Crowd vs Walsall under 5,000

[Kinky Gerbil]

Why can the Football League not schedule a whole programme of league matches in a week when there is no European football?

Whilst I could not given a monkeys decaying molar about Fat Frank, Young Yossi, Fragrant Francesco or Playne Wayne Rooney. It would appear that some fans prefer to watch such games than support the lifeblood of the local footballing communty.

Are there so few weeks when there is no Sky coverage of top class football (you know the stuff we see when England play)?

I really have no idea, how many midweek games are Brighton playing this year?

It does seem a little foolish

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I guess it doesn't help that now the 'glory days' have passed, there's little respect for any of the players. Even last nights goalscorer seems to have a majority on his back. Only Kuipers (who's the only 'glory day player' left that's still putting in solid performances) and Savage (who's liked because he's sort of quite good and quite shit at the same time) get any sort of worshipping from the crowd. The rest of them just make up the numbers, and get slagged off a bit. Few people are going to pay to see players they don't really want to see, and as a result, only the (for want of a better word) 'hardcore' turn up

 

[1066gull]

I really do believe its the withdean factor. You cannot lose 3000 fans when we were getting 6000-7000 fans regularly in 3 years.

10 years ago we were getting 12000 wernt we at the goldstone?

its two factors, PRICES and WITHDEAN

trust, the fans will come back when we get falmer and are in the championship. MK Dons have been getting almost 3000 more since they moved to their new stadium and in ONE SEASON

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

How much are tickets for mk dons?

 

[Billy the Fish]

10 years ago we were getting 12000 wernt we at the goldstone?

Only for the last couple of games. I seem to remember that night when we lost 1-2 to Darlington in december only about 3000 turned up, give or take.

 

[portlock seagull]

I really do believe its the withdean factor. You cannot lose 3000 fans when we were getting 6000-7000 fans regularly in 3 years.

10 years ago we were getting 12000 wernt we at the goldstone?

its two factors, PRICES and WITHDEAN

trust, the fans will come back when we get falmer and are in the championship. MK Dons have been getting almost 3000 more since they moved to their new stadium and in ONE SEASON

You win naive comment fo the day my friend. The games completely changed during that decade and so have Albion's supporter base.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I guess it doesn't help that now the 'glory days' have passed, there's little respect for any of the players. Even last nights goalscorer seems to have a majority on his back. Only Kuipers (who's the only 'glory day player' left that's still putting in solid performances) and Savage (who's liked because he's sort of quite good and quite shit at the same time) get any sort of worshipping from the crowd. The rest of them just make up the numbers, and get slagged off a bit. Few people are going to pay to see players they don't really want to see, and as a result, only the (for want of a better word) 'hardcore' turn up

I agree, you could sell tickets on Zamora's name alone

 

[Bigtomfu]

Most teams that played Saturday found their home attendances were down tonight, here are a few stats:

BHA -600
Swindon-700
Northampton-1500
Millwall-1000
Huddersfield-400

So it's not just the Albion, Money footie on tv and the fickle fans are to blame IMO.

Good stats. Nothing like a bit of actual fact based banter as opposed to the half cocked rhetoric we normally see on here.

Came past on the train last night, wanted to go but couldn't afford it. I thought it had to be the first sub 5000 league gate since Gillingham as even on a train at 1830 there were literally only a handful of stripes to be seen.


something has to be done, that is surely agreed, but until some dialogue about the matter is free flowing with the club and fans how can they expect to understand what is keeping people away?

 

[Kenhead]

How much are tickets for mk dons?

Between £15 - £22, plus a few 'posh seats' at £35. Prices

Tickets for England U21's there next friday are £10 for adults.

This game has been sold out for a couple of weeks

 

[mona]

Reading this depressing thread it's clear that Dick Knight and Martin Perry have made a serious miscalculation in the capacity for Falmer. Is there any point in building a stadium with a capacity above 10,000? No doubt they will be re-considering their options.

 

[driddles]

I don't know if they do this in England but over here lots of sports teams price out mini packs for the year. Group the premium games together (ie season opener, Leeds etc..) and sell them at an inflated price. Then the games that are not premium can be sold at a lower price. The glory hunters pay for it and the fan who just wants to see a game still can, just not a 'premium' game.

 

[Questions]

On my second Three year season ticket , double season ticket holder at Priestfield.
1300 BHA games seen since 1975, so I thiink i can spot a crap side when I see one.

We`ve had crap sides in the past but this is not one of them. Ordinary at times I`ll grant you but not crap.

