Journalist ranks the 92 Football League stadiums after visiting them all in one season with six Premier League grounds in top 10

Journalist Ranks All 92 English Football League Stadiums After Visiting Each One in a Single Season
In a remarkable feat of football dedication and logistical planning, journalist Daniel Storey of The i Paper has completed a unique journey across England, visiting all 92 stadiums in the top four divisions of English football within a single season.

From the iconic Premier League arenas to the humble grounds of League Two, Storey’s journey, dubbed Doing the 92, culminated at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on the final day of the Premier League campaign — a fitting finale given his personal connection to the club as a lifelong Forest supporter.

The rankings he produced from his travels are, as expected, sparking debate among fans across the country. Stadium rankings often stir passionate responses, as supporters naturally hold a special affection for their home ground, often seeing it as one of the best in the nation. Storey’s list, however, aims to assess each venue not with fan bias, but with a mix of atmosphere, aesthetics, accessibility, and overall matchday experience.

Right from the outset, Storey didn’t shy away from controversy. In a move that’s sure to rile some fans in East London, West Ham United’s London Stadium found itself ranked second from bottom at 91st place. Storey was blunt in his assessment, stating the venue “doesn’t feel like a football stadium” — a common critique since the club moved from Upton Park to the former Olympic Stadium in 2016.

Elsewhere, some historic grounds landed in mid-table obscurity. Preston North End’s Deepdale — widely believed to be the oldest football stadium in the world still hosting professional matches — ranked 51st. While steeped in heritage, it appears Deepdale didn’t do enough in terms of atmosphere or modern fan experience to crack the upper tiers of the list.

Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United and once considered the jewel of English football grounds, ranked 32nd. Storey noted with a tone of melancholy that the stadium’s decline over the years is reflective of deeper issues within the club’s ownership:

“It is desperately sad that the slow strangulation of Manchester United by the Glazer family through their leveraged buyout and the continued accumulation of debt has led to the facilities at Old Trafford being degraded over time.”

The Theatre of Dreams, once revered for its grandeur, is now being overshadowed by more modern and better-maintained venues.
Sandwiched around Old Trafford in the rankings are two very different but passionate grounds. Sunderland’s Stadium of Light comes in just behind at 33rd, while the Racecourse Ground, home of Wrexham AFC, ranks one place higher at 31st.

Wrexham’s recent resurgence under the ownership of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney is noted, with Storey highlighting that “they’ve built something very special” in North Wales, both on and off the pitch.

The top 10 features six Premier League clubs, showcasing the continued dominance of the top-flight when it comes to stadium quality and experience. Leeds United’s Elland Road, famed for its electric atmosphere and passionate supporters, rounds out the top 10. Meanwhile, the City Ground — Storey’s final stop and a place close to his heart — makes it into the top three. He praises the stadium’s picturesque location near the River Trent, describing the view from the north of Trent Bridge as “unbeatable.”

Interestingly, Storey draws attention to a unique geographical footballing quirk: three historic sporting venues — Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, Notts County’s Meadow Lane, and Trent Bridge cricket ground — are all located within 200 metres of one another, forming a rare trio of professional grounds in such close proximity.

Taking second place in Storey’s rankings is AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium. Built just a stone’s throw — 200 yards — from the club’s spiritual home of the original Plough Lane, the stadium represents a remarkable fan-driven rebirth after years of exile and relocation. The ground is praised not just for its modern facilities, but for its symbolism and sense of homecoming.

But the biggest surprise comes at the very top. In first place, ahead of Premier League giants and newly built state-of-the-art stadiums, is League Two side Grimsby Town’s Blundell Park. Located in Cleethorpes near the Humber Estuary, the stadium offers a unique, almost cinematic matchday experience.

“You can sit and watch a football match and see tankers slowly drifting past your eye line — in what way isn’t that perfect?” Storey writes, capturing the magic of football beyond the glitz of the top flight.

Throughout the season, as part of his Doing the 92 project, Storey also penned long-read features on each club he visited, providing fans with in-depth insights, history, and personal reflections. These pieces offer a rich tapestry of the English footballing landscape, seen through the eyes of someone who experienced every level of the game — from the Premier League’s global glamour to the raw authenticity of League Two.

For fans interested in exploring the full rankings and Storey’s accompanying articles, they can find the entire journey catalogued online, offering a fascinating look into the soul of English football — one stadium at a time.

Here is a complete ranking of all the stadiums:

92) Jobserve Community Stadium (Colchester)

Someone has to finish bottom – sorry. There are decent spaces near the ground where supporters can gather, but it is on a roundabout on the edge of a lovely town next to a Hollywood Bowl and a Wendy’s and doesn’t even have the corners filled in so the noise dissipates. It also replaced Layer Road, which had bags of character and soul.

91) London Stadium (West Ham)

It wasn’t designed as a football stadium, hasn’t been altered enough from its original design and so doesn’t feel like a football stadium, or at least a stadium that generates atmosphere in the way that Upton Park did. Is it fair to compare a vast bowl to a tight-knit stadium in the heart of the fanbase? Maybe not. But, inevitably, that is what we all do.

