New Landsdowne Road

[steviecarnie]

Noticed it is to be opened on friday and must say it looks amazing. if only the sfa and sru could sort something like that out.

[MWHIBBIES]

Saw these pics a while ago and i agree it does look amazing.

[Cocaine&Caviar]

Although it looks flash, it has a rediculously low capacity which I'd barely an improvement on the previous stadium. Especially when looked at in context, as 6N games are always going to well out every year, most international football games will, and if they are to host
major finals in the future they should house a lot more. They've been packing out the 70,000 Croke park very consistently since the building work.

Very short sighted in my opinion, yes there
may be building restraints with the surrounding area, but a
fix should have been found.

[Haggis Hibby]

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Noticed it is to be opened on friday and must say it looks amazing. if only the sfa and sru could sort something like that out.

Errr http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_buildi...dium_1zm12.jpg



Its just the SFA are to short sighted and unwilling to move to edinburgh away from bigot brothers

[Frazerbob]

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Although it looks flash, it has a rediculously low capacity which I'd barely an improvement on the previous stadium. Especially when looked at in context, as 6N games are always going to well out every year, most international football games will, and if they are to host
major finals in the future they should house a lot more. They've been packing out the 70,000 Croke park very consistently since the building work.

Very short sighted in my opinion, yes there
may be building restraints with the surrounding area, but a
fix should have been found.

Not sure if you were ever at the old Lansdowne Road but it was very restricted for space, to the extent that a train line used to run underneath one of the old ramshackle stands. There are also lots of residential buildings very close by. Judgining by the pictures, it seems that behind one goal is still very small.

Looks an amazing stadium, similar to Bayern Munich. Hopefully we'll all be there in May next year!

[Joe Baker II]

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Errr http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_buildi...dium_1zm12.jpg



Its just the SFA are to short sighted and unwilling to move to edinburgh away from bigot brothers

Have to disagree here, I know fine what Hampden's faults are regarding accessibility and that is inexcusable from the SFA, but it is difficult to argue that national stadium should be where population is - bigotry is an issue all over Scotland and the rest of the world (not just in Glasgow whatever some football fans seem to think at times) and has nothing to do with locating national stadium decisions.

More importantly if club like Hibs was unwilling to press for semi finals v Hears/Dunfermline to be played in East Coast as they shamefully were in 2006 and 2007, can hardly blame everything on SFA pandering to bigotry - I can hardly imagine the average Old Firm fan would be particularly perturbed had Hibs played a semi final replay live on television v Dunfermline at full prIces at Tynecastle. Much of the blame lies closer to home.

Do not like the Irish FA getting into bed with rugby union but options were limited, staying at Croke long term would (rightly) not have been palatable to the GAA, and capacity similar to Hampden seems about right, not all ROI games sell out (similar crowds to Scotland in fact is the norm) and what suits rugby union does is not their concern.

[Part/Time Supporter]

It would have been called Hibernian Stadium if a certain insurance company hadn't rebranded its Irish equivalent.

[Moody Mulder]

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Errr http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_buildi...dium_1zm12.jpg



Its just the SFA are to short sighted and unwilling to move to edinburgh away from bigot brothers

agreed, Murrayfield (we might not like to hear it but) is by far the best stadium in Scotland.

[Sprouleflyer]

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Have to disagree here, I know fine what Hampden's faults are regarding accessibility and that is inexcusable from the SFA, but it is difficult to argue that national stadium should be where population is - bigotry is an issue all over Scotland and the rest of the world (not just in Glasgow whatever some football fans seem to think at times) and has nothing to do with locating national stadium decisions.

More importantly if club like Hibs was unwilling to press for semi finals v Hears/Dunfermline to be played in East Coast as they shamefully were in 2006 and 2007, can hardly blame everything on SFA pandering to bigotry - I can hardly imagine the average Old Firm fan would be particularly perturbed had Hibs played a semi final replay live on television v Dunfermline at full prIces at Tynecastle. Much of the blame lies closer to home.

Do not like the Irish FA getting into bed with rugby union but options were limited, staying at Croke long term would (rightly) not have been palatable to the GAA, and capacity similar to Hampden seems about right, not all ROI games sell out (similar crowds to Scotland in fact is the norm) and what suits rugby union does is not their concern.

In part I agree.

Hampden and Glasgow is fine for a national stadium, the only real issue I have with Hampden, is that on 3 sides of the ground it is just re constructed terracing with seats and a roof.

As a national stadium it is very poor quality for the vast majority of fans.

Looking at Wembley, the Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield and now Lansdowne Road, Hampden is quickly becoming the worst national stadium in the British Isle's.

[francobaresi]

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Looking at Wembley, the Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield and now Lansdowne Road, Hampden is quickly becoming the worst national stadium in the British Isle's.

Hampden, in my opinion, has always been the worst national stadium as soon as this new version was opened! Just my opinion mind...

GGTTH

[Cocaine&Caviar]

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Not sure if you were ever at the old Lansdowne Road but it was very restricted for space, to the extent that a train line used to run underneath one of the old ramshackle stands. There are also lots of residential buildings very close by. Judgining by the pictures, it seems that behind one goal is still very small.

