POSH NEW LIBRARY FOR HIGHBURY

25-08-2006

Aston Villa fans were the first to sample Arsenal's spanking new Emirates Stadium - presumably given its name because you need to be rich as an oil sheik to go there. Barring cup draws Villans will be the only West Midlands supporters able to enjoy the state of the art facilities. So what are we missing? The Stirrer sent Damien Doran on a no expenses spared hospitality binge to take in the new ground...

If your team is visiting Arsenal's brand spanking new, globally branded Emirate Stadium, I urge you to save up and make the trip at least once.

Situated within a Tony Adams clearance from Highbury and built in the time it will take to fit out the tea bars at Wembley, it is a thorough modern European style stadium (actually it looks just like Benfica's Stadium of Light).

Away fans are positioned in the corner of the lower tier behind the goal and, with a vastly increased ticket allocation from Highbury days, they will create a lot of noise as Villa supporters did last Saturday.

The views are terrific and the seats are so big they will accommodate even those fans who have eaten all the pies. There is no cutting your legs on the seat in front either. Luxury is the order of the day, even for the fans in the “cheap” seats.

But, of course, there are no cheap seats.

If you want the best seats at the best games it will set you back £94 plus booking fee, making Arsenal the most expensive in the league, despite their claim that there has been no increase in ticket prices “for the equivalent category seating at Highbury”.

To put this into perspective, the top priced tickets for the five “category A” games would cost the equivalent of a top price season ticket at Saturday's opponents Aston Villa. It is not all bad news through, category B games cost just £66! The cheap seats are £46 for the big games and £32 to watch Watford and Reading, but to be able to even buy these you have to have a membership, the cheapest of which is £30 to be last in the queue.

Of course you can always blag your way into Corporate hospitality, which reaches new heights.

Occupying the entire middle tier of the stadium, this area empties at half time, creating a strange doughnut effect of empty seats as the guests rush off for their strawberries and cream. Many missed Mellberg's opening goal as it took over 10 minutes into the second half for the Corporate crew to return.

Despite being “sold out”, there were still empty seats at last Saturday's match. Arsenal are pricing out their traditional support and after the excitement of a first year, may find it hard to fill this ground.

It's a great place to visit, but not many can afford it being their home.