Wax Jacket Daniella I would hardly call AZ alkmar small, they've been in europe recently and Id expect reading to get stuffed there.
also, all top-flight grounds that benefit from lucrative matches against big teams or hosting national teams, not to mention TV contracts, being able to pay peanuts for their players, and being able to pay relative peanuts on architecture/construction costs. LOL@ people moaning about modern stadium design, get over yourselves - you go and live in a Grand Designs house then
Their stadium isn't some amazing superstadium. It's just a little different from the clones we tend to see. That they've been in europe makes no difference. They weren't getting into europe when the stadium was designed, and their old place was a dump (the toilets at one end were literally a bit of plastic guttering on a low brick wall).
Why would being in Holland mean clubs would have to pay peanuts for architecture/construction costs?
And do you really think AZ pay their players less than lower division English teams?
The other two are from Norway and Moldova, who aren't exactly basking in TV riches.
the point was that with a little imagination it is possible to get beyond have four boring identical boxes, but if blandness floats your boat, then so be it.