Leicester Tigers
Welford Road is one of those rugby grounds where you know you're somewhere that takes rugby seriously. Home of Leicester Tigers since 1892, it is right in the middle of Leicester and has a history and atmosphere that many of the newer, purpose-built stadiums simply can't replicate.The Tigers are one of the giants of English rugby, and Welford Road has the suitably imposing feel of a club that expects to win. It is compact, noisy and, when Leicester are playing well, distinctly intimidating for visiting teams.
The ground has been developed considerably over the years and now has a mixture of modern stands and older features. And then there is the Breedon Stand, which contains one of the more curious survivals in modern professional rugby — bench seating.
Yes, proper wooden-style bench seating. In an era when most sporting venues seem determined to provide everyone with a padded, individual seat, Welford Road still has rows of benches. It looks slightly incongruous in the 21st century, but somehow it suits the place. You can imagine generations of Leicester supporters sitting there watching the Tigers, long before anyone had heard of hospitality lounges, executive boxes or corporate entertainment.
Whether you regard the benches as charmingly traditional or a reminder that stadium development hasn't reached every corner of Welford Road probably depends on your backside and how long the match lasts!
The atmosphere is the real reason to come here, though. Leicester supporters are knowledgeable and passionate, and a big match at Welford Road can be a formidable experience. There is little of the detached, neutral feeling you can sometimes get in a huge modern stadium. This is very obviously Leicester Tigers' ground, and the supporters make sure you know it.The club's history is impressive, with numerous domestic titles and European successes, and Welford Road has witnessed plenty of memorable occasions. The Tigers have also developed a reputation for producing outstanding players, making the ground something of a pilgrimage site for followers of English rugby.
Despite the modern additions, Welford Road has retained enough of its character to stop it becoming just another identikit sports stadium. The mixture of old and new works surprisingly well — even if those benches in the Breedon Stand do look as though somebody forgot to replace them when the rest of the ground was being modernised.
For me, that's actually part of the charm. Rugby has become increasingly professional, commercial and polished, but Welford Road still has reminders of the game's traditional club roots.
And if you're sitting on one of those benches, perhaps don't complain too loudly. They were probably there before you were!
Return to England Rugby home page