4-1 up and thousands of fans leave before the final whistel. Disgusting.

[n1 gull]

I leave early most of the time. I'm also going to Bristol City tomorrow with probably 1000 others. I wonder how many of the 'outraged' will be there? It does my head in, we win 4-1 and people are still moaning. Cheer up!

 

[greyseagull]

It would be even more pronounced in the same scenario against Palace, as fans try to get away before Palace get out, having got the points in the bag. The interesting scenario then, though, is that Palace would also leave early (as I have done at Selhurst following our 2 pastings there).

Very true and a good point. Although I'd like to think if there was a game in which we were 4-1 up and the players deserved to be applauded off the pitch by a full-house then Palace would be it. For me, if people left early in the final few minutes against Palace and we were winning, I think it would be mixture of your point above and the sad fact that many JCLs out there don't appreciate or understand the rivalry between the two clubs. That latter point for me is one of sheer frustration.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I don't get why people keep trotting out its jcl's who leave early as they don't understand or something. Most of the chaps in front of me leave a few minutes before the end and they were Withdean regulars.

 

[Easy 10]

Yes I suppose people have their reasons for copping off early, but it really is proper SHIT seeing a half-empty stadium for the last 5-10 minutes. The atmosphere just dies on its arse, and Saturday was about as bad as I've ever seen it.

I left on the final whistle, was on a train by 5.15, and in my local just before 6 (blagged my way onto a 700 at Churchill Sq). Doddle. Obviously some people have a lot further to go, but does an extra half hour / 45 minutes really *destroy* Saturday night as you know it ?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Yes I suppose people have their reasons for copping off early, but it really is proper SHIT seeing a half-empty stadium for the last 5-10 minutes. The atmosphere just dies on its arse, and Saturday was about as bad as I've ever seen it.

I left on the final whistle, was on a train by 5.15, and in my local just before 6 (blagged my way onto a 700 at Churchill Sq). Doddle. Obviously some people have a lot further to go, but does an extra half hour / 45 minutes really *destroy* Saturday night as you know it ?

I'm not sure I'd agree totally with that Easy. Huddersfield had 800 and made a fair bit of noise, so surely if the die-hards/proper supporters/loyal followers/Jonny Never Leave Earlys (JNLES)/true Brighton fans were there, presumably they'd still be able to create an atmosphere.

I honestly can't believe this is still going on. There are for more important things in life than people leaving a football match before the final whistel (sic). In fact, probably most things.

 

[Titus]

Huddersfield had 800 and made a fair bit of noise.

Really? Perhaps it was after I left.

 

[Easy 10]

I'm not sure I'd agree totally with that Easy. Huddersfield had 800 and made a fair bit of noise, so surely if the die-hards/proper supporters/loyal followers/Jonny Never Leave Earlys (JNLES)/true Brighton fans were there, presumably they'd still be able to create an atmosphere.

I honestly can't believe this is still going on. There are for more important things in life than people leaving a football match before the final whistel (sic). In fact, probably most things.

Course there is, but it doesn't mean its not a bit shit when you look round the ground on 85 minutes and almost see more seats than fans. I'm not going to berate people for leaving early, but its quite embarrassing seeing the place half empty when the game is still going on.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Really? Perhaps it was after I left.

Compared with teams that have had similar support – numbers-wise – I thought they were quite vocal, yes.

 

[Monkey Man]

This subject has been done to death and people are entrenched on both sides.

Of course you can leave a football match whenever you like. But those of us who stay till the end also have the right to express a bit of dismay when you do.

Maybe it doesn't make a blind bit of difference either way but a half empty stadium at the final whistle hardly sends a signal to current or prospective players that this is a club with a passionate fanbase. And I've never heard a player say that a quiet, emptying ground gives them that little bit extra.

It's also a bit ironic that when people bring up this topic they're described as moaners. In my experience it's the people who moan non stop all bleeding match that tend to leave early. Some of them still probably think we drew 0-0 with Forest last season.

