IF West Ham United want to find out how depressing a stadium with a running track can be, they should go to watch Rotherham at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium.

Accrington Stanley were the visitors to Don Valley on Tuesday night and for the third season in a row I returned home feeling sorry for the poor Rotherham fans who have to go there 23 times a season. Just once is too much for me.

In a stadium devoid of any kind of atmosphere, supporters are best advised to leave their souls at the turnstiles. Exchange them for binoculars instead.

Like the away section at Newcastle's St James' Park, 20/20 vision is a necessity as you squint into the far distance to make out the action on the field.

If this is the Olympic Stadium’s future in microcosm, the Hammers might be having second thoughts over those celebrations last week.

There is a reason why Werder Bremen have modified their stadium at great expense to remove the running track, and Juventus ditched the Stadio delle Alpi.

Athletics tracks are not conducive to an atmosphere at football matches.

West Ham can only hope they are the exception to the rule.