy the club and all its assets like the ground itself. Not many clubs can do anything about the state of the grounds if they are council-owned. Football takes a back seat to everyday living with all the cuts to public sectors.

[@alanfox691]

Extremely true that's the case up & down the entire U.K & Nothern Ireland aswell.

[@Micfri300]

Football though brings a lot more revenue than council owned facilities though.

[@RW-nr6bh]

Went here about 25 years ago in the Unibond League. The social facilities and food were very good and the main stand's elevation did compensate a bit for the distance. The atmosphere was awful though due to the tiny crowd. Back in the 1990s there were still some shockingly bad grounds that had areas condemned since the Bradford fire (The Shay until 1998 was the worst). Simply having a well maintained facility was at times not something you could take for granted. Now those derelict grounds have been renovated or replaced. We are all used to covered concourses, bars, toilets with heating and lighting (not a roofless wall round some guttering) so the facilities at Gateshead don't stand out in the same way. That coupled with the fact they're now looking dated means that perception of the ground has worsened a lot.

[@SilverfoxJB]

That's a team crying out for a tight modern 3-4000 capacity stadium, not that monstrosity. Impossible to get a proper atmosphere with so much space.

[@Badger220455]

Better stadium than Edinburgh City. Gateshead deserve better, a potential league club.

[@thesmithersy]

And didn't Edinburgh City have a similar style stadium but then renovated it to somehow make it worse?

[@andyallom4357]

ALSO, re the miler plaque. You missed he was the younger brother of Geordie Ridley, composer of The Blaydon Races - quite a popular tune at another club, north of the Tyne.

[@conors1992]

Honestly the most pointless bit of information

[@stephenm8898]

​@@conors1992 coupled with the most pointless reply

[@JayEFC1969]

Bit like West Ham. 🤷‍♂️ If there was no roofless stand there there'd be no complaint. Most non league grounds have open areas so not sure its an issue. A 3k capacity ground would probably suit their needs and improve atmosphere but having "too much" shouldn't be a criticism at that level.

[@RW-nr6bh]

West Ham doesn't have an 8 lane track. I think it's the fact it's open seats that makes it worse. It's never as bad standing up in rain (I say this as a man with a season ticket on an open terrace).

[@jamiepike6909]

Why can’t you just turn up for a game anymore and pay cash🤬

[@123bwlch]

I'm not anti technology but I want a paper ticket and programme as a momento of the match.

[@jamiepike6909]

@ 100% with you on that.

[@jamieandtherandomstuff]

You can at Maidenhead. And it's cheaper than Gateshead.

[@ThatMashbury1862]

Well said mate.👍

[@jamiepike6909]

@@ThatMashbury1862 just miss the days of turning up at the turnstiles. But that’s everything, you turn up at a restaurant and they ask if you have a booking, nobody else in the place🤣

[@jasoncampbell293]

they charge such high prices and then are shocked when folk don't go

[@Nosaveddataretro]

It's the price for the league, think it's ones of the cheapest unfortunately. There's some clubs in the league that charge more.

[@paddyrs0740]

You should jump on a flight down to Newquay with Loganair and come and watch Truro City, we're flying right now and on the up, first season in a brand new stadium after years and years groundsharing. Really good story at one of the most remote clubs in England.

[@RW-nr6bh]

As a Macclesfield supporter I'm really pleased to see our former manager John Askey doing well there. Absolute legend up here he is.

[@PinarelloVelo]

Went there in 2015 for a National League game, pitch was a cabbage patch, the wind coming in from both sides of the main stand (housing away support) was horrific, the view almost as bad as Brighton’s old Withdean Stadium and the match tickets were tiny little squares smaller than a debit card😄 The pre match boozer next door was class though, Won 1-0 with a late goal, made the long trip back to Bristol (by minibus) a lot better!

[@WarDeeGuy]

GMBC = Get My Bonce Covered!

[@Simon-dx5ni]

🤣🤣

[@heedstats]

It would be better to have a new smaller 5,000 capacity ground, the heed have averaged 1,200+ for the last 4 seasons, a record for the last 55 years but in a 13,000 seater stadium it still sounds echoey because of the size of the place. The Tory government have cut £90 million over last 14 years which has led to this situation

[@reddwarfer999]

I thought everyhting was Starmer's fault these days?

[@samuelpinder1215]

It's a labour run council

[@Northstander]

GMBC - Gateshead Might Be Champions I follow a National League team, an adult ticket without concessions is £21 for a seat in our main stand (paid in advance, think it might be more on the day of a game)...my season ticket works out at £15.50 per game, which I think is pretty good value. Most will be around that but there are some that charge more, think Cheltenham was £23 for an adult in their away stand about seven or eight years ago when they were still in the National League.

