By the time I went to Ninian Park in the late noughties they had a net up in no mans land which stopped any of that, but did feel very uncomfortable. Coming out was dreadful when we won 3-2 there, loads of 'Wolves' out and Cardiff were bouncing about and like the parting of the blue sea the police moved aside so they could go at it, they literally stood while some of these boneheads waded into each other. the police videoing it knowing the 5 o clock knock was coming. Some of them were wise to it and stayed out of it but it was proper hairy for a moment. St. Andrews in 1999 I think it was, they'd been a day of strikes about Rover closing in Longbridge and the mood in Birmingham was vile. Coming out afterwards the bricks and bottles rained down on us locked in that pen outside the Railway End.
Ninian Park was properly intimidating. Cardiff loved throwing coins back at Ninian Park, even just as the ground was closing they knew they could get away with it. Throwing coins was just part of the derby up until a few years ago when the Mike Dean incident and the move from Ninian Park changed the way it was policed.
Maine Road, St Andrews in the early 90s and Ninian Park from personal experience. I'd imagine our own Victoria Ground was intimidating for away fans back in the 70s-90s.
I was more arsed about the coins than the dick head fans if any wanted a go i was more than up for it one on one luckily it never come to that. What pissed me off was having to be on your toes expecting a coin coming in while your trying to watch the football. got really annoying and off putting. the coppers were about as ignorant as you'll ever meet as well.
too young to really know but looking at old pics, it seems like an absolute shithole, the kind of shithole with permanent grey clouds over it. Well suited to that lot then...
Ninian Park was an experience, you had to watch your words round there. The Manor Ground was bad as well, we always seemed to attract the usual crowd to that.
Fratton Park. A daunting place when your team is losing, you're stood in the (then) roofless Milton End whilst it is raining and the local Pompey thugs are trying to start trouble after the final whistle. Great atmosphere though.
I went on holiday to Turkey and got tickets for Besiktas v Galatasaray... now that is a hostile ground/atmosphere!
Halifax away back in the day use to be pretty tasty. If you wanted a fight you would certainly find one down there
I only went late 80s/early 90s, and loved going there. Along with probably Portman Road, it was what a real proper football ground should look like.
A bit too young for the proper intimidation factor that was around in the 80s, although Prenton Park for me, in midweek trying to get back to the rail station in Birkenhead. Apart from that, Bradford and Huddersfield can be a bit rough.
Went to Stamford Bridge for a pre season friendly with Celtic. There must have been 1000 casuals fighting with Police trying to get at us after the game.
Parkhead Many moons ago for a game v Hearts when it was between Celtic & Hearts for the title that season I was with the home support for my first visit to Parkhead and the atmosphere was mental, the Hearts fans wedged in the corner contributed to the overall atmosphere in the ground and I think they won 2-1, but Celtic pipped them to the title on the last day I think. It did not put me off as I have been back loadsa times
This wee guy has played in a few stadiums and knows a thing or two about atmosphere. http://t.co/XaULNIs1Sh
Too young to have experienced any of the properly intimidating days but I've noticed a few grounds today. Although we were a non-event to them Fratton Park seemed quite intimidating compared to your average modern ground now, can see that long alley behind the away end has been the scene of many past incidents. Remember one of the coaches getting bricked at Walsall a few years ago too, although I've never noticed anything negative about them besides that. Only ground I've been to I've noticed seems more consistent is Griffin Park, last few times we've been there's been some kind of minor troubles. Been a few scraps outside the main away pub, one year I remember seeing a brawl between a pair of our fans some locals outside one of the other pubs near the Magpie & Crown walking to the ground and last time there was a group of our supporters that got cornered into a side street on the way back tot he coaches by a large group of Brentford fans looking for trouble until the OB moved them on. Few odd things chucked at the coaches both times I've been there, seems to happen frequently after our matches there.
The reck at aldershot was an expirence and the Vech too very hostile and don't start me on Penndayrren park Merthyr
