Criteria for an Albion Fan

[Mancgull]

Fair enough. I know many fellow Albion fans travel great distances to see the Albion at home.

However, I would prefer us to fill the stadium with Sussex born fans. I would consider myself a hypocrite not to. In my street I have West Ham , Chelsea & Arsenal fans and it irks me that they don't follow the Albion yet live in the area. I can't have these sentiments towards them and yet welcome Albion fans living outside the County.

I don't think you get it at all. I was born in Brighton and my dad took me to my first game when I was 5. I have seen the Albion play every season since then.(42 years)just because I now live 200 miles away doesn't make me less of a fan...probably a bigger one. If you want to test my loyalty lets meet and I'll go through some of my away match experiences of the 1996/7 season.
I live within 10 miles of Old Trafford but its totally irrelevant. I'd rather stick red hot pins in my eyes than support man u.

- - - Updated - - -

Fair enough. I know many fellow Albion fans travel great distances to see the Albion at home.

However, I would prefer us to fill the stadium with Sussex born fans. I would consider myself a hypocrite not to. In my street I have West Ham , Chelsea & Arsenal fans and it irks me that they don't follow the Albion yet live in the area. I can't have these sentiments towards them and yet welcome Albion fans living outside the County.

I don't think you get it at all. I was born in Brighton and my dad took me to my first game when I was 5. I have seen the Albion play every season since then.(42 years)just because I now live 200 miles away doesn't make me less of a fan...probably a bigger one. If you want to test my loyalty lets meet and I'll go through some of my away match experiences of the 1996/7 season.
I live within 10 miles of Old Trafford but its totally irrelevant. I'd rather stick red hot pins in my eyes than support man u.

- - - Updated - - -

Fair enough. I know many fellow Albion fans travel great distances to see the Albion at home.

However, I would prefer us to fill the stadium with Sussex born fans. I would consider myself a hypocrite not to. In my street I have West Ham , Chelsea & Arsenal fans and it irks me that they don't follow the Albion yet live in the area. I can't have these sentiments towards them and yet welcome Albion fans living outside the County.

I don't think you get it at all. I was born in Brighton and my dad took me to my first game when I was 5. I have seen the Albion play every season since then.(42 years)just because I now live 200 miles away doesn't make me less of a fan...probably a bigger one. If you want to test my loyalty lets meet and I'll go through some of my away match experiences of the 1996/7 season.
I live within 10 miles of Old Trafford but its totally irrelevant. I'd rather stick red hot pins in my eyes than support man u.

 

[Return of the Rev]

I never lived in Sussex, my connection is from my Dad who was Brighton born. I was born in Kenya should I have to support a Kenyan league team then? All I'm saying is there could be many reasons why you follow the Albion not just being Brighton born and bred (and still living there).

here is a Kenyan team for you

 

[Hugo Rune]

I started following the Albion when I met my partner (so no not single) this was during the withdean years with Falmer in sight. So I wasn't around for the Goldstone but I have done my homework on the club and I am well aware of the legend that is Peter Ward.
not sure what a JCL is though ?

If some peeps get frustrated with a JCL, they are going to be positively suicidal when they encounter the PLO-JCLs (Premier League Only-Johnny Come Lately). I reckon there could be at least 15,000 of them, all trying to get a seat at the Amex. They'll mostly be plastic Manure, Arse & Chelski (Sussex born & bred) fans wanting a premier league fix from their 'second' team. These new supporters will not follow us in the Championship if we go down. You can see how PLO-JCLs affect a teams attendance by looking at teams such as Middlesbrough & Blackburn who have 30k+ stadia but struggle to half fill them when they're not in the top flight.

 

[AnotherArch]

I have not lived in Brighton for over 40 years. My three sons have never lived in the South and are all living in the Midlands or North and still travel to games from different directions. They are too young for the Cup Final but old enough to have been at Hereford. Their grandsons now travel as well and they are now the ones getting stick from their schoolmates.
As I have said before, you do not choose your football team - it is allocated at birth. And it is not WHERE you are born, it is WHAT heritage you are born into.

 

[northstandsteve]

I have not lived in Brighton for over 40 years. My three sons have never lived in the South and are all living in the Midlands or North and still travel to games from different directions. They are too young for the Cup Final but old enough to have been at Hereford. Their grandsons now travel as well and they are now the ones getting stick from their schoolmates.
As I have said before, you do not choose your football team - it is allocated at birth. And it is not WHERE you are born, it is WHAT heritage you are born into.

good post.

