1st impressions - magnificent, awe inspiring, very spectacular, dominates the Newcastle skyline.
If you are a corporate sponsor or have lots of money then great, otherwise, especially as an away fan, dig out those high powered binoculars. If you're getting on a bit and/or have a dodgy ticker then take several deep breaths before ascending the 14 flights of stairs to the bottom of the away section. Away fans are stuck in the farthest corner of the ground, binoculars required, while 2000 + seats remained unsold in the main stand with excellent views - could this be due to the price? - OK if you've got loads of cash or are a corporate bod otherwise its back to the binoculars.
To be fair the ground has been re-developed beyond all recognition of the old St James Park, and has significantly improved facilities. Two sides of the ground are approx. twice the height of the other two to take the capacity to 52,000 (away 3,000+) which is needed to compete at the highest level and allow as many people to experience the atmosphere and watch the toon. The stadium is all the things mentioned in 1st Impressions, but that doesn't make the view of the pitch / players any better. Not sure how this compares to views from the back of the stands at Old Trafford etc, when I went to Man Utd to watch my team, we were given a section of the stadium much nearer the pitch.
As you may be able to tell we were not at all impressed with the way we were treated, after paying for 2 tickets, and a 600 mile round trip, we expected a bit more. Like being able to see the players without the aid of binoculars. It is unlikely that we will be returning to Newcastle to watch football again!... oh yeah... and for the record... no my team did not lose!