Nice letter from Martin Perry this morning...

[Hove&Albion F.C]

People know the score and I should have applied the first day they went on sale.

Nobody to blame but yourself, which I think, deep down, people know but by blaming Knight etc it makes them feel less bad about being lazy arses and not sending their applications off in time.

I was a lazy arse and did not get tickets for West Ham away. It was my own fault. Nobody elses.

Was very lucky that I managed to buy a couple.

I had to wait to make sure i could afford to go first- plus that i could actually go in the first place. Didnt send off untill the thursday first class, not had a rejection letter yet but expecting one v.soon.

Cant really complain cos i no i sent off late- just a bit pissing off that fans that have probably been to maximum 1 other game this season will be going, and people that were part of the 500 or so at derby/forest etc are gonna miss out cos they sent off a day later.

Oh well, still really looking forward to QPR on new years day! got a good feeling about this game!!

 

[Stu1]

Ive decided to go to the QPR game instead, which i've received tickets for already.

I sent in my application for tottenham far too late, if I get one its a bonus.

 

[Saint Lennard]

Agree.
I don't live in Brighton, so sent my application first class the day the tickets went on sale. Heard nothing - no tickets, no money taken from my account, no nice letter from Martin Perry. A day or two ago the ticket office couldn't even tell me over the phone if they've received my application...very helpful.
This will be only the second time I've ever missed out on tickets when demand has exceeded supply, but I have thought for some time now that the club need to address the way they allocate and prioritise their tickets on such occasions - whether or not I have been successful with my Spurs application, which is looking increasingly unlikely.
I've traveled to Sunderland, Millwall, Derby, Carlisle and back in a day, Halifax on a Tuesday night (to then be told the game is rained-off)...no, that doesn't necessarily make me a better fan than someone else who can't afford to do this or has other responsibilities, but on the other hand I make the Albion my priority, I'm not made of money, but I go without other things instead. The club receive my full season ticket money months in advance of the new season....before I even know what division we'll be playing in!!! We season ticket holders pay well above the odds for this standard of football, especially considering the less than adequate facilities available - we do this because we understand the circumstances under which the club we love is currently having to operate. If I couldn't see a Falmer shaped light at the end of the tunnel then perhaps my judgement would be somewhat different, and I'd maybe re-consider my priorities. Before anyone gets on their high-horse about not living in the south / can't get to many games / has to work weekends / can't afford a season ticket, I do understand this, but surely not many people fall into many of these categories. My argument is that I think season tickets holders should have first priority for ALL tickets, not at the same time as Away Members who have just had to pay a one-off £10 fee to join 'for life'. If nothing else, if the royal mail has let me down (as it may appear on this occasion) and I know that it has a week ahead of the cherry-picking, couple-of-games-a-season fans, I could then take more drastic action, such as to travel down to Brighton and hand-deliver my application, to ensure it had been received. There HAS to be a priority for loyalty (& considerable investment!). Like all true fans
I will stick with the Albion through thick and thin, but it is the games like this that get me through the thin times.

Totally agree. What p1sses me off MORE about these sort of games is that some of those who will end up with tickets will be Spurs supporters. I say we make them know they are not welcome evn if they are with their Albion chums.

 

[Elms]

Fair enough KSE, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one then...that's what makes the world go round. Like I said, I'm not claiming to be a better fan than anyone here.
I will stand by my view that a fairer policy towards ticket distribution for 'sell-out' away games could be introduced, and maybe the club could look into applications by other means than just snail-mail. There's no doubt in my mind that having £450+ of my money sometime in April '04 is of more benefit to the club than £20 one week at a time until April '05...infact I'm sure it goes a long way to ensuring the club survive the season ahead...and for that reason I believe we should be considered for some sort of priority, whatever it may be, when games like this come round.

 

[clippedgull]

I'm not a season ticket holder.

But I think it's f***ing outrageous that season tickets holders do not get priority.

But they should only be able to buy ONE ticket.

They have NO right to be allocated more than that.