90) Select Car Leasing Stadium (Reading)

There is a theme in the lower reaches of this countdown: out-of-city-centre stadiums that were built over a 20-year period when improved facilities and homogenous design seemed to outstrip fervent atmosphere as a priority as English football embarked upon a strategy of gentrification. I make Reading the most egregious of the lot, possibly just because I synonymise it with the movement most.

89) Priestfield Stadium (Gillingham)

I really like that Priestfield must be the ground in the 92 that is most closed in by terraced streets – it gets some marks for that. But the place is very tired these days and the away supporters are still left open to the elements. Work is ongoing (I had to walk through an education suite of desktop computers to get out to the stand); it is much-needed.

88) The Crowd Meadow (Shrewsbury)

Not really Shrewsbury Town’s fault, but it’s my favourite town in England and the football ground is a 40-minute walk from the centre behind a massive Sainsbury’s and retail park. The ground itself is pleasant, but suffers from the same issue as Colchester of noise escaping from the corners. I also went during a relegation season, which never helps (it was spicy for an FA Cup tie against Wolves a few years back)

87) Stadium MK (MK Dons)

It’s clearly a fantastic stadium, one that feels far bigger than its capacity when you are inside (and that’s a compliment). It’s just that none of this really helps a League Two football club with an average home of 7,000 that means three-quarters of the place is empty.
Without any atmosphere – you can hear players and managers shouting – you sacrifice any advantages that the extra revenue provides.

86) Sixfields Stadium (Northampton)

It’s another of the out-of-town, no corners, all one tier crew. Counterintuitively, Sixfields is slightly higher than some because of the extraordinary saga over the East Stand, and yet will move higher still when I attend a game with it fully open.
You can look left out of one stand and see both Bella Italia and Pizza Hut next to each other, like some of basic b*tch Italian food theme park run by the Dolmio family.

85) Adams Park (Wycombe)

A funny old ground: flanked by woods, with one decent stand and three non-league-level structures. What marks it gains for those idiosyncrasies it loses for being at the end of an industrial estate that makes everything a traffic mush afterwards. The underdog element of the place has also slightly been eroded by having a new billionaire owner.

84) Bet365 Stadium (Stoke)

The Reading principle now really kicks into gear. Fair play to Stoke for generating an atmosphere here in the Premier League years, but it’s an out-of-town identikit stadium that doesn’t have the capitalist trappings on the doorstep (I’m talking about Frankie & Benny’s). Gains some marks for being visible from the A50, loses them for being right next to the A50. The “cold, windy Tuesday night” cliche is there for a reason: possibly the coldest ground in the 92.

83) Broadfield Stadium (Crawley)

It is definitely part of the small ground on the edge of town brigade, but I give Crawley a few extra points because matchday has the feel of an elite non-league club more than a third-tier side. That may be an insult on some level, and speak about the need for improvements under WAGMI, against whom there were protests during my visit. But I found the whole thing quite stirring.

82) The County Ground (Swindon)

It’s a ground that is in need of development, and that development may eventually come soon. But with Swindon supporters protesting against owner Clemn Morfuni, the day was spent walking with them and, as such, the atmosphere in the stadium was a strange one. There is potential here, even on the edge of town. Now it needs someone to fund its fulfillment.

81) Kassam Stadium (Oxford)

I really do like the lack of a stand at one end (although most Oxford United supporters would disagree) because it allows you to see into the ground under the floodlights from the outside.
But there’s no disguising that Oxford are looking to move and with good reason. It’s not exactly Estádio Municipal de Braga with its rock face when the empty end allows you to see a Hollywood Bowl and a Frankie & Benny’s.

80) King Power Stadium (Leicester)

Probably the archetypal generic new-build ground during English football’s expansion period between 1997 and 2005 (15 grounds in Championship and League One next season were opened in that nine-year period).
It has nights – this was one – where the team stirs the crowd. But there’s no doubt that you have to work harder than you should to make 30,000 people sound loud. You didn’t have that problem at Filbert Street.

79) St Mary’s Stadium (Southampton)

Too much like the King Power to separate the two. They opened within 11 months of each other and basically share the same properties: perfectly walkable to the city centre but towards its edge, one large tier as a loop, atmosphere more meh than it should be. Southampton gets the nod because it contains exactly 125 more seats. Yay.
78) Pride Park Stadium (Derby)

Too much like the King Power and St Mary’s to separate the three. This one opened in 1997 and so is the original, but shares the same properties: perfectly walkable to the city centre but towards its edge, one large tier as a loop, atmosphere more meh than it should be. Derby gets the nod because it contains exactly 572 more seats than Southampton. Yay.
77) The EV Charger Points Stadium (Cheltenham)

It’s got a modern-sounding name but it’s one of the most basic stadiums in the country. That definitely offers a good deal of charm, not least a press box that is roughly four centimetres wide and behind glass, but some of the facilities aren’t really fit for purpose. It has also had lots of silly names that each erode an element of its potential identity. Club and ground in need of a new era.
76) Swansea.com Stadium (Swansea)

It is definitely lacking a little character that inevitably stems from its design, opened in the middle of the football stadium design homogeneity obsession, and is surprisingly small at under 21,000 seats.
But I went on South Wales derby day, which meant it was horribly tense outside the ground and wonderfully raucous inside it. Probably gives it an undue advantage here, but it’s my list.

