[Albion] End of an era

[The Optimist]

Please forgive a self indulgent post.

My request to cancel mine and my dad’s season tickets has been accepted and I’ve paid the cancellation fee.

For the first time in 33 years my dad and I don’t have a season ticket.

(Ok we didn’t have one for the first season at Gillingham but we still went to almost every home game and had season tickets for the second season at Gillingham).

The reason for giving up our season tickets and the club agreeing to cancel them is that my dad can no longer attend for health reasons and as I live in London and have two young children the limited opportunities I have to come south to Sussex I need to use to visit my dad.

This might sound dramatic but it feels like I’m giving up part of my identity. I started going with my dad in 1987 (he first started going in 1964 with his dad when they moved from London to Haywards Heath). I first had a season ticket in 1990 and quickly got into away games as well. I was comfortably in the top tier for away tickets until my first child was born in 2019 and even now I’m was still in the second tier (245 season ticket points).

I was at Anfield in ‘91 for the 2-2, I was at the old Den for the playoff win, I was there for the only away win of the season at Hartlepool, I was at Hereford (started in the home end but got into the away end), I was on the march through Mellor (I’m clearly in shot on the Meridian TV coverage), I was at Chester for the 7-1, I was at Huddersfield for the 7-0 (?) and I’ve visited over 100 different grounds to watch Brighton.

And now I’ll be lucky to make more than a few games this season. Hopefully I’ll manage to make at least one Europa League game (if I can get a ticket).

I will be back properly in the future. Once the combustible cladding is fixed we will be selling our flat and moving to Sussex and hopefully once my children are older (currently almost 4 and almost 1) they will want to come with me and we’ll all have season tickets together. I just hope that by then the best years in the club’s history are still happening and aren’t all over.

 

[Bombardier]

Hang in there fella. You have priorities but the club is in your heart.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Feel for you. Tough decision but you know you have made the right call. Enjoy your time with your dad.

 

[The Optimist]

Hang in there fella. You have priorities but the club is in your heart.

Absolutely. I will have a season ticket again in the future. Just feels a bit strange not having one.

 

[banjo]

Family first, the club will always be there.

 

[S'hampton Seagull]

Feel for you. Tough decision but you know you have made the right call. Enjoy your time with your dad.

This. Whilst I think I would feel the same if I was in your situation (been and STH for over 25 years and go with my Dad and brother), you know this is the right call and also your relationship with the Albion is on a kind of pause, this is not the end. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Munkfish]

As tough as it is I think you are doing the right thing.

A few years off and you may never want to come back watching it on tv might cut it for you the stress of match day may seem like a hassle you don’t miss. Alternatively you and the kids may return and you might get to share the love of the Albion with them too.

 

[upthealbion1970]

Definitely making the right choice, the time with your dad and with your young children is priceless - if you miss it you’ll regret it.

The Albion is part of you and always will be

 

[Weststander]

Maximise quality time with your kids, a cliche, but it really races by way too fast. More important than anything else.

Make occasional games, watch on the box and your long term plan sounds perfect.

 

[um bongo molongo]

I’m in a remarkably similar position, although we never had a season ticket my dad and I used to share STs with some others (shhh, nobody tell PBOBE) until a couple of years ago. We started to make fewer and fewer games and eventually it made no sense. I live in London with two young kids as well, and my dad is now 84 and has mild dementia and it just isn’t practical to get to games. I have to use visits down to Brighton for attending medical appointments with my parents and stuff like that rather than doing nice stuff which sucks a bit. And it seems ironic that we went quite regularly when we were shit and now we’re brilliant we don’t go. As someone a couple of years on from it I can say that we’ve gotten in to a new routine of chatting about the Albion on the phone quite a bit. Not exactly the same, but still enjoyable.

Like you am hoping I can still make the odd game and at least one Europa match, fingers crossed can scramble a ticket somehow.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Please forgive a self indulgent post.

My request to cancel mine and my dad’s season tickets has been accepted and I’ve paid the cancellation fee.

For the first time in 33 years my dad and I don’t have a season ticket.

(Ok we didn’t have one for the first season at Gillingham but we still went to almost every home game and had season tickets for the second season at Gillingham).

The reason for giving up our season tickets and the club agreeing to cancel them is that my dad can no longer attend for health reasons and as I live in London and have two young children the limited opportunities I have to come south to Sussex I need to use to visit my dad.

This might sound dramatic but it feels like I’m giving up part of my identity. I started going with my dad in 1987 (he first started going in 1964 with his dad when they moved from London to Haywards Heath). I first had a season ticket in 1990 and quickly got into away games as well. I was comfortably in the top tier for away tickets until my first child was born in 2019 and even now I’m was still in the second tier (245 season ticket points).