 

[corrallt]

Tottenham is a day out. Other matches are important-the ones we as season ticket holders pay up front for and go to week in week out. It doesn't look as though I have got a ticket for Spurs despite applying as soon as info was available. Yes, i am pissed off, but accept that there is not much I can do about it. However, I do feel that season ticket holders should have priority, having committted to the club early and for all games. I buy two every year at considerable sacrifice and do a 120 mile round trip for every home game, let alone the away games. Not bitter, just pissed off, but I'll get over it. But will have a lot more difficulty justifying to my wife forking out £800 in Feb for myself and student son next year when we are not given any priority by the club.

 

[fatboy]

People who go all over the country every other week to watch Brighton play should get priority for tickets when there is a big game like this that everyone wants to go to.

It is unfair if they miss out because some big game charlie decides to get out of their armchair for the big game.

Why don't we have this problem for Wigan away, Sheffield United away, even Millwall away?

 

[Saint Lennard]

People who go all over the country every other week to watch Brighton play should get priority for tickets when there is a big game like this that everyone wants to go to.

It is unfair if they miss out because some big game charlie decides to get out of their armchair for the big game.

Why don't we have this problem for Wigan away, Sheffield United away, even Millwall away?

Yeah Millwall was disgusting. I think as soon as the draw was known they should have issued "priority" vouchers to whoever bought millwall, Wolves or QPR tickets. These people should get Spurs tickets first.

 

[fatboy]

And Wigan, Derby, Forest etc...

 

[Saint Lennard]

And Wigan, Derby, Forest etc...

I suppose i was thinking that at that stage we didn't know it was going to be Spurs away, but it's a valid point.

In fact on reflection surely the club can set up a spreadsheet with everyone AMS account No. so they can tell who has been to what game and therefore automatically have their priority list. Pretty simople isn't it?

 

[Curious Orange]

Blah, blah blah....



I am a season ticket holder, I've contributed to the A & K appeal, and I've been to several away games this season (including the Millwall game). None of that is any reason for me to get first dibs on a ticket for any away match. By having a season ticket I am effectively depriving someone else from seeing the Albion play at home for an entire season, days like Tottenham, the Millenium Stadium, and West Ham are opportunities for the club to gain new supporters - people who maybe haven't been to a match before and fancy the day out; and that is no bad thing.

 

[caz99]

Blah, blah blah....



I am a season ticket holder, I've contributed to the A & K appeal, and I've been to several away games this season (including the Millwall game). None of that is any reason for me to get first dibs on a ticket for any away match. By having a season ticket I am effectively depriving someone else from seeing the Albion play at home for an entire season, days like Tottenham, the Millenium Stadium, and West Ham are opportunities for the club to gain new supporters - people who maybe haven't been to a match before and fancy the day out; and that is no bad thing.

A f***ing men

 

[Zeitgeist]

Blah, blah blah....



I am a season ticket holder, I've contributed to the A & K appeal, and I've been to several away games this season (including the Millwall game). None of that is any reason for me to get first dibs on a ticket for any away match. By having a season ticket I am effectively depriving someone else from seeing the Albion play at home for an entire season, days like Tottenham, the Millenium Stadium, and West Ham are opportunities for the club to gain new supporters - people who maybe haven't been to a match before and fancy the day out; and that is no bad thing.

You may not have noticed, but bar Leeds and Gillingham, no other league game has sold out at Withdean. Therefore how is a season ticket holder denying anyone the chance to see Brighton at home? There needs to be a different system for big away games that somehow finds the happy medium. Several idea's have been chucked around in recent months. Whatever, it's something that the club can think about over the coming close season. It's not as though they've anything else to worry about at present.

 

[CHAPPERS]

All hail the season ticket holders.

 

[Curious Orange]

You may not have noticed, but bar Leeds and Gillingham, no other league game has sold out at Withdean. Therefore how is a season ticket holder denying anyone the chance to see Brighton at home? There needs to be a different system for big away games that somehow finds the happy medium. Several idea's have been chucked around in recent months. Whatever, it's something that the club can think about over the coming close season. It's not as though they've anything else to worry about at present.

There is a difference between the game being sold out and the ground being full. I suggest you read this thread - the sensible bits of it any rate.

Albion home attendances this season

Pay particular attention to Lord B's initial post, and Colbourne Kid's post on the second page.

 

[Simster]

I can't understand why anyone should think that regular away fans should be prioritised. No-one makes them go to these away games, and they're not really benefitting the club. On the other hand, season ticket holders are keeping this club afloat. They provide money up front for the club, they provide the guaranteed audience for which match sponsors pay advertising, and they alone show the need for Falmer (no season ticket holders = 6,000 spare seats each week). Oh and they pay an absolute fortune for cack facilities.

