[Albion] FA Cup quarter final v Grimsby Sun 19th March 2.15

[Pevenseagull]

Yay! I get to go ... Hoorah.

My puny purchase history only status was at risk of not being enough but a friend who is higher up in the hierarchy of access to tickets than I will ever manage has sorted it.

Super hyped.

 

[Timbo]

We’ll be there in good numbers and good spirits, certainly not to antagonise. I know you lot are a decent bunch as well, which always helps.

We’ll find somewhere to settle down, I’m sure. Weather looks like it could be half decent, so the beach might be a good shout.

A friend was playing for Woking last season and we went along to watch them play Grimsby. Their fans (a couple of thousand) looked like they were having the time of their lives!

As I’d said before, when I lived in GY I used to get along and watch them a fair bit. Went to Birmingham one evening when Steve Bruce was playing for them. Pre kick off and the ball rolled over in front of the fans and Bruce trotted over to pick it up. Grimsby had about 20 fans there and I guess he saw himself as a bit of a celebrity. Smiles, says ‘alright lads’ and there’s a fella asleep on one of the seats who suddenly jumps up, gets right in his face and shouts ‘f*** off you old c***’ before sitting back down and dozing off again. Definitely a special breed up there. Had some decent players as well at the time, Mendonca, Jack Lester and John Oster were all worth the entrance fee.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Nice little article in Grimsby Live. 4,621 tickets all sold in just over 12 hours. Bit of a throwback to our past history with tickets sold online and by queuing outside the ground late into the night.

 

[jcdenton08]

I know the potential for a Wembley semi final is very exciting, but I’m hoping our players are 100% focused on the league, continuing at Leeds on Saturday. They create a whopper atmosphere and while we’re a much better team, it’s a real leveller. Hoping for a great and noisy away support from our lot

 

[Poojah]

Responding to @Timbo, but forgot to quote.

It might not be obvious looking at the League Two table, but we are experiencing something of a renaissance at the minute. It’s early days, and it will never be on the scale Brighton have achieved over the last 15 years, but we’ve been virtually starved of success or entertainment for more or less the last two decades, and now that’s slowly starting to change under our new owners.

You see, when you strip football right back - reduce the standard of both the football and the towns / stadiums you are visiting to a level you never thought you’d be watching, it changes your perspective of what it’s all about. It becomes less about entertainment and success and more about the occasion - a day out with your mates, having a few beers and a bloody good laugh, whatever happens. I was lucky enough to grow up with the likes of Mendonca, Lester and Oster. I’m 37, which means that anyone following the club of 30 or younger have experienced next to no success, until recently.

It’s counter intuitive, but our away followings surged during our first relegation to non-league in 2010. They stayed high, despite a dearth of entertainment on the pitch, and then went to another level when we finally got shot of our much maligned former owner John Fenty. Like Archer and Bellotti at Brighton, he now has his own song too.

Through the rough times, things like taking a few hundred inflatable penises to the game, hiring a mariachi band or throwing your mate down the away end steps in a bin were the kind of things you had to do to make things passable. Things are better now, and we are just enjoying ourselves. The atmosphere at Southampton was incredible, for 90+ minutes. It was just sheer, pent up pride and jubilation.

An FA Cup quarter final at the Amex will be on another level altogether. Since we last played in Division One almost 20 years ago, I’ve watched my team get relegated out of the league twice, get beaten by the likes Chasetown, Bath and Braintree - the latter 5-0. We are a world away from that now, and watching our team step out into a world class arena against a team of World Cup players, not to mention a World Cup winner, will be a proud and emotional moment for all of us. It hasn’t been easy being a Grimsby fan.

I think it’s a characteristic of Grimsby folk to be self-deprecating and not cocksure. But pound for pound, I really do think we’ve got one of the best away followings in the country. Expect a buoyant, bonkers away end, whatever happens.

 

[Seaview Seagull]

Grimsby's a great story. Whilst we will want Albion to win well your fans and players have our respect for getting this far. I hope the fans enjoy the day without winning!

 

[Poojah]

Grimsby's a great story. Whilst we will want Albion to win well your fans and players have our respect for getting this far. I hope the fans enjoy the day without winning!

This, for me, is what makes this draw such a good one. I think, being honest, the initial reaction from some quarters was “but it’s not Man Utd”.

What’s nice though, is that I detect a genuine sense of empathy and respect that we would not have got from the “elite” clubs (we didn’t even get it from Southampton in truth). A set of fans that enjoy watching their team of World Cup stars in a modern stadium, but that know where they’ve come from at the same time.

It’s commendable and appreciated.

 

[Live by the sea]

Brighton have come a long long way in a relatively short time and we all remember when we weren’t very good, trust me . This is the best Albion team ever so we are all very happy.

Grimsby will give us a good game I have no doubt.

 

[Midget]

...
You see, when you strip football right back - reduce the standard of both the football and the towns / stadiums you are visiting to a level you never thought you’d be watching, it changes your perspective of what it’s all about. It becomes less about entertainment and success and more about the occasion - a day out with your mates, having a few beers and a bloody good laugh, whatever happens.
...

As much as I'm loving where we are now and how far we've come, I still feel like this about the Albion. It's why I still love a cold Tuesday night in Stoke, cloggers and all.

I hope that whenever we reach our peak, and whatever that looks like, and however far we fall after it, I never lose that.

