Back in 2020, Football Weekends Magazine ran a survey where fans were asked to vote on the best away days in English football. The results of which can be found below. Six years later, are these rankings still fair, or should there be a new away day at the top of the pile?
Best football grounds for away fans: The top five from Football Weekends Magazine survey
1. Amex Stadium – Brighton & Hove Albion
Perhaps surprisingly, Brighton's Amex Stadium was voted as the best stadium in England to visit for away fans. The reasons? Well, as well as having great facilities, the concourses themselves are particularly spacious and the queues at the refreshments kiosks are never too long.
The Club have also always gone the extra mile to welcome visitors. They were one of the first clubs to put up posters thanking away fans for making the trip, while the lighting around the concourse is often changed to reflect the visiting team's colours.
Inside the stadium, away fans have nice padded seats, good leg room and excellent views of the playing action. Plus, when you add a loud PA System, with great stadium acoustics and a vocal home support, then you can see why the Amex has come out tops in the poll.
2. Craven Cottage – Fulham
Fulham's place at number two in this list isn't as surprising as a trip to the cottage has long been the most popular away day in the capital.
Always a relaxed visit, Craven Cottage is set in a pleasant area on the bank of the River Thames, and most visiting fans enjoy the stroll from Putney Bridge Underground Station along the Thames through Bishops Park to the ground. There are also a number of pubs in the area that welcome away supporters, and that adds to the quality of the day.
The ground itself oozes character, with a mixture of old and new stands, plus the Pavilion building in one corner (often called the Cottage), which makes the stadium a unique and memorable one.
3. Emirates Stadium – Arsenal
After being named the best overall ground of the 92, it is no surprise that the Emirates Stadium would make the top five in the best ground for away fans category. The Emirates is a fabulous-looking stadium, both in design and quality of build. It is no surprise that away fans have good-sized padded seats within the stadium, and the sightlines are good.
4. Villa Park – Aston Villa
In fourth place in the survey was Villa Park. The Midlands ground, although largely modern in construction, still has a traditional feel to it, one that is liked by visiting fans.
5. Etihad Stadium – Manchester City
The Etihad Stadium was expanded a few seasons back, with a large additional tier being added to the South Stand, and the same is now happening in the North Stand. The South Stand expansion resulted in excellent facilities for away fans, and if seated in the upper tier, fantastic views of the match and stadium.
So there you have it, the five best away grounds to visit in the country, do you agree?