 

[Edgefield]

according to some

you need to have been to the Goldstone and seen Wardy play - Yes
been a regular at Gillingham -Yes
season ticket holder at Withdean -Yes
attended the Hereford game -Yes
saw Nelson score at Brentford -Yes
luzzed something at opposing fans during the 80`s - Never did that but would have thumped some Donny fan in last game at Goldstone who spat at me,if the fence hadn't protected him...

I accept all new fans so long as they keep the Amex rocking, long may it continue....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you cant tick all those boxes you are a JCL - All football clubs started with new fans and what makes us older ones more special?, altho I am no entirelyt innocent here I did jump queue for FA Cup Quarter final against Norwich on basis Id been to Liverpool and nearly all other cup games, but haven't ever been as precious since, except when people bore on about London clubs....

ps the overlords that make these rules are sitting around the dining table and discussing how the Magna Carta will be impacting on their day to day life. - Yes I understand your position perfectly, but despite being an old git I still go regularly away....

One of my most memorable games out of all of them was when we won at Sunderland 2-1 in 1981 and Gary Williams scored a last gasp winner, for me that even outshone our 3-0 win at Palace (2 weeks earlier) which sparked the most unlikely escape, matched only by Russell Slade's recent Owusu inspired escape...

PS These are pretty special days not everyone appreciates it and I LOVED our League One promotion tem most away games in one season ever attended...

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

What most of you overlook is that it is easy to be a fan when you live just down the road and all your mates are fans ie you're part of the community. I think the real test of a fan is when he or she has to be somewhere where there is little chance of an Albion fix and there is no one there to share it with. During the late eighties and early nineties... even the late nineties I was in Poland and Turkey with hardly any surefire energiser to my love of the albion and it didnt wane once. How can that be considered less evidence of being a fan than someone who can see the Albion all around them.

Those of you far from Good Old Sussex by the Sea, I salute you. You are REAL fans.

 

[wunt be druv]

A couple of years ago met a woman from Croydon who supported The Albion,she had never seen them play,but, she supported them because her son-in-law [who she disliked immensely] was a massive Palarse fan and did it to annoy him.Seemed a pretty good reason to me.

 

[raymondbriggs]

Anyone can be an Albion fan in my book,come one come all,but I will always be a better fan than most because I was born in Hove,actually

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

If some peeps get frustrated with a JCL, they are going to be positively suicidal when they encounter the PLO-JCLs (Premier League Only-Johnny Come Lately). I reckon there could be at least 15,000 of them, all trying to get a seat at the Amex. They'll mostly be plastic Manure, Arse & Chelski (Sussex born & bred) fans wanting a premier league fix from their 'second' team. These new supporters will not follow us in the Championship if we go down. You can see how PLO-JCLs affect a teams attendance by looking at teams such as Middlesbrough & Blackburn who have 30k+ stadia but struggle to half fill them when they're not in the top flight.

Anyone who experiences an Albion relegation or a grim relegation battle (with the team playing absolutely pony) and doesn't waiver in their support ceases to be a JCL, I reckon.

I wonder whether staying a mid-table to edge of play-offs side for the next five years or whether getting promoted and soundly thrashed week after week to be back in the second tier would do most harm to our support.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I was Born in Birmingham.

Saw Trevor Francis make his debut, as my Dad used to take me to St. Andrews.

We moved to Sussex when I was 10, and got taken to The Goldstone for the first time when I was 12.

Over the last 40 years I guess i've seen close on 1000 games, maybe more.

So to The Major and RoTRev, are those not born in Sussex allowed to be Albion fans?

 

[shabba]

Madness, Simples!

 

[albiongirl]

Does it really matter how you started your journey of being an albion fan no one fan is better than othe. We all have our story how this fantastic club became part of your life and ultimately in yr blood. For me I was 6 when I went to the Goldstone ground with my dad he never took me again but it was enough that eventually I started to going when I was all grown up lol! shifts allowing. I love the Albion thats how I met my hubby and we have a fab 5yrold who loves the Albion job done. Well we did take him to Withdean when he was 8wks old!

 

[Mancgull]

What most of you overlook is that it is easy to be a fan when you live just down the road and all your mates are fans ie you're part of the community. I think the real test of a fan is when he or she has to be somewhere where there is little chance of an Albion fix and there is no one there to share it with. During the late eighties and early nineties... even the late nineties I was in Poland and Turkey with hardly any surefire energiser to my love of the albion and it didnt wane once. How can that be considered less evidence of being a fan than someone who can see the Albion all around them.

