Slartibartfast42
New member
- Dec 13, 2008
- 1
We will never have a top club here in Brighton - and the reason for that (and you'll probably disagree but that's what forums are for) is because our town is too nice!
We get the best weather in the entire mainland UK here and the town is thriving. Been to any other resorts recently? They've become run down, dismal and grey.
Everybody wants to live in Brighton & Hove - property prices reflect that.
And that's the problem. New people are forever moving into the area but they don't suddenly become Albion supporters. They still continue to support their Blackburns, Blackpools & Boltons and the only time they will visit Withdean is if their team is playing there.
It's been like this for years. I'm now 66 and have supported the Albion since my dad took me to my very first match at the age of 9. Of all my friends, I'm the only Brighton born - all the rest came from various places around Britain and even though some have lived here for 40 years, still support their home teams.
Without a large fan base there is simply not enough money coming into the club meaning that if they get the occasional good player, such as Gary Stevens or Bobby Zamora the club have to sell them to keep afloat. Without top players you can't get a top team.
Yes, I know we made it to the old 1st Division but every season was a struggle - not fighting relegation but getting the best out of the players we could afford. That works for a while but is impossible to sustain.
It's a catch 22 situation. The better a team is doing, the more people turn out to watch it - but they can't get better without those people going through those turnstiles - and without a good team no sugar daddy is going to fly over us in his helicopter and decide to buy us.
A thing worth remembering, and I'm sure it's been said here before, is when we were in the old 1st Division we didn't have one sell out for a league game - even against the mighty Man United or Arsenal. I seem to remember the only sell out was for a cup game against Liverpool.
If we couldn't fill the Goldstone against teams like that, what chance do we have against Yeovil or Hartlepool?
So we are just going to have to face up to facts. When I first started supporting the Albion 57 years ago they were in the old 3rd Division South - and we are STILL in the 3rd Division. Yes, it sounds great to be in "League 1" but we're kidding ourselves - it's really Division 3 - and that's where we will always be - it's our home, unfortunately.
We get the best weather in the entire mainland UK here and the town is thriving. Been to any other resorts recently? They've become run down, dismal and grey.
Everybody wants to live in Brighton & Hove - property prices reflect that.
And that's the problem. New people are forever moving into the area but they don't suddenly become Albion supporters. They still continue to support their Blackburns, Blackpools & Boltons and the only time they will visit Withdean is if their team is playing there.
It's been like this for years. I'm now 66 and have supported the Albion since my dad took me to my very first match at the age of 9. Of all my friends, I'm the only Brighton born - all the rest came from various places around Britain and even though some have lived here for 40 years, still support their home teams.
Without a large fan base there is simply not enough money coming into the club meaning that if they get the occasional good player, such as Gary Stevens or Bobby Zamora the club have to sell them to keep afloat. Without top players you can't get a top team.
Yes, I know we made it to the old 1st Division but every season was a struggle - not fighting relegation but getting the best out of the players we could afford. That works for a while but is impossible to sustain.
It's a catch 22 situation. The better a team is doing, the more people turn out to watch it - but they can't get better without those people going through those turnstiles - and without a good team no sugar daddy is going to fly over us in his helicopter and decide to buy us.
A thing worth remembering, and I'm sure it's been said here before, is when we were in the old 1st Division we didn't have one sell out for a league game - even against the mighty Man United or Arsenal. I seem to remember the only sell out was for a cup game against Liverpool.
If we couldn't fill the Goldstone against teams like that, what chance do we have against Yeovil or Hartlepool?
So we are just going to have to face up to facts. When I first started supporting the Albion 57 years ago they were in the old 3rd Division South - and we are STILL in the 3rd Division. Yes, it sounds great to be in "League 1" but we're kidding ourselves - it's really Division 3 - and that's where we will always be - it's our home, unfortunately.
rat