I think the only priorities should be the season ticket holders - but only on a one Spurs ticket per season ticket holder basis.

 

[lost in london]

I think it's more important that 'These big game Charlies' get to games than your bitter twisted whinging fan who goes to every game, but hates Withdean, hates the board and hates Dick "Tight".

This club has been slowly dying since the early 80s with the Goldstone crumbling then the Gillingham debacle. Our fan base is shrivelling because of Withdean so if we can keep a few people interested in the Albion by having games like Cardiff and Spurs, then so much for the better.

I probably haven't got a ticket, but then the club isn't my life so I don't give that much of a f***, a few pounds saved is my view. It's one game and there will be others to come. Get over it people, and stop being so bitter and angry about everything!

 

[Elms]

Blah, blah blah....



I am a season ticket holder, I've contributed to the A & K appeal, and I've been to several away games this season (including the Millwall game). None of that is any reason for me to get first dibs on a ticket for any away match. By having a season ticket I am effectively depriving someone else from seeing the Albion play at home for an entire season, days like Tottenham, the Millenium Stadium, and West Ham are opportunities for the club to gain new supporters - people who maybe haven't been to a match before and fancy the day out; and that is no bad thing.

The way I see it, it's pretty simple - without season ticket sales we would have no team to watch...5,000 season ticket holders (approx) x £425 (approx) = £2,125,000 GUARANTEED income pre-season (+ interest!) = player contract negotiations = half decent team to watch = financial 'security' for another year = survival on and off the pitch = the chance to visit Spurs at WHL in the FA Cup for example.
As far as I'm aware, you can still buy 'half season' tickets for the remainder of games this season, which would suggest I haven't deprived anyone from watching matches at Withdean. The club could not survive purely on hoping people pay per game, particularly if the team was to hit a bad run of form etc, etc. Season ticket holders are not superior in any way to any other fan, but they've made an important finacial commitment to the club which, in my opinion, should be acknowledged on occassions such as this.

I also think ticket applications should be accepted by other means than just flippin' post!

 

[The Auditor]

The way I see it, it's pretty simple - without season ticket sales we would have no team to watch...5,000 season ticket holders (approx) x £425 (approx) = £2,125,000 GUARANTEED income pre-season (+ interest!) = player contract negotiations = half decent team to watch = financial 'security' for another year = survival on and off the pitch = the chance to visit Spurs at WHL in the FA Cup for example.
As far as I'm aware, you can still buy 'half season' tickets for the remainder of games this season, which would suggest I haven't deprived anyone from watching matches at Withdean. The club could not survive purely on hoping people pay per game, particularly if the team was to hit a bad run of form etc, etc. Season ticket holders are not superior in any way to any other fan, but they've made an important finacial commitment to the club which, in my opinion, should be acknowledged on occassions such as this.

I also think ticket applications should be accepted by other means than just flippin' post!

spot on ...you only need to look at the club accounts to see the benefit the club gets from season ticket money...
no season ticket money... no club... simple

would be nice to be able to buy on line or by fax and prevent royal mail f*cking up..despite what the club think we dont all live in Brighton

 

[Uncle Buck]

I can't understand why anyone should think that regular away fans should be prioritised. No-one makes them go to these away games, and they're not really benefitting the club. On the other hand, season ticket holders are keeping this club afloat. They provide money up front for the club, they provide the guaranteed audience for which match sponsors pay advertising, and they alone show the need for Falmer (no season ticket holders = 6,000 spare seats each week). Oh and they pay an absolute fortune for cack facilities.

I think the only priorities should be the season ticket holders - but only on a one Spurs ticket per season ticket holder basis.

The reason regular away fans should be prioritised is simple, as they are the ones that go and when games like Spurs come up, it is in a way a thank you for the effort, but making sure they have a ticket. The players and management go on about how much they appricated the support they get away from home, well then make sure these people are at the big games, as well as the run of the mill we turn up to.

Every time this argument about ticket allocation comes around, it is very obvious that a large percentage of NSC do not go away, by the fact they are so against any priority ticket allocation, as it might harm their chances of getting a ticket for the games they do bother to turn up for.