The Premier League’s smelliest ground has been named after research delved beyond just the rotten stench of rubbish opinions, as air quality and stink complaints from fans was analysed.
Analysis from SeatPick on every Premier League ground combined air quality data with a help of Tripadvisor reviews for mentions of smells, stink and other honking odour complaints.
The work was put together to build a stink score out of 10 for every ground in the league. The lower the score, the better the air quality – a higher score means the area is more polluted and fans must endure a whiffier time.
It would appear the air is cleaner on the south coast with Bournemouth’s 0.5 score ranking it the best in the league and not a single Tripadvisor mention of a smell problem to its name.
While Brighton and Hove Albion’s ground, with a stink score of 1.4 is the second best in the findings. Clearly seagulls pooing in the area is not a problem for the Amex. Newly-promoted Ipswich Town will be offering fans a happy away day when they head to Portman Road, where the smell-o-meter is just 1.7 for Gary O’Neil and Ed Sheeran’s Tractor Boys.
Everton’s Hill Dickinson comes next with a remarkably low score of 1.8 – maybe the new ground is paying off already. Astonishing really considering it’s directly adjacent to a large enclosed wastewater treatment and sewage-processing plant.
Sunderland’s Stadium of Light also ranks low with a score of 2.6. Another thing for their fans to celebrate after a derby double over Newcastle last season and European football secured.
Two grounds are ranked at the same score but are just hours apart. The first is newly-promoted Hull City’s MKM Stadium. Getting mauled by the Tigers might be a more pleasant experience than you think.
Newcastle’s St James’ Park shares the same score of 3.2. All their best players have left but it still smells fresh so maybe it could be worse for Magpies supporters.
However, just in front are Nottingham Forest and their City Ground on the banks of the Trent, with a score of 3.4. You can be sure Mr Marinakis will not be settling for a finish of 13th this season from Oliver Glasner.
Anfield comes next, with Liverpool’s home sharing a score of 3.9 with Coventry’s Coventry Building Society Arena. Andoni Iraola will not be lasting the season if his team are as stinky as their ground in 12th.
Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues meanwhile are loving life at the former Ricoh Arena. Clearly all the years they weren’t even allowed to use their own ground kept it smelling fresh.
While Leeds’ Elland Road stands alone in the four bracket with a score of 4.2 – a top half finish in 10th that Daniel Farke would certainly take before the start of the season.
Their Roses rivals Manchester United come next in the top half in ninth, not a place Michael Carrick’s side will be hoping they end the season in. But their score of 5.6 could change when Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually gets work underway for the new ground.
Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park comes in eighth with a score of 6.1. One of the Premier League’s smaller grounds, it’s only got a capacity of around 25,000 but there’s quite a pong it seems.
Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium is next up. You can have all the money in the world and spend it however you like – allegedly – but you can’t afford some air fresheners lads?
Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium pips City to the unwanted sixth place with a score of 6.7. There’s clearly a lot more pollution down south in the capital than in the idyllic north.
The next three grounds sit within a whisker of one another, making this one of the tightest battles anywhere in the ranking, smelliest included. Fulham’s Craven Cottage is on 7.0.
The brand-spanking new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium might be one of the finest football grounds in all of world football and good enough for Beyonce and co to grace its turf, but it also have a Stink Score of 7.0.
The legendary Villa Park is in need of expansion – how else will Unai Emery ever be able to stop selling his top players and compete with the big boys – and it could do with smelling a bit better too.
In second is Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with a stink score of 7.3. Chelsea’s ground recorded some of the highest nitrogen oxide readings in the whole division.
However, not a single Tripadvisor review flagged a smell issue, so this appears to be a case of the sensors telling on the stadium before the fans do.
Taking the unwanted top spot is Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium home, with a stink score of 8.8 out of 10.
The champions recorded the highest nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particulate readings of any Premier League ground in the study, a product of its dense urban setting and heavy matchday traffic.
Tripadvisor mentions of smell issues here sit well below the league average, so either fans have learned to hold their noses, or the away end is simply too busy complaining about the football.
Or maybe it’s the awful opinions of Gooners that have added to the stench, but fellow supporters have been oblivious to make any complaints…