New Astute

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (1) in common with most grounds in the league car parking, is not a major issue, the attitude seems to be, park wherever you can, we don't give a fig. There is a small car park, but we used to be able to park on the road leading down to the ground, not anymore, this seems to reserved for buses. There is a a public car park about half a mile away in the stroke city direction. But we managed to park in a street called Breda Avenue, at least I think that's what its called.

Access: S.P. Rating: (1) We had to walk about 300 yards to the ground, down a steep hill (must be treacherous in frost or snow), until we got to the entrance, only to find we had to walk another 200 yards as they have changed the away fans entrance. Then we had to walk around the back of the goals to get to the Riverside stand, which used to be the home stand.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (3).This stand is very basic and when it rains, as it did on Saturday (20/12/14), you need to be in the back two rows to avoid getting wet, if memory serves me correctly, (did it ever), I think there's only 5 or 6 rows. The view isn't very good, but better than Chickenville and Portadown, they after all are the pits!

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (4). They have built new toilets behind the goal at the away end. These are quite adequate, the cubicles have toilet paper, the doors bar, always a plus, but be careful as there's is no soap dispenser. But on the plus side, the taps work, the drier works, who could ask for anything more

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (3). After being at Ferney Park on the Tuesday night and seeing their immaculate playing surface, the Stute one is a real comedown. It looks bumpy and there seems to be little grass on it and the ball seemed to take odd bounces when players least expected it. But after all is said and done, it is grass and that's big plus.

Point Taken!

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (2) There a car park but its at least 500 yards from the ground itself and fans of a certain age, like Omar, will find it a bit of an obstacle. There's an industrial estate about 200 yards past the entrance to the ground proper where we parked, but its not ideal, a bit like parking at the scum's ground, but on a lesser scale.

Access: S.P. Rating: (1)  Access is not great, there's quite a slope to go down on foot and the official car park in the ground for team officials and the like and includes handicapped fans, was bunged. There was one car actually parked covering the path which we had to go down, which meant we had to walk on the grass and I feel sure that with a big crowd this would get pretty churned up and is an accident waiting to happen. I only saw two turnstiles and this with a huge crowd  I feel wouldn't be adequate.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating:  (2) There's is a small stand adjacent to the turnstiles and there looked be a similar construction on the other side, but as it was pleasant we stood  at the fence which was okay and there's a bit of a slope, not terracing as such, where a few of our fans stood. When the rain came on late in the game, we got a bit wet as there's no covering, back to the dark ages.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (4) The toilets although basic were clean, with toilet roll in the one cubicle and a bar on the door. The walls were not plastered, like so many and they had washing facilities and paper towels but no bin to put used paper towels in, but all in all I thought they were adequate, but with a big crowd say for an Irish cup match, I don't think they will cope.

Playing Surface: S.P.Rating (1) There was a grass on the pitch, but it looks to be flat with no apparent drainage and I think it will struggle when the winter comes and will be a glar hole, but I stress that's only an opinion.

Boy Clande!

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (4)There is a car park, but it is small, 20 cars and its filled I think and then you just have to take a chance finding a space on the surrounding streets, but better than most  Irish Premier league grounds.

Access: S.P. Rating: (4) There was only one turnstile open on New Years Day, for opposing fans, but it was quite adequate for the crowd that was there, a bigger crowd for say a quarter-final of the Irish cup, I think they'd struggle to cope.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (1) There is no word to describe the spectating facilities at Bangor but archaic, there is a covered terracing behind the goal at the entrance and another covered terracing at the left but if its raining and you don't want to get wet ,you can only see three-quarters of the pitch from this terracing. There's no terracing beyond this and it resembles a building site, which it has done for the past 5 years to my knowledge, but what's new, no thought for spectators, we are after all,unimportant.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (3) Toilets were dark  and dingy and no washing facilities, need to be updated.

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (4) I'll reserve my judgement on this, it looks to be okay, but its not real grass and I'll have to rely on the players judgement, maybe when it gets bedded in, it'll be alright or as alright as it can be, being an unnatural surface.

Fernley Park

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (4) There is a car park at Fernley and we were early and got parked, but it is tiny, I don't even think it's as big as Stangmore but definitely better than many Irish league clubs.