[@tomhammond3495]

In my opinion England's worst stadium is Luton Towns training ground. You wouldn't think of it as a stadium but actually it's the home of 9th tier team Crawley Green FC.

[@ajons190]

Even West Ham get a ribbing for lack of atmosphere with 60K in the former Olympic Stadium. Football fans want to be up close, basically.

[@tlcrf80mins73]

Was there a few months ago to watch my team play Newcastle Thunder in Rugby League's League 1. Only the covered stand was open, and about 400 people were rattling around in it. Zero atmosphere and you need to take binoculars to see anything. Staff were friendly, the food was fine - and we won. But it's a hard experience to enjoy.

[@sugs71]

If the council uses this stadium for their own events they should be blamed for the state of it but if this is an exclusive lease from the council they are probably in the same position as a lot of smaller clubs ,either spend money repairing part of the ground that is never used or invest in the team.

[@Paganscot]

I always love your videos Sam. Keep em' coming.

[@tractorfactorsteve]

Hornchurch and Chelmsford City both play their games in Athletics stadiums and are both National League clubs similar to Gateshead. From what I've seen on YT the experience of watching footy in those kinds of stadia is pretty dire. It seems the football clubs take second place when it comes to prioritising stadium use.

[@bernierose719]

City is not quite as big as this 😂

[@jameseverard1126]

Chelmsford fan , our ground we call the Gulag, i hate it wish we still had our old ground at new writtle street and i believe we would be playing football league by now if we had kept it. we had the heart ripped out of the club when we lost the ground in the 90s and our attendances are crap for the population. Hornchurch ground is even worse lol

[@richl6966]

In the first 20 seconds I knew what ground that was! But I've never been so I'll watch.

[@LeeStewart]

There was talk of a new 7,000 all seater stadium for Gateshead near the Civic Centre a few years ago. There were even renditions of what it would look like but for some reason it never came to fruition.

[@daz7987]

Lille use to have one similar and they played in the CL in their ground worst in England bit over the top

[@KnightOwl23]

I havent been to it since the early 1980's. I was competing in a youth athletics meeting. Back then the "tartan" running track as many clubs only had cinder. I find it weird that it's used for football and the mess with the council sounds crazy. Good luck to gateshead for the rest of this season.

[@dantheman9228]

its not really a football stadium its an athletics stadium with a football pitch and being owned by the local council is always an issue

[@georgiahoward6693]

I'm not a fan of athletic grounds being used for football because of the running track, but one of the worst purpose-built football grounds I've been to was Hereford not too long ago. Away fans aren't allowed on the empty pitchside terrace and instead are put in the back of a stand that looks like it should've been condemned a decade ago. You feel miles away even in a fairly compact ground.

[@harrison6143]

Twice you say Gateshead had a man sent off, it was Rochdale who had the man sent off then scored almost right away.

[@Oldmangroundhopping]

Reminds me a lot of when my club Rotherham United played at the now defunct Don Valley athletics stadium in Sheffield, miles away from the pitch & more atmosphere on the moon. BTW Sam when are you going to visit our sparkling new(ish) New York Stadium?

[@DomTaylor09]

Great to see Dan on this episode 👍🏼

[@andyallom4357]

AND £22 to get in, is much better than the $25 a month that National League TV are charging through DAZN. HOWAY THE LADS

[@RossParker1877]

Yes, yes it is. Was there in the uncovered away stand a few years ago. You walk round a basketball court to get in. Midden

[@FootyAdventures]

Haha sounds mad. Will have to do a vlog from there one day (when it's dry)

[@RossParker1877]

​@@FootyAdventures and Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council?

[@ed2004edsid]

Should come and visit Glossop North End smallest town in England to have a top flight team and were owned by the Hill-Wood family who went on to own Arsenal

[@bobsteele55]

Another interesting video Sam 👍

[@dirkbogarde44]

I'll never understand why lower league clubs don't offer reductions for the unemployed.

[@FredFlintstone-b4i]

Great Vid as usual Sam... feel the scoring was a tad harsh and comparing the atmosphere to Celtic/Rangers on a CL night is a bit unkind! Comparing it to Non League in Scotland would be a better idea I feel. Anyway great to see something other than Scottish content for a change to add a bit of variety..

[@MarkRovelli]

my goodness - having that track around the pitch, pushing the stands further back! awful! need to do something about the away fans... also - stadium is too large for NatLeague especially with the seats so far away....

