To not want to live next to a football stadium?

[Nataliaa]

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?

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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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

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.

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

Sorry OP.

Next match day, go down and look?

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. 🤣

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.

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!

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

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!

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

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.

The problem is that if this house was slightly further away from the stadium, it would be a lot more expensive and potentially out of your price bracket.

The stadium is the compromise. Personally I would be reluctant as well. I would want to see what a match day looked like. You would have to plan your calendar around match days.

You have been looking a while so at a guess your dream home doesn’t exists at all price you can afford

in your case I would get house and car insurance quotes - if there is a real downside that will show up there

OP, do you already live in that area? Regardless of football have you spent a decent amount of time around there (at different times of day) etc? Did it feel safe?? What are the crime levels like?

How near is near, we live near a ground and the traffic does get busy on match days and we have to apply for a permit annually. The closer you get to the ground the roads get closed off for hours while people are coming and going. You can hear the stadium which isn’t a problem for me but might be for others.

I live 5 minutes from a stadium. By choice I wouldn't do it again. Navigating the residents permit site is a PITA, fans walk in the road like they're invincible, the police close off a portion of the nearby A road during match exit times, a quick trip to the shop isn't possible, and don't get me started on soundchecks. We've just had four days of checks going on until 10pm at night as the stadium hosts concerts too.