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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to live next to a football stadium?

445 replies

Nataliaa · 25/05/2025 22:40

We’ve found a house that in all ways is perfect for us. In terms of price, close to work, size, minimal work needed - we could happily live with the interior, as it is- so no rush to put our stamp on it. No renovations needed. However, it is very close to a football stadium. My DH is saying if I let that one negative sway my decision, we would be turning down our dream family home and as we have been house hunting for 6 months and have not come close to finding any house that ticks so many of our wants, we would regret not going for this one.
My DH says that whilst there may be some disruption on match days, it’s not going to be every single weekend, and therefore minimal.
Am I really being picky, or would this be an issue for others?? Would you happily live near a football stadium?

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 26/05/2025 07:26

Has the house only just gone on the market? If so, that would definitely be so you don't get an opportunity to find out what a match day is like.

DonewhatIcando · 26/05/2025 07:26

We used to live near a football ground, match days were a nightmare, the volume of fans from both teams, parking, traffic etc.
We didn't go out on match days, too much trouble.
Didn't want to move the car (couldnt drive anywhere anyway before or after the match), the volume of fans could feel intimidating.
Pockets of, for want of a better term, football hooligans, looking for trouble.
Dm and dsis once had beer bottles thrown at them, broken glass smashed up their legs.
Yeah, no, I wouldn't live near a football stadium again

Horserider5678 · 26/05/2025 07:25

Nataliaa · 25/05/2025 22:48

It’s a championship team, I think that could equate to 20,000 fans maybe! It’s on a long road that leads to the stadium. Can’t see it from the house, because the stadium is on a road off the main one, but it’s like less than 5 mins to walk

I live near a conference league ground, about a 10 minute walk. It’s not just match days you need to consider, it’s the other events they have throughout the year. If you don’t mind inconsiderate parking, the fact everywhere comes to a standstill pre and post match go for it. But would I live near a football ground again? Absolutely not!

Phunkychicken · 26/05/2025 07:21

Nataliaa · 25/05/2025 22:55

It is also a team that has a bit of a bad reputation for their fans 🙈 although some
colleagues that support this team, say the reputation is from the 70’s/80’s and very much outdated. It is, according to them, a family club these days with relatively few problems. But I do acknowledge that it’s probably this reputation that is adding to my apprehension!

i was going to say go for it -we and friends lived near crystal palace and it was fine but if its Milwall run. The fans are awful still

Horserider5678 · 26/05/2025 07:21

hotblacktea · 25/05/2025 22:52

minimal disruption every 2 weeks for an otherwise perfect home is a no-brainer for me, i would take it in a heartbeat

and maybe you could join in the fun and get season tickets !

I live not far from a football stadium, it used for events all year round! OP says it’s a championship stadium so I suspect it will be the same. Whilst we don’t geogrt too much noise it’s the inconsiderate parking in match days/events that gets my goat. Would I live near a stadium again, hell no!

PiriPiriMenopause · 26/05/2025 07:20

I used to live next to a football stadium. (I could see one of the stands from my bedroom) It really wasn’t any bother at all. I don’t remember any issues with it whatsoever so ever. Remember, most football fans are well well behaved and respectful normal people!

if this house is absolutely perfect in every way, I really wouldn’t let it put you off. There are so many rules and regulations now and only a certain amount of days they play at home.

id just ask questions and do a bit more research, but it would be a shame to let this past because of this. It may even be a street that has minimal impact on match days!

good luck.

FreddoSwaggins · 26/05/2025 07:19

Whats yoir main concern? Is it the reputation of the fans? Because it seems from what you're posting it is. I also get the feeling you're thinking of the football hooligan reputation. It's not nothing like it was - now Milwall fans aren't now leaving the stadium eating prawn sandwich whilst discussing the game, you don't get the violent behavior you seem to be concerned about.

There will be crowds and congestion though - especially if you're on a road that leads straight up to the stadium.

My biggest concern would be my children becoming Millwall fans. Because I have to disown them. 🤣

RandomNewIdentity · 26/05/2025 07:17

Next match day, go down and look?

PeopleWillAlwaysNeedPlates · 26/05/2025 07:12

Ha. I read the first post and thought ‘as
ling as it isn’t Millwall.’ Then I saw your update.

Sorry OP.

Cerialkiller · 26/05/2025 07:07

Spanglemum02 · 25/05/2025 23:01

I grew up nrar a (now demolished) football stadium. If you have your own parking it's not a problem.

