Brighton have a bigger identity than London clubs

[Hotchilidog]

I can see the point that WCP is making and I agree to a point, but the argument breaks down a bit with Brighton itself.

The city is absolutely teeming with people who have moved in from other parts of the country - very often from London but also further afield, often because they came here for uni and stayed. So we have an unusually large percentage of "locals" who don't have any particular affinity with the county of Sussex or the football team that has traditionally represented it.

Some of those people who have moved from elsewhere actually support Brighton too.

 

[Monkey Man]

Some of those people who have moved from elsewhere actually support Brighton too.

Well, quite possibly, but I would suggest not in quite the same way as the natives with long family traditions. Nothing against new fans - I positively welcome them - but we all know Man U/Chelsea/Arsenal fans who support Brighton as a second club. Not sure that contributes to the "identity" that WCP is talking about.

 

[The Large One]

Yes well there are a few Million people in Sussex and so of course but the club have a natural boundary, a natural identity that is still there to this day. Honestly London locals just dont see their local side the same way.

1.6m, actually.

One person in seven in England lives in London.

A increasingly migrant population from without and within renders any hard and fast facts of a 'traditional' territory of a given football club dubious. Of course, locals may well support any given club, but there are other reasons for doing so too. That's as valid in London as it is in anywhere else in England.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Well, quite possibly, but I would suggest not in quite the same way as the natives with long family traditions. Nothing against new fans - I positively welcome them - but we all know Man U/Chelsea/Arsenal fans who support Brighton as a second club. Not sure that contributes to the "identity" that WCL is talking about.

For a lot of the new Amex fans I suspect you are correct. Speaking for myself I now think of myself as a Brightonian rather than Londoner. I started at withdean in 2000 and since then the club has taken me over, my old allegiances definitely play second fiddle to the Albion now. I think the main reason for that were the struggles to get Falmer built and supporting the Albion required a little more than just turning up on saturday to watch the team, for me that is what set the Albion apart. I'd like to think that if they can stick it out a large number of the 'newer' fans will also crossover in similar fashion.

 

[Insel affe]

I have noticed that London clubs don't have the same strong identity that the Albion and clubs like the Albion do. Clubs like Brighton and Pompey have a natural area where the locals will all look to see how they do. London just isn't like that and the locals just don't really bother about the local football team unless they support them. Granted its less so for clubs on the edge of London (Watford and Palace seem to have more of a local interest than most proper London clubs). Just an observation.

Sorry but what an incredibly pompous thing to say, London clubs in general have just as of an identity and affiliation with the local population and to be honest in some cases much greater over a longer period of time. Yes since the late 90s we have come together and fought our corner at every turn to keep the club alive and that took all of the community in Brighton & Hove even beyond to do so. However to think we are unique and other fans do not have a close bond with the community locally is well just arrogant even in the provincial areas such as Watford (which is not actually London anyway).

Sometimes I wonder about people, yes we have a great club and fans that have gone through hell and high water for it....

But there are people in Brighton and the rest of Sussex that don't give a flying **** about The Albion.

 

[User removed 4]

That's a rather outlandish comment when you are judging how people feel about their local club whom they don't support. All London clubs have a natural area (bar Arsenal) and will have a strong identity. They will even stretch in to neighbluring territories.

I think you are pointing out that some clubs have a green belt (or at least some greenery) between them and their nearest club. It's geographical.

Are you serious ??

 

[Monkey Man]

For a lot of the new Amex fans I suspect you are correct. Speaking for myself I now think of myself as a Brightonian rather than Londoner. I started at withdean in 2000 and since then the club has taken me over, my old allegiances definitely play second fiddle to the Albion now. I think the main reason for that were the struggles to get Falmer built and supporting the Albion required a little more than just turning up on saturday to watch the team, for me that is what set the Albion apart. I'd like to think that if they can stick it out a large number of the 'newer' fans will also crossover in similar fashion.

Yes, very fair points. The great thing about the Amex is that the parents who grew up supporting other teams and have got the Albion bug since moving to the area (or because they finally have a decent stadium in which to watch their local club) are bringing along kids for whom Brighton is their main team.

In the wilderness years, older fans kept the faith but for a lot of kids BHA was desperately uncool and a bit of a joke. Great to see how that's changed.

 

[jimbob5]

Are you serious ??

I think you'll find that's Tottenham talk.

 

[User removed 4]

Yes, very fair points. The great thing about the Amex is that the parents who grew up supporting other teams and have got the Albion bug since moving to the area (or because they finally have a decent stadium in which to watch their local club) are bringing along kids for whom Brighton is their main team.

In the wilderness years, older fans kept the faith but for a lot of kids BHA was desperately uncool and a bit of a joke. Great to see how that's changed.

I brought up my two kids as Chelsea fans , we're in our second season of being season ticket holders now , the elder one has switched allegiance and now counts himself as a Brighton fan first, the younger one still counts himself as Chelsea first.

 

[clapham_gull]

The point is that in the days gone by you would have a strong hold of of families in places like the eastend etc and yes white english.Most have moved out and now you don't get that local identity anymore in london.

Yes you get foreigners who take an interest,but that's irrelivan when you're talking about decades of die hard local fans in the community who made that area what it was.Lets not kid ourselves and hideaway from the fact this is the reason why London clubs have lost their identity.

Ha ha

So it's down to immigration then.. Ha ha

How does that work for Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea then ?

Chelsea had always drawn predominantly from the Wandsworth and still does. Not the odd chappy walking up the Kings Road.

The ten mile argument by another poster was hilarious. That's a huge catchment area in London terms.

