By some considerable distance, Celtic Park came top of our poll asking you which stadium you felt has the best atmosphere in the UK.
Having perused the final results, I would however have to seriously doubt that the results are indicative of the general UK footballing public! Tynecastle came second with 34% (but this IS a Hearts site!), then came Ibrox and Old Trafford which both only received a mere 5%. I was clearly in the minority with my vote: Portsmouth’s Fratton Park received just 1%, as did Hibs’ Easter Road. Then we had St James’ Park and the Millenium Stadium with no votes at all.
I still stick to my assertion that Fratton Park has the best atmosphere over a consistent period of time, but Parkhead is perhaps completely different from normal on big European nights. It certainly does appear that way from watching on TV, but you can never fully appreciate atmosphere from watching it on the box – you simply have to be there.
I’d like to sample Parkhead’s European atmosphere to see if it truly does stand out from the rest, but I do have my doubts. I’d imagine that all clubs of a similarly distinguished and decorated history would be able to produce a truly special atmosphere at their homes when hosting big games. Just look at Anfield last night for example, or Old Trafford when they played AC Milan last week. But to have an opinion of credence on this, you’d really need to have attended all of these matches to compare them. It would’ve been good to have done that!
No-one is ever truly right or wrong with this sort of thing as it’s all in the eye of the beholder really, but it’s fun arguing about it nonetheless!
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Paul Lamberts 3rd goal in the 6-2 game against Rangers in 2000. I have never heard a noise like it in my life and doubt I ever will, incredible. European nights are different from anything else too, from start to finish it’s just a wall of noise. So much so that a Barcelona player was sick in the tunnel as the teams headed out the night we beat them 1-0 and he plays in front of 70,000 plus every other week! Wee Fergus got the design spot on, all the noise circles the ground as opposed to escaping out.
That’s true, unlike some of those grounds with open corners. Most new designs now though have taken note of that. Another ground not mentioned here that was supposedly excellent was Highbury due to the close proximity to the pitch. The Emirates, although beautiful to look at, is apparently nowhere near as intimidating. Who was the Barcelona player by the way?
All visiting teams comment on the unbelievable atmosphere generated at CP on European nights, no exceptions on that one. Wee Fergus is the man who deserves all the credit for it. His overall contribution to our club has never been fully recognised by the “suits” at CP, and that’s a damned disgrace imo. None of the sharp suited ones would be there if wee Fergus hadn’t saved the club, not to mention also building a stadium in such a short space of time that is now recognised as one the very best arena’s in world football. Not bad for a wee man in a bunnet with a dodgy accent..lol, plus, he also stuck it to the SFA big time!
Not sure who the Barca player was. I read it in an interview with Mjallby. He said the tunnel was shaking and it was so loud that the Barca player next to him just released a big technicolour yawn all over the wall.
Is that the same wee Fergus that was roundly booed by 60,000 of his own people the last time he was at Parkhead? Idiots.
Aye, that’s the one MrH…and not everyone was booing, some of us were disgusted by it.