Access: S.P. Rating: (4) As I said we were there early and it's hard to judge how they would cope if there was a big crowd, the crux will come when the Linfield fans come to town.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (5) There is two small stands at the away portion of the ground and space to stand between them, but no terracing as such and no cover.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (7) Toilets were good, though temporary, hygienic, with toilet roll and doors that barred and washing facilities, but small.

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (5) I'll reserve my judgement on this, it looks to be okay, but doesn't look like real grass and it's too flat, I'd be concerned about the drainage. I think if we get a bad winter it could turn in to a bog hole, I sincerely hope I'm wrong about this.

We were early as I said and we had burgers, but they were not good, but we managed to keep them down, not a good experience. Next time we'll stick to coke and crisps I think!

Suffolk Rules!

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (4) There is a car park, but it's small and I now just park in a side street, not ideal but adequate.

Access: S.P. Rating: (4) There is a separate entrance for visitors and staff are friendly, although prices weren't displayed, but an adult and a concession totalled £16, reasonable enough.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (6) Donegal Celtic are to be congratulated as they have a small but adequate stand for visitors. On the down side it's at one end of the ground and the dugouts restrict the view up the nearside wing somewhat, but it's a lot better than many aforementioned clubs, who shove visitors into a stand behind the goals.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (8) Facilities here are excellent, clean, dry and hygienic. The urinal was clean, the cubicles had paper and doors that barred and the sinks had water,soap and driers. It was great to be treated like a human being, other clubs please take note.

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (8) The surface at Suffolk Road appeared to be excellent and our players certainly enjoyed playing football on it . All in all Suffolk Road is a credit to the D.C., it's only drawback being the need for visiting fans to be escorted in and out by the P.S.N.I., but it is streets ahead of many other clubs with it's first class facilities!

Crystal Clear!

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (8) Crystal Park has a really good car park for a first division club, with a proper surface and clear car parking lines. It is not the biggest, but a lot better laid out than most Premier league clubs, a pat on the back for Banbridge Town and their directors.

Access: S.P. Rating: (4) Only two turnstiles, which with a large crowd could be dangerous, but adequate for a first division club, akin to Stangmore Park and the likes.

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (5) There is a small stand with two rows of seats which were ignored by most fans who preferred to stand at the back. The view wasn't by any means perfect, as parts of the touchline were out of sight, but compared to many, many, Premier league grounds it was fantastic.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (9) The toilets about 30 yards from the stand were the best I have been in outside our own at the Showgrounds. They were small but the bar on the cubicle door actually functioned, there was adequate toilet paper, paper towels and sinks with water. There was also lighting, an unusual occurrence for an Irish league ground and they were 'clean', a credit to Banbridge Town and their directors again.

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (6) The surface at Crystal Park actually had grass on it (Crusaders and Cliftonville take note), it appeared to be good to play on as our team clearly demonstrated in the early stages of the match and it looked fairly flat, the club and their directors are to commended (again),on upholding the standards we all love, using a grass surface, sure it's the way football should be played!

Crude Crues!

Car Parking: S.P. Rating: (1) This is just ridiculous, there's no room for a car park, I shudder to think what it'd be like if there was a big crowd, roll on their new stadium I say!

Access: S.P. Rating: (4) Getting in to the ground is adequate, but a big crowd is not catered for as the turnstiles are located on the busy Shore Road, an accident waiting to happen. .

Spectating Facilities: S.P. Rating: (2) Yes it's pretty basic at Seaview, standing on the terrace you can't see all the pitch, there's not even a good atmosphere any more as there's a no-man's land between both sets of fans.

Toilets: S.P. Rating: (1) The toilets here were 'minging', I purposely didn't linger in there as the stench was something else. This sort of thing should be condemned.

Playing Surface: S.P. Rating: (2) The Crues have installed a plastic pitch, if it was level it might be reasonable but it's up and down like see-saw. The players say it's almost impossible to keep their footing on it and as if to emphasis how unsuitable it is, the Crues have developed into a long ball team. To the Crues directors I say forget about the money to be made from renting out the ground, let's get back to nature, let's roll out the grass!