75) The Brick Community Stadium (Wigan)

Joins Swansea below it as a stadium with a current name that I will never use because my brain is stuck in the noughties. It is also like Swansea in that it’s a bit soulless due to its location and also is never full any more, sadly reminding of better times.
The design is different, though – we’re finally getting towards stadiums that are identifiable by their silhouette (good idea for a quick, actually; someone write it please)
74) Peninsula Stadium (Salford)

It is definitely another of those one-tier, no corner jobs, but the Peninsula Stadium bumps itself up the list through the work the club has done to give the place an identity (the parody programme covers painted on the walls, the Pankhurst mural) and the fact that it’s set into a slight dip which seems to make the noise hang in the air a little better.

73) Lamex Stadium (Stevenage)

A slightly forgettable ground, but has been pushed a number of places up this list by the lighting system they use ahead of evening matches. Leaving the floodlights off until late, there is white lighting on the underside of the stand roofs. It gives the whole place a lovely glow against the black of an autumn night. More of these niche touches, please.

72) Highbury Stadium (Fleetwood)

Has one sweeping modern stand and then three more rudimentary affairs, one of which stops halfway along the pitch for a social club. On the night I went, Sky Sports’ broadcasting trucks were in town and so the players were forced to park on the same street as me, which is lovely stuff. Fourth smallest ground in the EFL, but that works in a small coastal town.

71) One Call Stadium (Mansfield)

A slightly messy venue, with the ongoing issues around the fourth stand (although there will be supporters in there next season), but Field Mill (as it should always be called) does allow you to watch Saturday life going on outside and it does have quotes from famous non-football figures on the walls of the concourse, which saves it. It also ranks very high in the “I should have put another layer on” stakes.

70) Cledara Abbey Stadium (Cambridge)

A small-ish stadium that is in need of some work (and there are expansion plans in place), but there are a couple of things that I really enjoy about Cambridge United.
The area at the back of the Main Stand is a great place for people to meet, eat and have a drink before the game, and the Main Stand itself contains some wonderfully narrow brick corridors that feel entirely out of place in the modern game.

69) The Den (Millwall)

It looks a little better from the train as you pass than it does inside, largely because none of the corners are fully filled in. That gives the place a slight Subbuteo stadium vibe, although it’s fair to say that is evaporated by some of the language inside. One of the best media rooms in the country, with Millwall FC carpet and a mini-museum behind glass.

68) MKM Stadium (Hull)

Hull’s stadium certainly strays close to the identikit problem we have already detailed, but is at least a bowl that keeps in the noise and uses sweeping curves to create stands of different heights.
I also really like the walk through the park as the MKM looms into full focus. Unfortunately, I went at a time when Hull were in a state of mutiny over the continued employment of Tim Walter, so it did all feel a little depressing.

67) Poundland Bescot Stadium (Walsall)

The worst name in the country, and squidged on the edge of an industrial area on an edge of town that is visible from the M6, and yet I find myself drawn to the Bescot. The away end is small but seems to allow plenty of noise to be generated, the most imposing stand is behind one goal (always a plus for me) and the press room is a cubby hole affair about as big as my thumb. It was part of the new wave (opened in 1990) but is old enough to have earned some character over time.

66) Cardiff City Stadium (Cardiff)

I won’t lie: the outside of the stadium is generic and the inside of the stadium is generic. The facilities are fine without blowing you away and the atmosphere for the game I attended this season was mutinous.
And yet the CCS finds itself in the 60s rather than the 80s because I have attended Wales games here and I know what can be created. So get Dafydd Iwan in, turn up the volume and let me hold back the tears as Yma o Hyd plays even though I’m not even Welsh.
65) Bloomfield Road (Blackpool)

The internal specifics of the stadium are nothing to write home about, although I love the banner that hangs at one end and reads: “You have our dreams at your feet”.
But I’m a bugger for football grounds right on the coast. Add that to the magnificent Jimmy Armfield mural, second only to the one at Tranmere Rovers, and you have enough elements for Bloomfield Road to stand out.