Agree with this. I live about half a mile from.a league 2 team home ground it's never caused any problems except for parking. We are far enough away that it doesn't effect us too badly but the green spaces in the area are often parked on. If you have clear private parking on a drive or similar then I think it would be ok.

I don't think it would put me off an otherwise dream house. Yes it's out of season but you could do some googling, search on Facebook or speak to your potential neighbours about what it's like on match days.

autumn1610 · 26/05/2025 07:01

Personally I had a student flat nearish the ground maybe 5 minute walk and there’s a lot of people probably during the hour before the game, then it’s quiet in terms of people but you can hear everything going on and then it’s chaos again while everyone comes out but it’s clears probably easily within an hour. my ex partner used to go and I’d drop him off/pick him up a bit away from the ground it was chaos (you have to account for road closures too) depending on the game, if it is a rivalry match then there will be a heavy police presence. Big issue is have is it used to be fairly reliable I.e.Saturday 3pm but now sky televise more games can be on pretty much any day, so you will likely get evening games starting at 7.45 so traffic issues from 6pm (might not be as bad in London with the tube) and stadium noise throughout the week and weekend could be sat or Sunday 12/1/3/5/8pm kick off. You will obviously get good chunks of time with no game but I would allow as a minimum every other week for disruption

Partridgewell · 26/05/2025 07:00

I really don't think the 80s reputation is something to be concerned about now. I think it would be traffic that would worry me.

I would try to chat to some of the neighbours and get a feel for it. My Grandad was a lifelong Millwall fan and he was a genuinely lovely family-orientated bloke. I hope it all works out for you.

.

ConfusedGin · 26/05/2025 06:56

I'm a sports fan and wouldn't live near a stadium. I used to work for one club and we'd get people calling to complain the floodlights were on. Have you tried playing sport in the dark?! They were notified in advance which evenings the lights would be on too... add in the lack of free movement and general crowds and noise.

I also guessed Milwall. I've done some work with the club - I recall the players being proud of the pubs their fans were banned from and other hideous anti social behaviour around home games. This was about 15 years ago so it's not all 80s/90s. Sure they are trying to rebuild their reputation but the core still remains.

There's a reason the away fans are kept separate - that's not normal. I'm a Palace fan so see the worst of them. They don't like us, we have a chant that mentions them but they aren't big rivals. The police presence when they come to Selhurst is always high. I remember they ripped out the wooden seats in the Arthur Wait where they were sitting and threw them into the home fans section decades back.

When they visited in the FA Cup run, police advised Palace fans to stay away from certain areas as they expected trouble there and the comments on social and chants from their fans when our striker was seriously injured by their keeper were diabolical - the BBC commentators had to apologise live on air for the chanting. As I say, the core of the no one likes us, we don't care era is there still.

When Charlton visit next year...

IdiottoGoa · 26/05/2025 06:47

I’m not a football fan, but I went to a game last year with a friend. Not a hope in hell would I live near a football ground after that. Tens of thousands of people whose mood is dependent on the outcome of the game. The noise. The fact that they have to keep home and away fans separate. I wouldn’t care how much of a dream house it was I’m afraid.

RedRosesAndGypsophelia · 26/05/2025 06:47

I hate football with a passion so for that reason alone I wouldn't live anywhere near a stadium.
On the odd occasion I have driven my son to a match the traffic has been horrendous, I felt sorry for residents as I drove past (adding to their problem! ).
Location, Location, Location!! I would buy a slightly less 'done' house in a nicer area.

SundayChilling · 26/05/2025 06:40

I don't know the area well, but regularly drive up to Millwall to watch the football. We park near Deptford park and walk up - I haven't seen any issues and feels pretty quiet that way. Traffic and parking is a pain, but feels pretty normal for London. I can't comment on the direction towards South Bermondsey station - it does get busier that way but my brother brings his 6 year old daughter and he's never seen any trouble.

ChopstickNovice · 26/05/2025 06:35

I wouldn't, because you might get blocked in or out of your drive and find you can't leave or return into your street easily on busy match days.

applegingermint · 26/05/2025 06:34

We lived for 7 years near a London premier league stadium.

Traffic was a massive hassle on game days. Every single parking space in the vicinity was occupied by a Range Rover that had mysteriously acquired a visitor parking permit, or a driver waiting with their car. Public transport (bus and tube) ground to a halt. Getting in and out was awful and you had to plan your weekend around it when at home.

Noise wasn’t too bad unless they played early on a sunny day and won.