You could live in Croydon and still within 10 miles of Stamford Bridge.

 

[User removed 4]

I think you'll find that's Tottenham talk.

Its rubbish whatever it is , Islington is about as solidly arsenal as an area can be.

 

[8ace]

Its rubbish whatever it is , Islington is about as solidly arsenal as an area can be.

I used to live in Finsbury Park, pretty solid Arsenal territory as well - amazing how many more came out of the woodwork when they won the double.

 

[User removed 4]

Ha ha

So it's down to immigration then.. Ha ha

How does that work for Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea then ?

Chelsea had always drawn predominantly from the Wandsworth and still does. Not the odd chappy walking up the Kings Road.

The ten mile argument by another poster was hilarious. That's a huge catchment area in London terms.

You could live in Croydon and still within 10 miles of Stamford Bridge.

it certainly is to some extent, you can walk around peckham and deptford and find Africans who've never even heard of Millwall , which wouldn't have been the case 40 years ago , same sort of thing in green street , full of Bangladeshis who couldn't care less about west ham.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Because I live in Plymouth is see it every day and work in peoples houses so I know I am not far wrong about Argyle.
When I visit Brighton I sense an apathy about the club but that is only the centre and seafront. But I did always feel that the area around the Goldstone was always behind the club. But as for the other areas of Brighton and Hove today you guys who live there will have to tell me.
Regarding London, I used to go to Highbury often and the surrounding area always gave you a massive buzz that they were behind Arsenal. U suspect the same of the area around Brentford, Orient, Millwall and QPR.
I think Fulham may be the same and Spurs too.
I think the exception is Chelsea, I doubt that because of their location very few who live around Stamford Bridge give a toss. I know that Chelsea have huge support in Kent, Surrey and Berkshire (not sure about Sussex) also places like Ealing, Greenford and Ruislip.
So you cant class London clubs in London as a city but I think most London clubs have a backing of people that dont go but only local to the ground.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

it certainly is to some extent, you can walk around peckham and deptford and find Africans who've never even heard of Millwall , which wouldn't have been the case 40 years ago , same sort of thing in green street , full of Bangladeshis who couldn't care less about west ham.

I forgot about West Ham and you have a point but West Ham is an institution if you live in East London and out to Essex. They might not go to the Boleyn but thousands are behind the 'ammers.

 

[Mackenzie]

Because I live in Plymouth is see it every day and work in peoples houses so I know I am not far wrong about Argyle.
When I visit Brighton I sense an apathy about the club but that is only the centre and seafront. But I did always feel that the area around the Goldstone was always behind the club. But as for the other areas of Brighton and Hove today you guys who live there will have to tell me.
Regarding London, I used to go to Highbury often and the surrounding area always gave you a massive buzz that they were behind Arsenal. U suspect the same of the area around Brentford, Orient, Millwall and QPR.
I think Fulham may be the same and Spurs too.
I think the exception is Chelsea, I doubt that because of their location very few who live around Stamford Bridge give a toss. I know that Chelsea have huge support in Kent, Surrey and Berkshire (not sure about Sussex) also places like Ealing, Greenford and Ruislip.
So you cant class London clubs in London as a city but I think most London clubs have a backing of people that dont go but only local to the ground.

After the Spurs game at the Amex (the official opening) I caught the bus back to Queens Park, walked down Egremont Place, Upper Rock Gardens and St. James' Street and took my son on the Palace Pier.....we both had our Brighton shirts on....we must have been stopped about ten times by people asking how the Albion had got on that day.

There is definitely a lot of affection for the club in the town, especially that day at least.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

After the Spurs game at the Amex (the official opening) I caught the bus back to Queens Park, walked down Egremont Place, Upper Rock Gardens and St. James' Street and took my son on the Palace Pier.....we both had our Brighton shirts on....we must have been stopped about ten times by people asking how the Albion had got on that day.

There is definitely a lot of affection for the club in the town, especially that day at least.

Fair enough I do not go to Brighton enough to make a definate comment.
But Brighton has changed with the amount of people moving in but there must still be many who are born and bred there, never been but care about the club.

 

[Mackenzie]

Fair enough I do not go to Brighton enough to make a definate comment.
But Brighton has changed with the amount of people moving in but there must still be many who are born and bred there, never been but care about the club.

I agree, the people have changed a lot (especially since the start of the decade). That was a special day as well so I guess more people were aware of what was happening.

It was brilliant though, almost a throwback to how things used to be when people would actually talk to each other...(rather than shuffle along avoiding eye contact!)

 

[User removed 4]

Because I live in Plymouth is see it every day and work in peoples houses so I know I am not far wrong about Argyle.
When I visit Brighton I sense an apathy about the club but that is only the centre and seafront. But I did always feel that the area around the Goldstone was always behind the club. But as for the other areas of Brighton and Hove today you guys who live there will have to tell me.
Regarding London, I used to go to Highbury often and the surrounding area always gave you a massive buzz that they were behind Arsenal. U suspect the same of the area around Brentford, Orient, Millwall and QPR.
I think Fulham may be the same and Spurs too.
I think the exception is Chelsea, I doubt that because of their location very few who live around Stamford Bridge give a toss. I know that Chelsea have huge support in Kent, Surrey and Berkshire (not sure about Sussex) also places like Ealing, Greenford and Ruislip.
So you cant class London clubs in London as a city but I think most London clubs have a backing of people that dont go but only local to the ground.

They also have huge support just across the river in battersea and Wandsworth , also tooting streatham clapham Stockwell etc

 

[Brownstuff]

I would hazard a guess that all London clubs have a bigger identity than Brighton does so not really sure what this is all about