64) Toughsheet Community Stadium (Bolton)

The name is silly, but supporters have taken to it as a badge of honour. The stadium could fall foul of our anti-identikit principles, but the curved architecture and the use of glass distracts you from the Wingstop and the Tesco Extra.
And there’s something about this stadium that gets under my skin even though it has some of the characteristics that I dislike vehemently. Park at the top of the hill and walk down for the best approach.
63) Coventry Building Society Arena (Coventry)

There’s no escaping that it’s the same functional design as Derby, Leicester and Southampton, and the fact that it has a casino literally built into the stadium should grind my gears even further. But the CBS is always close to full capacity for league games and the noise does roll around it nicely. Maybe I’m being too generous here.
61) Wham Stadium (Accrington)

Elements of the Crown Ground are shared by stadiums lower down this list, but it is elevated by its position within residential streets rather than a retail park, the fact that it possesses a good deal more history (opened in 1968) and because I love the view of the ground at night, from Whalley Road with the The Crown pub in front of the floodlights. Shame I witnessed the worst match I’ve ever seen there.
60) SMH Group Stadium (Chesterfield)

It isn’t Saltergate, an old ground which needed change but was so old that moving here was always likely to cause a loss of identity. But Chesterfield’s fall and financial emergency eight years ago took this club almost beyond the edge.
The rebuild under the stewardship of supporters and then local businessmen means that the ground became a place of sanctity and hope. As such, I really like coming here to hear that Derbyshire accent swear (best in the country by a distance)
62) Pirelli Stadium (Burton)

It helped that I attended a joyous occasion (Burton Albion marking their great escape) and in perfect weather (warm sun, pink sunset, dusk and then clear night), but I really like the Pirelli.
It has kept a terraced stand that maintains the atmosphere in a way that single-tiered all-seaters do not. Burton Albion aren’t alone in this, but it does stick out there: every single employee you meet is incredibly friendly.
58) Etihad Stadium (Manchester City)

I have absolutely been to the Etihad on unfathomably atmospheric nights (Tottenham in the Champions League was possibly the pinnacle), and I love walking across the bridge to the ground.
But it is inescapable how effectively the club have eroded the noise and sense of occasion in the ground by pricing out local supporters. Too often, it feels like a place where football is played rather than cherished and that makes me sad.
57) Weston Homes Stadium (Peterborough)

And here you see the value in building up a stadium rather than constructing a new one. There may be no tangible reason for London Road to sound louder and more earthy as a result, but I absolutely believe in it. From afar the internal stadium looks relatively modern, but the outside is gloriously old school. I’m very fine with that.
59) Vitality Stadium (Bournemouth)

It isn’t ideal that the stadium of a now established Premier League team has a capacity smaller than Leigh Sports Village and Gillingham’s Priestfield, but there’s something quite pleasing about having a small ground in which everything is Premier League quality. Also, I walked to the stadium from the actual beach which is always going to charm me.
56) Ewood Park (Blackburn)

I love parking away from the ground and walking down Bolton Way as it appears. I love that the lack of space at the back of CIS Stand means that you see supporters leaving by walking in front of the seats, a demonstrative show of mutiny to underperforming players.
I love the 1990s nostalgia hit of the red-and-blue sections of that stand, as if Alan Shearer is still here. But the football club is broken and most of the seats are empty. And that kills the mood.
55) Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)

It is absolutely an impressive stadium, even though I’m not totally sold on the Chelsea-sponsored leisure complex around it. Stand pitchside and look up and the size really comes across – it feels bigger than its capacity.
But the best bit about Stamford Bridge (no not the buffet, industry types) is the walk from Earls Court station, through Georgian residential streets and then along the Fulham Road in the sunshine as the supporters gather around you.
54) Riverside Stadium (Middlesbrough)

Of course it’s one of the newer stadiums, and it’s also one of the coldest places on earth, but I adore the Riverside’s location on the south bank of the Tees, near the Transporter Bridge.
Having wide concrete spaces outside a stadium isn’t usually to be celebrated, but also works here with the ground rising out of it. Add in the wonderful old Middlesbrough AFC gates and the three statues and you have enough heritage to accompany the modernity.
53) Deepdale (Preston)

The stadium itself is slightly boxy without corners, although the floodlights coming out of the stadium roof are fun. The artistic detail on the seats at Preston is also better than anywhere else in the country.
But there’s two things that shoot Deepdale up the list: the fact that – although redeveloped – it is one of the oldest stadiums in the world and the stunning Sir Tom Finney Splash statue outside. Consider yourself cheap if you haven’t seen it.
52) Kenilworth Road (Luton)

The football banter internet did its best to ruin Kenilworth Road through emojis and the same photograph of the away end. I do believe that Fratton Park is a better, bigger version of the same thing, but there’s still room for some Luton love.
The sheer number of passageways, nooks and alleyways is faintly ridiculous. Those wooden benches at the front of the stand bring the whole thing together perfectly. They have to move, but it’s a shame that they have to move.
51) Amex Stadium (Brighton)

There is definitely a faff getting away from the place, given the location and transport options (although knowing them before you go does help to ease frustration). But I would describe the Amex as one of the best “nice” places to watch in the country.
That might appear as a back-handed compliment, and it’s hardly a tribalistic cauldron of noise. But it’s also a delightful place to watch excellent football and has great facilities outside for young and old. And that’s a good thing.
50) Eco-Power Stadium (Doncaster)

At first glance it is just a single-tiered, new build stadium but this place really grows on you.
It has the corners closed in which keeps in the noise really effectively, has parkland to one side of the stadium and, if you park in the right place, involves a lakeside footpath to and from the gates during which you get to hear some wonderfully to-the-point South Yorkshire punditry. Also a contender for one of the friendliest clubs in the country, from my experience.
49) LNER Stadium (Lincoln)