Paaseitjes · 26/05/2025 06:30

We're 500m from a stadium. Traffic isn't too much of a problem but their sound system is horrendous. Match noise isn't too bad though and I think the council might have made them turn the speakers down this season. Trouble is normally only within a few 10s of metres of the stadium and they don't have to walk through our street to get to the cars and buses. The worst bit is when they accidentally set off the emergency alarm. That carries for 1km and no one seems to know where the off button is. Having said all of that, the most expensive flats in our city are right next door to it!

oohlalalaa · 26/05/2025 06:20

My husband and 10 year old son (and occasionally 13 year old daughter if she's been bribed with McDonald's) regularly go to Millwall home games, it's fine. I always ask them if there was any fighting and they've never experienced anything like I was led to believe (by my grandad) would happen at a Millwall game. Away fans are heavily policed and funnelled straight out to the station. My anecdotal evidence of having been twice is that most people get the train so I don't think parking is a massive issue.

If they ever end up with West Ham in a cup game it's usually played in the morning so less chance of any trouble.

That it's Millwall wouldn't put me off, however I did once live literally on the same road as a small stadium, and whilst the parking was slightly annoying, the floodlights were the worst, midweek games they would be on until gone 11pm, so for me I would want to find out if the floodlights light up any bedrooms!

LakieLady · 26/05/2025 06:16

I lived within a mile or so of Selhurst Park for years, and I hated it. For a few years, they ground shared with other clubs, so every Saturday was a match day during the season.

I didn't have off street parking, so if I went out in the car on a match day, I couldn't come back until well after the game had finished. Even friends with their own parking would often find they were blocked in or out of their drive. They lived so close to the ground that they could hear the noise of the crowd, even when they were indoors.

There would be hordes of noisy fans walking the streets before and after games. The local pubs would be no go areas on Saturdays, except for one that didn't allow football fans in. The traffic was dreadful.

One day I thought it had started raining. I looked out of the front window to see a fan pissing into my front garden. I vowed never to live near a football ground again.

Blanketenvy · 26/05/2025 06:05

I live a similar distance from a football ground. It's actually been fine, I can hear cheering when a goal is scored in my garden but actually that's quite nice. Road is tricky for parking on Saturday afternoons occasionally but other than that it's really been no bother at all.

Zanatdy · 26/05/2025 05:56

I’d imagine the police move people on pretty quickly, they wouldn’t let fans loiter and start fighting in the street. I’d be more concerned with not being able to leave the house in the car at certain points on a Saturday due to traffic. Maybe start supporting them too if you have DC, see what you think. If it was my dream home, I think i’d put up with it. My oldest DS supports a team in league 2 and wants to live on the same street as his stadium! Guess if you’re a fan, it’s a big plus!

Wafflesandcrepes · 26/05/2025 05:52

When I read the title of this thread, my first reaction was well as long as it’s not Millwall.

I wouldn’t leave next to Millwall, no. Not so long ago (last year), I arrived at London Bridge station to find more police than I had ever seen at the station and sure enough Millwall was playing. No actual trouble apart from shouting, drunkenness etc but deeply, deeply unpleasant. The atmosphere was highly charged. This is not what you want on your street on a regular basis.

i also used to take the train with their fans around 1800 on a Wednesday. Used to be unpleasant but last time I saw them (a few months ago as I cycle now) I have to say it was better and one of them even offered me his seat.🤗

You should go and hang around on match day and also speak to neighbours and the owners of the house before you make an offer. Perhaps there is a residents association you could get in touch. Maybe ask in the nearby shops as well.

Tereseta · 26/05/2025 05:51

Nataliaa · 25/05/2025 22:55

It is also a team that has a bit of a bad reputation for their fans 🙈 although some
colleagues that support this team, say the reputation is from the 70’s/80’s and very much outdated. It is, according to them, a family club these days with relatively few problems. But I do acknowledge that it’s probably this reputation that is adding to my apprehension!

We live very close to two premier stadiums. We have on the street parking and residents passes which is the major issue. If you have off street parking that would be part of the headache gone. (And you could make money from renting your driveway!)
The match days are very busy and if we time journeys wrong we are stuck in traffic for a considerable amount of time.
Have you been there on a match day? Bit late now if you haven't but could talk to neighbours? I have lived here 20 plus years and never had any issues from fans. The club also pay for street cleaning so no rubbish either. There tends to be police presence on match days so fan generally tend to behave in the residential streets, though my friend lives opposite anfield, and has recently had her car damaged in the recent celebrations! She does get free tickets occasionally though.
Our closest stadium is moving soon and I admit I am pleased, but it is parking that is the major issue. My neighbours use cones outside their houses which seems to work. If the house is perfect don't let it put you off.

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