I CANNOT Believe I am Saying This

[hitony]

Have to be honest, whilst redundancy could be used as an excuse and the present credit crunch climate etc etc, we have not been to nearly as many games as we would normally have attended.

 

[Mr Blobby]

I will be up at Oldham but have to say I am looking forward to the beer drinking more than the football (no real change there then!). We are seeing the Levellers in Manchester on Saturday night so making a weekend of it.

I have to say that I quite enjoyed Saturday off from football. It made the weekend seem much longer having Saturday free - spent it in our Local pub instead which is just 500 meters from our house, so no effort to get home!

I have just seen the players training at Falmer and can say that they are certainly putting in some hard work and not sitting around doing FA! Harty and Mayo are both back in training so the future looks bright!

I still say that until we get into the new stadium then we cannot build a team for the future, we will rely on loans and occasionaly get a bargain like Zamora that turned an OK team into one of the best in the league.

291 made the trip to Stockport, IMHO we will take about 200 on Saturday and Tranmere in a couple of weeks time. Hopefully the free coaches to Shrewsbury will mean we have 500+ at that game (new ground will help increase numbers that night as well!)

As for the New Year, a lot depends on results obviously, but if we beat Shrewsbury and then have the Southern Semi-Final and then possibly a trip to Wembly people might start getting excited again.

I hate Withdean, despite the fantastic view the place is one of the worse places to watch football in this country. No atmosphere, no roof, no nothing. For this Archer/Bellotti and Stanley still have a lot to answer for. I will not even start to forget what they did to this club until the day we run out at Falmer. Archer should be made to kiss the boots of every person that goes to that game.

 

[lost in london]

Bozza made a good point a while ago about getting out of the habit of going to games. I lost it a few years ago, and pop up at the odd game here or there. My last was Gillingham away last season, and that really confirmed to me that I wasn't missing much. I used to travel all over the place from uni in Birmingham by myself because there was a good atmosphere, and entertaining football.

The worrying thing about this thread is that if people who have been going week in week out for years aren't going, and who might get out of the 'habit', then the club must really be in trouble.

 

[Hiney]

I would LOVE to be in the position to go every week but as I've got older there are other things in my life that compete for the time when i'm not at work. That is a fact of LIFE, not just a consequence of the fact that Withdean is shit.

I still do everything I can to find out the score and I don't believe my passion for The Albion has diminished in any way by the fact that I don't go to as many games as I would like.

 

[Mr Blobby]

It will be back to the days of the 80's and 90's when we only took about 150 to away games north of Watford. I remember games like Bolton away in the old first Division when we probably only took about 100.

It was only during the dark days at Gillingham that many people got into a habit of going to away games.

 

[portlock seagull]

Here’s why this 11 year long STH didn’t renew this season. And to be honest, I’ve not missed it! I was more worried about losing my claim to being a diehard. But in retrospect, the term ‘diehard’ looks more like ‘mug’ as far as the Albion’s concerned.

1.Too expensive (club should challenge costs with council e.g. compulsory inc of travel vouchers), esp when I factor in my travel costs
2.Too difficult to get tickets (regardless of withdean factor, the club could and should do more about this)
3.Rubbish stadium (Archer, Stanley and Bellotti should never be forgiven)
4.Too arrogant (written to the club several times, as have others I know, with constructive comments; none of us received even a courtesy reply)
5.Poor football (but I’m used to that, and if some of the above are amended, then you don’t mind this for a while do you?)
6.Other friends have gradually stopped going in the past few seasons, citing the above. All were STHs for 8+ years. There were 8 of us, now there are just 3.

Trying to get a few former albion-supporting mates to go to the N'ton game, but less than enthusiastic response so far!

 

[Mendoza]

I would LOVE to be in the position to go every week but as I've got older there are other things in my life that compete for the time when i'm not at work. That is a fact of LIFE, not just a consequence of the fact that Withdean is shit.

