We will be the laughing stock

[Skinthead]

Well i for one think its a brilliant idea! the more that come to the Amex the better the atmosphere, I really cant see what the problem is? & after reading all the replys I think most of us would agree!! I just cant wait!!

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Has anyone seen the article in the argus about how we are going to treat away fans . ?? I know some may feel im being a bit silly but in my opinion It's a joke they are planning on changing lighting to suit away teams, for example make red lighting in away end for man united , liverpool etc they will change all fittings to suit the away team and the biggest joke of all is they are putting up posters of legends that have played at the club that we play at the Amex . So we ask when palace come down to play do we put up palace posters and make it blue and red...... Obviously not!! but then if we don't but do for every other away team that come here we look like we are discriminating them for supporting the scum . We need to have this changed. It's a stupid idea we want teams to fear coming to the Amex not welcome them with open arms and put special pictures up for them each time . Why would we want to make away teams feel welcome and as if they are at home at our new stadium . This needs to be changed and us fans need to voice our views on it because it's a waste off money and time . I have a few mates who don't support the Albion and when they saw this they laughed and that will be the reaction of every single away fan who comes here !!

I never get wound up by people on here (check my posts), but a complete knob this person is.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I haven't read all 7 pages of this, but my take is that you could probably pamper the away fans into not really being that up for an atmosphere - make it a family day out, keep them keen to get down to the bar and probably stay there into the start of the 2nd half, generally make it less like a typical away day.

 

[CP 0 3 BHA]

I think its a great idea but i do worry that sooner or later the padded seats, high tech screens etc will be taken apart by an angry visiting mob - and the there's potentially more of those in the Championship than in any other division!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't know whether this will encourage a better atmosphere from the away fans or soften it - I see both arguments but think it will bring more fans who will then make more noise

But I know that what I do want is a vibrant atmosphere from the away fans, because that tends to up the home crowd atmosphere and up the performances from the players and make it all round better entertainment. Which is what we want isn't it.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Some people have no idea about marketing strategies and points of difference.

The club can position itself as one of the leading, forward thinking clubs in the nation.

This can't be achieved by thinking in a 1970's terraced ground fan mentality.

Might lead to losing a few fans in the short term but in the long term it will draw in far more supporters for the future.

 

[Icy Gull]

Being a laughing stock because we are at Withdean has never bothered me, so some knobs laughing at us because we are being civilised to them and their team in our state of the art stadium is gonna make me query that they may be a bit mental rather than bother me.

 

[brunswick]

its now all about customers and money nowadays......money buys quality players = more success....simple.

we could have a path for away fans with a bridge above were we throw bricks, and a nearby pub just full of our firm to scare and intimidate them instread? this would really stop people laughing at us.

i think the club are forward thinking in what they are doing, just a shame they have not gone for healthy food too.

 

[Brovion]

Blimey, am I the only one who thinks the original poster's got a good point? I don't want Falmex to be welcoming to opposition fans, I want it to be a feared cauldron of hate where visiting fans are scared to open their mouths in support of their team. I'm not saying we should go as far as having bear traps in the concourse or snipers in the WSU randomly picking off visiting fans - I'm just saying we just shouldn't totally discount the idea, that's all

EDIT: And for those worried about loss of income when away fans are too scared to turn up it simply means there will be more room for home fans. (Obviously we'll have to tell the snipers what blocks they're in to avoid accidents)

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

As I understand it the posters we put up of their legends will have been de-faced in some way. You know - a bit like this:

 

[NMH]

There argument is away fans have put up with so much over the last few years at Brighton so they want to make it up to them but what I don't think Martin Perry has realised is that we are the ones that have sat there in the rain around a running track paying these high prices every week for the last 13 odd years not the away fans and if they have they come ONCE a year . And anyway Only a handful of away fans bother coming to withdean and now we have this amazing stadium away fans will want to come and watch their team regardless of if they have stupid pointless pictures and different coloured lights in their end !! This HAS to be changed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who cares? And why??

It's a sport, and making one set of fans miserable isn't really what the game should be all about. To come and have seen a good game, to know that the whole experience was worth spending valuable free time and not-so-free money on - that's what it should be about. It's all a bit disingenuous to present the game we and they love as poorly as possible for the visiting fans. That black-and-white thinking that we have to heap sadness on the other people for not being like us, is not the right way to go about it.

