Are we spoilt?

[Withdean Wanderer]

Is this how things were meant to be?

We moved back to Withdean, and got fairly decent crowds...yes...but we also got some fairly instant success.

The first season at Withdean, we finished outside the play offs...had we had another couple of mid table finishes, would crowds have actually been decent? Had it not been for Zamora & co, we wouldn't have had Championship football, we wouldn't have had 3 FANTASTIC promotion seasons...

Is all the discontent now just a result of the good times we've had in recent years? The increased expectancy? If we'd had pretty average seasons at Withdean, and just managed to stay up, would people be angered about the current situation?

Yes - Falmer is a bit of a farce. But I can't help think that we're pissed off now because we've had it so good the last few years.

 

[Beach Hut]

Too true we have - how many other clubs have travelled up and down like we do ?

 

[The Large One]

I think it looks like the penny is finally dropping for you WW.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I think it looks like the penny is finally dropping for you WW.

No need to be so patronising.

But had we not had success the previous two occassions we were in this league, would people be moaning so much about the current state of affairs?

 

[Brixtaan]

Totally disagree.We're better than this.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

When you consider where we were at the end of the last season at Gillingham, then 18th in League One is considerable progress. But, I guess it depends how far back are you prepared to look. It's 23 years since we were in the top flight and a cup final - does that mean we should have expected more of that? Unless you have a definitive answer for where exactly BHAFC should be, then you could always argue we are spoilt/underachieving.

That's a fair point i suppose - some will argue we should be in the higher tiers, others that we are lucky to exist.

 

[The Large One]

No need to be so patronising.

But had we not had success the previous two occassions we were in this league, would people be moaning so much about the current state of affairs?

Probably not, but don't lecture me about being patronising.

It's just that loads of people have been saying this on here for ages, and then you start a thread as though you have finally had your epiphanic moment. All I am saying is I'm glad you've cottoned on - there are still far too many who haven't.

 

[Les Biehn]

Probably not, but don't lecture me about being patronising.

It's just that loads of people have been saying this on here for ages, and then you start a thread as though you have finally had your epiphanic moment. All I am saying is I'm glad you've cottoned on - there are still far too many who haven't.

Thats a very LI like post that TLO.

 

[The Large One]

Thats a very LI like post that TLO.

No it's not.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Thats a very LI like post that TLO.

I was about to say that

 

[Beach Hut]

Success depends on memory - you could say Bolton are major under achievers however current fans would argue that point.

 

[Les Biehn]

I think Damanclay may disagree with you there TLO.
You even got the smilie in, nice.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Probably not, but don't lecture me about being patronising.

It's just that loads of people have been saying this on here for ages, and then you start a thread as though you have finally had your epiphanic moment. All I am saying is I'm glad you've cottoned on - there are still far too many who haven't.

I've asked a question though, purely because i've only ever seen us be relatively successful..i started watching the club when we moved to Withdean. However much I try, i don't know what it was like in the 'dark days', nor the heights of First division football, when it really was the first division.

Personally I think that we're watching crap football at the moment...but (one game at Priestfield aside) I've only really got the Adams/Taylor/Hinsh/Coppell/McGhee teams to compare with. Some people may still see this as a great improvement from where we were...but posts from the majority on here would suggest otherwise?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

No it's not.

that's a very Les Biehn-like post TLO.

 

[The Large One]

It is a great improvement from Gillingham. The teams that played at Gillingham were truly awful. Irrespective of the utter bollocks happening off the pitch (a major reason to be sure), there was one over-riding reason why we still were bottom of the Fourth Division - the players were utter shite. There is a reason why hardly any of the players from 1997 were still playing league football three years later.

Too many people have too short memories.

 

[The Large One]

that's a very Les Biehn-like post TLO.

No it's not.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

It is a great improvement from Gillingham. The teams that played at Gillingham were truly awful. Irrespective of the utter bollocks happening off the pitch (a major reason to be sure), there was one over-riding reason why we still were bottom of the Fourth Division - the players were utter shite. There is a reason why hardly any of the players from 1997 were still playing league football three years later.

Too many people have too short memories.

So you are contented with the football you are paying to see at the moment, simply on the grounds that 'it's been worse'?

Perhaps if ticket prices were lower, people would be less disgusted by what they are watching?

 

[Les Biehn]

No it's not.

Yes it is.

 

[The Large One]

So you are contented with the football you are paying to see at the moment, simply on the grounds that 'it's been worse'?

Perhaps if ticket prices were lower, people would be less disgusted by what they are watching?

Hang on, you're moving the goalposts now.

Whether I am happy with the current state of our football team is different from asking 'are we playing better than we did at Gillingham?' One is an absolute question, the other is a relative question.

I think you're actually asking a chicken and egg question. If ticket prices were lower, we wouldn't be in this division, we would possibly be one division down, because we would not have been able to get the money to get what was required to do well in this division. We paid the money, we got promotions and championships. Eventually, the bubble bursts, and we are down a division, but fans are still paying higher price. Why? Well, it has been discussed on here to death.

Maybe if prices were lower now, we might attract more fans back, but that's working on an assumption price is the key issue to going to Withdean. It's a combination of quality of football, quality of amenities, weather, price of admission, all of which must be balanced by the club to ensure maximum revenue, but also balanced by the fans to ensure they will come.

The 'forgiving' honeymoon period has now come to an end (it probably did 18 months - 2 years ago), and fans are now frustrated, and feel they cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Frustrated with the quality of football, quality of amenities, weather, price of admission, Lewes District Council's behaviour, and we can't wait to see the back of Withdean. Some have already given up on the club - that's a pity because this is the one time the club really needs them.

The real tragedy is that there are those who blame the club for ALL the ills because they feel they have no-one to turn to, and because they feel frustrated that we should be bigger than what we are, all the while refusing to look at who the real culprits for our predicament are. For me, we should be bigger than what we are, but I also know precisely why we are not, and I would happily point the finger at Sky, LDC, Bill Archer and anyone actively trying to destroy the club.