Looks an amazing stadium, similar to Bayern Munich. Hopefully we'll all be there in May next year!

They should have built it out of town then, if you build it they will come. It's about looking to the future IMO, if they are planning on having a fair few important qualifying campaigns in the future they will then sell out, although there may be games of much lower attendance, the occassions when they do sell out 80k makes it worthwhile, especially as this is gaurenteed for two or three games a year from the 6N.

[steviecarnie]

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Hampden, in my opinion, has always been the worst national stadium as soon as this new version was opened! Just my opinion mind...

GGTTH

dispise the place tbh,

never happen but imo needs a complete knockdown and start again, crowd closer to the pitch, high steep stands to get the old roar back and become intimidating to other nations can help win games.

[Joe Baker II]

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In part I agree.

Hampden and Glasgow is fine for a national stadium, the only real issue I have with Hampden, is that on 3 sides of the ground it is just re constructed terracing with seats and a roof.

As a national stadium it is very poor quality for the vast majority of fans.

Looking at Wembley, the Millennium Stadium, Murrayfield and now Lansdowne Road, Hampden is quickly becoming the worst national stadium in the British Isle's.

Wembley is a nightmare to get to though, makes Hampden appear accessible.

[Aubenas]

They should have built it out of town then, if you build it they will come.

Ten years ago, in preparation for Euro 2008 joint bid, the Fianna Fail government had a plan for a multi sports campus, with an 80,000 capacity stadium, at Abbotstown, west of Dublin:

Announced as a stadium for soccer, rugby, Gaelic and athletics, the 500-acre campus soon expanded to include not alone the stadium but a 15,00-seater arena, multi-purpose halls, 29 outdoor pitches, tennis centre with eight indoor and 14 outdoor courts, golf academy with indoor and outdoor practice facilities, velodrome, sports science centre, and 8,000 square metres of office space for the HQs of sports organisations.

In many ways the plan was typical of the building mania that was allowed to wreck the Irish economy. It came to be seen as a kind of vanity project for then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, and was dubbed the 'Bertie Bowl'.

However, the GAA had just finished redeveloping the magnificent Croke Park (with a shedload of govmt money to help) Then the IRFU = announced that, regardless of what the FAI and government did, they would have to redevelop Lansdowne Rd for rugby and wouldn't join in the plan. Their own rebuild was expensive because, as posters have noted, it's a very restricted site and is also in quite a douce residential area in Dublin 4 (Think Barnton). They had a lot of planning problems.

Eventually, with only a National Swimming complex completed, and prices having soared to 1.1 billion Euro, the Bertie Bowl was abandoned. And probably just as well given the current financial mess.

So yeh, out of town would have been good, but with 2 major stadia already in place, the idea was doomed.

[weonlywon6-2]

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Although it looks flash, it has a rediculously low capacity which I'd barely an improvement on the previous stadium. Especially when looked at in context, as 6N games are always going to well out every year, most international football games will, and if they are to host
major finals in the future they should house a lot more. They've been packing out the 70,000 Croke park very consistently since the building work.

Very short sighted in my opinion, yes there
may be building restraints with the surrounding area, but a
fix should have been found.

agree,the fact that they have 2 stadiums in downright daft

[Aubenas]

agree,the fact that they have 2 stadiums in downright daft

As some on here probably know, there are very good historical reasons for separating GAA and other sports, especially given events at Croke Park in the 20s.

More importantly, the GAA remains, just, a fairly admirable organisation in comparison with the money driven half wits who are ruining most other sports at present. It's as amateur as possible in the 21st century and redistributes a helluva lot of cash into small communities for GAA facilities which are often the central point of country areas and provide cultural and sporting input for youngsters all over the country. Would the SFA was anything like it.

I wouldn't like to see the GAA mixed up with the TV smitten, cash orientated, posing prats that major soccer and rugby players have become.

A rosy view of the GAA, but broadly accurate.

[Keith_M]

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As some on here probably know, there are very good historical reasons for separating GAA and other sports, especially given events at Croke Park in the 20s.

Great, let's all live in the past. I'll go dump my German girlfriend because of WWII.

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More importantly, the GAA remains, just, a fairly admirable organisation in comparison with the money driven half wits who are ruining most other sports at present. It's as amateur as possible in the 21st century and redistributes a helluva lot of cash into small communities for GAA facilities which are often the central point of country areas and provide cultural and sporting input for youngsters all over the country. Would the SFA was anything like it.

However, that part I DO agree with!

[NAE NOOKIE]

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agreed, Murrayfield (we might not like to hear it but) is by far the best stadium in Scotland.

Yes. But:

I had always wanted any SC final or Semi between us and the Yams played at Murrayfield.

Until I saw us play Barcelona there and that changed my mind.

I dont know what it is about Murrayfield but IMO based on that night it just isnt a football venue.

[C I Hibee]

It's got a running track down one side!

[Sprouleflyer]

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Wembley is a nightmare to get to though, makes Hampden appear accessible.

