Would you change the last 15 years?

[Mr Burns]

Maybe a thread better started in the first week of August, but looking back over the past 15 years, would you change anything or what would you have changed. Obviosuly poeple that have lost loved ones over the past 15 years, those that never will see Falmer finished is a given.

It's been a pretty unique ride for a football fan. Not many other clubs have been through what we have, and come out the other side smelling of roses.

Who knows if cuntarcher and cuntbolloxhead hadn't come in with Cuntstanley, we could still be at the Goldstone, playing bottom tier football with a ground falling apart that holds less than 10k with no new ground to look forward to. They were talking about rehousing us in the 70s, and the goldstone going sort of forced the councils hand imo. All the time we had the Goldstone, I don't think we'd ever moved. Sure the ####s in charge never planned it like that, and should be spat on in the street upon every sighting.

Sure, it would have been nice to only have been at Withdean for a year or two, and the 15 years experience only lasting 5 years, but the roller coaster ride is coming to an end, at long last we have a club to support that is going places, so was the last 15 years worth it, and was is an overall experience that will hold unique memories amongst football fans??

 

[Norman Potting]

Good question, depends how you extrapolate from a "no Archer, no Bellotti" postition. If a wealth benefactor had appeared earlier how much scope would the Goldstone have had for upgrading to a similar capacity as Falmer?

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

It's an interesting question. If you'd have asked this 18months ago then 100% I'd have said yes. Now though, with Bloom, Poyet, the championship and Falmer, it's much more difficult to answer. If we'd stayed at the Goldstone I'm not sure we'd ever have got to Falmer. Bloom might not have been chairman and perhaps no Poyet. So...

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Good question. So many if's and but's, but knowing what we are about to walk into next season and the healthly state of the club then I'd say yes, all the hard work and shit football over the last 15 years has been well worth it, especially when you add in the 3 promotions achieved while at Withdean. If say we had been going directly from the Goldstone to the Amex, it would still have been amazing, but no where near as sweet as having endured the Gillingham/Withdean experience.

 

[Curious Orange]

Our history defines who we are as supporters and a club. I don't think looking back and either regretting what has passed, or wondering about what could have been is a worthwhile exercise. We have experienced highs and lows that no other club can really match over the last 15 years, and believe me the highs feel so much sweeter because of the depth of those lows.

Andrew

 

[y2dave]

It's not been easy supporting the Albion but what a journey. The reward of Falmer makes it all worthwhile. I feel most sorry for those we lost during the truly dark days of uncertainty before Falmer became a reality. The 1st game at Falmer will surely be overflowing with emotion.

I doubt many clubs have ever had such an dramatic period with so much at stake. I will actually miss some parts of the Withdean experience, going mental on the running track, sitting in the sun for early/late season games etc. I actually wouldnt change a thing. It's all about the end result for me.

 

[jimhigham]

No way. Hereford was the best experience of my supporting life bar none. The sheer solidarity brought about through the tough times has been a slice of fried gold.

It's a trite old phrase that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger but in our case it's true. We stared into the brink, didn't like what we found, said "no way" and got it sorted. Onwards and upwards.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

You have to have hard times to appreciate the good ones. From the where we are now, and where we're going, I don't think I would change Albion things, as painful as they may have been at the time.

 

[big nuts]

Albion to have stayed up in 2002/03. We had built up some really good momentum under Coppell's guidances and he still remains the finest manipulator of the transfer market I have ever seen at the Albion. If we could of kept Ingimarsson, Sidwell and signed Hunt who we were linked to, we could well of been a top Championship side and above for a few years.

Also Kazim Richards to have played in a more offensive and successful side. We never saw his true potential, as when he played it was always backs to the wall defensive displays to preserve our Championship status. He could of been amazing in this side.

 

[Notters]

I'd have put a canvas roof on the south stand like that at Bristol Rovers! Other than that, no.

 

[Igor Gurinovich?]

not for a minute, makes the current successes all the sweeter..

 

[Lord Bamber]

Good thread Mr B.

Answer, hell no, apart from the Fulham march (home game) when I went in the West Stand, I wish Id got in the directors box a bit quicker and got a hold of Bellotti before he scarpered.

