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Football - what does it mean to you?



The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
My love of football is not all about the Albion. I can watch a Sunday league match quite happily. It is an instinctive love. I can enjoy other games, like watching rugby. But I love football.

Oh, and rowing.

And not just watching. Playing as well. Not so much now - but knowing that I could control a ball, and could hit a half-volley, and could bend a ball with the outside of my boot. As Lush says - looking at far far better players and just admiring what they can do.

Understood, but my question is 'why' do you love it? What makes it instinctive?
 






drew

Drew
Oct 3, 2006
23,409
Burgess Hill
It is loved because, like chess, it is easy to play but difficult to be a master at. You can play with your mates down the park and have a close game but you watch the professionals play the game to a level you can only dream of. You hate your team because they can't do what the best players do and you hate the best players when they do what they do to your team but deep down it is just envy.

To me it is now just a couple of hours of escapism. I don't take it as seriously as I once did because I watched the pictures from Valley Parade and Hillsborough and realised from then that it is just a game, not a matter of life or death.
 


Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Jan 19, 2009
14,865
BN3 7DE
Anyone read 'The Soccer Tribe' by Desmond Morris? I think that captures why football is so liked.
 


Dick Knights Mumm

Take me Home Falmer Road
Jul 5, 2003
19,722
Hither and Thither
Understood, but my question is 'why' do you love it? What makes it instinctive?

What makes someone love anything. For me it is a gut not a head thing. For example cars leave me cold. As does most of technology. But I can watch and read about football a lot.

Funnily I do not talk about it much. I get bored with those "did you see that Rooney goal last night". I do like talking about it with people who like it like me. And with people who see the Albion a lot more than me. Which is why I love NSC I suppose.
 




Seagull73

Sienna's Heaven
Jul 26, 2003
3,382
Not Lewes
Understood, but my question is 'why' do you love it? What makes it instinctive?

Probably because it's something that we are brought into at a very early age. You went to your first game at what, 8 - 9? I was only a year older than that, and when you get the grip of the atmosphere, it will take hold of you, think of how impressionable you are at that age.

Some people get different things from watching football. Some want to part of the atmosphere at the games, some are happy soaking it up on TV. For me, it's one of the reasons why we struggle / have struggled with attendances at Withdean, because of atmosphere. I have every confidence that will change at the new stadium.
 










cheshunt seagull

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
2,577
I would probably differentiate between watching the Albion and a game like Arsenal Barca. One I enjoy as a spectacle and the other as much more intense experience.

At a crude attempt at analysis, I would say that watching the Albion gives me the opportunity to experience a whole range of emotions in a setting which is separate from my daily life and contains none of the actual risks, and I never know which emotions they will be. As I approach even the most unpromising Albion game, I know that there is a remote chance that I may be about to see something people will be talking about in 30 years' time. The cup tie at Brentford at Brentford was pretty ordinary and then Nelson went on a run. The first half against Walsall was awful and then Wardy and Spider woke up.. . Even feeling righteous anger about Hammond is quite cathartic.

Also, every game is like a direct link to the days at the Goldstone with my Dad. One of the few constant things in my life in the last 40 years. I like the fact that wherever I am in the world, whatever I am doing, whether I am at the game or not,if we are playing, that is all I am really thinking about.

I suppose that could apply to any sport with which you have had a partisan affiliation for a long period but it is football and the Albion for me.
 


Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
72,236
Living In a Box
I suppose having managed a team for 9 years and watched my kids countless times and going to the Albion means I have a love of football but really only live football.

I really do struggle to watch any game on TV (even MOTD) unless either Brighton or England.

What it means is countless hours of my time invested in what I enjoy, good summary by Mendoza of away games as they are so much better than any home games.

Such a shame this needed to be 'bounced' to help it along.
 
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Mar 29, 2010
2,492
Under your skin.
Their is NOTHING better than being at an exciting match with your mates. When we went 2-1 it summed that up. I cut my shins to shreads and someone bit me as I tried to help them up because they had fallen down a row of seats. Where else will I get a chance to act like that. Watching the Saints away/ Charlton away/ Palace away/ Man city/ play off highlights send shivers down my spine. Football is in my blood. I haven't missed a game since Stockport away but still end up wanting to be 3 on Saturday by Monday morning.
 


Taybha

Whalewhine
Oct 8, 2008
27,559
Uwantsumorwat
As a headless chicken in my playing days it meant everything,sundays couldnt come quick enough.

As a youngster growing up my trips to the goldstone were regular and i was lucky enough to have seen the ward mellor era,as ive got older and my own playing days are but a distant memory apart from the odd charity works friendlies ive turned into a must go to watch the albion at all costs merchant,im more keen now than ive ever been even when we were shit i couldnt wait until the next game.

Ive never been to watch a game of league football that brighton were not playing in and probably never will, if i was given a season ticket for chelsea ect i would give it back,not interested, because as dear old dad used to say your brighton til you die.
 




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