Falmer and our Catchment Area.

[Simster]

This thread seems to be concentrating on the far reaches when travelling East and West from Brighton. What about North and North West? I live in Reigate, a mile from Redhill station and I'm licking my lips at Falmer being built.

Put simply, hopping on the train from Redhill - 25 minutes to Selhurst or Norwood Jn, or 40 minutes to Falmer. Still Palace territory BUT look what you get for that extra 15 minutes difference - a much MUCH better stadium and probably a better team soon.

Even though Redhill is in Surrey, it will still be on the fringes of our catchment area. Even Redhill FC play in the Sussex County league.

 

[DerbyGull]

not very far from Eastbourne at all!

Not far in today's terms, but in bad need of a fast 3 laned road road connecting Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton. This would cut your travel time in half and eliviate congestion.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

i'd like to see the supporters club getting active in recruiting for, and creating, 'branches' around sussex, and then themselves organising the coaches.

apologies if the SC already do this, but in Manchester there are City Supporters Club sub-divisons in virtually every area, they normally chip in and hire 15-20 seater minibusses.

if the relevant media got involved (programme/argus/nsc/fanzine/radio) to publicise the branches it could become a really good network, plus save on traffic/pollution etc.

In the mid 70s - when we had 25-30k at the Goldstone, a lot of these came from different parts of Sussex, on organised coaches.

When I started watching the Albion there was a double decker bus from Horsham every game (and more than one for 'big' games.)

For the Villa game, coaches were run from all over Sussex. I hope these can be organised (as you say perhaps by sub-divisions of the Supporters Club) for all games at Falmer?

By the time we move into Falmer it will be 14 years since we left the Goldstone - a whole generation of fans and potential fans have been lost. Making it as easy as possible to get to/from Falmer will help bring them back.

In those 14 years the population of Sussex has grown, and thousands of new houses built, I know that the majority of these newcomers to Sussex may already support one of the Premiership big boys, but we must make it as easy as possible for these casual fans to come along to Falmer - you never know they might even come back......

 

[User removed 4]

This thread seems to be concentrating on the far reaches when travelling East and West from Brighton. What about North and North West? I live in Reigate, a mile from Redhill station and I'm licking my lips at Falmer being built.

Put simply, hopping on the train from Redhill - 25 minutes to Selhurst or Norwood Jn, or 40 minutes to Falmer. Still Palace territory BUT look what you get for that extra 15 minutes difference - a much MUCH better stadium and probably a better team soon.

Even though Redhill is in Surrey, it will still be on the fringes of our catchment area. Even Redhill FC play in the Sussex County league.

Seriously , do you know anyone actually from redhill who supports brighton ? even if albion were a premier league team i think the response in that area would be lukewarm at best, and do you really want brighton to become another charlton ? bussing in supporters from far away only to lose them if things take a turn for the worse ?

 

[The Grockle]

This thread seems to be concentrating on the far reaches when travelling East and West from Brighton. What about North and North West? I live in Reigate, a mile from Redhill station and I'm licking my lips at Falmer being built.

Put simply, hopping on the train from Redhill - 25 minutes to Selhurst or Norwood Jn, or 40 minutes to Falmer. Still Palace territory BUT look what you get for that extra 15 minutes difference - a much MUCH better stadium and probably a better team soon.

Even though Redhill is in Surrey, it will still be on the fringes of our catchment area. Even Redhill FC play in the Sussex County league.

I would LOVE IT if we could steal some of Palace’s support from Redhill, Reigate and the surrounding areas.

Growing up in Reigate I was one of the few Albion fans in the area (as far as I know) and in a school of over 1500 there was only me and one other!

Come on Reigations and Redhillians dump the Palace and join the falmer love wagon!


Ps. The chairman of Redhill FC has just started working at my firm, top bloke!

 

[The Grockle]

Seriously , do you know anyone actually from redhill who supports brighton ? even if albion were a premier league team i think the response in that area would be lukewarm at best, and do you really want brighton to become another charlton ? bussing in supporters from far away only to lose them if things take a turn for the worse ?

I know one, although he does live in Horsham now.

In the mid/late Nineties there were quite a few Albion fans who got on at Redhill station.