Lots to like here: the view to the cathedral, the fact that Lincoln City have been playing on this footprint since 1895, the club offices in an area to the side of the stand that have an emphatic community club feel, the club bar upstairs where members gather before a game and put the world to rights.
But do any of these match up to me meeting Chris Cohen, one of my heroes, inside Sincil Bank after a 5-1 home win? They do not.
48) Brisbane Road (Leyton Orient)

Brisbane Road, as pleasant as it is, gets its place in midtable here due to two factors: 1) the press box view, which is impossibly high up and gives you a funny feeling in your tummy when you lean over, and 2) the blocks of flats on two corners that allow residents to gather on the balcony to celebrate goals. And we got a last-minute winner to watch those celebrations at their most raucous.

47) Vicarage Road (Watford)

I’m not wildly fussed about the inside of Vicarage Road, which on my multiple visits has never quite created a raucous noise, but the exterior is really quite special. I love the black cladding because that feels unique, as do the letters spelling out the club name along the Rookery Stand. Add in the knitted top on a postbox I found nearby commemorating the FA Cup run in 1984 and the marvellous Graham Taylor statue and you have yourself a place fans should be proud to call home.

46) Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday)

A stadium that could easily be far higher up this list, given its tradition, size and the way the place seems to lift off the ground before kick-off during Hi Ho Sheffield Wednesday. And yet (and it’s no fault of the club’s supporters) as a Nottingham Forest supporter who knew people at Hillsborough in April 1989, it is impossible not to associate one end of the ground with the grimmest tragedy and subsequent national scandal.
45) The Hawthorns (West Brom)

I think the Hawthorns actually suffers from being a little too polished, which is probably highly unfair. When you go to Midlands football grounds you expect them to be of a decent size, relatively edgy and with obvious signatures of grand tradition. Here, the redecoration work was successful and allows for a fine fan experience, but the view inside is similar to Stadium MK: obviously excellent but lacking a little grunge. That said, you can’t take too many marks off for what are essentially compliments.
44) The Valley (Charlton)

My favourite stadium name in the Football League, fact fans. The Valley has a proper south London feel. If you want a treat, walk slowly up the stairs of the stand at half-time and eavesdrop on the conversations between supporters who would like to be the manager giving the team talk. My favourite element is the view from the back of the West Stand, which at night offers a vista of Canary Wharf at night. There will still be people working while you’re at the match; suckers.
43) Carrow Road (Norwich)

Norwich is one of the most underrated cities in the UK (pedestrianisation? Yes please) and its football ground is lovely too. I do wish that Carrow Road was right in the town centre rather than right next to the Riverside retail park, but it’s still a stadium where everything works and there are as many nods to heritage as there are facilities for the modern football supporter. It was also the highest-ranked ground that I’d never been to before, which made it extra special for me.
42) University of Bradford Stadium (Bradford)

I wish that I had been able to join Mark Douglas on the final day at a ground that has seen so much despondency over the last decade and finally realised some of their potential. The manner in which the two bigger stands tower above the rest is wonderful (as well as giving you a view over the surrounding area), as is being able to see into the stadium from terraced streets outside. A proper ground in a proper place. Now let its football club remain proper for a while.
41) Home Park (Plymouth)

Having seen Plymouth lose three away games without scoring, it was a delight to sit in the newly refurbished Mayflower Grandstand (one of the great stand names in the country) and watch them joyously thrash a team at home. The atmosphere is superb and reinforces that Plymouth is one of the great homes of potential in English football. Please stop this weird assumption that the south west isn’t football-obsessed.
40) Kirklees Stadium (Huddersfield)

One of the most iconic – with the Reebok Stadium, I’d say – of the new-build curved structures, this is – drum roll – the only football stadium to win the Stirling Prize for architecture. It’s walkable from the town centre, it has woodland to the back of the stadium and it’s set in a dip so that mist gathers in the air during winter months and creates a majestic aesthetic when it blends with floodlight.
39) St. Andrew’s (Birmingham)

Points lost for the use of an @ symbol in the stadium name because it’s Mike Ashley behaviour, but otherwise this is a club on the up with the atmosphere at matches supercharged as a result. At some point you suspect that everything will be upgraded at St Andrew’s, but for now it has areas that have been souped up surrounded by cubby holes and corners that give the game away. This is the best mix.
38) Prenton Park (Tranmere)

A ground that has “third club in the area” energy and that is a compliment. I adore that Tranmere are so submerged in their local area – it’s impossible to miss that when you’re sat in the Main Stand looking at the residential streets rising diagonally up the hill opposite. They also have the best mural in English football for my money, which is absolutely not to be sniffed at.
37) Memorial Stadium (Bristol Rovers)

From my 92 Things I Learned piece: “Bristol is the best city in England and Gloucester Road is the best road to walk. It contains a fantastic blend of cultures in its shops, cafes and restaurants and, after a couple of miles, you reach a football ground. Nothing else needed.” That ground is The Mem, a hodgepodge of old and new. And so it’s great.
36) Vale Park (Port Vale)

Vale Park is a fine lower-league ground with history, proximity to the pitch and a capacity large enough to cause a stir when it’s full. I also enjoy, as with Huddersfield, that it’s in a dip that for some reason seems to keep the noise inside more effectively. Finally, if you visit – and whether you are religious or not – you must attend the pre-match church service because I think that it’s unique in English football.
35) Mazuma Mobile Stadium (Morecambe)

The name is bad, let’s be absolutely clear. The pitch was in dreadful condition when I went, but that’s all part of the fun. It’s a tiny ground, which may put some people off. It is usually freezing, which may put others off. But it also has the best pie in the land and, if you go at night, the view beyond the Main Stand looks like you are staring off the edge of the earth. Just a shame that the ownership situation is killing the club.

