Bevendean Hillbilly
New member
It's a long one, but forgive me, you're worth it.
Plenty of people getting a tad hot under the collar here I see. Nevertheless, I thought I’d pop by and see if I can help out – call it missionary work if you will.
Ben White? Well to start with, he wasn’t Leeds’ Player of the Year last season as I’ve seen oft repeated here; he was Young Player of the Year. A minor point, but as you’ve repeatedly asked for facts, I’ll deal in facts.
Ben White was superb last season for Leeds, and a joy to watch. Some credit for that of course has to go to Brighton, but his development was exponential last season, and that was down to Leeds and Bielsa – and we’ll also come back to Bielsa – but let’s stick to Ben White for now. I personally think he’ll go on to play for England and he has the potential to be exceptional. I say that having watched him play 40 games, unlike some Brighton fans that wouldn’t know the difference between Ben White and Barry White.
As mentioned, he was ‘young’ player of the year, and so it is still only potential in the top tier - can he step up, guess we’ll find out. I think he will, and whether he does so playing for Leeds, or Brighton – I genuinely hope he makes it.
Why then the drama over the fact that Leeds have made an offer or three? Outrageous! The nerve of it, making record bids for a player having never played a minute in the Premier League. Disgraceful behaviour! Dirty Leeds!! As far as I’m aware Leeds’ CEO has approached Brighton in an appropriate manner without a hint of disrespect. So how should Seagulls fans react to this most heinous crime - I know lets devote 350 pages (and counting) of our fans’ board to Leeds, to prove we don’t care about them – that’ll show ‘em.
To finish with Ben White, it looking like he will stay put, and maybe he’ll be Brighton’s young player of the year this season - but who knows, you’ve a lot of centre halves and they can’t all play, so this is still running. Either way, good luck to a young talent who shone brightly for us for a season and will ever remain a small part of our history. I’ll keep watching and hope he goes on to prove his potential whatever colour shirt he wears. But he’s just one player, and we’ll move on, and we’ll pick our next number 5, and Bielsa will develop him too……
Bielsa. I said we’d come back to him, and don’t panic Brighton fans he will be here this season, with the bucket you like so much. What’s he ever done I read Brighton fans ask? He’s no Graham Potter!! He’s never taken a team to the Europa League round of 32 – oh hang on, didn’t he get to the final a couple of years back; and didn’t he win Olympic Gold managing Argentina? Didn’t he also take Chile to the World Cup, and take Leeds from 13th in the Championship to Champions by 10 points in two seasons, matching in a stroke the highlight of Brighton’s entire history? But hey, he’s no Graham Potter, after all Guardiola and Pochettino and so many others speak in such glowing terms about Potter, don’t they?
Again, I actually like Potter, an astute manager, and an excellent appointment, but I deal in facts remember – Sorry Graham. Sorry Seagulls.
Did I use the word history just then? Well, more delusions from we Leeds fans. We’re not Barcelona are we? Perhaps not, but we have played and beaten them in major European competition. Leeds has won every major English honour, as well as European trophies. We’ve had countless greats of the game, not least of whom are two players with World Cup Winners medals playing for Leeds and England. Brighton’s Highlights of History? One Championship title; well you were pretty good that year in fairness, but just the one - in your whole history? The next most famous thing in Brighton’s history is what – Steve Foster’s headband? Brighton’s highlights in Europe would be.…..the odd pre-season tour?
You might counter that all this history was a while back, and you might have a point – to a point, but we’ve still spent four times the number of seasons Brighton have in the Premier League and have finished in the top five on seven occasions. Brighton’s highest finish? 15th. I’ve read on here (your own fans’ forum) that the height of Brighton’s ambition is to find three clubs worse than Brighton each year, in a desperate bid to add to their three years of Premier League history. Good luck with that one Gulls, but if that’s ambition, I’ll keep my delusions thanks.
But hey, Brighton are still the bigger club aren’t they, I mean talk about a wide fan base, which stretches all the way from Brighton to..….Hove? I did read someone here saying Brighton attendances were higher between 2012-17, well good show there; very well done. So the top of your arc might briefly flirt with the bottom of ours. Well haven’t Leeds’ attendances been higher over the past two seasons, despite being a league below? I’ll not mention Leeds’ worldwide fan base because, well some of you, you do know, don’t you – the ones on here that can actually see through both eyes?
Maybe Leeds will fill one of those three bottom slots this year to help Brighton fulfil their ambitions? I don’t think so, but even if it happens, Leeds fans will continue to dream of the stars rather than aching for 15th. Sometimes we’ll get there as with the three league titles we’ve won; European trophies, FA and League cup wins. Sometimes we’ll fall agonizingly short as in the ’75 final, or the Ridsdale Years, but at least our delusions come with colour and a chance to enjoy the ride.
Brighton is a well-run club, and punching above their weight right now, and long may it continue. I say that with no intent to patronise, and have absolutely no malice against the club. I’ll give a shout out to Seagulls season ticket holder Rob B – I still wish I’d taken that spare Prince ticket a few years back! I hope you finish above WBA, and Fulham – and even Crystal Palace, and good luck in trying to achieve your ambition of staying in the Premier League another year.
Posting on a football forum and expecting any semblance of realism is in itself probably the perfect definition of delusion. I have though tried to deal in facts, but hey maybe I am just deluded. Either way I’ll leave you now, so have at it – if I’m daft enough to post on here, I deserve what I get, and I won't come back to reply to - any reply. Let’s see if Leeds fans’ delusions of grandeur can get you past 400 pages of talking about Leeds. I won’t be back to respond but will stay Forever Leeds. ALAW, MOT!
Bothered.
