Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterAs many West Ham, Oxford, Spurs or Arsenal fans will tell you, once that history-filled ground is gone, it really is gone. The new edifices might have shiny new seats, better sightlines, even beers filled from the bottom up but just whats been lost in the modernisation process?Its the stories and rituals, that favourite seat and neighbour, the sense of history and hallowed turf, the feeling of being a fan and not a customer. To quote Bruce Springsteens defiant Wrecking Ball, a stadium demolition is where: all our little victories and glories have turned into parking lots. And the Spurs fans didnt even get that cheese roomSo, while many of us reminisce about the lost loves of Upton Park, White Hart Lane or even Wembley (conveniently forgetting the toilets and pillars), here are 10 other stadiums you need to savour before the demolition crew move in and it transforms into a shiny if soulless dome (or a shiny and soulless supermarket).San Siro, Milan, ItalyOpened in 1926 but beamed into British homes by the 1990 World Cup and by James Richardsons Gazzetta Football Italia, San Siro (or Stadio Giuseppe Meazza) is a stadium that manages to be at once futuristic and decaying, raucous and romantic, and unlike any on Planet Earth.Exit the underground stadium at San Siro Stadio metro stop and your first glimpse of the 75,000-capacity arena will stop you in your tracks. It looks like it could have been created in another dimension. You can hear the hum from a kilometre away, and that noise becomes near-deafening if you sit just above AC Milans flare-waving ultras in the Curva Sud, as I was lucky to do during a thumping of Juventus in 2022. You may like Ten of the planet's most picturesque football stadiums, from mountain kingdoms to remote fishing villages Quiz! Can you locate these famous football statues? The Big Quiz of English Football Grounds Yes, look a little closer and its seen better days, but those towers, that roofing, the steep terraces and the views over Milan itself are incomparable. And then there are the memories of Baresi, Maldini, Gullit, Van Basten, Shevchenko for AC; Bergomi, Matthus, Zanetti, Ronaldo and Sneijder for Inter when Serie A was at the pinnacle of football.And yet, San Siro looks set to be replaced in the early 2030s by a Sir Norman Foster and David Manica-designed arena, meaning time could be ticking to visit this true football cathedral. You wont regret it.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Mestalla, Valencia, SpainBoasting what are widely thought to be the steepest stands of any major ground in Europe, Valencias Mestalla has been hosting football since 1923 and is now the oldest stadium in La Liga. Its been graced by peak Mendieta and Aimar, Ayala and Villa, with Valencia briefly breaking the Real/Barca duopoly in Spanish football during the early 2000s.Valencia have been planning to move from the (Viejo) Mestalla to Nou Mestalla since 2007, with the unbuilt shell of the new stadium acting as a concrete reminder of the clubs turbulent fall from the pinnacle of Spanish football.But now the Mestalla move is back on again, with the club set to move in the 2027/28 season. Which means you have just months to experience the Mestallas 50,000-capacity, 35-degree stands before Valencia do one to the 250-300m Nou Mestalla. The local paella is pretty good, too. What to read next 'A surreal, dream-like experience' I went to Goodison Park to watch the most bizarre fixture of the season The Community Shield must mark the end of The FAs Wembley obsession Around the World in 80 Clubs: Easter Island (a), the club with a drug lord in midfield, squirrel costumes, a derby on board a ferry, plus more equally bizarre football stories from across the globe St. James' Park, Newcastle, EnglandAnother genuine football cathedral on this list is Newcastles St James Park, where the Toon have played since 1892.Whether its the brutalist East Stand, the vertigo-inducing Leazes End or the sheer noise of the Gallowgate, this has long been one of Britains (and Europes) great football grounds for home and away fans alike.But now the club are considering building a new stadium behind the existing ground at Leazes Park, meaning the hallowed turf where Keegan, Gazza, Waddle, Ginola and Shearer once shone so brightly could eventually be replaced.Old Trafford, Manchester, EnglandOkay, the roof can be leaky and the shiny new edifices at Arsenal, Spurs and across the city make it seem outdated, but you should visit Old Trafford at least once before United move to their proposed 100,000-capacity big top, currently targeted for the early 2030s.Its the ground of the Busby Babes and Charlton, Law and Best. Giggs and Cantona, Rooney and Ronnie. Of the Stretford End singing Take Me Home and of Fergie time and Brian Kidd on his knees, after all.Kenilworth Road, Luton, EnglandKenilworth Road has been Luton Towns home since 1905 and, despite its 12,000 capacity, was hosting Premier League football as recently as 2023/24.Understandably, given its 12,000-capacity, Luton are targeting a move to the new 25,000-capacity Power Court Stadium for the 2028/29 season, with the existing Kenilworth Road stadium expected to be demolished and redeveloped into residential housing.So enjoy one of Englands most atmospheric old grounds while you can, including the famous entrance into the Oak Road away end through the row of terraced housing.Millmoor, Rotherham, EnglandOkay, you wont be able to watch actual live football here, but Rotherham Uniteds spiritual home of Millmoor is still just about standing, despite having been abandoned since 2008.After years of decay and failed attempts to revamp the stadium, demolition plans have been submitted for large sections of the ground. The long goodbye could finally end.Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, ItalyThe Stadio Artemio Franchi, home of Fiorentina since 1931, is about to undergo a major reconstruction project.Major sections of Pier Luigi Nervis original design are set to face the demolition squad, making much of it unrecognisable from the seasons when Batistuta, Rui Costa and the famous La Viola shirts graced the pinnacle of Italian football. The facelift will include a restoration but not full demolition of the famous Torre di Maratona (Tower of Marathon).Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, EnglandStamford Bridges proximity to Londons Kings Road is one of the joys of a visit to the 40,000-capacity home of Chelsea FC. And the reason why theyve fallen far beyond London rivals Arsenal and Spurs in match day revenue.Being surrounded by some of the capitals most expensive real estate and transport infrastructure has meant expansion at the current site is decidedly tricky, meaning Chelseas owners have long explored possible moves to new London homes, including Battersea and Earls Court, or a complete rebuild. Either way, the costs are expected to run into the billions.So, while were not expecting any move or rebuild to happen until next decade, tick-off the ground once graced by Zola, Drogba and Super Frank before it becomes unrecognisable or some rather pricey apartments.Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, EnglandIf ever a Premier League club needed a new stadium, its Bournemouth. Restricted by Dean Courts capacity of 12,000, the club have remarkably become a top-flight mainstay despite falling way behind their rivals (see Brighton and Brentford) in match day revenue.That could soon be about to change, with plans announced for a complete rebuild of the existing stadium instead of a move. Capacity would be 20,000, potentially rising to 23,000. Time then to visit the Premier League anomaly and one of the leagues great away days before the renovation begins.The New Lawn, Forest Green Rovers, EnglandPerched on top of a hill in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, The New Lawn has only been Forest Green Rovers home since 2006, but the club have long explored building a new stadium near the M5.Plans for the Eco Park, purported to have the lowest carbon footprint of any football stadium in the world, are currently on hold, but, until then, The New Lawn has plenty of quirks to make a trip worthwhile. It hosted whats believed to be the worlds first vegan football match in 2014, its pitch is made of organic materials and, in contrast to the mechanically recovered burgers seen elsewhere, theres an environmentally sustainable menu.TOPICSMilanInter MilanNewcastle UtdNewcastle UnitedManchester UnitedValenciaForest GreenForest Green RoversRotherhamChelseaFiorentinaLuton TownMatthew Baird