34) AESSEAL New York Stadium (Rotherham)

I don’t quite know how they have pulled it off, but Rotherham United have built a modern, fairly identikit stadium with four single-tiered stands and yet it’s….really good? I have a theory, obviously: by leaving the old Millmoor standing across the road, the spirit of history and heritage has seeped over into the new home. Park behind Millmoor and peek inside before a home game. If you don’t do this, you are a fool.
33) Stadium of Light (Sunderland)

Sometimes it’s the details that get you: Sunderland having the Beacon of Light community building, the Foundation of Light and some of the Academy of Light all named after – and in the shadow of – the Stadium of Light improves everything by at least 20 per cent. My advice is to park a little down the Wear and walk for at least 30 minutes so the size of the stadium grows on you. It is ludicrous that Sunderland have the eighth biggest club stadium in England, but I love that it does.
32) Old Trafford (Manchester United)

It is desperately sad that the slow strangulation of Manchester United by the Glazer family through their leverage buyout and the continued accumulation of debt has led to the facilities at Old Trafford being degraded over time – that impacts upon its position here. But for all the understandable excitement over the new stadium project, I would be prepared to bet a handsome sum of money that the current ground will feel infinitely more magical than a new build ever will. Old Trafford has lost its shine, but it’ll always stir the soul to walk into it.
31) STōK Racecourse (Wrexham)

Because of the Hollywood hoopla and incessant media coverage that attempts to tap into the clicky zeitgeist, you can get tricked into thinking that matchday at Wrexham will somehow mirror that vibe. In fact, nothing of the sort and preconceptions give way to the reality that the owners have created something very special: a grand expansion project with hyperlocalism and patriotism at its epicentre. That’s so, so much harder to pull off than it sounds.
30) Mornflake Stadium (Crewe)

One big stand towering above others is a common theme within the top half of this list, and Crewe does it more spectacularly than most. I have nothing much to say about the rest of the ground, but sitting at the top of that massive Main Stand is an absolute joy. The football is a mere distraction as you look over to the railway, the town centre, the residential areas and across the hills to Jodrell Bank. I think it’s second only to Turf Moor for that.
29) Holker Street (Barrow)

A ground that is exactly as its name implies, pleasingly: in one corner of a coastal town where too few people go to visit. Holker Street is also emblematic of the club it houses, maintained and improved by hundreds of hours offered by an army of volunteers. From the cabin that houses Russ’ Raffle and a tuck shop, to the pie hut and the rooms off the far side that were redecorated by local retirees, this is a football ground where you can see the love on the surface. Stand on the long terrace and have the time of your life.
28) Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)

In the early years of the Emirates, the joke was that the stadium was quiet and the audience simply waiting for wins to happen rather than dragging their team on. That has noticeably shifted under Mikel Arteta, although I stand by the opinion that the place sounds miles better when you aren’t in the bottom tier, for some reason. The facilities are excellent, to the extent that it barely feels like it has aged in almost 20 years.
27) MATRADE Loftus Road (QPR)

I suspect that Loftus Road is one of the more divisive of the 92 stadiums – there are certainly plenty of away supporters who say that they hate the experience. It’s certainly very “real” (a great football ground euphemism), but I have to say that I love the earthy edge of the place. And I say that as someone who watched his team get relegated to the third tier there on one of the most miserable days of my life.
26) Gtech Community Stadium (Brentford)

The newest stadium in the Football League and Brentford absolutely smashed it out of the park. The atmosphere isn’t top-tier and that keeps the Gtech out of top 20, but the manner in which they have squeezed 17,000 seats into this area without compromising on the facilities or made it feel overly cramped is a minor miracle. Sums up the club really: minimalist, forward-thinking, super smart.
25) The Exercise Stadium (Harrogate)

One of the lowest capacities on the list, but with great charm because each addition and add-on is proof of another success story for the smallest club in the Football League. Harrogate is hardly a fierce football heartland, but that creates a pleasant atmosphere that reinforces the feeling of family and community here. Also, and I cannot stress this enough, I was allowed to sit on the bench during the match.
24) Ashton Gate Stadium (Bristol City)

Points automatically awarded for being in Bristol and the view of the Clifton suspension bridge from one stand, but this is also a supreme example of a stadium renovation done very well indeed. The stands were redeveloped in 1994, 2007, 2014 and 2016, which means everything works but there’s none of the homogeneity you risk in a complete rebuild. The Lansdown Stand might be the most impressive outside the Premier League. It’s just a shame that the full potential of this city remains untapped.
23) Meadow Lane (Notts County)

