longrufus
Established Member
Well I am just back from Holiday, which took me firstly to London and then to Dublin.
Of course in my time in London I went to visit the new home of football. July 14th will be a day I will never forget...
A hot summer’s day and I finally convinced my girlfriend to let me visit Ashburton. I say convince but she really had no option, I was going whether she liked it or not. My first decision was which tube stop, I decided on Highbury and Islington as I thought I would like to stretch my legs after being dragged around Madam Tuesauds.
Not wise, as it encouraged some nagging from you know who. “My feet are sore" being her favored sentence. But on another note, I was as giddy as a school boy. I honestly can’t remember the last time I got so excited about something, I felt like a kid again at Christmas. So the 10 minute walk felt more like 20. Even though I was walking quicker than usual which prompted more nagging. Is it sad that I got excited seeing a truck full of rubble pass me by?
Anyway, my walk continued, and as I knew it was only a matter of time before I caught my first glimpse of the new stadium. I have seen so many pictures, and heard so much about it, I thought will it live up to my expectations?
Then as I looked up, I caught a glimpse between 2 buildings... my heart raced as I looked upon a huge Arsenal logo with Emirates Stadium sitting proudly above it. Of course I whipped out my digital camera, to mark that moment (pictures will follow at some stage).
I look 50yards ahead of me to see 3 guys, all with cameras, and I slight look of awe. I rush forward some more, leaving my girlfriend behind, no longer caring as in that moment I had one thing on my mind. I brace myself and look up to see for the first time, the entire stadium. Pictures don’t really do the stadium justice, I stood for a second, taking everything in. First impression... it’s enormous!
I stand for quite a while, taking everything in, thinking to myself, well done Mr. Wenger, well done Arsenal. Many issues have been raised about the concrete, but I for one, think it looks well.
So I spend the next 5mins trying to get a good photo, even standing in the middle of the new roundabout, to get a better view. Which in turn caused a small film crew to jog across the road with there equipment for the better view. My girlfriend now looks particularly bored, at standing in the same spot for over 5mins so I decide to turn right, and start walking the perimeter.
I stop every 20 paces or so to look how the angle has changed on the camera. At one point a rather helpful chap, walking out shouts over "fancy heading inside" gesturing giving me his pass. I thought about it, and then thought I don’t think I’ll pass as a worker in sandals, linen trousers rolled up and a white t-shirt. So I kindly laughed and declined.
After a while I made my way round to the far side. As I moved I caught a look at the bridges, which really do look impressive, and thought how soon it would be until I was walking over one. As I walked I then came across the ARSENAL writing, which from up close looks far more impressive than in any picture. In pictures it seemed rather blocky but in truth it’s made of reconstituted stone, which looks awesome.
As I then made my way away from the stadium, in the direction of Highbury, I have a lasting thought, with the obvious corporate nature of the new stadium has it retained the essence of Arsenal. In truth, from the outside, no. It seems to be new and modern and sheik, and lost some of the tradition. But isn’t that what it’s meant to do, shake the old world view and bring us into a new era? However this modern feel of the outside has been softened through the interior. Which seems to bridge the gap between the modernism of the new stadium, and the tradition of the old one. Which is the genius of the stadium in my opinion. It gives us a new home, while still linking us to the tradition and holds the essence of the club.
Of course in my time in London I went to visit the new home of football. July 14th will be a day I will never forget...
A hot summer’s day and I finally convinced my girlfriend to let me visit Ashburton. I say convince but she really had no option, I was going whether she liked it or not. My first decision was which tube stop, I decided on Highbury and Islington as I thought I would like to stretch my legs after being dragged around Madam Tuesauds.
Not wise, as it encouraged some nagging from you know who. “My feet are sore" being her favored sentence. But on another note, I was as giddy as a school boy. I honestly can’t remember the last time I got so excited about something, I felt like a kid again at Christmas. So the 10 minute walk felt more like 20. Even though I was walking quicker than usual which prompted more nagging. Is it sad that I got excited seeing a truck full of rubble pass me by?
Anyway, my walk continued, and as I knew it was only a matter of time before I caught my first glimpse of the new stadium. I have seen so many pictures, and heard so much about it, I thought will it live up to my expectations?
Then as I looked up, I caught a glimpse between 2 buildings... my heart raced as I looked upon a huge Arsenal logo with Emirates Stadium sitting proudly above it. Of course I whipped out my digital camera, to mark that moment (pictures will follow at some stage).
I look 50yards ahead of me to see 3 guys, all with cameras, and I slight look of awe. I rush forward some more, leaving my girlfriend behind, no longer caring as in that moment I had one thing on my mind. I brace myself and look up to see for the first time, the entire stadium. Pictures don’t really do the stadium justice, I stood for a second, taking everything in. First impression... it’s enormous!
I stand for quite a while, taking everything in, thinking to myself, well done Mr. Wenger, well done Arsenal. Many issues have been raised about the concrete, but I for one, think it looks well.
So I spend the next 5mins trying to get a good photo, even standing in the middle of the new roundabout, to get a better view. Which in turn caused a small film crew to jog across the road with there equipment for the better view. My girlfriend now looks particularly bored, at standing in the same spot for over 5mins so I decide to turn right, and start walking the perimeter.
I stop every 20 paces or so to look how the angle has changed on the camera. At one point a rather helpful chap, walking out shouts over "fancy heading inside" gesturing giving me his pass. I thought about it, and then thought I don’t think I’ll pass as a worker in sandals, linen trousers rolled up and a white t-shirt. So I kindly laughed and declined.
After a while I made my way round to the far side. As I moved I caught a look at the bridges, which really do look impressive, and thought how soon it would be until I was walking over one. As I walked I then came across the ARSENAL writing, which from up close looks far more impressive than in any picture. In pictures it seemed rather blocky but in truth it’s made of reconstituted stone, which looks awesome.
As I then made my way away from the stadium, in the direction of Highbury, I have a lasting thought, with the obvious corporate nature of the new stadium has it retained the essence of Arsenal. In truth, from the outside, no. It seems to be new and modern and sheik, and lost some of the tradition. But isn’t that what it’s meant to do, shake the old world view and bring us into a new era? However this modern feel of the outside has been softened through the interior. Which seems to bridge the gap between the modernism of the new stadium, and the tradition of the old one. Which is the genius of the stadium in my opinion. It gives us a new home, while still linking us to the tradition and holds the essence of the club.
