Arsenal Have The Best Away Stand

Ticket prices have dominated the press for a few weeks now and for quite a long time Arsenal are unfairly painted as having the highest ticket prices in football - which any Gooner with a solitary brain cell can prove is factually incorrect. High ticket prices are often cited as the cause for the so-called lack of atmosphere at the Emirates and whilst there have been some excellent vocal perfomances from the stands in matches like Bayern and Spurs it is an almost unquestionable view - held by most Arsenal supporters - that our home fans are eclipsed by our away fans.

Away Gooners are vocal, passionate and almost always in good spirits and looking to create a positive atmosphere for their team and themselves. What is the point of spending all that money to travel to an away game if you're not going to enjoy it? Our away fans, many of whom are also home season ticket holders, are the foundation of our atmosphere at the Emirates yet, maybe due to being scattered around the stadium, they aren't as audible at home as they are away.

An oft made complaint about the atmosphere at the Emirates is that the visiting support easily drown out the home support - this has been looked at from many angles such as pricing, quality of stewarding, layout and acoustics yet maybe the answer simply lies in the theory that we make away fans far too comfortable. This recent survey looking at the best away days in the country saw Arsenal voted as having the best away stand. It's modern, comfortable and boasts excellent views unlike some stadiums like Anfield where away fans have posted pictures of columns blocking their view of the pitch.

Arsenal didn't make it into the top 7 for best experience which is surprising because of the quality of the arena, facilities and football on offer and you have to wonder how much of that is down to unfair propaganda about Arsenal's prices. Arsenal didn't feature in the pies list either - our pies are reasonably priced and quite nice if you take Ivan Gazidis' entirely unbiased opinion on the matter - maybe they should look at getting Piebury pies in the ground!

The best pint category also didn't see Arsenal included but as I've never stepped foot in an away pub near the Arsenal ground I couldn't possibly say what their beer is like!

Attention in the survey then turned to the fans themselves and where they felt they could create the best atmosphere and what they usually wear to games. Fred Perry shirts and Adidas Original trainers were the most popularly worn items and as a collector of Adidas Original trainers I can tell you that these people have impeccable taste! Unsurprisingly the worst dressed supporters were Liverpool fans proving that some sterotypes exist for a reason. You just have to look at some of their cup final suits!

Arsenal on the other hand have always been sartorially sound and one look at our away fans on TV with their array of sexy Arsenal shirts, past and present, finished off with a pair of fashionable slacks or trendy jeans tells you simplicity and elegance is the order of the day amongst Gooners. Newcastle fans also made it into the top 4 of worst dressed fans which I felt was a little unfair as they hardly wear any clothes at all!

Crystal Palace topped the atmosphere table and Arsenal didn't even feature which considering how often the obstreperousness of the minority away fans is used to berate our home fans I find strange. You would think a "quiet" stadium like the Emirates would be heaven for away supporters because they can gee up their players who already feel less pressure due to being away. However, it seems that the Emirates is not the best place for an away atmosphere and as an Arsenal fan I'm not complaining. A great atmosphere all round with plenty of friendly badinage between the rival supporters would be fantastic at the Emirates but I also don't want the away fans to enjoy themselves too much because if they're enjoying themselves then Arsenal aren't winning.

It's a good thing Arsenal aren't considered to have a great atmosphere for the away guys but are considered to have the most comfortable away stand because at least the poor souls have somewhere to sit as they watch in despondency as their team are torn apart by a rampant Arsenal. Or at least that is the dream.

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