Don't get us wrong, the Aviva is a lovely stadium, but there was something magical about the old Lansdowne Road stadium that holds a special place in our hearts.
New Year's Eve marks the anniversary of the final game held on the hallowed turf, as Leinster defeated Ulster in an interpro game on December 31st 2006.
We've gotten all sentimental while thinking about the unique features that we have grown to miss, and now it's time for you to do so too. Here are 12 things we miss about Lansdowne Road.
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12 things we miss about the old Lansdowne Road
The old school scoreboard.
Those big bold yellow letters. A lot of famous scorelines had been displayed up on that thing, and now it's all gone digital.
The torrent of abuse opposition goalkeepers used to face for goal kicks.
Why don't Irish soccer fans do this any more? The likes of Edwin Van Der Sar and Vitor Baia were never once allowed to take a goal kick without a roaring crowd distracting them, whereas now the opposition keeper can calmly strike the ball without fear. Perhaps this is the reason for our drop in the FIFA rankings?
The schoolboy stand.
Ah, the schoolboy stands. £5 for a ticket, absolutely wild goal/try celebrations, and the smell of Lynx. Good times.
The relaxed stewarding.
"Stewards to end of match positions" rang out around the ground, it was almost time for the obligatory pitch invasion. The only way you were getting caught was if you were far too slow to be participating in a pitch invasion. There was also a time where every Irish try would be greeted with a friendly pat on the back from the lads in the first couple of rows.
The floodlights.
They were magnificent things.
The Guinness East Stand.
Standing proud.
Seeing into the stadium or being able to briefly watch the match while going past it on the DART.
Emmett Byrne of Leinster showing us the way here. If you happened to be leaving Dublin on the night before an Irish international match, you had a great chance of catching a few seconds of training.
Not having to walk around the entire stadium to get to your turnstile.
The incredibly frustrating crowd control at the Aviva means you need to know what colour your turnstile is, and what road you need to walk down before you get to the stadium. Back in the Lansdowne days it was hop off the DART and stroll to the gate. Easy.
The old club houses.
Iconic.
Testimonials.
The stars of 90s Liverpool and Manchester United teams taking to the Lansdowne Road pitch to honour the careers of some of the best Irish footballers of their generation was a pretty special treat for the Dublin crowd.
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The crappy Lucozade dugouts.
They couldn't protect you from the rain, but they were charming in a purely nostalgic way.
The elevated TV studio.
There was a brilliant thrill in seeing Billo, Dunphy and Giles watching the match out the window of the studio from the schoolboy stands.
This article was originally written by Mikey Traynor in 2015
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