[@LeeStewart]

Oh you’re in my hometown. I don’t think the stadium is as bad as people are suggesting.

[@Micfri300]

It's shit and the reason why italian football is far behind English football.

[@adamdruett9107]

Would love Gateshead to get its own stadium to call their own. 700 is a bit of a disgrace for a crowd. Newcastle fans struggling to get a ticket should take a walk across the river from time to time. I don’t want to sound like a snob, but who pays for/ sells instant coffee anymore. You should at least expect an automatic machine coffee.

[@Nosaveddataretro]

It's Gateshead stadium not starbucks

[@blackcountrydiecast4708]

Have a wonder down Stourbridge FC, another ground falling into disrepair due the the council not fulfilling their obligations to the club

[@GenialHarryGrout]

Athletic stadiums are more common on mainland Europe, Nottingham Forest won their first European Cup in what was as athletic stadium. Not ideal and maybe the council could improve the facilities

[@Fercough]

Ben going there to watch my team for decades. It's a terrible terrible ground to watch a game at, but it's the best the club can do so I give them a break.

[@ChrisInToon]

"just outside of Newcastle city centre" there is a thing called the RiverTyne, Newcastle and Gateshead are two entirely distinct places. I was a young runner and so I did the school Northumberland athletics competition in 400m event , it is more an athletics stadium as well as a music venue ( in 90s Tina Turner performed ) never seen a football match there.

[@jakemcbride5357]

£88 pound for a non league game on a cold Tuesday night with no cover if it rains? For a family of four? At a athletics ground 😂 mad

[@mehdievil912]

😂😂 just to compare last year went to Lille and saw a europa league game in their 50000 seat stadium. All I paid was 30 euros for the ticket and they were decent seats next to the pitch. I could have bought cheaper tickets in the higher stands for 15 euros.

[@jamieandtherandomstuff]

Pease pudding is great. It is an aquired taste, but for it's uniqueness I feel your scran score deserved to be higher. Other than having it at home, here down south, I've never encountered it "in the wild". My one visit to that ground we were on the opposite side and had no hot food.

[@jamieandtherandomstuff]

£22 is at the top end of ticket prices in the National League. At least they don't put their prices up on the day of the game, unlike other clubs.

[@keislayzell9255]

GMBC Gateshead Midweek? Bloody Cracking. If you’re Rochdale that is. 😂😂

[@Jack-cr5jy]

Damn watched u all the time over a year ago, and now I see u with 200,000 well done son, lovely to see a video from u again

[@FootyAdventures]

Thanks for watching mate 👌🏽👌🏽

[@MidlandMark]

You mention "other Sports" there - well, the stadium was the home of the Gateshead Senators American Football team, who played on the training pitch you showed behind the main stadium, and I should know - I refereed them there!

[@wiking08]

I remember us playing at Don Valley, just like playing on the moon !

[@Sillygoooose624]

Any football team from playing in an Atheltics track is tinpot - whether that’s West Ham or Europe or rest of world.

[@johngallacher7360]

GMBC - Gateshead Must Buy Cover for away fans...

[@tylerhumphrey1978]

Of the 2 home games ive not been to in the last 2 years they're the two games which KZbinrs I follow have made videos attending 😂

[@FootyAdventures]

Thanks for watching and sorry to miss you. You have a great club, just need a new ground I reckon. All the best and catch you soon 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@ettnollbajen]

Bayern Munchen has season tickets from 22,4 Euros to 49 euros per game, how can this stadium/league get anything but 0/10 is mindblowing.

[@mixmasterstar]

Newcastle Town fc non league team Newcastle under Lyne near stoke play at an athletics stadium also

[@Choppy698]

Hiya Sam, I've been to Gateshead stadium just once, it was to see Whitehaven 22 Gateshead 18,it was a rugby league score, this is Choppy

[@fiferpars6429]

Edinburgh City's stadium is much worse than this.

[@dannyhunter44]

Used to train with doosan Babcock just near the stadium. Never been it but did look ok from outside

[@jackwincott1066]

My missus always says to me when we have pasta, GMBC - Get More Bastard Cheese!

[@gazza1858]

Use to play Rugby league for Gateshead at that stadium use to be a cracking boozer outside it Old Fold Tavern

[@Fercough]

There's no problem with uncovered away ends.

[@stevechilton-k9h]

not for the home supporters

[@andrewcoxon5214]

Been there twice, once for athletics: excellent, once for football: terrible

[@OxtonSWA]

If Barrow`s total dump is good enough for the Football League Gateshead shouldn`t have a problem. OK you are miles from the pitch due to the running track but at least you can see the pitch unlike at the away end at Holker Street.

