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Home at last

26th May 2007
Faye Dickson

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Feb 07 - Romantic heart still beating
May 03 - FA Cup Final 2003: A Saints Fan's Diary
May 03 - University Support Saints FA Cup bid
Mar 07 - Sport slowly embracing technology
Mar 07 - POWER to the people

More by Faye Dickson

May 07 - Gold rush!
May 07 - Sunny delight
Apr 07 - Robertson back on course down river to Gold
Mar 07 - Sport slowly embracing technology
Mar 07 - Funding boost

The curtain was finally raised at the controversial new Wembley stadium in March as thousands emerged onto a packed Wembley Way to witness one of the most talked about constructions in recent years.

Extremely underestimated costs and time-span had led to delays and heavy criticism, yet finally Wembley was ready to refill its position as the home of English football at the heart of a sport-obsessed nation.

The last official match at the stadium had been in September 2000 when, against a backdrop of rain, England were miserably defeated by Germany in what should have been a glorious goodbye to the old Twin Towers. Instead it instigated the resignation of Kevin Keegan and the beginning of the Sven-era, a period of disappointing underachievement.

Almost seven years and Ł800m later, Wembley has been rebuilt into a fine sporting colosseum, fit to host not only the finest gladiators in today’s game but 90,000 supporters in comfort and luxury. The most expensive football stadium in the world had already become a landmark before its opening with its dominating arch, spanning 1,033 feet, characterising its extravagant architecture.

The occasion for the grand re-opening was an Under-21 international between England and Italy, a friendly exercise ahead of the European Championships in Holland this summer. Not the sort of fixture that would normally attract a sell-out crowd, but a necessary one to pass safety regulations before hosting the FA Cup final in May. It was quite evident that no-one was really there for the match itself but for the opportunity to be among the first to experience the much-anticipated structure, camera phones at the ready, and it didn’t disappoint.

The stadium’s interior remains eerily perfect in a sanitised airport-sense, and I almost felt guilty for discarding my plastic cup as litter for one of the countless cleaners to sweep away. At Ł3.50 a pint though, you’d hardly expect Jesters’ drinking conditions. A burger and chips at Ł8 is hardly a bargain either, although they lived up to their billing as the finest food I’ve ever tasted at a match.

After the horror stories that emerged from the toilets of the former Wembley, it is a stark contrast to be greeted with short, if any, queues (although admittedly football stadiums are one of the few spaces the queue for the gents might be longer than that for the ladies at half time), and treated to luxury bubbly hand-wash worthy of a hotel.

Once in our seats, even my 6’5" companion was complimenting the extensive legroom we were provided with and ‘Three Lions’ echoed round the stands, expectation billowing round the stadium like a cauldron about to bubble over.

The game lived up to the occasion and those lucky enough to have secured tickets were in for an end-to-end display, witnessing a thrilling 3-3 draw and a far more positive display by the national side than their senior counterparts would put on in Tel Aviv later that evening.

I momentarily considered attempting to get my own name in the record books by becoming the first streaker at the new stadium, but my brother, who had accompanied me to the game, warned me in no uncertain terms that he would never speak to me again if I attempted such a feat.

So the stadium impressed, but to the extent of Ł800m? It’s a home to be proud of, but so is Cardiff’s Millennium stadium, which cost a fraction of Wembley’s budget at Ł150m and took only three years to build. Hopefully though, Wembley will give back to the public, perhaps by securing the 2018 World Cup and/or a future Champions League final, as well as hosting sports at London 2012. Although, building venues for the Olympics will be another matter - if it takes seven years to get one stadium ready, surely we’re behind schedule already?!

It seems futile to be negative when Wembley is such a fine sporting venue, among, if not THE, best in the world, and its doubters will be just as overcome with awe as I was upon coming through the turnstiles. However, its construction must be seen as a lesson ahead of London 2012. Even at this opener, 4,000 fans failed to receive their tickets and couldn’t sort the issue out because of jammed phone-lines, while the demand for tickets when they initially went on sale forced the FA’s website to crash due to excess demand.

Many thought the home of English football should be outside London in the more accessible Birmingham or Coventry, and leaving the stadium was a nightmare even with 60,000 rather than the capacity 90,000 spectators present. Wembley has history though: the turf, concrete and red plastic seats may be new and the players may have to climb more steps to reach the Royal Box, but it’s still the spot where Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for England, and the site of many FA Cup memories and international dramas.

Wembley is a breathtaking setting worthy of hosting cup finals for years to come. The more pressing matter is whether McClaren’s men are worthy of setting foot on the pristine turf after their dire recent performances. Let’s just hope they can rise to the big occasion playing there and set our worries aside by qualifying for Euro 2008...