As part of the Everything Orient series 'Away Days', @QuaneRoman reviews his adventures at football grounds across the country and takes a look at everything from the best ground, the best food and most importantly, the best pubs. Next up, FC Halifax Town.
The MBI Shay Stadium
Capacity: 14,060
Occupant: FC Halifax Town
Area: Halifax, West Yorkshire
1. The Journey - 7/10
A trip to West Yorkshire meant an early start, getting the 5:45 train from my local station in order to get to Kings Cross for the 8:33 to Leeds - an enjoyable quick journey that took a little over two hours.
However, the journey was made harder due to RMT strikes on the Northern Rail. This caused an infrequent limited service to Halifax, so after a minor stop at the station bar in Leeds we got back on the train to Halifax, which took half hour.
2. The Area - 6/10
When we arrived at Halifax - it was raining, not ideal as I was dressed in shorts (in my head I must of thought I was still in Lanzarote). I liked how it was full of green hills and steam pumping out the chimney's from the factories, like how many people imagine Yorkshire, a traditional county.
3. The Pubs - 6/10
On the walk to the ground we found a pub called 'The Three Pigeons', when I arrived it was very quiet and nice, we must've spent a good two and a half hours in there.
After an hour and 45 minutes since we arrived it became rammed with Orient fans, something I didn't like as it was a three man mission for someone to get to the bar.
Despite this it was a good pub, one of the Ossett Brewery chains, due to a few smashed glasses from the new arrivals they started serving in plastic cups which wasn't as good.
4. The Ground - 8/10
After a walk up the hill, we found ourselves at the away end around 10 minutes before kick off. Orient were allocated half the stand which had a nice old school structure, reminding me of the away end at Portsmouth.
Also looking from our side of the stand it looked like Orient had brought a massive crowd to the Shay, however, it felt more packed than it looked on pictures from the home end.
I liked the terracing at the side to us, occupied by a number of Halifax flags not open to supporters, id love a stand like that at Orient, like a KOP, the atmosphere you could create would be deafening.
5. Food and Drink - 4/10
I didn't have anything to eat at The Shay due to the long ques at half-time and the fact that the stool didn't look too appetising, also bearing in mind the long journey home.
However I had a three minute conversation with a mate, talking about his displeasure and disappointment of his cheeseburger that didn't come with fries. By all accounts it wasn't too nice, hence the lower rating.
6. The View - 7/10
A good view from where I stood at the top corner, a good view of the pitch and all the stands and it displayed some of the stand's character, such as the rod arches above us. Bar off the massive pole in my eyesight of the pitch it was a decent view.
7. The Programme - 6/10
A good programme with all the basic info on Orient, the squad, history, manager.
8. The Atmosphere - 2/10
When we sang the atmosphere was ok but it was really just us, the small section on the end, singing, however, the atmosphere was ruined by the drummer at the other end in my personal opinion.
I didn't used to mind the drummer but at Halifax he was playing songs and beats that had nothing to do with Orient - non-stop, for the entire game.
It killed the atmosphere in my opinion. I also felt that the horn became quite annoying, it just felt like background noise and just dragged on. But again some people encourage it and entertain it, but usually those people sit there and don't sing.
Personally, I have always preferred the deafening powerful noise of singing with passion, beats a drum or any horn any day, proper football, proper noise.
9. Away Support - 7/10
A decent turn out of over 350 O's at The Shay, looked a lot more in the ground though in my opinion, not the best away following of the season but still good considering the 500 odd mile trip, the 4th furthest away trip if I'm not mistaken.
10. The Performance - 8/10
A very good performance, couldn't put away our chances, but it was worth the trip in the end when James Alabi's goal sent me down 3 rows. Once again a dramatic end, still unbeaten, still up the top, roll on Barnet (H).
Overall - 6.1/10
AWAY DAYS STANDINGS
1. Maidstone United 7.3
2. Salford City 6.9
3. FC Halifax Town 6.1
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