| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... 08:46 - Nov 13 with 6209 views | ITFC_Forever |
for a new stadium.
Left Ellenbrook shops at 18.20, should have been at the ground by 19.00, even allowing for the journey to take twice as long as it should.
Got to the Ardleigh turn-off and the queues were already back to there, so we turned off and went through Severalls at 18.40.
Got to Axial Way, less than a mile from the ground and it took 50 minutes to then get to our booked parking space at the ground.
We could see the traffic coming in from the A12 as well, it was complete gridlock around the ground.
Apparently there was a broken down lorry on the Copdock roundabout (although we didn't go that way - left Ipswich via Belstead and Copdock back roads), which Col U knew about. Stuart Watson tweeted Col U had announced it was likely there would be a delay to kick-off..... so Col U knew there was a problem and fans would be late arriving.
Yet the match still kicked off at the scheduled time. We missed the first 2-3 minutes, but there were still large gaps in the away section, and people were still coming in constantly for the first 30 minutes of the game.
Given it was a 19.30 kick-off, there is no reason why they couldn't have delayed the start for at least 15 minutes, which would have allowed more fans to see the start, or even 20.00.
How on earth do they cope with a big game? Another awful, soulless out of town ground with dreadful infrastructure, whether you travel by car or train.
Only consolation is that where we ended up parking was very close to the away stand behind the goal, so we were back in the car 1 minute after the final whistle, out of the car park, back along the A12 and back to Ellenbrook by 21.40. [Post edited 13 Nov 2019 8:47]
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 08:48 - Nov 13 with 5712 views | Reuser_is_God |
My mate missed the first 25 minutes. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 08:50 - Nov 13 with 5697 views | artsbossbeard |
Yep.
Dropped my lad and his mates down last night but due to the heavy traffic south bound, I couldn't get over for the ground junction in time. This actually did me a favour as I turned round at the next junction and the queue on the north bound junction wasn't bad.
Left Pinewood at 18:20 got back home at 20:15. |  |
| Please note: prior to hitting the post button, I've double checked for anything that could be construed as "Anti Semitic" and to the best of my knowledge it isn't. Anything deemed to be of a Xenophobic nature is therefore purely accidental or down to your own misconstruing. | | Poll: | Raining in IP8 - shall I get the washing in? |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:00 - Nov 13 with 5641 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 08:50 - Nov 13 by artsbossbeard |
Yep.
Dropped my lad and his mates down last night but due to the heavy traffic south bound, I couldn't get over for the ground junction in time. This actually did me a favour as I turned round at the next junction and the queue on the north bound junction wasn't bad.
Left Pinewood at 18:20 got back home at 20:15. |
2 hours to do a 40 minutes journey....
It's another Coventry / Reading etc awful breed of new ground. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:08 - Nov 13 with 5594 views | clive_baker |
I didn't go last night but I have before and I agree, it's a crap ground, I hate everything about it. Complete off-the-shelf solution, soulless, lacks any kind of identity or character. If IKEA sold football stadia that's what they would look like. Doesn't help that there's never anyone there when I've been. Colchester United is such a nothing football club, when I think about it it doesn't evoke any sort of emotion at all. Layer Road was so much better. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:15 - Nov 13 with 5568 views | itfcjoe |
Was similar in pre season, took me best part of an hour from David Lloyd at Ransomes. Then 25 minutes to get out of park and ride, and reckon there was still 3-400 cars behind me in the queue who would have been there at least another 30-60 mins |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:16 - Nov 13 with 5561 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:08 - Nov 13 by clive_baker |
I didn't go last night but I have before and I agree, it's a crap ground, I hate everything about it. Complete off-the-shelf solution, soulless, lacks any kind of identity or character. If IKEA sold football stadia that's what they would look like. Doesn't help that there's never anyone there when I've been. Colchester United is such a nothing football club, when I think about it it doesn't evoke any sort of emotion at all. Layer Road was so much better. |
Layer Road was a million times better. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:44 - Nov 13 with 5470 views | ElephantintheRoom |
All that is true - which you should have known about as it is no surprise that the ground is almost impossible to get to - and even worse to get away from.
However, there is probably a very good reason for this. Football grounds are a huge imposition on local residents for whom the milling, seemingly mindless noisy crowds are somewhat intimidating and an unpleasant imposition. Relocating this thoughtless, seemingly mindless minority to a hellhole on the outskirts may be inconvenient for the few - but it is a blessing for the many. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:46 - Nov 13 with 5450 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:44 - Nov 13 by ElephantintheRoom |
All that is true - which you should have known about as it is no surprise that the ground is almost impossible to get to - and even worse to get away from.
