Spimunk
Member
Firstly, I know how much everyone on here likes to blow their trupet but I just want to share my experience as non season ticket holding Albion fan. Also, I’m sorry if this is too long to read but I’m so excited to have been there, I am writing like a child on Christmas Eve!
Sadly, I don't have the money nor the available time due to work to go week in week out and I was lucky enough to get a ticket with a couple of close friends to see our glorious opening.
So we rock up at the Amex at about 1.45pm and walking down the stairs from Falmer station, I have to admit I lost the ability to breathe for a couple of seconds. I've seen lots of photos, especially from Jack Straw, of the new stadium, but nothing does it justice at all. It is AMAZING!! I used to go to the Goldstone as a kid, I went once to Gillingham (work commitments stopped me going more) and I've been to Withdean on occasions but this I wanted to be there. How glad I am that I was.
When we entered the West Stand (I would of liked to of been in the North Stand but after seeing the view from the West Stand, I'm glad I wasn't) at about 1.45pm, I was so pleased to get through the turnstile. I was amazed at how many steps I had to take up to to the top of the West Stand. Who’d of thought us, Brighton and Hove Albion fans, would ever need to walk up so many steps! It was brilliant! We arrived at the bar, got a beer and just soaked in the atmosphere with a programme.
As the build up went on, we had a second beer and then made our way to our seats. I was almost trembling from excitement and anticipation (seats are bloody comfy by the way!). I watched the first half in a mixture of bliss, amazement and awe. Also, what the hell happened in the last 5mins of that half?! As far as I’m concerned, it was 1-0 Albion! Lol
So then we make our way to the bar at half time. It seems that if the staff doesn’t hear you say “3 Kronenburg, 2 Pies and 1 Hotdog” you get charged for each thing separately. It got sorted out quickly and we got the deal that was on the big posters behind the staff ok. It seems he hadn’t heard us say “and a hotdog”. To be honest, even if we hadn’t said that at the start, of course we want the meal deal thingy, it’s cheaper. But as I say, it was sorted quickly so no qualms there.
On to the Second Half and we get a goal! Brilliant, we’re keeping pace with a Champions League team and in my opinion, still beating them 3-0 now. Then poor Peter lets us down so technically its 3-2 Spurs. This is how the match ends.
As much as I am disappointed with a loss, all in all I don’t care too much as we have a new home!!! And it feels like home!
So now the amusing bit (thanks for bearing with me!).
We wander down the stairs, intending t head to Dicks’s Bar for a drink (no idea if we can get but worth a shot) when we see a bar through a couple of sets of double doors. No security so we assume we can go in. We do. As I’m queing for the bar, my boss taps me on the shoulder and points out its a 1901 corporate place. He doesn’t seem to care we’re there so we order and start drinking, chatting about the game and watching Sky Sports News.
A very nice corporate member of staff comes up to us and asks to see our access passes. We tell him we don’t have them but no one was on the door so thought it was ok. He points out the dress code and the fact we can’t be wearing replica shirts. He has a little chat and asks us politely to drink up. We agree and continue drinking with no real hurry.
5 mins later he comes over again and says he’s had a complaint from a 1901 member as that member wasn’t allowed his friends in. He asks us again, very nicely, to drink up. We stand and chat with him while we’re drinking and he admits it’s their fault we got in to this bar as they should of had someone on the door and also reasons with my point that there’s kids in there with replica shirts on as I have and also that we have indeed paid for our drinks but if he wanted to he could ask for security to remove our drinks and make us leave. My friend says that honestly, he can’t do that as we’ve paid for them and my other friend mentions the fact we’ve chipped into the transfer fund. He laughs along with us. So we chat about the game (I was very impressed by the way he’d actually watched it) and by the time we’d finished chatting we were done drinking. I did leave it with a final point that if I had 1901 member at £2k plus, I’d be very disappointed I couldn’t wear my clubs colours but we understood and we’d never of gone in if we’d had know it was corporate only.
On the train home to Falmer, on my way to Haywards Heath, I got chatting to a 1901 member who’d worked hard all his life, been in the North Stand for season after season and had earned his money to get 1901 but even he thought it was crazy he couldn’t wear his shirt and his trainers. If you happen to be reading, thank you for a great chat and I hope to run into you in Haywards Heath some time.
So that’s my tale of the opening of the Amex, it was amazing, the staff were great and the corporate guy handled the situation brilliantly and completely understood where we were coming from. It all ended friendly and I can’t wait come back.
