Ashburton Grove or Highbury?

nuttygoonerpaul · Post by **nuttygoonerpaul** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:35 pm

Highbury with terrraces anyday, good old days ,

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:44 pm

gus ceasar is a legend wrote:No I am not you prick! You find me a comment written by me where I say that our new stadium is as good as the old. I will save you the bother because you won't!

I have said that as far as new stadiums goes The Grove looks ok and ticks many boxes.

I also said the problems about the atmosphere stem from the clubs attitude and the type of "supporters" they encourage to come to the place.

I stood on the North Bank for years and that will never ever be replaced.

Not quite sure what you have got a bee in your bonnet about but you are acting a tit.

Considering we agree on 90% of the subject I have no idea why you needed to start calloing me a c**t and boring.

Have a nice Friday Alex won't you!

if we agree 90% why did you go into one about the 'rundown' Highbury as you phrased it. We moved to the Emirates to boost our gate reciepts as Highbury could'nt be made bigger.

This whole post is bollox so I apologise for being a part of it. My fault. It's only coz I'm so f*cking frustrated at the way football is today. Should'nt really get too angry but when you see our muppet fans at the Emirates surely that must annoy you? I know the answer (we agree don't we)..let's just leave it.

Looking forward to hearing people's solutions to the problem. Not holding my breath.

gus ceasar is a legend · Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:47 pm

It was a simple comment about the general condition of the place as the club had spent no money on repairs for sometime as they knew we were moving.

I long for the good old days as much as you Alex trust me and my comments about Highbury were in no way meant to belittle the place but just an observation on the condition!

Basil is a Gooner · Post by **Basil is a Gooner** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:18 pm

I think most of us want to remember Highbury with our rose tinted glasses on.

We all know that it was tired and run down (I know that feeling

), BUT it was (and still is) the heart and soul of Arsenal and that it where history was made and memories remain.

However, we all know deep down that to compete in the current climate where football is ALL about money we could not continue to do that there, and sadly needed to move to our new concerete bowl.

Arsenal need to hurry up and make this feel more like home (they say money is tight but I'm sure you could get young local artists to paint murals etc on the concourses) - the money has been spent on Club Level upwards.

I am not a JCL, I have been going "Up the Arse" for the last 29 years and it breaks my heart to see Highbury turned into a load of poncy flats that no-one can afford anyway.

But I have to be realistic - its great to always be able to get a ticket and actually be able to see wherever I am in the stadium. We just need to get the atmostphere sorted and humanise the concourse. Oh and win some trophies of course.........

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:26 pm

Basil is a Gooner wrote:I think most of us want to remember Highbury with our rose tinted glasses on. We all know that it was tired and run down (I know that feeling ), BUT it was (and still is) the heart and soul of Arsenal and that it where history was made and memories remain.

However, we all know deep down that to compete in the current climate where football is ALL about money we could not continue to do that there, and sadly needed to move to our new concerete bowl.

Arsenal need to hurry up and make this feel more like home (they say money is tight but I'm sure you could get young local artists to paint murals etc on the concourses) - the money has been spent on Club Level upwards.

I am not a JCL, I have been going "Up the Arse" for the last 29 years and it breaks my heart to see Highbury turned into a load of poncy flats that no-one can afford anyway.

But I have to be realistic - its great to always be able to get a ticket and actually be able to see wherever I am in the stadium. We just need to get the atmostphere sorted and humanise the concourse. Oh and win some trophies of course.........

I prefer the design of Highbury, the feel of it's intimacy. I know the problems with Highbury and the atmosphere could be shit and the view wasn't great everywhere but give me that over comfy seats and a lifeless "consumer experience" any day.

It;s nothing to do with trophies, I just don't like the new place.

Perryashburtongroves · Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:26 pm

It's the lack of Arsenalisation that has turned many people off. The honours board along the top tier does look good and is a unique and interesting part of the ground. It could do with being added to mind. Apart from that though, the undergorund carpark- sorry lower concourse looks shit. We have the odd picture but absolutley nothing taht makes us fel at home. Highbury did start to look ropey at the end but at least the bloody concourses were red and white!

