Mike Ward blog in the Indepenent

[Brovion]

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2010...elieve-me-you-dont-want-to-hear-what-i-think/

Quite accurately pointing out that when we're in the new ground we will need 'converts' in order to fill.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Good blog. I consider myself an Albion fan, and so do my friends. Yet I used to support West Ham before I moved down here from London. Falmer is going to need more Mike Wards and dare I say it more me's too if we are to fill it.

 

[Icy Gull]

I supported Spurs before I moved down here, so that makes at least three of us, all fans of different London Clubs pre the Albion

 

[Giraffe]

The bloke is a tosser. Too full of his own self importance and frankly one of the most uninteresting men to have ever appeared on the radio or in print.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

He does come across as being quite bitter, but makes a valid point. I think some fans are of the ideal 'No-one but Harty'.

It shall be interesting to see how the 'Withdean faithful' cope with an influx of new fans. I am sure there will be an air of snobbery from some quarters and a few renditions of the old 'where were you when we were shit?'.

I don't object to Mike Ward being a new fan. I'm not sure many do, do they? My only objection was that his programme column was boring and tedious. The Millwall chap is far, far better.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Ward is absolutely correct of course.

Personally I will welcome every single convert to Falmer, as the club needs each and every one of them.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

He sounds very bitter. And as a " host " of a local fans phone in, slagging them off does not appear to be a very good idea.

 

[Beach Hut]

He sounds very bitter. And as a " host " of a local fans phone in, slagging them off does not appear to be a very good idea.

Typifies the bloke I am afraid and why the fans phone in is not what it was.

However most things change eventually so it is a choice whether you want to listen to it or read his column - I prefer to do neither

 

[8ace]

Ward is absolutely correct of course.

Personally I will welcome every single convert to Falmer, as the club needs each and every one of them.

This is very true, however reading that blog was two minutes of my life totally wasted.

 

[Rookie]

No problem with him being a new fan or switching allegiances but do have a problem with him spouting nonsense on the phone in and generally wrecking it and making it un listenable. The sooner he is 'relieved' of his duties and they get a person that knows what they are talking about the better

 

[Icy Gull]

He's right though and although he may be a bit bitter there are plenty of you who slag him off at every turn and all because he used to support Arsenal. Cover it with oh, he's so boring, up his own arse or whatever. It all boils down to the fact that he came here from supporting Arsenal, wrote a book about it, got himself in a position to air his opinions to thousands and that has pissed people off. Not really a credible reason to dislike someone imo. He is not the dickhead so many of you would have us believe, imo like.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

It shall be interesting to see how the 'Withdean faithful' cope with an influx of new fans. I am sure there will be an air of snobbery from some quarters and a few renditions of the old 'where were you when we were shit?'.

There already is. When it was a bit "busy" at the turnstiles for the Rochdale game - probably due to a few more season tickets sold etc people were moaning on here.

God help them if we start to fill Falmer.

I am utterly utterly convinced that some people want us to remain a tin pot 3rd div club forever.
Some pwopl

 

[Billy the Fish]

At least he's learned his lesson. You need some kind of credibility if you're going to lecture people about how they should be doing something which they've been doing alot longer than you have.

I've warmed to Make Ward a bit recently. He's been around for 10 years now, I think he's served his apprenticeship, and he gives us a good bit of coverage on Talksport once a week. Fair play to the bloke for sticking with it.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

I have some sympathy with Mike ( I originally whinged in the programme about his comments in the programme about our rivalry with Palace that he didn't understand!) as we all know that there is only one person who can do the phone in justice and he and the other presenters are ona hiding for nothing.

I also have some sympathy as to be honest, due to moving around the country ( and world) in my yoof, I didn't really support any one team, it was only when I came to Brighton and settled down that I started following a football team ( when I lived in Kent it was Chelsea and in Wiltshire, Swindon) My home town club is Huddersfield and will go and see them if close by etc, but I can't say I am a "die hard fan".

The point has been made about new fans and it will be interesting how people react to this.

 

[Brovion]

No problem with him being a new fan or switching allegiances but do have a problem with him spouting nonsense on the phone in and generally wrecking it and making it un listenable. The sooner he is 'relieved' of his duties and they get a person that knows what they are talking about the better

I think that's a valid comment. Criticising him for being a shit radio presenter or a shit journalist/columnist is fair enough - but slagging him off because he used to support Arsenal and now for the last ten years has faithfully supported his local team is being a little bit precious.

Like others I wasn't born in Sussex (I supported Chelsea and Palace as a boy) so I suppose we can see where he's coming from more than the 'Sussex born 'n' breds' can

 

[Kazenga <3]

I will welcome every new fan at falmer. But inside I can't help but feel a little bit peeved off when they offer a contradicting opinion to mine or speak as if they know more me. I know we need all the fans we can get to be successful but surely it is natural to feel a little begrudging having watched the club suffer for years only to have all these new fans appear when there is a nice shiny stadium to sit in and a better standard of football to watch. But as Mike Ward points out, these may not be true fans right now, but are the people that will become true and loyal as they spend more time watching the club. That is unless we push them away or make them feel unwelcome before they get the chance.

 

[The Peanut Roaster]

I was born in Brighton, and have followed the Albion my whole life.

I don't care who anybody supported yesterday, last week, or ten years ago.

If anyone wants to jump on the Gus Bus, the more the merrier. (just remember though, it's my Gus Bus)

 

[The Large One]

There's a kind of unwritten rule in football fandom that you can't change clubs mid-career. I'd say that in order to eradicate any claims of 'armchair fandom', I reckon you can, but only 'downwards'. That's what Mike Ward has done.

Personally, I don't see what the problem is. He jumped ship and joined the Albion. It's just that his professional career meant he did it in a way that anyone and everyone could read about. In other words, he shouted it from the highest rooftops, and that seems to have got up some people's noses.

I feel he can write as authoritatively as anyone on the Withdean Years (albeit without all of the first-hand sense of historical context), and I'd say that he's a bona fide Albion fan.

However, I do think there's a tad of dummy-spitting there. Unnecessary.

 

[Braders]

I was born in Brighton, and have followed the Albion my whole life.

I don't care who anybody supported yesterday, last week, or ten years ago.

If anyone wants to jump on the Gus Bus, the more the merrier. (just remember though, it's my Gus Bus)

is exactly the right attitude , top post sir

 

[Easy 10]

The bloke has probably got a bit fed up with the constant sniping and snobbery he encounters, and probably reads on here half the time. Some people just need to get over themselves.

He can't be that bad a writer if he earns a living out of it. And if you don't like his style of writing or broadcasting then fine, but doesn't mean you have to turn to slagging off his supposed 'credentials' at being an Albion fan does it. Give him a break for christs sake.