[@benwherlock9869]

The last time those railings were painted Newcastle won the FA Cup.

[@jamesb1745]

Nearly as bad as the don valley when Rotherham played there.

[@da90sReAlvloc]

Nah like the stadium is great and Gateshead FC are the best. Team. , haddaway if you disagree

[@richl6966]

It's just not the right stadium for the level. Laughing at the fans moaning about the council. No reason the public should a 712 team. They've given you a ground, if you don't like it get your own ground rather than sponging off taxpayers. Even your man says you're a bit of a rip off.

[@D_B_Cooper]

4 quid for a pie 😲

[@cunninglinguist-hu1dz]

That is about the average price for a pie these days.

[@staceygrove5976]

I thought your verdicts on most of those categories were pretty harsh, except for prices. £22 for non-league football is a joke. It was 35p to watch Oldham Athletic in 1971.

[@mickwillsher5506]

Great coverage been a few times with York and in fairness they over achieve with the size of support. Welcome at the LNER any time..

[@FootyAdventures]

Will have to come for your promotion party later this season 👌🏽 Thanks for watching 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@Fercough]

They need to get up first! York snapped like a perished elastic band the other night.

[@andrewolding8747]

At 3:40, that's an American Football upright. That's pretty cool. Real Football.

[@johntopley3737]

At Boston United it is £20 in the west stand, north stand £17 and East stand £17

[@johnandrews8590]

It's an international stadium for athletics, not football.

[@reddwarfer999]

Yeah, I think we get that.

[@johnandrews8590]

@@reddwarfer999 well done.

[@Micfri300]

And? Never knew athletics was more popular than football..

[@johnandrews8590]

@@Micfri300 Sigh. The point is, it was built for athletics, not football. Hence, it's shite as a football ground. It's not an international football stadium. That's my point. Clear?

[@reddwarfer999]

@@johnandrews8590 Says you who states the bleedin' obvious.

[@theaussiemag3738]

Knew it was Gateshead purely from the running track and before seeing the description

[@kevinshanahan6064]

39% up from 33.85% after 4 votes, kind of says let’s not be too unkind. Was like standing on the cliffs of Dover with binoculars watching a game in France,

[@johntopley3737]

Should never go up to the EFL with a ground like that

[@DCO-3447]

22 quid for 5th tier football is ridiculous, and 8 quid for a coffee, a sandwich and a mars bar is also extortionate

[@davidcunningham2287]

Another like from me Sam 👏

[@scapecapturedanielboundfor857]

The people of Halifax you need to target not people in Bradford. You got 88,000 people live in Halifax. Twice the population of Accrington yet Accy Stanley get 2.5 to 3k. With Burnley and Blackburn 5 minutes away and less than 40k in their town you would think they would get tiny crowds. Local pride you need to promote in Halifax.

[@MisutahJ]

I always find the atmosphere of any English football game so boring, the chants, etc.. You get more atmosphere from a regionalliga game in Germany and its more exciting. I don't know what it is, just can't get excited over any english league game. Feels so bland. But credit to the fans of Gateshead and Rochdale, at least they're passionate about their team.

[@StuartOdams]

I was at this match,it was bitterly cold sitting on the plastic seat unlike yourself in the VIP seats. Great own goal to the best team on the night As for your Ratings : Match 5/ Tickets 10 ( As same as Steps 3-4 & 5) 7/ Food 8 (Better than some 1st & 2nd Div teams/ Atmosphere 6 / Facilities 8 (Training pitches, inside Sports Hall). But Club shop useless Total = 37/50

[@topoisomerace]

Every stadium with a track is poor for football fans.

[@lucaschapman2188]

Rather go there than Kenilworth road or Loftus road. The leg room seems ok

[@stuartibbertson2009]

brighton hove albion used to play at there games at withdean staduim 1999 and 2011 it was Athletics. staduim untill the Amex, was bulit

[@madmik32510]

Cold february saturday and pouring rain in the south stand no roof but some great fun.

[@johntopley3737]

What a horrible ground only use one stand my team Boston United played at Gateshead and when it was shown on TV you wonder where the fans were

[@brianhancock3344]

GMBC - Giant Monkey Balls Club

[@ryanoconnor5612]

£22 for a game on a National league game on a Tuesday night 🤯

[@nfive5]

Its a athletics stadium not really a football stadium , councils up north only want to line their own pockets they dont like spending cash , like newcastle united they looking for new ground but so far they havent been able to go away due to the local council.

[@Loudtable]

£22 if fine. These are professional football clubs with bills and full time salaries to pay.