 

[jezzer]

The ashford train is perfect timing wise but a complete joke as a getaway train. I caught it on saturday from bton and it was so jammed packed cos theres only 2 coaches people were virtually hanging off the ceiling.

As I was sitting down, I had some gorgeous girl`s arse in my face most the journey so there are benefits but seriously, the train company`s excuse they havent got enough rolling stock is pathetic, i know theyre not cheap but get some more then if thats the case, theyve been saying that for years now. It must be the most profitable train in the history of southern railways per seat!!

The train is packed with shoppers before the football crowd get on it coming back out of brighton and it doesnt stop at Falmer, if it did hardly anyone would be able to get on it as it is now anyway.

There`s gonna be some serious complaints about the train service come the first Saturday game but that will pale into insignificance when we have our first evening game, especially if its a near sell out, it`ll be carnage and most will be lucky to get back home before midnight.

 

[Simster]

Seriously , do you know anyone actually from redhill who supports brighton ? even if albion were a premier league team i think the response in that area would be lukewarm at best, and do you really want brighton to become another charlton ? bussing in supporters from far away only to lose them if things take a turn for the worse ?

Aside from Croydon Seagull (who went to the 3 schools my kids are going to), I actually know four other Albion fans in Reigate. This is irrelevant though, because we've all moved here from growing up nearer Brighton.

The point here is that Redhill & Reigate could easily be construed as the fringes of our catchment area. They ought to be in Palace's catchment area but the reality is that it is all Chelsea around here, sadly.

I guess if you haven't got a club on your doorstep, then there is no local affiliation. If there is no local affiliation, then you look for other reasons to support a club. My supposition is that the other reason here would be that Falmer would be convenient to get to, and a decidedly more pleasant experience than the shit heap in Thornton Heath or £55 a ticket at Chelsea for a match against Wigan.

 

[DerbyGull]

...and do you really want brighton to become another charlton ? bussing in supporters from far away only to lose them if things take a turn for the worse ?

They are all bums on seats, adding to the BHAFC cashpot. Would you rather albion missed out on this, even if they are plastics? I'm sure TB will welcome this with open arms. He's a shrewd business man so i'm sure he's got plenty of ideas of how to fill the ground.

 

[User removed 4]

Aside from Croydon Seagull (who went to the 3 schools my kids are going to), I actually know four other Albion fans in Reigate. This is irrelevant though, because we've all moved here from growing up nearer Brighton.

The point here is that Redhill & Reigate could easily be construed as the fringes of our catchment area. They ought to be in Palace's catchment area but the reality is that it is all Chelsea around here, sadly.

I guess if you haven't got a club on your doorstep, then there is no local affiliation. If there is no local affiliation, then you look for other reasons to support a club. My supposition is that the other reason here would be that Falmer would be convenient to get to, and a decidedly more pleasant experience than the shit heap in Thornton Heath or £55 a ticket at Chelsea for a match against Wigan.

£42 actually, and cheaper still in the family section £48.50 for you and a child.

 

[Simster]

£42 actually, and cheaper still in the family section

Good to see they've had to lower prices in a desperate attempt to keep people coming, in their ever futile attempt to overtake Spurs as London's 2nd biggest club.

 

[User removed 4]

Good to see they've had to lower prices in a desperate attempt to keep people coming, in their ever futile attempt to overtake Spurs as London's 2nd biggest club.

When have we lowered prices ? oh , we havent, and do me a favour about spurs

PS how much would albion have to lower prices to get you to actually go to a game ?? you joke 'fan' !!

 

[Gazwag]

(although the drive to Lewes P&R will save perhaps 10 minutes each way if you're coming from the East).

I didnt think they had found a park and ride site to the east of the stadium yet. TBH if they do that would be easier than the train as I wouldnt have to park at/near Lewes station

 

[Gwylan]

]Also would something like the 24 bus keep the travel voucher? If you were trying to get back to say Worthing you'd still need it for the Brighton to Worthing train.

I've used my ticket on a 24 several times when my bike's been put of action - they've never kept the ticket yet.