Long live the Amex and long live the Albion!
We are Brighton, Super Brighton, We are Brighton, From the South!
Sadly, I don't have the money nor the available time due to work to go week in week out and I was lucky enough to get a ticket with a couple of close friends to see our glorious opening.
So we rock up at the Amex at about 1.45pm and walking down the stairs from Falmer station, I have to admit I lost the ability to breathe for a couple of seconds. I've seen lots of photos, especially from Jack Straw, of the new stadium, but nothing does it justice at all. It is AMAZING!! I used to go to the Goldstone as a kid, I went once to Gillingham (work commitments stopped me going more) and I've been to Withdean on occasions but this I wanted to be there. How glad I am that I was.
When we entered the West Stand (I would of liked to of been in the North Stand but after seeing the view from the West Stand, I'm glad I wasn't) at about 1.45pm, I was so pleased to get through the turnstile. I was amazed at how many steps I had to take up to to the top of the West Stand. Who’d of thought us, Brighton and Hove Albion fans, would ever need to walk up so many steps! It was brilliant! We arrived at the bar, got a beer and just soaked in the atmosphere with a programme.
As the build up went on, we had a second beer and then made our way to our seats. I was almost trembling from excitement and anticipation (seats are bloody comfy by the way!). I watched the first half in a mixture of bliss, amazement and awe. Also, what the hell happened in the last 5mins of that half?! As far as I’m concerned, it was 1-0 Albion! Lol
So then we make our way to the bar at half time. It seems that if the staff doesn’t hear you say “3 Kronenburg, 2 Pies and 1 Hotdog” you get charged for each thing separately. It got sorted out quickly and we got the deal that was on the big posters behind the staff ok. It seems he hadn’t heard us say “and a hotdog”. To be honest, even if we hadn’t said that at the start, of course we want the meal deal thingy, it’s cheaper. But as I say, it was sorted quickly so no qualms there.
On to the Second Half and we get a goal! Brilliant, we’re keeping pace with a Champions League team and in my opinion, still beating them 3-0 now. Then poor Peter lets us down so technically its 3-2 Spurs. This is how the match ends.
As much as I am disappointed with a loss, all in all I don’t care too much as we have a new home!!! And it feels like home!
So now the amusing bit (thanks for bearing with me!).
We wander down the stairs, intending t head to Dicks’s Bar for a drink (no idea if we can get but worth a shot) when we see a bar through a couple of sets of double doors. No security so we assume we can go in. We do. As I’m queing for the bar, my boss taps me on the shoulder and points out its a 1901 corporate place. He doesn’t seem to care we’re there so we order and start drinking, chatting about the game and watching Sky Sports News.
A very nice corporate member of staff comes up to us and asks to see our access passes. We tell him we don’t have them but no one was on the door so thought it was ok. He points out the dress code and the fact we can’t be wearing replica shirts. He has a little chat and asks us politely to drink up. We agree and continue drinking with no real hurry.
5 mins later he comes over again and says he’s had a complaint from a 1901 member as that member wasn’t allowed his friends in. He asks us again, very nicely, to drink up. We stand and chat with him while we’re drinking and he admits it’s their fault we got in to this bar as they should of had someone on the door and also reasons with my point that there’s kids in there with replica shirts on as I have and also that we have indeed paid for our drinks but if he wanted to he could ask for security to remove our drinks and make us leave. My friend says that honestly, he can’t do that as we’ve paid for them and my other friend mentions the fact we’ve chipped into the transfer fund. He laughs along with us. So we chat about the game (I was very impressed by the way he’d actually watched it) and by the time we’d finished chatting we were done drinking. I did leave it with a final point that if I had 1901 member at £2k plus, I’d be very disappointed I couldn’t wear my clubs colours but we understood and we’d never of gone in if we’d had know it was corporate only.
On the train home to Falmer, on my way to Haywards Heath, I got chatting to a 1901 member who’d worked hard all his life, been in the North Stand for season after season and had earned his money to get 1901 but even he thought it was crazy he couldn’t wear his shirt and his trainers. If you happen to be reading, thank you for a great chat and I hope to run into you in Haywards Heath some time.
So that’s my tale of the opening of the Amex, it was amazing, the staff were great and the corporate guy handled the situation brilliantly and completely understood where we were coming from. It all ended friendly and I can’t wait come back.
Long live the Amex and long live the Albion!
We are Brighton, Super Brighton, We are Brighton, From the South!
!!
