When it comes to walk up crowds that make a spur of the moment decision to go, it would not matter where the stadium is. i have read on here people saying that someone in Mirimar or Seatoun would be unlikely to go under those circumstances to say Upper Hutt (where I live). But the opposite would apply if the stadium was near where they now train and a new walk up group would become established. my next-door neighbour tells me he watches every game home or away. But does so via his Sky subscription and not making the trip into town. I would guess that he has seen no more than a dozen games over the last 15 years that we have been in existence actually at the game and some of those would have been at the Hutt Rec. I have offered to take him in my car to no avail.
To my mind accessibility to public transport is the key to any location. That was a significant selling point of the ROF in its planning. Egg ball friends tell me of the difference in going to ROF rather than the old Athletic Park.
On a nicer note. I went for a walk a couple of nights ago and walked across the grass where both the men's and women's Phoenix first team squads train now on a daily basis in Trentham. Three fully marked full sized pitches and i counted eight of those full-sized netted goals that are easily movable on two wheels. The quality of the grass is unbelievable. When I saw it from a raised bank from about 100 metres away, I honestly thought it was artificial. But when you are on it, you realize it is real. i have seen the outfield on international standard cricket outfields close up, and this training area is probably better. Without a word of a lie, you could play a reasonable game of lawn bowls on it, although they would probably say it was a little long. I do honestly believe that the ROF pitch is not as good and match day pitch is now a downgrade from training. Having read about the gym facilities they have got there as well, they truly have I reckon a world class facility, possibly the leader in the A League. If another club/s have something better, they are very lucky.
To my mind accessibility to public transport is the key to any location. That was a significant selling point of the ROF in its planning. Egg ball friends tell me of the difference in going to ROF rather than the old Athletic Park.
On a nicer note. I went for a walk a couple of nights ago and walked across the grass where both the men's and women's Phoenix first team squads train now on a daily basis in Trentham. Three fully marked full sized pitches and i counted eight of those full-sized netted goals that are easily movable on two wheels. The quality of the grass is unbelievable. When I saw it from a raised bank from about 100 metres away, I honestly thought it was artificial. But when you are on it, you realize it is real. i have seen the outfield on international standard cricket outfields close up, and this training area is probably better. Without a word of a lie, you could play a reasonable game of lawn bowls on it, although they would probably say it was a little long. I do honestly believe that the ROF pitch is not as good and match day pitch is now a downgrade from training. Having read about the gym facilities they have got there as well, they truly have I reckon a world class facility, possibly the leader in the A League. If another club/s have something better, they are very lucky.