[Albion] Away fans in the home stands

[pal4life]

I was very disappointed to see so many chelsea fans being able to get tickets in the home stands. Especially with all that is happening with our travelling fans. It would seem that these away fans have been borrowing friend’s tickets. Loads in the northstand. Even 1 elderly chap blatantly wearing a chelsea fashion top.

 

[rippleman]

West Ham home end of last season, the shop was selling BHAFC t-shirts to WHU fans, wearing WHU shirts. They were then putting the BHAFC tees on over the WHU shirts. Only one reason why they were doing that. And only one reason why the shop was selling them - profit. I posted at the time that the club was prioritising profit over safety. No idea if the shop is still doing it or if it happened on Saturday.

Given Barber's obsession with ticketing it does seem odd that that away fans seem to access home areas so easily. One day, it won't end well.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Absolutely no Chelsea anywhere near us in WSU

It does happen though. Look at Spurs' last minute winner at Muff. There's a bloke in the home end going absolutely bananas with his celebration!

 

[Baldseagull]

The two in front of us went missing after half time, must have got lost, or fed up of having their hair tussled after every goal.

 

[Official Old Man]

4 in the East Upper. Again, how did they get tickets? These seats are on general sale for each game but you still need history to buy them. They also left well before the end.
We get checked and checked again going to away games and yet the club themselves are selling home tickets to away fans.

 

[Brovion]

.... It would seem that these away fans have been borrowing friend’s tickets ....

This is an unpopular view (for which I have been shouted down in the past but I'll make the point again), but some are probably using the tickets they use every week. Chelsea are their 'big' team but they're happy to support Brighton the rest of the time.

And no I can't quantify it, but I do know of one Albion STH for whom that is the case.

 

[Weststander]

Plenty of other (Sussex born'n'bred) supporters pay the annual membership, then buy matchday tickets when their beloved plastic heroes visit the Amex annually.

Friends along our road are Newcastle and do this, my mate who's Spuds does this.

 

[Weststander]

4 in the East Upper. Again, how did they get tickets? These seats are on general sale for each game but you still need history to buy them. They also left well before the end.
We get checked and checked again going to away games and yet the club themselves are selling home tickets to away fans.

By being long term members and just buying annually when The Chavs visit.

 

[brighton_tom]

Was sat in the east upper and didn’t see any Chelsea fans around us or in the concourse

 

[Spiros]

This is an unpopular view (for which I have been shouted down in the past but I'll make the point again), but some are probably using the tickets they use every week. Chelsea are their 'big' team but they're happy to support Brighton the rest of the time.

And no I can't quantify it, but I do know of one Albion STH for whom that is the case.

I spent the first half sat next to a relative who was a WSL season ticket holder until end of last season. His long-term boyhood team is Chelsea. It was very amusing seeing him having to 'celebrate' 3 goals in the first half though to be fair he took it well. If we were playing anyone other than Chelsea he would have been as happy as anyone else around him. I don't think anyone else around us knew he was really a Chelsea fan, but the fact that I knew was enough for both me and him!

 

[Is it PotG?]

Was a bloke near us with a young kid. First goal goes in....nothing.

Second one goes in, kid has head in hands and Dad consoles him.

That's football.

 

[Milano]

When we stuck 5 past United last season there was a kid in tears near us in ESL, I recognised him as playing against my lad in an U11 match a few weeks previously so must live in the area. Can’t blame the kids, I did look at the parent and think ‘why does your lad support a team 250 miles away that he can have no association with whatsoever’ but that’s none of my business.

 

[brighton_tom]

unfortunately when the big clubs come to town stuff like this will happen, and will happen at every ground around the country. It’s always been the way the some glory hunters don’t support their local team & end up choosing United, Liverpool etc. So when their team is in town and they inevitably can’t get in the away end (because they clearly have no chance with the loyalty points etc), they end up trying to sneak in the home end. You can put procedures in place to prevent it, but sometimes it can’t be totally stopped. It’ll happen just the same at Southampton, Palace, Brentford, Fulham, Bournemouth etc etc.

 

[Icy Gull]

This is an unpopular view (for which I have been shouted down in the past but I'll make the point again), but some are probably using the tickets they use every week. Chelsea are their 'big' team but they're happy to support Brighton the rest of the time.

And no I can't quantify it, but I do know of one Albion STH for whom that is the case.

Correct

There are Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and probably some of the Northern teams fans who 100% have 1901 season tickets for their second club because they live down here. Always have done from the day the stadium opened.

I even know a couple, who have since given them up though

 

[Marshy]

Plenty of Chelsea fans with a Brighton postcode. Easy to get a ticket then

 

[Thunder Bolt]

When my other half discovered he had shingles at Saturday lunchtime, we put both of our tickets on the ticket exchange around 1.30. They were both sold before kick off.
There must be people with Albion membership, who are on the lookout for tickets on the exchange for sellout games. I really hope they weren't Chelsea fans.

 

[portlock seagull]

Been saying same since Amex opened. Always disappointing so many STHs are fans of other clubs.

 

[portlock seagull]

When we stuck 5 past United last season there was a kid in tears near us in ESL, I recognised him as playing against my lad in an U11 match a few weeks previously so must live in the area. Can’t blame the kids, I did look at the parent and think ‘why does your lad support a team 250 miles away that he can have no association with whatsoever’ but that’s none of my business.

One for social services to sort out. Don’t get involved, beyond reporting obviously.

 

[BNthree]

Wasn't a single Chelsea fan near us thankfully. Though oddly there was a PL tourist wearing a Man City hoodie. WTF?

 

[timbha]

I hate seeing away fans in our stands (unless like on Saturday they have a thoroughly dismal day), however on numerous occasions we have had our own fans glorying in their tales of having to sit on their hands when we’ve scored at an away match with them in the home stands.