Tricky nailed it on above, you appreciate the good times far better when you have been through the pain and endurance of what we have. To have lost the Goldstone as we did, been staring down the barrell of extinction, both club & league existence makes the joys of Hereford, Play-off finals, the withdean years and the Amex waiting so much sweeter.

I would hate to be a Man Utd / Chelsea / Arsenal fan as they wake up every day expecting success.

The only other thing........

Played Barnes a bit more this season.....

 

[Brovion]

You have to have hard times to appreciate the good ones. From the where we are now, and where we're going, I don't think I would change Albion things, as painful as they may have been at the time.

Agreed. Was it Manic Street Preachers who brought out an album called something like "You've got to go there to come back"? (I'm not really 'with it' as far as modern beat groups go so I could be wrong). And as has been pointed out if we hadn't lost the Goldstone would the future look as good?

What we've been through makes the current success and the move to new stadium all the more sweeter; if it had all been a smooth progression it wouldn't mean nearly so much to us. That's why a lot of us will be in tears at that first Amex match.

 

[Seagull Steve]

No, I don't think I would have changed anything. By going through the last fifteen years, it's made us stronger as a club. We can move into our new home with an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment. Much too many people to mention on here, but Falmer for all, all the supporters,Tony Bloom, Martin Perry, Gus Poyet etc etc.. should all be very proud of themselves. As y2dave says, the first game at the Amex will be a very emotional day.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Was it Manic Street Preachers who brought out an album called something like "You've got to go there to come back"? (I'm not really 'with it' as far as modern beat groups go so I could be wrong).

Stereophonics I think, close enough!

 

[Storer68]

It's an interesting question. If you'd have asked this 18months ago then 100% I'd have said yes. Now though, with Bloom, Poyet, the championship and Falmer, it's much more difficult to answer. If we'd stayed at the Goldstone I'm not sure we'd ever have got to Falmer. Bloom might not have been chairman and perhaps no Poyet. So...

But we might have got to falmer quicker than this!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I miss the Goldstone, always will and as good as the Amex undoubtedly will be, it can never be the same. However the last 15 years has been an absolutely amazing rollercoaster. From York to Fans United to Dick Knight to Hereford to Gillingham to 6-0 first game at Withdean to Zamora to beating the Cheats to back-to-back titles to Coppell to 0-5 at Palace to Leon Knight to the play-off final to beating Palace to staying up last game of the season to the Coca-cola kid to the Falmer decision to Wilkin's babes to Adams return to Slade's great escape to Tony Bloom to Gus Poyet to total football to the first game at the Amex. Its been one heck of a ride.

 

[Munkfish]

However the last 15 years has been an absolutely amazing rollercoaster. From York to Fans United to Dick Knight to Hereford to Gillingham to 6-0 first game at Withdean to Zamora to beating the Cheats to back-to-back titles to Coppell to 0-5 at Palace to Leon Knight to the play-off final to beating Palace to staying up last game of the season to the Coca-cola kid to the Falmer decision to Wilkin's babes to Adams return to Slade's great escape to Tony Bloom to Gus Poyet to total football to the first game at the Amex. Its been one heck of a ride.

Brilliant!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I'd have put a canvas roof on the south stand like that at Bristol Rovers! Other than that, no.

Great minds. Except it might have been a proper roof.

 

[Easy 10]

I think that had we not been shafted in 1997 we'd still be at the Goldstone now, because I don't believe there would be the perceived will, determination or urgency amongst the fans or board (whoever that may have been) to get a new stadium. The hurdles to clear, and the sheer cost involved, would have been viewed as insurmountable. I think they'd have looked at making the best out of what we had there.

What KIND of Goldstone we would have today if we were still there is interesting to speculate on. It would have had to be redeveloped to an extent, the old place was in serious need of an urgent spruce-up, but the scope for improving it would have been extremely limited. I doubt we'd have been able to have a proper major stand built on the East side, as the residents would (understandably) have kicked up a right old stink at having their light blocked by a bloody great stand roof. At best, I reckon we'd have got something like Plymouth have - a single-tier roofed stand going around 3/4 of the ground covering the North, West and South. The East terrace would be tidied up, maybe a tiny stand with a dozen row of seats and a small roof over them ?

Had we remained, we would have been doomed to the small-time forever, a lower-league scuffler with an occasional visit to the Championship I reckons.