Hills are apparently now like moles are beavers, because if you go by this stadium name, then it seems Hillsburrow into the ground and dig interconnected tunnels like the Vietcong used to.
First-Hand Experience: More info about my personal experience at this stadium - I've been here to see Sheffield Wednesday play twice, but more importantly, I come here whenever I am in Sheffield, as a pilgrimage to remember 96 Liverpool fans who died right here in 1989. That's not why it gets a 2-star. But the place is still truly run down. The horrors of the past were not properly learned from because it's never been wholly renovated as it should have been. As such it remains a harrowing reminder... seeing games here is intense and cool... but when nobody's playing, it reminds you of some very painful things.
I've been to most UK & US stadiums, due to lifelong obsessions with travel, sport & especially footy (soccer to Americans). Born & raised in England, I followed Oxford United (hometown team) to stadia all over the country at away games, and later Liverpool (fave team) around. Every stadium review - like all my reviews - are from first-hand personal experience, usually from several visits. In 2011, I was on music tour in the UK, and visited most stadiums for fun in my spare time. As recently as Fall 2014, when I was "stuck" in UK for 3 months, I went to hundreds yet again while travelling. I have pictures of me at most, which I'll post later. Also, when back in UK I'll take more pix, and add more stadia!
*** return to regular review ***
So this stadium, it's really hard to write a review of it as a Liverpool fan, for obvious reasons. But even without that incident, the fact that it was such a dangerous place to watch football means it'll be hard to give it a high rating now based on what it once was.
Then you also have to look at the policing, the ambulances and the stewards. And the fact that the stadium was such a death trap. And they just kept putting games there. I'm going to give the FA, the South Yorkshire Police, and so on, a 1/5, but I'll give this stadium a 2/5 just because they've made it all-seater and safe now.
But the corners still aren't filled in, and it may be the biggest stadium in England outside the Prem, but it's far from one of the best.
It can hold 40k and opened in 1899, but Bramall Lane is a much better stadium on every level.
It hosted 4 games in the 66 World Cup, and then three Denmark games in Euro 96. read more