I was at Anfield in ‘91 for the 2-2, I was at the old Den for the playoff win, I was there for the only away win of the season at Hartlepool, I was at Hereford (started in the home end but got into the away end), I was on the march through Mellor (I’m clearly in shot on the Meridian TV coverage), I was at Chester for the 7-1, I was at Huddersfield for the 7-0 (?) and I’ve visited over 100 different grounds to watch Brighton.

And now I’ll be lucky to make more than a few games this season. Hopefully I’ll manage to make at least one Europa League game (if I can get a ticket).

I will be back properly in the future. Once the combustible cladding is fixed we will be selling our flat and moving to Sussex and hopefully once my children are older (currently almost 4 and almost 1) they will want to come with me and we’ll all have season tickets together. I just hope that by then the best years in the club’s history are still happening and aren’t all over.

Become a member and you'll be able to get a ticket any home game you want, no doubt. Either a general sale ticket down in the corners, or wait for the exchange to open and get your pick of the whole ground. I've had front row centre Upper West, middle of the North, and right next to the dugouts, great fun to try different angles and locations. Away games are tougher, but certainly possible outside London and the South coast if you're a member. Lots of us exiles out here and we're all Brighton through and through.

 

[dazzer6666]

Doesn’t make you any less of a fan. Priorities, innit………

 

[Krafty]

I've also had to make sacrifices in order to care for my children, but I promise it'll be worth it and maybe they too will support the Albion and establish a new chapter of football memories

 

[HangletonGull]

Family first , I had the same thing 5 years ago had to give it up broke my hart, but 5 years later im back now attend with the mrs and my youngest so moral of the story hopefully one day you will be back.If you ever want a ticket more than happy to get you a ticket on my season ticket guest

 

[albionfan37]

Please forgive a self indulgent post.

My request to cancel mine and my dad’s season tickets has been accepted and I’ve paid the cancellation fee.

For the first time in 33 years my dad and I don’t have a season ticket.

(Ok we didn’t have one for the first season at Gillingham but we still went to almost every home game and had season tickets for the second season at Gillingham).

The reason for giving up our season tickets and the club agreeing to cancel them is that my dad can no longer attend for health reasons and as I live in London and have two young children the limited opportunities I have to come south to Sussex I need to use to visit my dad.

This might sound dramatic but it feels like I’m giving up part of my identity. I started going with my dad in 1987 (he first started going in 1964 with his dad when they moved from London to Haywards Heath). I first had a season ticket in 1990 and quickly got into away games as well. I was comfortably in the top tier for away tickets until my first child was born in 2019 and even now I’m was still in the second tier (245 season ticket points).

I was at Anfield in ‘91 for the 2-2, I was at the old Den for the playoff win, I was there for the only away win of the season at Hartlepool, I was at Hereford (started in the home end but got into the away end), I was on the march through Mellor (I’m clearly in shot on the Meridian TV coverage), I was at Chester for the 7-1, I was at Huddersfield for the 7-0 (?) and I’ve visited over 100 different grounds to watch Brighton.

And now I’ll be lucky to make more than a few games this season. Hopefully I’ll manage to make at least one Europa League game (if I can get a ticket).

I will be back properly in the future. Once the combustible cladding is fixed we will be selling our flat and moving to Sussex and hopefully once my children are older (currently almost 4 and almost 1) they will want to come with me and we’ll all have season tickets together. I just hope that by then the best years in the club’s history are still happening and aren’t all over.

Get yourself a firestick and watch em with the old man

 

[The Optimist]

As tough as it is I think you are doing the right thing.

A few years off and you may never want to come back watching it on tv might cut it for you the stress of match day may seem like a hassle you don’t miss. Alternatively you and the kids may return and you might get to share the love of the Albion with them too.

I very much think it will be the latter, although I won’t force my kids to go if they don’t want to.

 

[The Optimist]

I’m in a remarkably similar position, although we never had a season ticket my dad and I used to share STs with some others (shhh, nobody tell PBOBE) until a couple of years ago. We started to make fewer and fewer games and eventually it made no sense. I live in London with two young kids as well, and my dad is now 84 and has mild dementia and it just isn’t practical to get to games. I have to use visits down to Brighton for attending medical appointments with my parents and stuff like that rather than doing nice stuff which sucks a bit. And it seems ironic that we went quite regularly when we were shit and now we’re brilliant we don’t go. As someone a couple of years on from it I can say that we’ve gotten in to a new routine of chatting about the Albion on the phone quite a bit. Not exactly the same, but still enjoyable.

Like you am hoping I can still make the odd game and at least one Europa match, fingers crossed can scramble a ticket somehow.

Sorry to hear about your dad. My dad’s 76 and although the day was always going to come that he had to stop going I thought until recently that that day was still a good few years away.

I feel sorry for my dad that he won’t be able to attend an European game. Having started going in 1964 it seems cruel that his health has given out just before our first European season. I guess he won’t be alone in this situation and mentally he’s still fine so he’ll enjoy watching the European games on TV.

