Back in the day, when plans were first announced to build The Sol. If we were given a choice of increasing the capacity and general upgrading of Roker Park (if it were possible) or moving to a new state of the art ground (The Sol). Which would you choose? Memories of years going to Roker Park every other week or exiting times ahead with the promise of a new era at a new ground?
at the time Roker Park, now not so sure i am split, the atmosphere at Roker was 2nd to none, and the SOL seems lacking a bit, but then if Roker was all seater as well, the atmosphere may have been tarnished anyway, so in that respect, SOL i suppose.
you cant remove the memories of roker park but it was time to move on and we should be moving very much onward and upward with the fabulous stadiam we have
BlackcatSteve sums it up really - Roker is good for nostalgia, but would you hve liked the last memories of Roker as an all-seater? The only thing we need to recapture is the Roker Roar
roker park had seen it's day, although it was positioned in possibly the worst place you could have a stadium, it was a shame to watch it being pulled down and turned into them houses. the sol is a great ground, but still not convinced on the position off it either, shame it wasn't on the nissan grounds, easy acess for everyone. but the sol wins for better stadium, but roker park wins easily for atmosphere.
Like other posters, roker wins the atmos. SoL fab ground. Should try and recreate the roker roar at the SoL. Dedicate an area behind 1 of the goals and get the chanters, psycho's (SW corner) + the lads at the back of the north stand etc together to create a wall of noise Shouldnt be too difficult to organise when reminders are sent out at the end of next season asking who would like to be seated in this area. I appreciate some ticket holders would probably have to be moved, me if it was the north stand, but is it worth it, thoughts?
At the time Roker Park, mind I still loved my first wife then, or was it my second! Both bring back happy memories but in truth both left me cold, broke and with a bad back. Much prefer life now
Roker for the noise and craic but as said if it was all seater then that would have disappeared, it would have cost a fortune to modernise Roker probably more than it would to build a brand new state of the art stadium like SOL.
Great memories of Roker Park and the atmosphere, which was second to none. No question that the SoL is a far better ground, but as others have said, it sadly lacks the same passion as Roker Park had. I wonder what effect it would have on the atmosphere if we were allowed to have terracing? Every time I go to Fratton Park, it reminds me of the old days at Roker. I used to love match days back then, with me, my brother and a few mates in the Marina at opening time, getting the drinks in and settling down for a game of cards, usually "hunt the c*nt" chucking 5p each in the kitty for the winner! Another couple of drinks while the strippers were on and then off to the match about twenty to three. I long for those days again.....
SoL for me, having started going to Roker Park in the late 50's it was a shame to see the Roker End reduced in size by the dry moat and then knocking half of it down. Happy memories, certainly - the old half time score board - all the letters with scores after them, the commentary box atop the clockstand. Disagree with the Nissan site as a better location, no metro, there would never be enough car parking, traffic congestion,lack of pubs nearby - no thank you.
I love the echoing sound of "the Paaaaddock - the Paaaaddock". I am split, but if we could get the signing going (like they do at the Brittania) it would be the SOL everytime. Lol Bart
It's a great question for a thread but a rather pointless one in truth. It was feasible or economically viable to change Roker. Roker Park was and remains just about my favourite place of all time. I loved it. It was home. We had to move. Personally I hate the SOL because it is a soulless bowl like all modern stadia. Unfortunately all modern grounds lack the intimacy of older stadia. A lot is lost because of that. It has little to do with standing or sitting per se. Just the way it is.
It's not the SOL that creates a **** atmosphere, and it's not the seats, it's US. Sheff Ubited play off anyone? Burnley promotion game? Derbies? Spurs last season? It's the fans that have lost their edge, and it's up to us and only us to bring it back. The 4 sides of the ground are detached, i was Main Stand, Roker wing, and if the Fulwell went up, we followed, then the Clock Stand lads added their bit on top, what happens now is i sit in the North and the SWC starts, and nobody reacts around me. It's a ****ing shame. We lost our mojo, maaaaaaaaan.
In Roker and the old St. James, you could walk around the ground and stand where you wanted to. If you wanted to sing, you go in the singing areas. All seater stadiums don't allow that. You're sat next to the miserable fecker you're always sat next to. Ashley had the good sense to create a singing section, level 7. Then when the songs against him got a bit vocal, he's split everyone up. The twat.
Dont like progress much, dont seem to work anymore, just gets more complicated, but my love of ROKER PARK, you cant take away, although harder to get to than the SOL, still prefer the home of SUNDERLAND AFC,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ROKER PARK.
The one advantage of the standing areas of Roker Park is that you could move away from people who were getting on your tits. As for atmosphere, it is the fans who create the atmosphere and not the stadium. The SoL is every bit as good as Roker Park for atmosphere when the crowd are in full voice.
Arguably batter mate, i swear on a quiet morning if i listen i can still here the echo's from the Blades match in the play offs! And remember when we Richardson's goal went in against the other halves? I swear my brain bled for days, and believe me my lugs are used to loud noise!
Now here is a question... IMO the atmosphere at Sj Jimmies i better than ours at the SoL, louder and better. When you stop arguing about that statement and accept its true my next question is.. is it because they have more passion or because they are still in the same stadium, just improved it and put seats in?
First went to Roker in the 1974/5 season. It was like my epiphany moment. I fell madly and haplessly in love with the place and the club. Roker Park will forever be the place I remember fondly and with great affection. The SOL is a fantastic stadium and a place we can rightly be proud of. It is the poor relation of none and holds the potential to be the greatest of them all. All we need is the right team and the right manager to ignite it into the history books forever. I may have lost my virginity to Roker Park but with the SOL, I have found true love.
To back up your statement Syd, here is the official table of the loudest fans of the 2010/11 season.... Liverpool - 97 decibels Man Utd - 94 Aston Villa - 89 Everton - 86 Blackpool - 85 Stoke - 83 Newcastle - 82 West Ham - 81 Chelsea - 80 Sunderland - 80 Arsenal - 77 Wigan - 72 Man City - 71 Tottenham - 70 Blackburn - 67 Birmingham - 70 Bolton - 69 Wolves - 69 West Brom - 67 Fulham - 65
