Premiership - our turn soon?

[jimhigham]

I know Brakespear has already referred to this in another post but I think it deserves a thread of its own.

Steve Claridge pointed out on 5Live this afternoon that there had been 43 different teams reach the Premiership thus far. Blackpool have made that 44. That is virtually half of the entire football league have had a crack of the whip.

This amazed me, as I pretty much believed it to be a closed shop. Granted, many of the teams that have made it have had little more than a season or two as whipping boys but then that is exactly our own record in the top flight to date (4 out of 110 seasons). I find that pretty encouraging. With things beginning to move in the right direction on the pitch there is the suggestion that all we need to do is tough it out in the Championship for a bit and we might get a stab at the top flight again eventually.

The question is...do we want it? Tricky. A year getting thumped by the big boys and millions in the Far East watching and thinking "who are Brighton?". Yeah, I'll take it.

Thoughts?

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

Who ever doesnt want Brighton to make it to the Premier League needs to get their head sorted. What is the point in supporting a fooball team if you dont want them to succeed and play in the top division?

You look at teams like Wigan and Stoke when they arrived in the Premier League everyone assumed they would be the whipping boys and go straight back down, but loko at them now, they not exactly challenging for European Football but they still playing in the highest and arguable the best football division in the world.

I would LOVE to see Brighton playing in the top flight, whether we are whipping boys or consistant mid table mediocracy.

 

[Spider]

Unfortunately with the Solidarity Payments farce Scudamore and Co. have made this very difficult for clubs like us. If we act quick we might just get there in time but it will soon enough become very difficult.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I want us to remain in the third tier being run like a cottage industry as i wouldnt want to be anywhere near the premier league millions and god forbid run like a professional outfit.

I want to be excited about Oldham away and not Man Utd.

 

[El Presidente]

I want to be excited about Oldham away and not Man Utd.

I already am!

 

[Seasider78]

Who ever doesnt want Brighton to make it to the Premier League needs to get their head sorted. What is the point in supporting a fooball team if you dont want them to succeed and play in the top division?

You look at teams like Wigan and Stoke when they arrived in the Premier League everyone assumed they would be the whipping boys and go straight back down, but loko at them now, they not exactly challenging for European Football but they still playing in the highest and arguable the best football division in the world.

I would LOVE to see Brighton playing in the top flight, whether we are whipping boys or consistant mid table mediocracy.

I must need my head sorted then as whilst I would not mind us having a dip in the premier league I cannot think of anything more depressing than being in a Wigan/Bolton type situation where you know finishing 10th in a division would be classed as a great season.

Given the choice I would rather watch us being competitive in the championship

 

[El Presidente]

All Albion fans would love us to be in the Premiership, but be careful what you wish for. The first season would be to sell out crowds every match, incredible excitement, and long lasting memories. We would take our full allocation at practically every away match too.

IF we survived a season, and it would be a huge 'IF' then the following year would be the tough one in terms of support and interest. When we were in the top flight in 1979-83 our average attendance went down each season significantly, and we ended playing to a crowd of less than 10,000 at the Goldstone in Mike Bailey's final match.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

and we ended playing to a crowd of less than 10,000 at the Goldstone in Mike Bailey's final match.

Yeah but that was because the football was perceived as boring, it was a tough economic climate (I was 13) and that match was near to Christmas also not a big crowd puller, Coventry of similar.

Over 25,000 a few months later.

 

[Everest]

I cannot think of anything more depressing than being in a Wigan/Bolton type situation where you know finishing 10th in a division would be classed as a great season.

As opposed to finishing 13th in League 1, you mean?

I wouldn't mind having just 1 season in the Prem. At least that would be some reward for TB for his generosity.

 

[junior]

I think everybody is forgetting we are not even in the championship yet.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

All Albion fans would love us to be in the Premiership, but be careful what you wish for. The first season would be to sell out crowds every match, incredible excitement, and long lasting memories. We would take our full allocation at practically every away match too.

IF we survived a season, and it would be a huge 'IF' then the following year would be the tough one in terms of support and interest. When we were in the top flight in 1979-83 our average attendance went down each season significantly, and we ended playing to a crowd of less than 10,000 at the Goldstone in Mike Bailey's final match.

As is oft repeated on here, you cannot compare crowds from almost 30 years ago to todays. Arsenal had 17k for some Highbury games at that time, there was hooliganism and general apathy with the game in general. We'd have no problem filling seats for a second/third etc. Premiershit season I wouldn't have thought.... although I'd be fugged if I'll be shelling out for Wigan or Bolton at home for more than one season

 

[KneeOn]

I don't want mid table mediocracy, i want a Yo-yo club between the Prem and the Championship, where we COULD stay up, final day drama, crying but thinking at teh back of your mind "next season we're going up", and then we we are in the championship, being the tema to beat, winning titles. Either that or pushing for Europe

 

[vulture]

now her buddy knight has gone i wonder if liz costa still wants to stay in league one and two for ever

 

[dougdeep]

All Albion fans would love us to be in the Premiership.

No, no they wouldn't.

 

[cyanide-sid]

All Albion fans would love us to be in the Premiership, but be careful what you wish for. The first season would be to sell out crowds every match, incredible excitement, and long lasting memories. We would take our full allocation at practically every away match too.

IF we survived a season, and it would be a huge 'IF' then the following year would be the tough one in terms of support and interest. When we were in the top flight in 1979-83 our average attendance went down each season significantly, and we ended playing to a crowd of less than 10,000 at the Goldstone in Mike Bailey's final match.

We were playing some incredibly boring football though in that last season and there was the threat of hooliganism at most games which was contributing to the attendances plummeting all over the country as well in that period if I remember correctly.
Lovely stadium, attractive football under Gus ? We wouldn`t drop below 19 k in my opinion.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

IF we survived a season, and it would be a huge 'IF' then the following year would be the tough one in terms of support and interest. When we were in the top flight in 1979-83 our average attendance went down each season significantly, and we ended playing to a crowd of less than 10,000 at the Goldstone in Mike Bailey's final match.

I don't think you can compare the two. SKY have hyped the Premier League to ludicrous levels, and it seems inconceivable that apathy could set in that quickly, if indeed at all. Even if the new-found Falmer fans quickly tired of the Albion, there would be enough visits by attractive opposition to keep the numbers high. The biggest queue I ever saw at Withdean was for the visit of Chelsea youth team a couple of seasons back. That's the drawing power of the Premier League nowadays. I want us to get up there and stay up there forever.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Perhaps,in a funny sort of way,the Premier League has done football a favour.A smallish club - Blackpool - has had its future secured even if it only lasts one year at the top.The more small to medium sized teams that make it,the more the Premiership will be protecting League football.Yes,yes,I know how it reduces the chances of those outside the Championship,and even small clubs in that division,and may inexorably lead to Son of Premiership,but we can dream,no? (omits string of dots).

 

[JonathanLivingstonSeagull]

I cannot think of anything more depressing than being in a Wigan/Bolton type situation where you know finishing 10th in a division would be classed as a great season.

can't help but think you haven't tried very hard

 

[dougdeep]

Perhaps,in a funny sort of way,the Premier League has done football a favour.A smallish club - Blackpool - has had its future secured even if it only lasts one year at the top.

Like Portsmouth you mean?

 

[Marc]

The question is...do we want it?

eerr YES! anyone who says differently is a f***ing idiot who obviously does'nt want anygood for the Albion EVER....losers!