Tickets selling well then!

[Withdean Wanderer]

Albion boss concerned by slow ticket sales
By Brian Owen

Dean Wilkins has called on Albion fans to turn out to see what his new look team can do against top-flight opponents.

The Seagulls are struggling to sell tickets to their own supporters for the first of their two home pre-season dates, against Premiership outfit Fulham a week tonight.

Fulham have already sold their allocation of 900 tickets - and as things stand that makes up more than half of the crowd.

The Kerry Mayo testimonial, featuring a fixture with Reading, on July 28 has attracted a decent amount of interest but the club are particularly disappointed with the response for the Fulham game after cutting prices to £10 for adults, £5 for under-16s and £1 for under-tens.

Seagulls boss Wilkins said: "We have sorted out the problem where our stands used to be needed for the British Open golf and we are now able to stage a couple of good home friendlies.

"We have got two Premiership clubs and I think we have made things as attractive as we can for supporters."

Albion kick-off their pre-season schedule at Worthing tomorrow. Their only fitness worry is defender Andrew Whing, who has been suffering with a virus.

But the Seagulls are likely to adopt a cautious approach with their players who are coming back from injury, such as Adam Hinshelwood, Charlie Oatway and Paul Reid.

Tickets for Albion's home friendlies are available online at seagulls.co.uk, from the ticket office at 5, Queens Road, Brighton or by calling (01273 776992). Both games are all-ticket.



Good work chaps!

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

And you wonder why, when you see the quote on the next article....

"Manager Dean Wilkins has told fans not to expect to see anything particularly new in terms of tactics."

Oh happy days!

 

[clippedgull]

Two premiership teams. OK, can't argue with that

But mediocre Premiership teams at best.

What did they expect? To be turning thousands of dissapointed people away from Withdean?

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Fulham have already sold their allocation of 900 tickets - and as things stand that makes up more than half of the crowd.

That is embarassing !

Fans moan when we get crap friendlies, but when we get premiership teams no one turns up !

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Unless you give me Manchester United, Chelsea, or Liverpool, I'll always find something better to do on a Friday night than watch a FRIENDLY I'm afraid.

Like play football with a load of GOONS

 

[bailey]

Seagulls boss Wilkins said: "We have sorted out the problem where our stands used to be needed for the British Open golf.....

What's all that about then? Do we rent our stands out during the summer?

 

[clippedgull]

What's all that about then? Do we rent our stands out during the summer?

apparently we leased them during the football season but the leasing company had a contract for the golf.

I think we now own them.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Can you imagine playing a home game in front of more away supporters than home ones?

With Fulham fans so far away from the pitch, it would actually seem EMPTY.
Brilliant!

 

[Statto]

youd think we would get more against a prem side though.

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Well im still going to the Fulham game

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

i wanted to go to the fulham game, but i stil havent got a job :-( meaning can't get down for the game. but that is embarassing

 

[Scotty Mac]

if it was a saturday afternoon then maybe you might get a better crowd - but is wilkins really suprised given the dire performances his team put out last season that people don't want to sit through 90 minutes of pain, which is also completely meaningless, on a friday night?

night on the town is much more appealing than watching charlie oatway wander cluelessly around a pitch

 

[pasty]

It's not exactly surprising though. When you consider how woeful last season was, how much everyone hates Withdean, the fact it's a summer Friday night, and it's only a friendly,

You have just quoted 4 reasons why I am not going.

 

[Yorkie]

I just haven't got round to getting our tickets yet, but I will be going. We had a good friendly against Leicester when they were in the Prem a few years ago with a classic moment of the squirrel on the pitch.

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

...a classic moment of the squirrel on the pitch.

LOL - only at Withdean!

When it comes to friendlies I'm firmly in the indifferent camp. Unless it's going to be Liverpool, Spurs (like we had in our last couple of seasons at The Goldstone) or the like, I'm just not going to be motivated to leave the beer garden and head out to Withdean.

 

[southstandandy]

I won't be back from Lords until between 8-9pm so I could'nt go anyway. One of the biggest attraction of friendlies in the past used to be the chance to see some of the new signings, but Forster is really the only 'new' face we've signed so theres probably little attraction for many people. Whing was a decent acquisition but most fans will have seen him before - plus many people will be away on summer hols so a low attendance is hardly surprising IMO.

 

[hitony]

if it was a saturday afternoon then maybe you might get a better crowd - but is wilkins really suprised given the dire performances his team put out last season that people don't want to sit through 90 minutes of pain, which is also completely meaningless, on a friday night?

night on the town is much more appealing than watching charlie oatway wander cluelessly around a pitch

Scotty you are so right, my wife and i would love to come down and watch the Fulham game, and we would if it was on a saturday, but she does not finish work till 5.30pm and i dont think even i can get from Bridgend in South Wales to Brighton in time for the kick off having said that we are probably going to Worthing tomorrow....cos we can