The old place is certainly far more appealing when it is full – and crowds have increased consistently of late – but Meadow Lane is the home of the world’s oldest football club and so should hold a place in the heart of every local. The recent work in creating the Nest, a brilliant fan zone, and the introduction of a Jimmy Sirrell memorial statue and mural add so much to the identity of the place.
22) Portman Road (Ipswich)

A brilliant example of a ground given a brilliant glow-up and what Premier League promotion means. Ipswich embarked upon 104 different projects to improve Portman Road before this season. The work involved 200 different workers but has future-proofed this stadium without changing any element that worked brilliantly before. Not only that, the manner in which the club shows off its history with branding, information boards and posters is unsurpassed in this country. More of this please.
21) Brunton Park, Carlisle United

Just a bloody shame to be losing this town and this ground from the EFL calendar, although I’d urge anyone to visit them in the National League next season. The walk from the town centre is easy, the area for fans at the back better than anything else at its level and the atmosphere inside genuinely excellent despite them being relegated. I’m not a fan of the blue UV lighting used on one stand – it just looks out of place with the heritage around it – but otherwise this is one of the best away days in the country.
20) Anfield (Liverpool)

It is inevitable that some of the traditional majesty of a ground is lost when it has to grow to accommodate demand and I’d consider it inarguable that the atmosphere at Anfield, including the average noise level, has dropped over time. But it is also one of the cathedrals of English football, contains wonderful nods to tradition – Shankly Gates the best example – and the pre-match “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is still something to behold. Go to an evening match if you can, when the colours of the flags on the Kop pop out under the lights.
19) Molineux (Wolves)

Molineux has got so much going for it: literally visible from the centre of the city, which you can’t say about enough ground these days; a massive end stand (always a tick in my book, aesthetically); a short walk downhill because the pitch sits at the bottom of a dip. I would also nominate this as the most surprisingly antsy football stadium in the country – when it gets nasty in here you can feel the anger hang in the air. Tension is good, people (unless you’re a referee or under-pressure manager).
18) Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace)

You can see barely a third of the match from the press box, it’s a ballache to get pretty much anywhere else in the country from the ground and it has the most depressing supermarket in London, but the atmosphere at Selhurst makes you forgive all that. It has become an integral part of the club’s identity, culminating in the FA Cup win at Wembley. At some point Palace are going to have to upgrade this place; in doing so they will walk a tightrope.
17) Rodney Parade (Newport)

I’ve already described in this piece how the Hazell Stand at Rodney Parade is the best in the country: its age, its latticework, its floodlights, its cramped seats. But the whole ground in general is a throwback delight. You can feel a genuine edge in the air when you sit at the back of the Hazell and the home team are playing badly and that is absolutely part of this club’s culture. Go in winter, go at night, wrap up warm and cross your fingers that things get prickly.
16) Craven Cottage (Fulham)

Craven Cottage would have been in the top ten before the construction of the massive Riverside Stand, but its vastness (plus the prices for tickets inside it) have eroded an element of Fulham’s identity and I’m not sure you can get it back. Luckily, the rest of the ground is a statue to football heritage and that includes the walk along the river to and from. I understand why every tourist would want to go there. It’s just a shame that Fulham’s money men do too.
15) Copperjax Community Stadium (Bromley)

If you ever get the chance, go to watch the first home game that a football club has ever played in the Football League. I did that at Bromley and got 25 per cent happier via osmosis. Hayes Lane is a delight: modern new offices and facilities but with the non-league sprinkling (by which I mean: go to the Dave Roberts tea hut and buy a cuppa). Other top tip: walk from Bromley South station to the ground via all the little footpaths between houses.

14) Edgeley Park (Stockport)

I think Edgeley Park may be the best “bad” ground in the country, by which I mean: you expect lots of things not to work, you may get lost in a corridor, you will queue for the toilet and your view may be obstructed. And if any of those things would ruin your day, you’re probably not reading this piece anyway. This place would have got into the top 30 based upon the brickwork on the outside of the Danny Bergara Stand alone.
13) Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Tottenham)

Something of an anomaly on this list: massive new stadium that ranks highly. But the game is changing and we have to recognise those clubs who get it right. Keeping the ground on the same footprint was a masterstroke in preserving the matchday routine of supporters. The facilities are – predictably – top-class but it is the acoustics that really take your breath away. And now it’s the stadium of a team that actually won something, which helps.
12) Oakwell (Barnsley)

You can (should? must!) go and read this piece to understand all of the reasons why I love Oakwell, but the principal point is this: a football club expanded three of its stands in the 1990s and it aimed to become a top division staple and then promptly fell back into comparative mediocrity, thus leaving one stand as a glorious anachronism. That the West Stand provides such a contrast to the other three makes Oakwell one of the most photogenic grounds in the country. Oh, and all men should have a wee in the infamous toilet block.
11) Fratton Park (Portsmouth)