Those of you far from Good Old Sussex by the Sea, I salute you. You are REAL fans.

Couldn't agree more. I'm surrounded by manure fans but they only make me more committed to the Albion.

 

[Razzoo]

here is a Kenyan team for you

That's my kind of team

 

[Seagulls Downunder]

What most of you overlook is that it is easy to be a fan when you live just down the road and all your mates are fans ie you're part of the community. I think the real test of a fan is when he or she has to be somewhere where there is little chance of an Albion fix and there is no one there to share it with. During the late eighties and early nineties... even the late nineties I was in Poland and Turkey with hardly any surefire energiser to my love of the albion and it didnt wane once. How can that be considered less evidence of being a fan than someone who can see the Albion all around them.

Those of you far from Good Old Sussex by the Sea, I salute you. You are REAL fans.[/QUOTE


Thankyou Sully, your points about not having anyone to share your club with is one of the reasons I started the supporters club. We have 2 Facebook pages one just for those living downunder and the other https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brighton-Hove-Albion-Australian-Supporters-Club/182347468450496?ref=hl that anyone can add. On this one I've had the pleasure of being contacted by many Albion fans from around the world of which many have never even been to the UK. There's a guy in Rio who each season sends away for a new club shirt and proudly wears it around the streets, in his pigeon English I couldn't get to the bottom of why he supporters the club but he does and a similar story in Japan. I've also been contacted by 4 Italian friends in Milan who are Albion fans and follow the club and never been to a match.
We should be glad that the club's getting global recognition and not knocking it,for those of you making some of the idiotic comments above and on other similar post a word to the wise, oh well, I guess that leaves you out

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

I have not lived in Brighton for over 40 years. My three sons have never lived in the South and are all living in the Midlands or North and still travel to games from different directions. They are too young for the Cup Final but old enough to have been at Hereford. Their grandsons now travel as well and they are now the ones getting stick from their schoolmates.
As I have said before, you do not choose your football team - it is allocated at birth. And it is not WHERE you are born, it is WHAT heritage you are born into.

I was born and lived in Australia until I was 18. My father and I would come to England to visit family and we would go to the games at Withdean. I often got odd looks going to football training in Australia wearing my Brighton shirt.. Decided at 16 that when I turned 18 I would move to Brighton to watch 1 season home and away, I'm almost 20 now and don't see my self going back.

 

[pastafarian]

Football teams should be an extension of the community they are based in. I support the Albion because I am proud of the City and area where I was born.

If you move away from the area it throws up conflicts in loyalty IMO. I know you will disagree because you are in Yorkshire.

sorry chap you are talking wibblecrap

it seems this thread has become all serious
i was not born remotely near Brighton
as a nipper i moved around the country,mostly up North due to fathers work,my old man was footy mad and i ended up going to man city wolves liverpool forest preston not always because i wanted to go.
in the 70`s we moved to surrey

one day my footy loving dad wanted to take his young lad to football
the options were Palace or Brighton

naturally i jumped on the chance to go to the seaside and buy rock and go on the pier

the Albion game was secondary to me

but something happened,it wasnt like all the other games i had been to and i was hooked...its as simple as that.

i spent nearly 20 years watching the Albion using Surrey as a base before work moved me closer and finally to Sussex.

if anybody ever asks themselves the question why did i become hooked on the Albion.......the answer is worthless

you are hooked...deal with it...and enjoy the ride!

 

[HovaGirl]

Just interested in what other people think the criteria is to be an Albion fan .... Do you need to be born and bred in Brighton and Hove or is it enough that you love Brighton visit as often as you can and support the club at matches where possible buy merchandise and follow the live commentry on seagulls player ?

Just asking

The only criteria for being an Albion fan is to love the team and want it to win and do well. If you can afford to go to matches, all the better. If you are an incomer to the town, then, congratulations.

- - - Updated - - -

then surely you should have been called northern seagirl (or seagurl). I have no idea what a gall is. A bit of your bladder perhaps?

She's a gal, not a gall!

 

[HovaGirl]

Should be born in sussex and live in sussex,too many outsiders on the band wagon tbh

I came down from Scotland as a child. Am I not allowed to be a Brighton fan, then? (Even the Scots don't want me. They don't consider me a Scot, because I left. I'm stateless.)