However, there is probably a very good reason for this. Football grounds are a huge imposition on local residents for whom the milling, seemingly mindless noisy crowds are somewhat intimidating and an unpleasant imposition. Relocating this thoughtless, seemingly mindless minority to a hellhole on the outskirts may be inconvenient for the few - but it is a blessing for the many. |
It was actually a breeze to get away from last night for a change.
Try telling the residents around north Colchester it was a blessing last night, or users of the David Lloyd gym. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:56 - Nov 13 with 5404 views | clive_baker |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:44 - Nov 13 by ElephantintheRoom |
All that is true - which you should have known about as it is no surprise that the ground is almost impossible to get to - and even worse to get away from.
However, there is probably a very good reason for this. Football grounds are a huge imposition on local residents for whom the milling, seemingly mindless noisy crowds are somewhat intimidating and an unpleasant imposition. Relocating this thoughtless, seemingly mindless minority to a hellhole on the outskirts may be inconvenient for the few - but it is a blessing for the many. |
Is that really true? I lived near a football ground at Uni and while there were some busy match days, is it really that much of an inconvenience every other Saturday and the occasional midweek match? Brings a lot of investment to the area, spending in pubs and bars etc, fuels the local economy, job creation, helps keep the local amenities operational for the community. I don't know, but I wouldn't have thought the communities around Gigg Lane will be any better off in the medium to long term. They might not have local boozers to go to. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:00 - Nov 13 with 5397 views | PhilTWTD |
I arrived about 15 minutes before kick-off and told the Town press officer the roads were chaos and he told the referee who hadn't heard anything about it at that point and, with the teams already in the tunnel, apparently said it was too late to put the kick-off back.
Must have been loads of fans who were late, a couple of reporters turned up midway through the first half with one of the photographers and another photographer arrived at half-time. |  | | |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:04 - Nov 13 with 5356 views | GeoffSentence |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:16 - Nov 13 by ITFC_Forever |
Layer Road was a million times better. |
I got attacked by a policeman at Layer Road once. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:09 - Nov 13 with 5318 views | monytowbray |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:44 - Nov 13 by ElephantintheRoom |
All that is true - which you should have known about as it is no surprise that the ground is almost impossible to get to - and even worse to get away from.
However, there is probably a very good reason for this. Football grounds are a huge imposition on local residents for whom the milling, seemingly mindless noisy crowds are somewhat intimidating and an unpleasant imposition. Relocating this thoughtless, seemingly mindless minority to a hellhole on the outskirts may be inconvenient for the few - but it is a blessing for the many. |
Imagine living in a place and finding the biggest regular events that bring a sense of community pride and bonding are unpleasant. The 1980s mass hooliganism ended long ago and football is a wide mix of people. W@nkers. Almost as bad as people who move into places next to music venues then try and shut them down with noise complaints.
Used to feel sad when I was in Portsmouth on a matchday, made me miss my ST at Portman Road. There’s something about that feeling when you get closer to Ipswich on the train, finally arrive and see blue and white dotted around everywhere that gives me a sense of belonging and pride. Doesn’t matter if it’s a sell out vs the scum or a Tuesday night unattractive fixture vs MK Dons, that feeling is always the same. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:09 - Nov 13 with 5317 views | chicoazul |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:16 - Nov 13 by ITFC_Forever |
Layer Road was a million times better. |
Layer Road was an absolutely superb place and there was always a good atmosphere whoever they were playing. the new place is exactly as you say it is, awful. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:13 - Nov 13 with 5298 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:09 - Nov 13 by monytowbray |
Imagine living in a place and finding the biggest regular events that bring a sense of community pride and bonding are unpleasant. The 1980s mass hooliganism ended long ago and football is a wide mix of people. W@nkers. Almost as bad as people who move into places next to music venues then try and shut them down with noise complaints.
Used to feel sad when I was in Portsmouth on a matchday, made me miss my ST at Portman Road. There’s something about that feeling when you get closer to Ipswich on the train, finally arrive and see blue and white dotted around everywhere that gives me a sense of belonging and pride. Doesn’t matter if it’s a sell out vs the scum or a Tuesday night unattractive fixture vs MK Dons, that feeling is always the same. |
"Almost as bad as people who move into places next to music venues then try and shut them down with noise complaints.".... see also residents around Foxhall Stadium.
I was the same at uni too - I lived a couple of streets away from Stoke's old Victoria Ground and match-days were the only time I felt a slight pang of missing home. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 11:18 - Nov 13 with 5095 views | Johnny_Boy |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 10:00 - Nov 13 by PhilTWTD |
I arrived about 15 minutes before kick-off and told the Town press officer the roads were chaos and he told the referee who hadn't heard anything about it at that point and, with the teams already in the tunnel, apparently said it was too late to put the kick-off back.
