BHA potential - support.

[albie_noobs]

We will, however, NEVER get gates bigger than 30k FACT.

Record attendance 36,747 against Fulham 1958, FACT!

 

[glasfryn]

We never averaged over 25k in Div. 1 at the Goldstone - something that we did manage in Div. 2. In '83 we averaged about 14.5k in the top flight.

thats what they said but the games were as packed as the one quoted below, another game I was at either that or they were all trying to get on the East terrace

Record attendance 36,747 against Fulham 1958, FACT!

 

[Seagull on the wing]

Record attendance 36,747 against Fulham 1958, FACT!

That is true...36,746 others and me.

 

[cjd]

We never averaged over 25k in Div. 1 at the Goldstone -

I have mentioned before that to compare the 79-83 era to today is not really applicable.

Today we have all-seaters.....79-83 there was no guarantee you would get in.

With seats, eveyone is guaranteed to see the game.....79-83, if you were under 6 feet tall, you only saw half the game.

Today we have a large proportion of female fans.......a rarity in 79-83.

Today, we have fantastic facilties, a roof over the whole ground......79-83, shocking facilties, filthy toilets and an open terrace on the largest section of the ground.

Today, we have huge numbers of young children (male and female).....79-83, how many would take their children in this era, with the risk of crowd surges, hooliganism was rife, and being unable to see...?

Today in the Premiership we can see the many of the best players in the world. .......79-83, the best you saw was England players.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I have mentioned before that to compare the 79-83 era to today is not really applicable.

Today we have all-seaters.....79-83 there was no guarantee you would get in.

With seats, eveyone is guaranteed to see the game.....79-83, if you were under 6 feet tall, you only saw half the game.

Today we have a large proportion of female fans.......a rarity in 79-83.

Today, we have fantastic facilties, a roof over the whole ground......79-83, shocking facilties, filthy toilets and an open terrace on the largest section of the ground.

Today, we have huge numbers of young children (male and female).....79-83, how many would take their children in this era, with the risk of crowd surges, hooliganism was rife, and being unable to see...?

Today in the Premiership we can see the many of the best players in the world. .......79-83, the best you saw was England players.

I would agree with all of that except for the last statement. In the seventies and eighties the relative quality of our top league was higher than the overpaid prima donnas of the Premier league. Look at the number of European successes we had. We won an unprecedented number of trophies abroad. It was a golden age for English club football spoiled by the hooligans at Heysel among other places.

 

[cjd]

I would agree with all of that except for the last statement. In the seventies and eighties the relative quality of our top league was higher than the overpaid prima donnas of the Premier league. Look at the number of European successes we had. We won an unprecedented number of trophies abroad. It was a golden age for English club football spoiled by the hooligans at Heysel among other places.

That's a fair point...although personally, I do think quality and skill is higher today. Also, I did enjoy the excitement more in that era, but todays new generation want the 'best' on offer.....same game...just a different world I suppose.

 

[Questions]

The Blackpool game on saturday would not have looked out of place as a top flight game during the 79-83 period. Technically it was very good. I can remember some truly dreadful teams from div 1 in that period.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Pleat is a cock, we are a huge club

Bad choice of words there. We aren't even a big club, and probably never will be.

I'll change my mind in 2030 if the Amex has been expanded to 30,000+ and we're getting consistant average attendances in that region, we have few top 10 finishes and some European campaigns, and possibly a proper trophy to our name. Until that point we a firmly in the medium sized club bracket.

Like I said, I don't think it'll happen.

 

[Questions]

Looking through all the championship teams at present, 17 of them have played in the Prem in the last 10 years of so. If we go the way we are going and the ground is ready at say.... 26k we will easily fill it IMO if we made it to the prem. The next step up from that depends entirely upon the success you have on the field. You wont fill a 30k stadium year in and year out if you are fighting relegation all the time.

 

[Barnham Seagull]

We never averaged over 25k in Div. 1 at the Goldstone - something that we did manage in Div. 2. In '83 we averaged about 14.5k in the top flight.

Crowds had dipped around the country at that point thow and did not start to recover until the early nineties, unfortunately we missed out on that rise for being shithouse and people boycotting the club due to it's owners etc

 

[MACROBLUE]

Yes we have the catchment area its just that because we are not a 360 deg city the population along the coast don't feel as attached as in say Manchester or even Norwich. Perhaps the club need to improve transport to the Amex from these catchment areas with even some sort of inducement. Saying that the Newhaven to Brighton pop is 300,000 so we should be able to fill a 30.000 seater stadium just on that basis.I feel it may take another generation before we enthuse more youngsters to come along.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Yes we have the catchment area its just that because we are not a 360 deg city the population along the coast don't feel as attached as in say Manchester or even Norwich. Perhaps the club need to improve transport to the Amex from these catchment areas with even some sort of inducement. Saying that the Newhaven to Brighton pop is 300,000 so we should be able to fill a 30.000 seater stadium just on that basis.I feel it may take another generation before we enthuse more youngsters to come along.

Yes we only have 180 degree catchment but there is a much greater population density on the south coast. Norwich have a 360 degree catchment but it is mainly of sheep.
The NW has a greater population density but look at how many clubs compete for those fans, burnley blackburn blackpool tranmere liverpool everton macclesfield stockport city united preston etc.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

Yes we have the catchment area its just that because we are not a 360 deg city the population along the coast don't feel as attached as in say Manchester or even Norwich. Perhaps the club need to improve transport to the Amex from these catchment areas with even some sort of inducement. Saying that the Newhaven to Brighton pop is 300,000 so we should be able to fill a 30.000 seater stadium just on that basis.I feel it may take another generation before we enthuse more youngsters to come along.

Agreed, in general. But seeing the VAST increase in Albion shirts around now in Worthing, the big growth in families coming along to the Amex and the momentum the team and the club in general now have, it's not impossible that we can see a 25-30k crowd sustained IF we can maintain success on the pitch.

Great football, a winning team, a charismatic manager, a superb stadium, a well resourced and supportive chairman, and a development structure giving us a better chance of bringing on our own talent all point in one direction. And that will win over lots of armchair Chelsea/Arsenal/Spurs/West Ham fans living on our doorstep.