Inside the Grove, we've got decent seats, great sightlines and loads of legroom but quite frankly so too do a lot of modern grounds. I wa spleased we didn't build a copy of Old Trafford like so many other late 90s- early 2000s rebuilds did but if you look around Europe, there isn't much to make our ground stand out. We have a similiar shape to Benfica's place and the new grounds in Germany and in South Africa ahead of the 2010 world cup all have a similiar style.

This Is The Daybreak · Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:40 pm

Yes Highbury was my childhood, I look back with fondness but come on, for the clubs ambition we had to move on.

Trying to get tickets for the big games if you weren't a season ticket holder was an absolute nightmare once the ground became an all seater which meant a lot of loyal supporters missing out.

Now at least with the new stadium you can get tickets without hassle and my brother who used to only be able to go a couple of times a season in the late 90s/early 00s now gets to go to the majority of home games.

Highbury was fantastic within time the new stadium will provide us with memories, it already has a few (the Man Utd games, Chelsea 07, Milan 08), yes there are JLCs who leave before the end and sit on their arses all game but fuck them, this slump in form might get rid of a lot of them....Highbury is often looked back in a nostalgic way that it was this fortress of noise every saturday but it wasn't. 18,000 against Brighton in the mid 80s, 18,000 against Wimbledon in the mid 90s....was there ever that much of a noise in the lesser games...no

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:42 pm

Plenty of tickets available pre-Wenger.

Sutch · Post by **Sutch** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:27 pm

Highbury.

Had the history and tradition, when my dad took me the first time I was amazed. I only have a few memories of Highbury as being 16 I saw Highbury in it's final years. Now we are all still getting to know The Grove, nothing is being done about the atmosphere. We all complain about the lack of noise there, but what do we actually do to improve it?

Post by **DB10GOONER** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:39 pm

Alex wrote:
DB10GOONER wrote:
SPUDMASHER wrote:
gus ceasar is a legend wrote:Explain why Alex?

Because I said that Highbury was run down when I went on the last tour of the place?

Explain why I am boring and get yourself some credibility back!

I wouldn't bother yourself with this one Gus. Obviously a total cock
Can't believe this!!! I totally agree with Spuddy!!!

Alex - you are a bit of a cock, my friend.
yeah man

Quality comeback!

I'm not being sarcastic - I actually laughed out loud.

You are only half a cock now, Alex!

And I agree; Highbury is gone forever, but there is no harm in missing the old girl.

Good post too, Basil - nailed it on the head there.

RocastleRock · Post by **RocastleRock** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:53 pm

God i miss the old place

..

Post by **QuartzGooner** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:59 pm

Highbury was great for it's time, and had so much soul.

It is a new era now, and the improved facilities at the new stadium, plus the provision for more fans to actually attend games, are the plus points to enjoy.

The atmosphere is down to US to provide.

Nice_Guy · Post by **Nice_Guy** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:03 pm

Cant see the point in this. Just makes everyone more depressed. Its like remembering the good times about your ex!

Highbury had the memories so of course the majority would want us to be there still. Ashburton will create its own memories given time.

But the earlier post about the stadium tour was spot on, it was run down & I can remember thinking as I walked into the dressing rooms "world class players get changed here?!" In order to maintain our status in the European game OFF the pitch we needed to move, simple as.

Say what you will, Ashburton is a fantastic stadium & I am immensely proud that my club play there. In 15 years it will still rank in the top European arena's & the reason we built it was to maintain our status in the elite. Just need a team now......

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:13 pm

This thread has been done about 10 ten times in the last 2 years and always goes the same way.

tinpot lane · Post by **tinpot lane** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:30 pm

gus ceasar is a legend wrote:I went on the last ever Highbury tour and to be honest you couldn't believe what a run down shithole the place had become in places.

It was easier to see that when it wasn't disguised by 35,000 people.

Ok they had obviously stopped spending on the place long ago but it had run it's course as our home.

As much as I miss it I am happy with the Grove. As new stadiums go it looks good and it ticks all the other boxes.

Remember though, it is not the new stadium that stops the atmosphere but rather the new supporters and the club with their Nazi stewards!

summed up perfectly

i'm only going tomorrow because i have a ticket, not because i want to. strange feeling