Alright to hope that we win every game, but surely acceptable if both sets of fans enjoy their day of football, really.

 

[narly101]

Encouraging away supporters to come and spend money on tickets, beers, food etc. What is wrong with that. How many away fans disregarded coming to watch us over the last 13 years due to it being a crap experience.

Shirley we want money, money from whoever, why turn down 2,000 visitors @ 18 pounds ticket that would be 36 grand.

This. End of. The Albion need to make money wherever it can. Making the away fans feel welcome will encourage more to come in the future.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

The thread starter has this SO wrong. Firstly, more away fans = more money for US = better Albion team, for us to watch.

He is suggesting that a few pics on the wall will fire up the away fans. I'm not sure if he's ever been to an away game, but where have you seen the Albion fans in best voice - in the 'intimidating' new den, or in the comfy chairs at MK? Make them as comfy and welcomed as possible.

Wise words

 

[Mammoth]

They are after the blackpool effect- and by doing something different the club has raised its profile with the media and reminded the world that withdean will shortly be no more. Nowt wrong with a little free advertising.

Get the longer distance travelling away fans down for the weekend, spend money on a hotel, in local pubs and clubs. Good for the hospitality industry. I feel sorry for away fans who have to come down on a tuesday night. I remember a couple of seasons ago QPR fans having a massive whinge because they were away to blackpool on a tuesday night- they all fancied it as a weekender- and so will be the same with Brighton. Weekend away, and drown their sorrows by the sea after a good tonking

 

[narly101]

Very good a idea to attract more away fans as it means more revenue for us and the City.

Has the thread starter ever studied economics ?

Probably not.

 

[Icy Gull]

Blimey, am I the only one who thinks the original poster's got a good point? I don't want Falmex to be welcoming to opposition fans, I want it to be a feared cauldron of hate where visiting fans are scared to open their mouths in support of their team. I'm not saying we should go as far as having bear traps in the concourse or snipers in the WSU randomly picking off visiting fans - I'm just saying we just shouldn't totally discount the idea, that's all

EDIT: And for those worried about loss of income when away fans are too scared to turn up it simply means there will be more room for home fans. (Obviously we'll have to tell the snipers what blocks they're in to avoid accidents)

Have you considered switching allegiance to Galatasary? Maybe we can have some pre-match animal sacrifices in front of the away fans as well? Cauldrons of hate result in violence, so maybe we'd better toughen up the Brighton Ultras too.

 

[Brovion]

Have you considered switching allegiance to Galatasary? Maybe we can have some pre-match animal sacrifices in front of the away fans as well? Cauldrons of hate result in violence, so maybe we'd better toughen up the Brighton Ultras too.

All good ideas, all good ideas. As the away end is going to be themed, maybe the animal sacrifices could be themed? You know the sort of thing; if we're playing Newcastle we sacrifice a magpie, Palace we sacrifice an Eagle, Cardiff ..... don't think we've got any bluebirds so it'll have to be a sheep, and for Gillingham we could sacrifice some random pikey we've pickled up at one of the traveller camps in Brighton.

Might raise this on 'Ask The Club' ...

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

IMO the OP's opinion is stuck in the dark ages. Should football really be about fear, hatred & intimidation? That's how things were in the 70's and 80's. It's a damning indictment of some fans mentality that they want football to bean unpleasant experience for anyone, even the opposition fans.

The provisions we are making are a fantastic initiative that other clubs will hopefully follow. Wouldn't it be nice to one day be able to go to away matches and not have any fear for your safety or wellbeing. There is a long way to go but as long as there are forward thinking clubs like the Albion around the game has a chance to flourish for years to come.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I'm not sure I would spend a fortune on this aspect of the stadium, but put it this way, it cannot possibly result in fewer fans coming to see their team here. They might take the piss, but they will come to see it for themselves, the first time at least.

Also it is going to get a lot of publicity in the first couple of home games. It's the kind of issue talkSPORT will cream themselves for hours over, the treatment of away fans.

 

[Commander]

And making them comfortable may actually keep them quiet rather than getting them worked up and creating an atmosphere.

No doubt this point has already been raised, but I cant be bothered to read all 7 pages.