 

[dazzer6666]

This, for me, is what makes this draw such a good one. I think, being honest, the initial reaction from some quarters was “but it’s not Man Utd”.

What’s nice though, is that I detect a genuine sense of empathy and respect that we would not have got from the “elite” clubs (we didn’t even get it from Southampton in truth). A set of fans that enjoy watching their team of World Cup stars in a modern stadium, but that know where they’ve come from at the same time.

It’s commendable and appreciated.

Arrogant Mancs (red or blue) would expect a walkover and display little interest in the fixture. City fans couldn’t even get up for the semi final v us at Wembley, they seemed completely disinterested. This is a great fixture for everyone (gutted to be missing it).

 

[Midget]

As much as I'm loving where we are now and how far we've come, I still feel like this about the Albion. It's why I still love a cold Tuesday night in Stoke, cloggers and all.

I hope that whenever we reach our peak, and whatever that looks like, and however far we fall after it, I never lose that.

(probably a bit old for bin rolling though!)

 

[worthingweird]

Ditto...

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Hope you do - I genuinely think we could have sold 10,000 for this one given a sufficient allocation. I’ve got mine at least, and will be coming down Friday night and spending the weekend on the south coast. Can’t wait!

Out of interest, what’s the biggest away following you’ve had at the Amex? I’m assuming a southern team in the Carabao Cup or something, but would be mildly interested to know.

Coventry would be close in the FA Cup

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

Thanks. Whatever happens it will be a party atmosphere I’m sure. Of course, it starts to get a bit challenging keeping things going if we’re 4-0 down after half-an-hour, but I think you’ll be impressed by our following.

I think there will be a decent number coming down on the Saturday. Is there a good place in the city centre for large numbers of away fans to congregate and make some noise, without pissing the locals off?

West Street

 

[tigertim68]

Coventry would be close in the FA Cup

Must be Liverpool in this year’s 4th round

 

[spoonie]

just over 4,000 left to sell - goes on sale today to 'members guests' then anyone with 'purchase History' tomorrow. Sold around around 1,000 yesterday so reckon same number today then again tomorrow ? Would be leaving us 2k to sell in a week I think we will limp towards a sell out as predicted on here earlier - Which is very surprising considering almost every league game sells out and this is our 1st home FA Cup 1/4 Final since 1986.

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

just over 4,000 left to sell - goes on sale today to 'members guests' then anyone with 'purchase History' tomorrow. Sold around around 1,000 yesterday so reckon same number today then again tomorrow ? Would be leaving us 2k to sell in a week I think we will limp towards a sell out as predicted on here earlier - Which is very surprising considering almost every league game sells out and this is our 1st home FA Cup 1/4 Final since 1986.

playing devil's advocate, it's Mothers Day, it is on a Sunday, it's on TV....................don't fret, it will feel like a full house and Grimsby will be very loud and cheerful!!

 

[worthingseagull]

Responding to @Timbo, but forgot to quote.

It might not be obvious looking at the League Two table, but we are experiencing something of a renaissance at the minute. It’s early days, and it will never be on the scale Brighton have achieved over the last 15 years, but we’ve been virtually starved of success or entertainment for more or less the last two decades, and now that’s slowly starting to change under our new owners.

You see, when you strip football right back - reduce the standard of both the football and the towns / stadiums you are visiting to a level you never thought you’d be watching, it changes your perspective of what it’s all about. It becomes less about entertainment and success and more about the occasion - a day out with your mates, having a few beers and a bloody good laugh, whatever happens. I was lucky enough to grow up with the likes of Mendonca, Lester and Oster. I’m 37, which means that anyone following the club of 30 or younger have experienced next to no success, until recently.

It’s counter intuitive, but our away followings surged during our first relegation to non-league in 2010. They stayed high, despite a dearth of entertainment on the pitch, and then went to another level when we finally got shot of our much maligned former owner John Fenty. Like Archer and Bellotti at Brighton, he now has his own song too.

Through the rough times, things like taking a few hundred inflatable penises to the game, hiring a mariachi band or throwing your mate down the away end steps in a bin were the kind of things you had to do to make things passable. Things are better now, and we are just enjoying ourselves. The atmosphere at Southampton was incredible, for 90+ minutes. It was just sheer, pent up pride and jubilation.

An FA Cup quarter final at the Amex will be on another level altogether. Since we last played in Division One almost 20 years ago, I’ve watched my team get relegated out of the league twice, get beaten by the likes Chasetown, Bath and Braintree - the latter 5-0. We are a world away from that now, and watching our team step out into a world class arena against a team of World Cup players, not to mention a World Cup winner, will be a proud and emotional moment for all of us. It hasn’t been easy being a Grimsby fan.

I think it’s a characteristic of Grimsby folk to be self-deprecating and not cocksure. But pound for pound, I really do think we’ve got one of the best away followings in the country. Expect a buoyant, bonkers away end, whatever happens.

well played Sir - brilliantly written post

 

[BNthree]

just over 4,000 left to sell - goes on sale today to 'members guests' then anyone with 'purchase History' tomorrow. Sold around around 1,000 yesterday so reckon same number today then again tomorrow ? Would be leaving us 2k to sell in a week I think we will limp towards a sell out as predicted on here earlier - Which is very surprising considering almost every league game sells out and this is our 1st home FA Cup 1/4 Final since 1986.

Just over 3,000 left now and available to all with a purchase history from tomorrow. It'll sell out easily by next weekend.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

3,258 left to sell, pretty good going;