I still do everything I can to find out the score and I don't believe my passion for The Albion has diminished in any way by the fact that I don't go to as many games as I would like.

I wouldnt mind if my life turned out that way where family commitments didnt let me go. But at the moment, the money is there, the time is there, close friends still go to the games, girlfriend doent mind me going etc, yet given the choice, for the first time, I have chosen not to go because I dont see the enjoymeny in going.

I do believe my passion for The Albion has diminished. It shouldnt for me, or anyone else, but sadly it has. Why that is, is down to loads of reasons, reasons, which maybe could have been avoided?

 

[pasty]

I'm afraid you can add me to the growing list of apathetic fans. I've missed a couple of home games lately, and really haven't been bothered about it. Even just a couple of years ago, that would have been unthinkable.

I can't add any reasons not already mentioned, suffice it to say the standard of football, the conditions, the ground etc etc, it soon all mounts up to home games no longer being an enjoyable experience. I can't be arsed any longer to pay £25 to sit in the cold and wet watching not very good football.

 

[Wozza]

My interest is fading fast too. In fact, if it wasn't for NSC, I doubt the Albion would enter my thoughts from one weekend to the next.

My frustration was the motive behind my rant last week - aimed at those who insist on painting a rosy picture.

Everything okay at the club? No it f***ing isn't!

 

[Bozza]

I would LOVE to be in the position to go every week but as I've got older there are other things in my life that compete for the time when i'm not at work. That is a fact of LIFE, not just a consequence of the fact that Withdean is shit.

I still do everything I can to find out the score and I don't believe my passion for The Albion has diminished in any way by the fact that I don't go to as many games as I would like.

Pretty much sums me up, I guess. Even when I moved to the West Country, I kept my season ticket and thought nothing of jumping in the car at 3:30 on a Tuesday or Wednesday and driving back by myself to see a midweek game and then returning straight back after covering around 350 miles.

Roll the clock forward a few years to the last home game, where a family visit had me in Sussex on Saturday. A perfect opportunity to take in a game you'd have thought. And I would have thought too. But I still didn't go.

Bozza made a good point a while ago about getting out of the habit of going to games. I lost it a few years ago, and pop up at the odd game here or there. My last was Gillingham away last season, and that really confirmed to me that I wasn't missing much. I used to travel all over the place from uni in Birmingham by myself because there was a good atmosphere, and entertaining football.

The worrying thing about this thread is that if people who have been going week in week out for years aren't going, and who might get out of the 'habit', then the club must really be in trouble.

I still stand by that and there's been elements of it on this thread - a weekend suddenly becoming 2 whole days to do with as you please - it has appeal.

 

[Wilko]

Been saying the same things for the last year or two. Only been to one away game this year. before that i think I only missed a handful of games each season.

Prob won't get a season ticket next year either. Sad times

 

[hart's shirt]

Cheer up everyone - we'll all rediscover our Albion love by the time the home leg of the JPT Southern Final comes around...

 

[Slough Seagull]

Football is so far removed from the game I love when I first started watching in the mid 80s. Still love the Albion but the more I see/read/hear about football the more it just hits home at how the game has been ruined by overpriced seats in grounds that all look the same, overhyped average players earning more in a week than I earn in year, live football on television every day, no terraces, no smoking, over priced shitty franchised food and drink, overpriced car parks, trains beer etc etc.

Looking forward to Oldham though...

 

[Hiney]

I wouldnt mind if my life turned out that way where family commitments didnt let me go. But at the moment, the money is there, the time is there, close friends still go to the games, girlfriend doent mind me going etc, yet given the choice, for the first time, I have chosen not to go because I dont see the enjoymeny in going.

I do believe my passion for The Albion has diminished. It shouldnt for me, or anyone else, but sadly it has. Why that is, is down to loads of reasons, reasons, which maybe could have been avoided?

I don't think it's actually the passion that has diminished, it's more to do with the fact that over the past few seasons, the FRUSTRATION levels have INCREASED.

