If the Eric Hollies stand at Edgbaston is renowned for its party-like atmosphere, the Western Terrace stand at Headingly is not far behind as well in terms of popularity. There is a strong reason why the English fans just cannot wait for the spectators at this particular part of the stadium to do what they do best as the action for the third Ashes 2023 Test is all set to take place here today onwards.
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With the home side 0-2 down in a five-match series and the fans just not being able to get over with wicket-keeper batter Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal on the last day of the second Test at Lord’s, expect the hostile spectators to bring out the absolute raw side of their emotions with the nastiest trolling, digs, jibes, and what not at the Australian players right from Day 1 of the Leeds Test.
The ongoing Ashes series has already witnessed how brutal and sometimes distasteful the Eric Hollies stand spectators can be on the visiting side, and also the never-seen before unruly behavior at the Lord’s long room by the so-called dignified members of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club).
One should, thus, not expect the Western Terrace to not live up to its past reputation, despite plans for an increase in security and police personnel set to be in place for any crowd trouble.
What Is Special About Western Terrace Headingley?
Headingley’s much-famed Western Terrace is known for having a lively atmosphere created by its ever-energetic and colorfully dressed spectators. This particular part of the ground is infamous for its raucousness, and the unwavering support for the home team is marked by an unwelcoming treatment for the opposition team which has the potential to be toxic as well at times.
While the visiting team’s supporters often admit having a great time despite all the leg-pulling, fun and banter at the Eric Hollies stand, that might not really be the case at the Western Terrace. In fact, if English cricket fans are to be believed, expletives of the worst kind will surely be heard from this stand when majority crowd will be high on booze by the afternoon session.
The positive highlight regarding the Western Terrace is spectators’ dresses and costume, which is not only vibrant and colourful but also comical to quite some extent. People can often be seen be dressed up as birds, animals, other funny fictional characters ranging from Shrek, ancient Roman togas or even seagulls and lobsters to name a few.
When A Western Terrace Spectator Was Spotted Throwing Punches
During an England-New Zealand Test match last year, a couple of English spectators entered into a fight which prompted the police to ultimately drag them out of the Western Terrace.
An individual wearing a replica of former England footballer Paul Gascoigne’s famous 1996 Euro Football jersey was seen throwing punches at a spectator to invite unwanted attention from the cricketing fraternity.
Notably, the incident had taken place just four months after the Yorkshire Cricket Club (which has Headingley as its home ground) was banned from hosting international matches following the Azeem Rafiq racism case.
