SCL Stadium - worst ground in League One

[Carnabyswhiskers]

Adrian Durham on the Talksport website has the SCL Stadium 24th out of 24 in League One in his review of the 92 PL and EFL grounds. His comment:
'Reading have gone bottom of the table, it's soporific. It's just so dull and so boring. It will send you to sleep. There's nothing there to love. I don't even see it as a football stadium. I know it is but I've seen so many other sports there.
I can't be doing with it really. I don't love it at all. And their old ground, Elm Park, was brilliant. That was tight.'
Not been to the Mad for a while (sigh - geographical reasons) but from what I have been reading on here the atmosphere seemed to have been decent, especially over the last 18 months.
Link if anyone wants to read the article:
https://talksport.com/football/2149474/ ... challenge/
His top three: 3 Blackpool, 2 Charlton, 1 Peterborough. But as he admits he is a Posh fan.

[Hendo]

Adrian Durham on the Talksport website has the SCL Stadium 24th out of 24 in League One in his review of the 92 PL and EFL grounds. His comment:
'Reading have gone bottom of the table, it's soporific. It's just so dull and so boring. It will send you to sleep. There's nothing there to love. I don't even see it as a football stadium. I know it is but I've seen so many other sports there.
I can't be doing with it really. I don't love it at all. And their old ground, Elm Park, was brilliant. That was tight.'
Not been to the Mad for a while (sigh - geographical reasons) but from what I have been reading on here the atmosphere seemed to have been decent, especially over the last 18 months.
Link if anyone wants to read the article:
https://talksport.com/football/2149474/ ... challenge/
His top three: 3 Blackpool, 2 Charlton, 1 Peterborough. But as he admits he is a Posh fan.

Thought he was talking about his own radio show for a minute.

[Crusader Royal]

Adrian Durham on the Talksport website has the SCL Stadium 24th out of 24 in League One in his review of the 92 PL and EFL grounds. His comment:
'Reading have gone bottom of the table, it's soporific. It's just so dull and so boring. It will send you to sleep. There's nothing there to love. I don't even see it as a football stadium. I know it is but I've seen so many other sports there.
I can't be doing with it really. I don't love it at all. And their old ground, Elm Park, was brilliant. That was tight.'
Not been to the Mad for a while (sigh - geographical reasons) but from what I have been reading on here the atmosphere seemed to have been decent, especially over the last 18 months.
Link if anyone wants to read the article:
https://talksport.com/football/2149474/ ... challenge/
His top three: 3 Blackpool, 2 Charlton, 1 Peterborough. But as he admits he is a Posh fan.

Thought he was talking about his own radio show for a minute.

I’m pretty certain it’s only been used for football and rugby. Unless you count holding the final stages of the Reading half marathon.
It can be a vibrant as any ground, it can be quiet and a bit dull. Perhaps he’s only been there when we played Peterborough, perhaps that is the issue !

[Clyde1998]

We have a fairly generic modern stadium sure, but I don't think you could make a serious argument that our ground is the worst in the division. In fact, I think it's one of the few in the division that wouldn't look out of place in the Premier League - assuming the basic maintenance of the stadium, which has been put off due to lack of funding, was done.

There was a HITC Sevens video about a month ago which discussed modern grounds. IIRC, the overall conclusion was older grounds may have character and history, but are often awful to watch football at regularly (restricted views, lack of facilities, etc.); modern stadia have the facilities which make watching football better on a regular basis due to better functionality but aren't particularly interesting.

The atmosphere argument is often nothing to do with the stadium itself, rather those who are within the stadium. I'm sure we can all come up with games where the atmosphere was brilliant at the Madejski and games where the atmosphere was awful; the same will be true at any other ground in the country. I think when an atmosphere is generated, the grounds holds the noise well; I've been at plenty of away games where this isn't the case. For a generic match at the game, the atmosphere has improved over the past eighteen months - albeit a little flat for the last couple of games.