Perhaps the best place in the country to watch a night game (that’s a massive statement that I’m allowed to row back on at any point), Fratton Park is a delight because it is forced between terraced streets like Kenilworth Road but has a little more pride in its own appearance. The highlight is obviously the mock Tudor entrance on Frogmore Road, but the noise inside is a throwback too, all combined with a distinct edginess that you can find across the city.
10) Elland Road (Leeds)

Officially reached the stage where I think “This ground must surely be higher” and then I look at the selections above it and can’t make any changes. Elland Road is a horrible place to go to as an away supporter and I mean that emphatically as a compliment. It’s loud, it’s nasty, there is a lingering threat outside the place and it’s far bigger inside than it appears from the outside. On behalf of travelling supporters across the country, I hope they ruin all that with their redevelopment (they probably won’t).
9) Bramall Lane (Sheffield United)

And repeat: Bramall Lane is a horrible place to go to as an away supporter and I mean that emphatically as a compliment. It’s loud, it’s nasty, there is a lingering threat outside the place and it’s far bigger inside than it appears from the outside. This pips Leeds because The Greasy Chip Butty Song is one of the greats, but I’ve had horrible nights in the away end of both.
8) Villa Park (Birmingham)

This is weird, but: one thing I really love about Villa Park is the depth of the stands (look at an aerial photo and you’ll see what I mean). It would be in the top five if the old Trinity Road stand was either still there or had been preserved within the redevelopment, but it still retains one of the best atmospheres in the country and has that FA Cup semi-final ground energy that is really important. It signifies size plus heritage, aka a winning combination.
7) Turf Moor (Burnley)

The best view from a stadium in English football, bar none. You sit at the top of the James Hargreaves Stand and you can take in: factory chimneys, rows of terraced housing, a cricket club, religious buildings, fields, hills and woodland and then, almost as an afterthought given the beauty beyond, a fine football stadium.
If I had to choose one place to be glued down and sit for eternity, it would be in front of that vista. And if Burnley ever build up the Bob Lord stand, I will start a one-man campaign against it.

6) Goodison Park (Everton)

You can go here to read my piece from the final day at Goodison. On the way up I was a bit worried that I was crashing someone else’s party, but the emotion of the place whipped up into a frenzy that was impossible to avoid. Ultimately, I can’t celebrate any top-flight club leaving their old home for something shiny. With Everton, and with Goodison’s grand old heritage, it is a cause for great regret for every neutral. A part of what made Everton Everton has passed.

5) St James’ Park (Newcastle)

There are Newcastle United supporters who get a little sick of the “cathedral on the hill” cliche – I understand that. But Newcastle is one of the great cities, and much of the charm is glancing up Georgian streets and catching a glimpse of St James’.
There’s something unique about large one-club cities whereby football seems to permeate intangibly through everyday life like nowhere else: Newcastle is the best example of that and matchday rarely lets you down. Go before they change it all in pursuit of more revenue. Finally: obligatory mention of the steps up to the away end, further than a stairway to heaven.
4) St James Park (Exeter)

There are certain football clubs and football grounds that get under your skin. Exeter City, the highest-ranked fan-owned club in England, does that for me. The Big Bank is the largest standing terrace in England. It has a large red heart painted onto the steps to pay tribute to the supporters who saved the club.
From there you can see the city skyline but also the improvements to a ground that have been paid for by damn hard work, success and the sale of players this club has developed. If you get a chance, ask if you can see inside Exeter’s museum room. It is one of my football paradises.

3) City Ground (Nottingham Forest)

Why yes, I am a gentleman for only putting my own home in third. I cannot pretend to be impartial about the City Ground, but I’ve spoken to enough away supporters who consider it one of the great away days to be guilt-free about ranking it this high.
The view from the north side of Trent Bridge is unbeatable, the proximity to West Bridgford’s many pubs is wonderful and the atmosphere over the last few years has been greater than I have ever known it. Growing up here, I totally took for granted the wonder of three stadiums all within a couple of hundred yards of each other.

2) Cherry Red Records Stadium (Wimbledon)

When I sat down to do this list, I knew that the upper echelons would be littered with traditional grounds. But there is an exception. Not only is the home of AFC Wimbledon a magnificent example of how to build a small stadium with unique features in a tight space, it also has brilliant areas dedicated to fan congregation and independent retailers.
More than all of that, you have the back story: a football club was forced out of its home and community, fought for years as a fan-owned organisation to fight back and eventually built its own home 200 yards away from the old Plough Lane. To get here, and have it looking like this, is one of the great achievements in English football over the last decade.

1) Blundell Park (Grimsby)

I know most people will be surprised by this and that’s absolutely fair enough. This is all entirely subjective: of the millions of football lovers in the country, none will even have the same top 20 in order. But Blundell Park is my one.
I spent many hundreds of words explaining why here, but in short-form order: coast, age, big stand, sounds, smells, seagulls, end-of-the-line town, northern, railway bridge, wind. You can sit and watch a football match and see tankers slowly drifting past your eye line – in what way isn’t that perfect?