Only 8000 to see Reading.

[Turkey]

Well at least means a quicker get away I suppose.

 

[ifuhatepalacestandup]

So did I. On the other hand, matchday costs are presumably much higher than they were at Withdean. I should imagine he was offered the chance to have it at Withdean wasn't he?

dont know how it works mate, however if they dont offset some or all of the cost what are the club actualy giving him except the chance to pile up a large debt(its a pre season friendly after all it was never going to sell out with parts of the ground closed) seems an odd way to reward 10 years of loyal service
bit like your firm giving you a clock and then presenting you with the bill

 

[chez]

Is [MENTION=121]chez[/MENTION] going?

Washing my hair tonight I'm afraid mate!!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Where did the rumour come from that he chose Reading!? Agreed re Chelsea fixture. Something not quite right in the planning of the timing there. Why not play Reading this coming Saturday instead of Creepy on Friday?

It's not a rumour, I was told by one of his testimonial committee. It is also treble what OGH and Kerry Mayo got for their testimonial matches. I remember fans moaning about the opposition then when we were in League 1 (Charlton & Reading who were both Premiership at the time)

 

[Thunder Bolt]

So did I. On the other hand, matchday costs are presumably much higher than they were at Withdean. I should imagine he was offered the chance to have it at Withdean wasn't he?

Yes.

 

[swindonseagull]

I didn't go to Chelsea.
I'm not going to Reading.
I am however going to Crawley.

I didn't go to Chelsea.
I'm not going to Reading.
I am not going to Crawley
I am however going to Swindon

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

It's not a rumour, I was told by one of his testimonial committee. It is also treble what OGH and Kerry Mayo got for their testimonial matches.

Is that all they got? Must have completely forgotten those figures, despite being pretty sure I went to both games. Tho I guess a 3000-ish (?) crowd at Withdean seemed a pretty respectable turnout. Which it was. Also, didn't OGH and Kerry Mayo have a whole testimonial YEAR with things like fund-raising boxing evenings? Seem to dimly recall that was the case.

Whatever, I'm sure FDM will be delighted with the turnout, whatever the final figure is, and I reckon he's got a major future ahead of him as an Albion meeter-n-greeter when he's done with Crawley, cos a genuine nicer bloke you could never wish to meet. Having said that, he'll probably get sent off tonight. AWAY!!

 

[sir albion]

Anyone that chose the Chelsea game over tonight is SCUM.

Only 14000 home fans at the Chelsea game and it only sold out in the latter stages,so you can be assured that thousands gave the chelsea game a miss and to be fair friendlies are boring.

8k is still a bloody good crowd considering the shite opposition

 

[Westdene Wonder]

The gate would have been much better if Special buses had been put on and if BR had been able to run some extra trains,it will be awful trying to get home,a great shame that lack of travelling arrangements will spoil the event.

 

[Superphil]

Only 14000 home fans at the Chelsea game and it only sold out in the latter stages,so you can be assured that thousands gave the chelsea game a miss and to be fair friendlies are boring.

8k is still a bloody good crowd considering the shite opposition

Only? Give it a rest, that's more than double we ever had at Withdean, for any game. It's holiday season, during the Olympics, and it was a friendly. Oh, and it sold out. Still, why not have a dig eh?

 

[amexee]

When the Dutch fella is going to have to face a bunch of bills which need paying when there's a reasonable chance of him not breaking even, I'm sure he'll appreciate your misanthropy.

I'm just thankful for his sake that the P&R isn't running - that would have been another fortune for him to shell out.

-----

A bit of perspective. An average wage for a year is about 20k. If most people got an extra 20k bonus after a few years well paid work, they would be chuffed to bits. I do not begrudge him a pay day.

I do however think people should see this, for what it is. FDM could easily make £100k from tonight.

Having seen where he lives, I can assure all the hand wringers that he and his family are not living in a caravan.

 

[Slippery Seagull]

Anyone that chose the Chelsea game over tonight is SCUM.

Anyone with an IQ low enough to warrant writing the above statement is an embarrassment to our great fans and club.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Disappointing turn out, North Stand trying to create some atmosphere but ground is making it look worse. This would have been full house at Withdean. As i type Michel pulls off stunning save and place erupts!

 

[LukeOwen]

I didn't go to Chelsea.
I'm not going to Reading.
I am not going to Crawley
I am however going to Swindon

This

 

[BUTTERBALL]

Sad to see an emotional Michel exit after 15 mins. Should have been given 45. Brighton with most of the play so far.

 

[sir albion]

-----

A bit of perspective. An average wage for a year is about 20k. If most people got an extra 20k bonus after a few years well paid work, they would be chuffed to bits. I do not begrudge him a pay day.

I do however think people should see this, for what it is. FDM could easily make £100k from tonight.

Having seen where he lives, I can assure all the hand wringers that he and his family are not living in a caravan.

Exactly,he was on good money and much more than most will ever earn,not to mention he still has 30+ years to earn in other ways.This match is a bonus and a fu-cking big bonus.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

2-4-6-8
who do we appreciate
brighton....clap clap clap

Brilliant, pizza now on white shirt from giggling so much. Less comedy while i eat if you will.

Really disappointed in the attendance to be honest, I don’t care if it is only Reading, I would have gone had it been against Yeading just for the chance to finally see the Former Dutch Marine play at Falmer.

I guess we are now in the minority, people who would much rather acclaim a true Brighton Legend than watch Chelsea, people who never get on Ashley Barnes’s back but instead sit back and think how much better he is than Mahoney-Johnson or Andy Kennedy, people who don’t mind queuing 10 minutes for a quality pie whilst regaling each other with stories of the after effects of a Goldstone Burger.

You will find us at every home game, even now one year after the dream was realised staring open mouthed in wonder of the place rather than whinging about 50p beer price increases and queues for the train.

So it is left to us to salute the legend, we few, we happy few, we band of brothers!

Top post, top top post.

 

[mistahclarke]

8170 in the end. Shame he didn't get a full half.

Thought it was nice for most of the attendee's to make it a withdean atmosphere and be quiet. Credit to the north stand for making michel's night.

 

[DumLum]

Tonight I saw what the Amex will be like when we are back in league two....hope it's a long way away.

Wish Kuipers was given more than 15 minutes too seemed a bit harsh.