Yes, very true, Wembley is a nightmare, however as a fan who goes to Hampden for Hibs semi/final games and the odd Scotland game, I want to make a day of it and that is where city bound national stadiums work. You can go for a bite to eat and a drink and enjoy your build up to the match.

The problem of middle of nowhere stadiums is where do you go before the game, would kind of ruin the day/experience for me.

[bighairyfaeleith]

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Yes, very true, Wembley is a nightmare, however as a fan who goes to Hampden for Hibs semi/final games and the odd Scotland game, I want to make a day of it and that is where city bound national stadiums work. You can go for a bite to eat and a drink and enjoy your build up to the match.

The problem of middle of nowhere stadiums is where do you go before the game, would kind of ruin the day/experience for me.

TBF 12:30 kickoffs on a sunday kill that as well

You're right though, I like a bevvy before a big game and out of town stadiums make that harder but not impossible just takes more planning and an organised bus. **** if you're on the train though

[Dalianwanda]

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They should have built it out of town then, if you build it they will come. It's about looking to the future IMO, if they are planning on having a fair few important qualifying campaigns in the future they will then sell out, although there may be games of much lower attendance, the occassions when they do sell out 80k makes it worthwhile, especially as this is gaurenteed for two or three games a year from the 6N.

Train still goes under it...I run past it most evenings and its certainly looking amazing from the outside...still seems like a fair bit of work to do but maybe the inside just looks messy & a quick tidy up is just needed...As well as the train line you also have the river running beside it & landsdowne road itself..I know most of the buildings in that street have been bought up to knock down but a few residents resisted..You couldnt build out the way any further..From what I heard theres something like 15k corporate so only leaves 40k for the punters..Think thats fine for the footie but for the rugby its gonna be impossible to get a ticket..

[MrSmith]

Hampden is a disgrace! It's acessibility is worse than criminal.

Whilst attending the AC/DC gig, I got in-tow with some guys from Newcastle and the North East. They were gobsmacked at the accessibility and the ground itself. The comment was "This is the Scottish National Stadium? well we'll no be back!"" And to be honest neither will I!

[hibsdaft]

tin hat time, but Glasgow is the home of Scottish football and is rightly the home of the national stadium. rugby can gtf.

[Joe Baker II]

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tin hat time, but Glasgow is the home of Scottish football and is rightly the home of the national stadium. rugby can gtf.

Though I accept stadium should be in Glasgow for population reasons, Glasgow is not "the home of Scottish football" though I accept it has played a disporportionate role in football history in relation to population and its history certainly puts the rugby-union influended Edinburgh to shame. However other parts of Scotland (Lanarkshire, Fife, Ayrshire) have contributed arguably as much in relation to population, no area can call itself home.

It is more its accessibility at present (would be so easy to fix with a bit of imagination from SFA though) that is the problem.

[Joe Baker II]

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As some on here probably know, there are very good historical reasons for separating GAA and other sports, especially given events at Croke Park in the 20s.

More importantly, the GAA remains, just, a fairly admirable organisation in comparison with the money driven half wits who are ruining most other sports at present. It's as amateur as possible in the 21st century and redistributes a helluva lot of cash into small communities for GAA facilities which are often the central point of country areas and provide cultural and sporting input for youngsters all over the country. Would the SFA was anything like it.

I wouldn't like to see the GAA mixed up with the TV smitten, cash orientated, posing prats that major soccer and rugby players have become.

A rosy view of the GAA, but broadly accurate.

Excellent post. Totally agree with what you say about GAA though in defence of SFA it is much easier for sporting orgaNIsations to be like this when sports are more or less confined to one adminstrative area.

I feel that while the GAA should tell rugby union where to go as it a direct relic of imposition from English rule (similar to Scotland in fact though there are differences in the way it was imposed here) they should accept that football is an international sport (England may have had role in codifying rules - in fact this was done with much Scottish influence) and would ultimately have taken root in Ireland regardless of the negative influnece of English and subsequently British colonialism - and they should come to some sort of arrnagement to at least allow bigger football games at Croke on a permanent basis.

[Keith_M]

I think it's ugly. Not a patch on Murrayfield.

[basehibby]

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Noticed it is to be opened on friday and must say it looks amazing. if only the sfa and sru could sort something like that out.

That's excellent - I love the contoured roof design. And that reminds me - I'm still very pished off that the club have totally ignored my suggestion to have the roof of the new East shaped into a giant Petrie-esque tache.

It would be a fine addition to the city's panaoramic vista and sponsorship would no doubt be snapped up by BIC or Wilkinson's Sword or somesuch - whatever happened to creative thinking Eh?????!

[darwenhibby]

Cant wait for next year when we are playing the Europa League Final There

EUROPE HERE WE COME

[Dalianwanda]

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That's excellent - I love the contoured roof design. And that reminds me - I'm still very pished off that the club have totally ignored my suggestion to have the roof of the new East shaped into a giant Petrie-esque tache.

It would be a fine addition to the city's panaoramic vista and sponsorship would no doubt be snapped up by BIC or Wilkinson's Sword or somesuch - whatever happened to creative thinking Eh?????!

Have heard it dubbed 'The Bedpan'...but I like it