Tiers

[JacobRit]

The SECOND tier of English football is called the championship, its is a bitterly competative league because of the prize of reaching the premiership! I would say it would rival most other european FIRST tier leagues in terms of stadia size! Check them out!

BRIGHTON

Brighton are currently homeless, they play at a converted athletics stadium that is very small while they go through legal wrangles to build a 25,000 seat stadium.

WITHDEAN STADIUM capacity 7,045




BURNLEY

TURF MOOR capacity 22,546






CARDIFF

NINIAN PARK capacity 21,000 approx






COVENTRY

HIGHFIELD ROAD capacity 23,000 approx






CREWE

GRESTY ROAD/ALEXANDRIA STADIUM capacity 10,118






CRYSTAL PALACE

SELHURST PARK capacity 26,309






DERBY COUNTY

PRIDE PARK capacity 33,597






HULL CITY (SCUM BARSTEWARDS)

THE KC STADIUM capacity 25,404






IPSWICH (BOO)

PORTMAN ROAD capacity 30,300






LEEDS UNITED

ELLAND ROAD capacity 40,200







LEICESTER CITY

WALKERS STADIUM capacity 32,000






LUTON TOWN

KENILWORTH ROAD capacity 9,700





MILLWALL

THE NEW DEN capacity 20,146







NORWICH CITY (yay)

CARROW ROAD capacity 25,500







PLYMOUTH ARGYLE

HOME PARK capacity 20,000 approx







PRESTON NORTH END

DEEPDALE capacity 22,000 approx







QUEENS PARK RANGERS

LOFTUS ROAD capacity 19,145







READING

MADEJSKI STADIUM capacity 24,200







SHEFFIELD UNITED

BRAMALL LANE capacity 30,500 approx







SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

HILLSBOROUGH capacity 39,800



]



SOUTHAMPTON

ST MARYS STADIUM capacity 32,000 approx







STOKE CITY

BRITANNIA STADIUM capacity 28,000







WATFORD

VICARAGE ROAD capacity 22,000







WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

MOLINEUX GROUND capacity 28,500






i think you would agree pretty impressive!!

[nick_taylor]

The lower leagues (ie third division, fourth, etc) can get pretty crazy as well. Milton Keynes Don's are currently building...and wait get this: a 30,000 all-seater, all-covered stadium - they are in the 3rd division (ie ranked from the end of all football seasons as 64th.....)!!!!!







Brighton's planned new 25,000 stadium aint to bad looking either!






Nor is Coventry's new 32,000 stadium - quite an interesting design that incorporates a hypermarket and a leisure centre (nearly finished).

[Mr. T]

This thread makes me sad. I see how far the Greek league lags behind even Britans second division in terms of stadia. Besides Karaiskaki Stadium, The Athens Olympic Stadium, Kaftanzoglio(Thessaloniki), stadiums in Patras, Volos, Crete most of these stadia are better than the stadia of any teams in the Greek league. Sad to see if you ask me.

[birminghamculture]

Wait till this beast expands to 46,250.

It will be stunning.

[birminghamculture]

The North and South bank will have an extra tier added although it wont be seperated from whats thier already, so literally it will be how it is now, but twice the height.



The Steve Bull stand will also get an extra tier aswell as new corporate boxes. this is the long sided top stand. The corners will also be filled in. upping the capacity by 17,750 seats. This picture shows it best, just imagine the 2 side tiers being twice as high and with the same seating gradient - be almost American like.

[birminghamculture]

Swansea city another English 3rd divison team have not long ago completed thier 20,000 seat White Rock stadium.

[eddyk]

I was gonna say you forgot the Coventry arena....the pitch has been laid and all the seats are in....its my fave stadium from that league!


St Marys is also great...and Hull Citys.


Top German Sides Bayer Leverkusens stadium has a capacity of 22K...many lower leage team stadiums in the UK beat that.

We may not have the biggest biggest, but we have the biggest smallest...by far

[birminghamculture]

Originally Posted by eddyk

I was gonna say you forgot the Coventry arena....the pitch has been laid and all the seats are in....its my fave stadium from that league!

They've asked for the first 3 games of the season to be played away as it wont be completed.

P.S its not silver in real life, its actually white and doesnt look quite as good.

