Inside the 90: Three Premier League stadia to visit in 2018/19

Bath is a rugby town – no doubt about it. While its football club is a proud entity, some people from the city that have never visited a Premier League ground may be blown away by the sheer atmosphere the top flight offers. There are three grounds that currently host Premier League football, which are all within 90 minutes’ drive of Bath.

AFC Bournemouth

The Vitality Stadium, also known as Dean Court, is the smallest ground in the Premier League. However, it certainly doesn’t want for a raucous atmosphere, especially when a ‘big’ team falls – as Manchester United and Liverpool both did earlier this decade. On all sides of the ground, fans are in close proximity to the players, ensuring that not one shout from the crowd goes amiss.

When to go: 25th November – Bournemouth v Arsenal

Last season, this game was an absolute thriller, as Bournemouth beat the three-time Premier League champions 2-1. With Arsenal still adapting to new management, Bournemouth have every chance of another famous result against the Londoners. As a 1.30pm kickoff, an early morning start is in order!

On 14 January 2018, Bournemouth beat Arsenal 2-1, adding them to the list of giants to fall at the Vitality Stadium.

Southampton

This is a long journey by car but St Mary’s Stadium is well worth a visit. Like Cardiff, this post-millennial stadium is roomy and has all the facilities needed to make it an enjoyable experience. The club’s history of survival against the odds, particularly over the past thirty years, is well reflected inside the stadia. The Saints fans are well known for being vocal, in defiance of the so-called ‘big boys’ of the Premier League.

The end of the 1998/99 season was one instance of Southampton surviving on the final day.

When to go: 15th May – Southampton v Huddersfield

Southampton FC had a tradition of last day escapes from Premier League relegation back in the 1990s. While the last day of 2017/18 was less of a ‘great escape’ than those of yesteryear, relegation was still a theoretical possibility. If the Saints are in the same position on the final day of 2018/19, the atmosphere will be as charged as anything!

Cardiff City

The Cardiff City Stadium has been home to the Bluebirds since 2009, and it has been a monumental decade for the South Wales club. Cardiff City FC is currently in its second Premier League season, and though the Premier League outright odds for relegation do not favour the club, chairman Vincent Tan has a second chance of seeing his project given another chance of establishment, in the world's richest league.

As one would expect, there is plenty of legroom at the modern stadium, with lots in the way of facilities in the surrounding areas.

When to go: 22nd December – Cardiff v Manchester United

Manchester United’s last visit here was in November 2013, where Cardiff City twice equalised to deny the 13-time Premier League champions all three points. With the second one coming in the final minute, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. While there can be no guarantees that the same – or better – will happen, the last game before Christmas is always an emotive one, with the usual atmosphere amplified several-fold!