Must have been loads of fans who were late, a couple of reporters turned up midway through the first half with one of the photographers and another photographer arrived at half-time. |
Sounds awfully like shoddy time-keeping. |  | | |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 12:28 - Nov 13 with 5012 views | Harlestonblue |
So who made the decision not to delay kick off time? The referee, CUFC, the stadium manager? Shocking neglect of Town fans who left in good time. I think ITFC, Mark Murphy at BBC Radio Suffolk etc need to make enquiries. | | | |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:24 - Nov 13 with 4800 views | PhilTWTD |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 12:28 - Nov 13 by Harlestonblue |
So who made the decision not to delay kick off time? The referee, CUFC, the stadium manager? Shocking neglect of Town fans who left in good time. I think ITFC, Mark Murphy at BBC Radio Suffolk etc need to make enquiries. |
Referee, as per the post below. He didn't know there were delays until the Town press officer told him after I'd told him. By then it was too late apparently as the teams were in the tunnel. Col U would presumably have known before that, as their stewards ought to have been aware of the situation outside the ground traffic-wise. | | | |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:28 - Nov 13 with 4781 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:24 - Nov 13 by PhilTWTD |
Referee, as per the post below. He didn't know there were delays until the Town press officer told him after I'd told him. By then it was too late apparently as the teams were in the tunnel. Col U would presumably have known before that, as their stewards ought to have been aware of the situation outside the ground traffic-wise. |
Stuart Watson said a tannoy announcement was made saying it was likely kick-off would be delayed, so Col U must have known.
You would think they would have told the ref at that point..... | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:30 - Nov 13 with 4765 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 09:15 - Nov 13 by itfcjoe |
Was similar in pre season, took me best part of an hour from David Lloyd at Ransomes. Then 25 minutes to get out of park and ride, and reckon there was still 3-400 cars behind me in the queue who would have been there at least another 30-60 mins |
Only got yourself to blame, had your gone to the Colchester David Lloyd instead you’d have got there in 2 mins...  |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:35 - Nov 13 with 4719 views | itfcjoe |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:30 - Nov 13 by C_HealyIsAPleasure |
Only got yourself to blame, had your gone to the Colchester David Lloyd instead you’d have got there in 2 mins... |
Can’t do Blaze there | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:46 - Nov 13 with 4677 views | TractorCam |
Same here, left Ellenbrook area at 18:15 and didn't enter the ground until 1/2 minutes into the match. I was parked at the park and ride and the situation wasn't helped with cars blocking the whole roundabout as you come off the slip road, although I can understand it as everyone would have been frustrated by then.
Was home by about 21:50 thanks to the on whistle exit, wonder how much of a delay it would have been had we have won and I stayed to applaud the team. Joke that they didn't delay kick off, but they already had our money and knew we had more fans coming so obviously didn't concern them. |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:10 - Nov 13 with 4603 views | SitfcB |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:28 - Nov 13 by ITFC_Forever |
Stuart Watson said a tannoy announcement was made saying it was likely kick-off would be delayed, so Col U must have known.
You would think they would have told the ref at that point..... |
He was in the tunnel with the players at the time of that announcement  |  |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:26 - Nov 13 with 4534 views | PhilTWTD |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 14:28 - Nov 13 by ITFC_Forever |
Stuart Watson said a tannoy announcement was made saying it was likely kick-off would be delayed, so Col U must have known.
You would think they would have told the ref at that point..... |
I didn't hear that announcement but I was down in the press room collecting a teamsheet for a bit so may have been then. May well have been a result of the Town press officer mentioning the situation to them. | | | |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:32 - Nov 13 with 4496 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:26 - Nov 13 by PhilTWTD |
I didn't hear that announcement but I was down in the press room collecting a teamsheet for a bit so may have been then. May well have been a result of the Town press officer mentioning the situation to them. |
Don't know what time the announcement was made to be fair.
But it was clear for a long while before kick-off there was gridlock, so they (Col U) should have discussed it with the ref well before the teams were in the tunnel. | |
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| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:57 - Nov 13 with 4444 views | PhilTWTD |
| Awful ground in an awful location.... with the usual awful infrastructure... on 15:32 - Nov 13 by ITFC_Forever |
Don't know what time the announcement was made to be fair.
But it was clear for a long while before kick-off there was gridlock, so they (Col U) should have discussed it with the ref well before the teams were in the tunnel. |
Agree, I did think it was likely the kick-off would have been put back when I arrived.
Further to your earlier post, I saw the lorry at Copdock, police were just arriving as I made it to the top of the hill about about 6.20. Assume it would have taken them a while to get it moved after that.
Photographer I know took three hours-plus to get there from Saxmundham.
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