We are all getting completely PISSED off with the things that we know are WRONG but until we move to Falmer, it's difficult to see what the club can do about them.

 

[Simster]

We are all getting completely PISSED off with the things that we know are WRONG but until we move to Falmer, it's difficult to see what the club can do about them.

Not sack promising young managers, not replace our manager with a dinosaur living off past glories and of course not replacing our young players with rubbish loanees?

They would all be a start. As would be replacing the current tosser "in charge" of marketing, because he is clearly useless.

Also, how about not dressing up every irritating titbit as excellent news? Especially when it's actually shit news.

The ongoing Falmer episode is only a small part of why some of us are completely pissed off about things.

 

[Mendoza]

I don't think it's actually the passion that has diminished, it's more to do with the fact that over the past few seasons, the FRUSTRATION levels have INCREASED.

We are all getting completely PISSED off with the things that we know are WRONG but until we move to Falmer, it's difficult to see what the club can do about them.

Yes my frustration levels have increased, but only at the Carlisle game have I been so angry at the team for being complete leg mentals. Even though it was shit, I still went to Hartlepool and Stockport. But the motives behind going were questionable. Was it to watch the football, or was it so I could just say I went to those places on a Tuesday night, and laugh at how ridiculous that sounds.

As for Withdean, I have always put up with like doing the household chores, and even though it is shit, I understand that its just how it has to be until Falmer arrives.

I am sure I will love it again once I get to my next game, but its just weird feeling like this in the first place. I would maybe understand it more if the rest of life was on a down, but that simply isnt the case, I couldnt be happier.

 

[Scotty Mac]

id rather go and watch rugby now to be honest - £17 to watch internationals ply their trade, terracing and beer while you watch. no segregation so you can mingle with the opposition, the missus is a rugby fan so can drag her along, its always a good laugh, and gloucester usually win as well which is a bonus

 

[Hiney]

Not sack promising young managers, not replace our manager with a dinosaur living off past glories and of course not replacing our young players with rubbish loanees?

They would all be a start. As would be replacing the current tosser "in charge" of marketing, because he is clearly useless.

Also, how about not dressing up every irritating titbit as excellent news? Especially when it's actually shit news.

The ongoing Falmer episode is only a small part of why some of us are completely pissed off about things.

Yes, well, APART from that.

 

[Mendoza]

Been saying the same things for the last year or two. Only been to one away game this year. before that i think I only missed a handful of games each season.

Prob won't get a season ticket next year either. Sad times

At Southend that was brilliant, and the last time we won away, so get yourself back!!

Think my feelings have only become more apparent recently after shit loads of time and money spent on long away trips, only for players to praise their own performances in games lostl, and the board and manager telling us to look at the bigger picture and just put up with it!!

 

[Albion Rob]

I'll tell you when it all died for me - West Ham away in the cup a couple of years back.

I had been pretty disillusioned after the embarrassing relegation from the Championship the year before but had stuck at it. Then the West Ham ticket fiasco took off.

So now, not only was I fed up with the team but also the fans. Super fans,
Bad Fans, willy wavers who hadn't missed a home game since 1786.

As a club which doesn't average more than about 5,500 at home, I found it ridiculous that I had to look in to Gold, Blue or White membership - we can't even sell out our athletics track yet the club has to develop tiers of supporters who deserve more than others. That was it for me - whatever happened to ringing the club and taking your chance? Worked pretty well for the final games at the Goldstone.

Anyway, I'm ranting now. In short, the football was poor, I began actually disliking my fellow fans and the club introduced more beuarocracy at a time where it is impossible to buy a ticket for the game at the ground on a Saturday.

I now turn up to the turnstiles at Priory Lane at 2.50pm, pay about a tenner and watch a game from a terrace. Or I just relax and make the most of all the time and money I've saved. I wish I had my passion for the Albion back but it just isn't there at the moment.