The statement "I don't even see it as a football stadium. I know it is but I've seen so many other sports there." makes little sense either. The only other sport played at the Mad Stad regularly was rugby and the Reading Half Marathon is the only other thing that I can think he could be referring to. That's unless there was a one-off sporting event I'm not aware of.

This guy's top three includes Blackpool and Charlton, which have been rebuilt to be a modern grounds (with one older stand left in Charlton's instance). The difference being those grounds have a much longer history than ours and effectively show the Ship of Theseus paradox (Trigger's broom) in action - are they the same ground if they've been completely rebuilt?

He also rated Stadium MK as the worst stadium in League Two, simply because the team that play there are inappropriate for a stadium of that scale. I have criticisms about that ground, partially how shallow the lower tier is, but it's easily the highest standard ground at that level.

His list is full of contradictions, he ranks Vale Park poorly due to it being "very dated" (which it is tbf), but likes Turf Moor because "not a lot about it has changed". "I don't like grounds where the corners are open" (referring to Stoke), but rates Stockport, Lincoln, Portsmouth, Harrogate, etc. highly despite the corners being open.

[From Despair To Where?]

I stopped reading at "Adrian Durham".

The bloke's an utter penis.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I always assumed people's irrational dislike of us was when we were "little old Reading" punching about our weight at the expense of bigger clubs like Southampton, Leeds and West Ham. "Would these little guys just learn their place and fcuk off back down the divisions?"

Always surprises me when we see it at this level. Were they expecting P'Boro to travel to historic grounds like Anfield and Old Trafford, or Spurs' new state of the art one? You're in L1 guys, you should be used to the experience by now.

[windermereROYAL]

Also said Loftus road was the best in the championship, anybody that`s been there and tried to sit down knows what a total shit hole it is.

Hillsborough bottom too.

The blokes a grade one cunt.

[percy_freeman]

Anyone that rates Loftus Rd or whatever it's called now has never been in the away end! Whilst the SCL is far from the best, considering what we as fans have had to endure for a few years now, I think it deserves a bit more credit.

[From Despair To Where?]

Anyone that rates Loftus Rd or whatever it's called now has never been in the away end! Whilst the SCL is far from the best, considering what we as fans have had to endure for a few years now, I think it deserves a bit more credit.

Anything but the front row of the top tier and you can't even see the goal 20yds in front to you.

[Sutekh]

Hope that Reading for once can stuff Peterborough home and away this season.

[Jackson Corner]

Speaking as a wheelchair user and someone who has been to a lot of other grounds. Reading is right up there with the very best in the country. When people like Durham dish the dirt they don’t take thing’s like other facilities toilets, food outlets, access etc.

[traff]

Speaking as a wheelchair user and someone who has been to a lot of other grounds. Reading is right up there with the very best in the country. When people like Durham dish the dirt they don’t take thing’s like other facilities toilets, food outlets, access etc.

The only thing Adrian Dumbman rates is himself.

[Jagermesiter1871]

He's obviously done it to get clicks. The SCL is obviously in the top 5 stadiums in the league but would be boring and get no engagement if he put that. Instead he puts it bottom, puts a few absolute dumps at the top and it's gets the people going. Edgelord cherry on top he puts Peterborough top knowing it's a shit hole but is his team.

[Jagermesiter1871]

Anyone that rates Loftus Rd or whatever it's called now has never been in the away end! Whilst the SCL is far from the best, considering what we as fans have had to endure for a few years now, I think it deserves a bit more credit.

I remember going as a teenager; couldn't see one of the goals, legs wouldn't fit in the row and the seats were wide enough for a cigarette. Perhaps they do nice biscuits in the press box which i imagine would be enough to sway fat boy.

[PieEater]

He's obviously done it to get clicks. The SCL is obviously in the top 5 stadiums in the league but would be boring and get no engagement if he put that. Instead he puts it bottom, puts a few absolute dumps at the top and it's gets the people going. Edgelord cherry on top he puts Peterborough top knowing it's a shit hole but is his team.

