Ashton Gate Bristol
One of the most underrated football venues in England, this stadium on the western fringe of Bristol is set opposite the leafy Greville Smyth Park and in recent years has seen improvements that include a whopping great Landsdown Stand which alone seats 11,000.
Almost an Anfield mini-me, picturesque in red, enclosed with different styles of stands each unique, the oldest dating back to 1994 is the Atyeo Stand named after one of the clubs greatest ever players, the others more recently upgraded, the last of which opened in 2016.
The magnificent Clifton Suspension Bridge can be seen from afar inside some quarters of the stadium, Brunel's masterpiece in the background of this South-Western soccer delight.
Bracken Moor Stocksbridge
High up in the hills of this quaint Yorkshire civil parish with a steely industrial past, Bracken Moor sits with views unrestricted from the wooden Jamie Vardy Stand seats looking out to the Ewden valley and the rolling countryside of the world famous Peak District.
It's a mountain to climb to the venue itself, you leave your car in gear as you park upon the hill, and enter the turnstiles built into grey stone man made walls, the ground sharing duty with the local cricket club, is three sided with a clubhouse and changing rooms looking down onto the pitch.
Famously used for the filming of Damned United, this venue is a walk back into time and a real taste of Yorkshire.
Rossett Park Crosby
Aside iconic rows of terraced housing with each property numbered along the fence so the club can knock on and get their ball back when it goes over, Rossett Park has been the home of Marine AFC since 1904 and a venue where both Liverpool and Everton Women and Reserves have also previously strutted their stuff.
Many a famous face has played at Rossett Park, non the least Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur in 2021, I too have visited and experienced for myself, the interesting surroundings of Crosby and its weird and wonderful people.
The Main Stand behind the goal dominates as most impressive, a club at the heart of its community sitting on the high street with a noisy matchday atmosphere which is always friendly and welcoming.
Hillsborough Sheffield
A real old fashioned venue with history, not all so fondly remembered, but a principal staple in the English game for many years used as an FA cup semi-final venue as well as still being the famous home of Sheffield Wednesday FC.
Sitting beside the Penistone Road and next to the River Don, the huge imposing blue and grey sculpture is a throw back to how the Great British football stadium should look. Large stands the most recent edition of which dates back to the 1960's whilst the famous South Stand with its clock face erected in 1919.
Opposite, the North Stand was once one of the largest cantilever stands in the country, the Spion Kop built in 1914 and the Leppings Lane end are behind each goal.
Anfield Liverpool
One of the best walks in football is through the serene and peaceful Stanley Park, starting opposite side at the nearby Goodison Park end, trotting casually across the grassy pastures, taking in the surroundings, before walking out to the huge imposing Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool FC.
Inside the stadium itself, the huge Main Stand, recently developed, now dominates even bigger than that of the Kop, once upon a time one of the biggest and noisiest standing ends in world football.
The venue has history and a real feeling inside it, that you probably won't get much to take back home bar memories, a real intimidating home from home for the thousands of Reds fans that watch their famous club, mostly win, each weekend.
Old Trafford Manchester
Like many, I was disappointed on my first couple of visits to Old Trafford, a now ageing stadium that has minimal mod-cons, but each time I go I grow to love it more, as I stop to take photos and reminisce on history, in particular the statues of Best, Law, Charlton, outside the ground.
Visiting Old Trafford is a day out in itself, a museum tour, a trip to the megastore, a browse around the architecture of the huge structure just trying to find your turnstile, stopping off to pay respects as you look up to the Munich Clock.
Inside it's imposing, vast, red, the pitch with its slopes down the wings, a real cathedral and amphitheatre despite often a real lack of noise, it is still a stadium to hold in high regard, thanks largely to the history created of its tenants.
Causeway Lane Matlock
Living in middle England my whole life a trip to Matlock as a boy was like a trip to the seaside for one lucky enough to live as close. Matlock Bath with its arcades and ice cream, fish and chips and sweet shops, was always a favourite day out, and it still is even today.
The home of Matlock Town is just as fun to attend, sitting delved into the Peak District valley, overlooking is the now abandoned Riber Castle, this greenest of football pitches, three sides adjoined to the nearby cricket club.
The modern Twigg Stand houses pretty decent facilities, the club house is first class, the old stand opposite a throw back to how a proper non-league ground should be, the view from behind the goal, breath-taking to enjoy.
St James' Park Newcastle-upon-Tyne
It's not until you climb the steps of the upper tiers do you think, bloody hell, this is high, you can even see the sea, along with the whole city of Newcastle beneath.
The home fans are enduring, they fill out the place every week, no matter the division the club are in, the stadium has a real city centre vibe to it, if you're ever on a Stag Do in the toon, go to a game, or go take a tour, because to sit inside in the flesh, you feel a real resonate of what it's like to be at a one club city home.
You may not enjoy the away team allocation that you often get stuck up high and out of sight, but a trip to Newcastle and St James' Park is often more than about just the football match, make a weekend of it, and take in the warm reception you'll get from the football mad locals.
Hurst Cross Ashton-under-Lyne
I recently watched an old BBC video on Twitter from the 1970's when Ronnie Lawson, the loudest man in football, was alive. It shown clips of his team Bursough playing at Ashton United, and what I really love about it the most, is that the venue at Hurst Cross, has hardly changed a bit since then.
A proper 1970's throwback to non-league football, the ground on the edge of the Peaks, has rolling hills in the distance and is often blessed with rain, but the venue itself, painted white and red, looking tired, but cultured, like it's made out of Subbuteo accessories from the old style floodlights to the centre piece stand which sits on half way.
The ground is a real favourite of non-league football and you can see why due to its dated appearance, but also something I remember from playing here was a post-match curry & rice which was the best I've ever had.
City Ground Nottingham
Sat on the banks of the Trent this has been my own home from home since the age of eight when I first walked through the mist to see Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest play.
An idyllic setting, but also one which has it's uses, in the heart of the cities sporting quarter, across from Trent Bridge and Meadow Lane, there's plenty of bars and restaurants a short walk away in West Bridgford.
The walk down the river is one of the most idyllic pre-match experiences in football, inside the ground, a thing of beauty, four different but iconic stands, dating back from the old Main Stand, to the Brian Clough Stand with it's row of Executive Boxes, the Bridgford End and its sloped roof, with the Trent End, in my opinion, the most stunning looking stand in football.
Wembley Stadium London
My favourite of all favourite football venues in Britain, and surprisingly not one loved by all, but one that I regard as home, having been many a time, knowing the ins and outs of this famously historical world class facility.
The modern Wembley is one that oozes class, one that gives unrestricted viewing to seeing the whole playing surface and one that can achieve an atmosphere like no other, tribal and partisan, but one that never fails to draw you in, a real football fan will be seen just taking it all in.
From the walk up Wembley Way, the huge arch seen for miles, the Bobby Moore Statue and the first class offerings inside Club Wembley, to the changing rooms, pitch, Royal Box and finer details that you don't always see. This place stinks to me of football, and it reeks of being the at very pinnacle in the game there is.