 

[Yorkie]

A season ticket cost less than £10 a week. Put a tenner aside for a year and when renewal comes round you've got the money and a bit left over.

 

[Seasider78]

Ok Falmers coming but there is a lot of work to be done to attract fans back if we are to stand any chance of filling it. Aside from the obvious issue of pricing surely the club can look at ways of improving the Withdean experience.

In America aside from the sport on display they have lots of entertainment between breaks in play. These help to lift the crowd and create an atmosphere as well as providing a talking point for the next day at work.

Leicester for example have this at half time

http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1151588,00.html

Ok this alone will not solve the problem but we need to be more imaginative with the facilities we have got. The performance on the pitch largely dictate attendances but we need to be getting people talking again in a positive way about watching Brighton.

 

[Giraffe]

I was depressed before the game. Myself, my dad and my son have a season ticket. My son doesn't go to mid week games because its a school night etc etc. Anyway I always give the ticket to a mate of mine. Yesterday I offered the ticket to him and he declined. Reason - him and three other mates were going to Southampton v Wolves. Why? The stadium. Regardless that only one of them was Saints fan they felt they would have a proper match atmosphere, better all round experience etc which you just don't get at Withdean. I have to say it really opened my eyes and I've thinking about it all day.

Whilst the rest of us "loyal" perhaps mad fans will go regardless, ultimately it is the five times a season type fans that we have lost and that our future will rest upon. In truth Brighton have always had a large amount of floating fans who would pick and chose their games. They weren't going out of pure love of the Albion but also because of the match experience. Simply, there just isn't one at Withdean and it doesn't matter how much the club try there will always be a struggle to get one. These fans will I believe come back when we get to Falmer, but in the meantime it is very very disheartening that we are actually losing some support to Southampton, I guess Portsmouth, probably some London clubs, and even the likes of Crawley etc.

The argus idea seems reasonable, and has to be supported. I just hope somehow we can turn this around.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I was depressed before the game. Myself, my dad and my son have a season ticket. My son doesn't go to mid week games because its a school night etc etc. Anyway I always give the ticket to a mate of mine. Yesterday I offered the ticket to him and he declined. Reason - him and three other mates were going to Southampton v Wolves. Why? The stadium. Regardless that only one of them was Saints fan they felt they would have a proper match atmosphere, better all round experience etc which you just don't get at Withdean. I have to say it really opened my eyes and I've thinking about it all day.

Whilst the rest of us "loyal" perhaps mad fans will go regardless, ultimately it is the five times a season type fans that we have lost and that our future will rest upon. In truth Brighton have always had a large amount of floating fans who would pick and chose their games. They weren't going out of pure love of the Albion but also because of the match experience. Simply, there just isn't one at Withdean and it doesn't matter how much the club try there will always be a struggle to get one. These fans will I believe come back when we get to Falmer, but in the meantime it is very very disheartening that we are actually losing some support to Southampton, I guess Portsmouth, probably some London clubs, and even the likes of Crawley etc.

The argus idea seems reasonable, and has to be supported. I just hope somehow we can turn this around.

How did your mate enjoy the NIL-NIL draw at St.Mary's?

 

[Caveman]

I use to get pissed off about the same thing at the Goldstone. We have fickle fans, there are a lot of fans who currently support your Arsenal, Chelsea etc would swap teams at a drop of a hat if we got into the premiership. We'd fill Falmer easily.

It's the getting there thats the hard bit! But thats why I love this club.

 

[Giraffe]

How did your mate enjoy the NIL-NIL draw at St.Mary's?

Got a text at full time saying "hope your game was better than this crap". I shall be working on him to sort himself out a ticket for the Carlisle game or else our friendship will be ended

 

[BensGrandad]

I would say that if it had been pay on the day and the ticket £15 I would definitely have gone. .

What you didnt want a free meal and a pint thrown in with the price. Shame on you we are a wealthy club that can afford to sell tickets at giveaway prices. Pay on the day at the gate we cannot do due to the restrictions placed on us by the council to use Withdean , so why keep bleating on about it. That is not just yiou but many others.

 

[BensGrandad]

If you believe that price is the answer as to the low gates buy a copy of Albion Results book and see the gates in the last few years at The Goldstone eg. Tues 16th Mar 1996 in Div 2 home to Hull won 4 - 0 attendance 4910, Nov 14th 1995 home to Walsall lost 3 - 0 att 4976 so it hasnt changed much and that was in Div 2 the equivalent of Div 1 now.