I do think there's a bit of unnecessary panic about this. As I understood it, the station is being upgraded to take longer trains, there are at least 10 buses an hour serving the stadium, and don't forget that there a lot of Albion fans in Moulsecoomb and Coldean who will be in walking distance of the stadium/ I bet there won't be too many people waiting hours after the game to get home (apart from the ones in the bar that is)

The Goldstone often had 20k+ in the 70s and 80s and I don't recall thousands of people being stranded at Hove station trying to get home.

 

[Mackenzie]

The supporters club coaches sound like a great idea, and quite possibly the best transport option for supporters from further afield. It will need a little organisation though.

 

[8ace]

i'd like to see the supporters club getting active in recruiting for, and creating, 'branches' around sussex, and then themselves organising the coaches.

apologies if the SC already do this, but in Manchester there are City Supporters Club sub-divisons in virtually every area, they normally chip in and hire 15-20 seater minibusses.

if the relevant media got involved (programme/argus/nsc/fanzine/radio) to publicise the branches it could become a really good network, plus save on traffic/pollution etc.

Something like this would be good, a pub in a small town/village could even run a minibus. People could have a drink there before jump in the bus at 2 o'clock, watch the game then back to the pub for a few more. There was plans for someone to do this from the Hollingbury but the bloke whose idea it was isn't there anymore. Seems a good way to get people to drink in your pub.

 

[drew]

So, we seem to have established that there is a potential catchment of at least 1m and rising. We only need to 2% of that to fill the ground. Do we still need to keep mentioning some remote place in the darkest depths of sussex as a potential hotbed of support!

 

[Easy 10]

I haven't looked at the numbers in any detail but would make the following observations:

- the lead time for timetable changes on the railway is significant and may already be too late for the first game

- the obvious enhancement, which may be possible as a de minimus change (and therefore not have the same lead time) is to stop the fast Ashford service at Falmer. However this is only 2 cars and I don't think Southern has stock to lengthen it.

- there is no real scope to lengthen trains or find paths for extra services: I believe the signalling is the constraint here.

My 'back of fag packet' guess would be that 2k would be the most that could be moved westbound in the hour after the game, (5 tph x 4 cars x 100 per car). Remember, there will be people already on the trains.

PG

This is my single biggest concern about Falmer. I know we've had assurances from Perry that it will all be fine, but unless there is actually scope to lay on additional trains on matchdays, then as it stands at the moment, I don't see how getting the train home after the game is really going to be viable with the numbers involved (ie crowds of 10k +). At least not without SUBSTANTIAL delays being involved.

The Goldstone often had 20k+ in the 70s and 80s and I don't recall thousands of people being stranded at Hove station trying to get home.

No, but the Goldstone was in the middle of town, and a large chunk of the support would drive and park in the streets of the surrounding areas, or walk. Thats not going to be anything like as straightforward an option at Falmer.

 

[The Spanish]

Something like this would be good, a pub in a small town/village could even run a minibus. People could have a drink there before jump in the bus at 2 o'clock, watch the game then back to the pub for a few more. There was plans for someone to do this from the Hollingbury but the bloke whose idea it was isn't there anymore. Seems a good way to get people to drink in your pub.

I understand that the downs hotel and the queen vic in rottingdean are both running minibuses.

 

[Brovion]

I've used my ticket on a 24 several times when my bike's been put of action - they've never kept the ticket yet.

I do think there's a bit of unnecessary panic about this. As I understood it, the station is being upgraded to take longer trains, there are at least 10 buses an hour serving the stadium, and don't forget that there a lot of Albion fans in Moulsecoomb and Coldean who will be in walking distance of the stadium/ I bet there won't be too many people waiting hours after the game to get home (apart from the ones in the bar that is)

The Goldstone often had 20k+ in the 70s and 80s and I don't recall thousands of people being stranded at Hove station trying to get home.

I don't think the Falmer platforms ARE being extended, although I await correction on that point.

And two factors about the Goldstone: firstly because of its 'in-town' location it was in walking distance for a LOT more people than Falmer will be. Secondly there was a lot of on-street parking available; if we drove over from Lancing we never had a problem parking. Both those two methods of transportation, for different reasons, will be severely curtailed at Falmer.

I hope you're right though about the 'unecessary panic', but on the other hand I think we're right to be concerned about it. At first glance it does seem as if it could be a problem.