Definately one of the best though, ... However, even if I was a neutral my favourite stadium would still be molineux "The Custard Bowl" just because its different and the proposals look stunning. Where else would you find a pure golden stadium, its so bright and fun. huge TV's in either corner and wolves heads on the mounds, just cant beat it. Whenever I go its like going to an amusement park

[eddyk]

Yeah....Im on the official stadium site often....it also has a casino and cancert hall in there....which is good...

http://www.arenacoventry.com/default.asp

The side looks amazing....the blue and black cladding!

[Giorgio]

Originally Posted by Mr. T

This thread makes me sad. I see how far the Greek league lags behind even Britans second division in terms of stadia. Besides Karaiskaki Stadium, The Athens Olympic Stadium, Kaftanzoglio(Thessaloniki), stadiums in Patras, Volos, Crete most of these stadia are better than the stadia of any teams in the Greek league. Sad to see if you ask me.

How many know of the Greek league and how many know of the English leagues?

Greeces Stadiums are superior for a small nation and small following. And Greek soccer will only get better.
Problem with Greek soccer is that theres no competition. AEK Olympiakos and PAO Get all the attention. How many people here out of greece know of another greek club?

[Madman]

So upsetting to see Southampton in a thread not about the Premiership. Just not used to them not being in the top league

[eddyk]

Pride Park...


KC Stadium


Walkers Stadium


Madejski Stadium (Gallery from offical site)
http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Outside/0,,10306,00.html[/img]

[MoreOrLess]

I'v always had the impression that English football has more strenght in depth than most other nations due to its history. Since it developed here rather than being introduced many of the dominant early teams were not nesserarly from the larger cities.

[JimB]

Originally Posted by MoreOrLess

I'v always had the impression that English football has more strenght in depth than most other nations due to its history. Since it developed here rather than being introduced many of the dominant early teams were not nesserarly from the larger cities.

You only have to look at the attendance figures for English football by comparison to the rest of Europe (and probably the world) to see that that is true. Germany is the only nation than can match England's top league attendances, but only because Germany currently has far bigger stadia.

But in every division below the top flight, English football's attendances are so much bigger, they hardly bear comparison with other countries. In fact, attendances in the second tier of English football are higher than top flight attendances in all but four or five other countries.

Even the third tier of English football is better attended than the majority of countries' top tier football.

Incidentally, in addition to the stadia already shown in this thread, think of the stadia that have just left the Championship: City Ground, Nottingham (about 30,000); Stadium of Light, Sunderland (about 48,000); Upton Park, West Ham (about 36,000); and JJB stadium, Wigan (about 25,000).

[eddyk]

Incidently....here are those stadiums


JJB Stadium




Stadium of Light


City Ground...

[Fry]

Originally Posted by eddyk

Top German Sides Bayer Leverkusens stadium has a capacity of 22K...many lower leage team stadiums in the UK beat that.

indeed, most german 2nd league stadiums are far bigger as well, including several 2006 wc stadiums with 2nd or even lower league teams like düsseldorf or leipzig.

leipzig:

düsseldorf:

[Kampflamm]

Originally Posted by eddyk

Top German Sides Bayer Leverkusens stadium has a capacity of 22K...many lower leage team stadiums in the UK beat that.

What's your point? That's because they don't have any fans (it'll be expanded to 30,000 over the next couple of years though). Check out this 2nd Bundesliga stadium though.

[MoreOrLess]

Some attendances figures for the season before last...

Top Division - England Average = 35.020 Germany Average = 37,479

Second Division - England Average = 15,893 German Average = 9,536

Third Division - England Average = 7,506 German Average = 3,522

Forth Division - England Average = 5,390 German Average - No Figure

[eddyk]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

What's your point? That's because they don't have any fans (it'll be expanded to 30,000 over the next couple of years though). Check out this 2nd Bundesliga stadium though.

wow, didnt know Bayern Munich were in Germanys 2nd devision.

[eddyk]

Originally Posted by Kampflamm

What's your point? That's because they don't have any fans (it'll be expanded to 30,000 over the next couple of years though). Check out this 2nd Bundesliga stadium though.

Misleading pic...as thats Bayen Munich in there...which is why the stadiums so big.