 

[One Love]

For me, if people left early in the final few minutes against Palace and we were winning, I think it would be mixture of your point above and the sad fact that many JCLs out there don't appreciate or understand the rivalry between the two clubs. That latter point for me is one of sheer frustration.

You don't have to be a JCL to choose not to join in with rivalry and hatred of Palace.

 

[Albumen]

I'm sure the club will want everyone to come and leave the same time. Hopefully there'll be programme notes soon telling us what we should do: What time to go through the turnstiles, what time to take our seats. What time to sit. Oh no, forgot, there's a clock already and people get the idea, with room for leeway.

What's more annoying for the players? 5-10% people leaving in the last 5 minutes to catch early traffic or fans causing trouble with stewards the entire match for refusing to sit down? I've seen what turns the players heads.

 

[somerset]

What's more annoying for the players? 5-10% people leaving in the last 5 minutes to catch early traffic .

More like 30-40%

 

[Albumen]

More like 30-40%

Rollocks. There's still 90% by the final whistle, on average.

 

[One Love]

I really don't get it, why leave any game early ?

But each to their own

Beach Hut how do you normally get home? Walk, drive, bus, train?

 

[somerset]

Rollocks. There's still 90% by the final whistle, on average.

Not on Saturday there wasn't,... and I was being conservative with that figure....

 

[brightonrock]

What is wrong or selfish about that? Do you think you're doing everyone a favour?

I left on 90 minutes because I was going for a curry. I usually stand by the exit so I can leave on the whistle or in injury time so I can get a beer and a seat in Dick's. I don't need other people to tell me what my priorities should be, just accept that people are different and some people have more in their lives than football.

The gig, cinema, play analogy just doesn't work. I've left loads of gigs/clubs 5 minutes early when I've needed to get away quick. It's not comparable to a cinema or play either - if I went to watch the same film in the same cinema every other week for 20 years I'd probably be happy to leave that 2 minutes before the end if I knew what the end was going to be and I had something else to do.

I couldn't give a f*** about losing the good fan competition, it's not important to me. I go to football for my own enjoyment, not because I think I'm doing BHAFC a favour.

My post was not aimed at occasional early leavers as per your example. I've had to get away sharpish myself before, I have no problem with that. My point is about the people who leave EVERY week, on 80 minutes, in their THOUSANDS. And if people aren't that bothered by football why are they paying c£40 a month to go?

Being a STH implies you care about the team enough to go every week, its not a passing interest but a deep passion. I'm not saying football is all that matters, of course not - but why pay all that money to regularly only see 85% of a game?

Your point about watching a film/play etc doesn't make sense btw - a game is not the same as the week before, its not 'the same film every other week for 20 years'. Its different every week so that's a silly analogy.

I'm not claiming to be a super fan or saying that anyone owes anything to bhafc, you're completely missing the point - my point is if you pay, why not watch it all? If you feel entitled to leave on 80 mins why not go on 75? Why not 70? Why not at half time? Why not decline to come at all? It doesn't make sense as a regular occurrence. We all have other stuff going on, shooting off bang on the final whistle because you've got somewhere to be is fair enough. Leaving every week with 10 mins left is stupid and doesn't make sense. That's all.

 

[Titus]

I was being conservative with that figure....

You mean it was a lie?

 

[Chris001]

I have never left before the final whistle myself but don't blame those that do - the transport situation is a real drag. My group get the train and we all find it tiresome, especially midweek fixtures.

 

[Albumen]

You mean it was lie?

Ouch.

 

[Billy the Fish]

My post was not aimed at occasional early leavers as per your example. I've had to get away sharpish myself before, I have no problem with that. My point is about the people who leave EVERY week, on 80 minutes, in their THOUSANDS. And if people aren't that bothered by football why are they paying c£40 a month to go?

This is turning a bit chinese whispers. There are certainly not thousands walking out on 80 minutes. There are on 90. It's not anyone elses business why somebody would wish to leave early, so why worry.