Controversial opinion posted on Talk Sport shocker to generate outrage and clicks. That's what they do.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Stopped listening to that gash a few years back (for those reasons above), predictably scripted…..and as for those adverts

[stealthpapes]

Adrian Durham on the Talksport website has the SCL Stadium 24th out of 24 in League One in his review of the 92 PL and EFL grounds. His comment:
'Reading have gone bottom of the table, it's soporific. It's just so dull and so boring. It will send you to sleep. There's nothing there to love. I don't even see it as a football stadium. I know it is but I've seen so many other sports there.
I can't be doing with it really. I don't love it at all. And their old ground, Elm Park, was brilliant. That was tight.'
Not been to the Mad for a while (sigh - geographical reasons) but from what I have been reading on here the atmosphere seemed to have been decent, especially over the last 18 months.
Link if anyone wants to read the article:
https://talksport.com/football/2149474/ ... challenge/
His top three: 3 Blackpool, 2 Charlton, 1 Peterborough. But as he admits he is a Posh fan.

Thought he was talking about his own radio show for a minute.

I’m pretty certain it’s only been used for football and rugby. Unless you count holding the final stages of the Reading half marathon.
It can be a vibrant as any ground, it can be quiet and a bit dull. Perhaps he’s only been there when we played Peterborough, perhaps that is the issue !

tbf both rugby codes

I was trying to think of good/bad stadia and something I noticed at Sunderland came to mind. We were up in the sticks and you just couldn't hear anything from the home fans. So it was remarkably low atmosphere where we were (and I expect the Sunderland fans heard oxf*rd all either).

FWIW, the pub in the old train station, the Colliery right by the ground, the VAUX brewery near the ground, fish and chips on the beach, couple of pints in the beachside hotel. Sunderland's remarkably nice. There's even a walrus statue.

[Carnabyswhiskers]

Thought he was talking about his own radio show for a minute.

I’m pretty certain it’s only been used for football and rugby. Unless you count holding the final stages of the Reading half marathon.
It can be a vibrant as any ground, it can be quiet and a bit dull. Perhaps he’s only been there when we played Peterborough, perhaps that is the issue !

tbf both rugby codes

I was trying to think of good/bad stadia and something I noticed at Sunderland came to mind. We were up in the sticks and you just couldn't hear anything from the home fans. So it was remarkably low atmosphere where we were (and I expect the Sunderland fans heard oxf*rd all either).

FWIW, the pub in the old train station, the Colliery right by the ground, the VAUX brewery near the ground, fish and chips on the beach, couple of pints in the beachside hotel. Sunderland's remarkably nice. There's even a walrus statue.

A couple more decent stopping off points next time we play there: @venue on Roker Avenue and The Harbour View, both cracking real ale pubs. The first one has a 'Porterfield Suite'. Wouldn't recommend wearing away colours, though.

[JR]

Thought the pitch was looking dreadful today - worst I’ve seen it in 20 years.

However, didn’t seem to impact the quality of the goals or goalline clearances!

[stealthpapes]

I’m pretty certain it’s only been used for football and rugby. Unless you count holding the final stages of the Reading half marathon.
It can be a vibrant as any ground, it can be quiet and a bit dull. Perhaps he’s only been there when we played Peterborough, perhaps that is the issue !

tbf both rugby codes

I was trying to think of good/bad stadia and something I noticed at Sunderland came to mind. We were up in the sticks and you just couldn't hear anything from the home fans. So it was remarkably low atmosphere where we were (and I expect the Sunderland fans heard oxf*rd all either).

FWIW, the pub in the old train station, the Colliery right by the ground, the VAUX brewery near the ground, fish and chips on the beach, couple of pints in the beachside hotel. Sunderland's remarkably nice. There's even a walrus statue.

A couple more decent stopping off points next time we play there: @venue on Roker Avenue and The Harbour View, both cracking real ale pubs. The first one has a 'Porterfield Suite'. Wouldn't recommend wearing away colours, though.

Yeah, the Sunderland fans are very fond of Ian Porterfield.

Cheers for the tips.