With regards to spending all the years watching us when we were crap (although sometimes good) and missing out now, I weirdly wouldn’t swap. The spirit amongst the fans during the dark days was something special.

 

[Cotton Socks]

Throughout the madness of this site over the last couple of days it's easy to forget that others are having a crap time. Your post has properly 'grounded' me & that's a good thing. I'm watching the match tomorrow with my Stepdad & Mum at theirs. Family is what is important.
If it helps my mum is nearly 80, hated football but has really got on the bandwagon & knows the scores. knows some of the players. Solly will score tomorrow as every time I go there after a match I walk in singing 'Solly Solly March..etc. Although I'm going there to watch the match so that'll probably put the hoodoo on him.
You don't have to force your kids, just subtle conditioning will do it.

 

[AZ Gull]

Please forgive a self indulgent post.

My request to cancel mine and my dad’s season tickets has been accepted and I’ve paid the cancellation fee.

For the first time in 33 years my dad and I don’t have a season ticket.

(Ok we didn’t have one for the first season at Gillingham but we still went to almost every home game and had season tickets for the second season at Gillingham).

The reason for giving up our season tickets and the club agreeing to cancel them is that my dad can no longer attend for health reasons and as I live in London and have two young children the limited opportunities I have to come south to Sussex I need to use to visit my dad.

This might sound dramatic but it feels like I’m giving up part of my identity. I started going with my dad in 1987 (he first started going in 1964 with his dad when they moved from London to Haywards Heath). I first had a season ticket in 1990 and quickly got into away games as well. I was comfortably in the top tier for away tickets until my first child was born in 2019 and even now I’m was still in the second tier (245 season ticket points).

I was at Anfield in ‘91 for the 2-2, I was at the old Den for the playoff win, I was there for the only away win of the season at Hartlepool, I was at Hereford (started in the home end but got into the away end), I was on the march through Mellor (I’m clearly in shot on the Meridian TV coverage), I was at Chester for the 7-1, I was at Huddersfield for the 7-0 (?) and I’ve visited over 100 different grounds to watch Brighton.

And now I’ll be lucky to make more than a few games this season. Hopefully I’ll manage to make at least one Europa League game (if I can get a ticket).

I will be back properly in the future. Once the combustible cladding is fixed we will be selling our flat and moving to Sussex and hopefully once my children are older (currently almost 4 and almost 1) they will want to come with me and we’ll all have season tickets together. I just hope that by then the best years in the club’s history are still happening and aren’t all over.

As someone who has been in a (somewhat) similar position, your post thoroughly resonates with me. I saw my first game in Nov 1981 and within a couple of years I had seen Albion play in an FA Cup semi-final, final and replay and had a season ticket. I didn't miss a home match for years. I then moved away (to Burnley and then the midlands) but still attended regularly and saw an increasing number of away matches. I saw the U-18s at Everton and Villa Park; I saw friendlies at the likes of Fisher Athletic, Newcastle Town and Salisbury. I attended all 46 league matches in 2001-02 and then, completely out of the blue, I had the opportunity to move to Arizona.

Talk about from feast to famine - I didn't see any coverage of the club over here for about 8 years. It is unfathomable to me that I have now lived over 5,000 miles away for exactly half of my match-going, Albion-supporting life. But if anything my love for the club is stronger than it has ever been (and I feel as invested in the Albion as it is possible to be).

The Albion is in your blood, in your memories and in your soul. You are not giving up your identity, you are simply going to experience your club in a different way (for the time being). Embrace your new reality and savour the fact you support the greatest club in the world.

 

[The Optimist]

As someone who has been in a (somewhat) similar position, your post thoroughly resonates with me. I saw my first game in Nov 1981 and within a couple of years I had seen Albion play in an FA Cup semi-final, final and replay and had a season ticket. I didn't miss a home match for years. I then moved away (to Burnley and then the midlands) but still attended regularly and saw an increasing number of away matches. I saw the U-18s at Everton and Villa Park; I saw friendlies at the likes of Fisher Athletic, Newcastle Town and Salisbury. I attended all 46 league matches in 2001-02 and then, completely out of the blue, I had the opportunity to move to Arizona.

Talk about from feast to famine - I didn't see any coverage of the club over here for about 8 years. It is unfathomable to me that I have now lived over 5,000 miles away for exactly half of my match-going, Albion-supporting life. But if anything my love for the club is stronger than it has ever been (and I feel as invested in the Albion as it is possible to be).

The Albion is in your blood, in your memories and in your soul. You are not giving up your identity, you are simply going to experience your club in a different way (for the time being). Embrace your new reality and savour the fact you support the greatest club in the world.

I’d seen you mention the famine part before, but I hadn’t realised quite how much you were feasting before. I’ve never managed all 46 games, my best was 42 - holiday, sickness and midweek away at Wigan prevented the clean sweep.

I guess I’m lucky to be bowing out at a time when so many games are on TV (and when not on TV streams are available).