[Albion] First trip to the AmEx

[oneillco]

Hello Big Sky Albion, there's been plenty of good advice already about getting to the stadium early, etc. but I would emphasise that if I were you I would stay the night in Brighton after the game. It's great that you are getting to see the Albion, but Brighton is a unique city and it would be a shame to come all this way and not see it. There will be a huge choice of hotels available on a Monday night but I would go for one of the boutique seafront ones like The Artist In Residence or Hotel Pelirocco. Getting-up the next morning I would recommend a stroll along the seafront, a trip up the i360, and a visit to the Royal Pavilion (it's fantastic). Then a stroll through the Lanes and into the North Laine area for lunch, and then a train back to London in the afternoon.

 

[Simster]

I thought she was Sophie?

 

[Goldstone1976]

I thought she was Sophie?

I was going to relate the story of my ex's nickname by her friends: SWN, an abbreviation of Scammell Wheel Nuts (to this day I have no idea why ), but I won't, because the Simster has edited his post now.

 

[Fungus]

You can get "out of your brain on the 5:15". If it's running.

 

[Insel affe]

Hello Big Sky Albion, there's been plenty of good advice already about getting to the stadium early, etc. but I would emphasise that if I were you I would stay the night in Brighton after the game. It's great that you are getting to see the Albion, but Brighton is a unique city and it would be a shame to come all this way and not see it. There will be a huge choice of hotels available on a Monday night but I would go for one of the boutique seafront ones like The Artist In Residence or Hotel Pelirocco. Getting-up the next morning I would recommend a stroll along the seafront, a trip up the i360, and a visit to the Royal Pavilion (it's fantastic). Then a stroll through the Lanes and into the North Laine area for lunch, and then a train back to London in the afternoon.

This without a shadow of a doubt, the wife thought the rest of England was like London, and was really surprised when I brought her home to Brighton so much so she agreed to move back to my home town and now loves it more than Detroit !!

Come stay it so worth it.

 

[jaghebby]

Hello Big Sky Albion - there is an alternative you could catch the train down to Lewes. Some very nice pubs often frequented by Albion fans pre-match and its only a 7 minute train ride to Falmer. It's probably the less busy option as well!

 

[Durlston]

A lovely thread and I hope Big Sky Albion enjoys his visit to England. I don't know if the Stoke match will be a sell out but it'll certainly be a very important match. A sightseeing tour of Brighton is well worth it on an autumnal afternoon and also staying at a nice hotel.

Enjoy your time over here, BSA.

 

[The Large One]

At the very least, you owe it to yourself to visit the tiny alley between East Street and Little East Street - now called 'Quadrophenia Alley'.

 

[Bigtomfu]

Hello Big Sky Albion - there is an alternative you could catch the train down to Lewes. Some very nice pubs often frequented by Albion fans pre-match and its only a 7 minute train ride to Falmer. It's probably the less busy option as well!

[MENTION=35917]Big Sky Albion[/MENTION] as someone who has commuted from London to watch the Albion since we moved to the Amex I can whole heartedly concur that the above route (ph: ROOT not ROWT [emoji1303]) is by far the least hassle for night games as you don't get involved in the Brighton station bun fight.

You need the Eastbourne and Ore service from Victoria which leaves at 17 and 47 minutes past the hour and should alight in Lewes from the 5th carriage from the front to find yourself by the platform exit.

If you have time then exit the station, turn right up the hill and you'll come to the fabulous Lansdown pub on the corner after about a two minute walk. You know you're in the right pub if there's a tree in front of you as soon as you walk through the door.

Here you will find fellow Albion fans aplenty to drink and chat to. They also have a free jukebox.

I would recommend then catching the train one stop to Falmer just before 6.30 as that's when the trains start filling up with people coming after work from the East and you'll find you have plenty of time on arrival at the stadium to mooch around the shop, maybe pop into Dick's for a quick one and then reach your seat in plenty of time.

The other essential advice is that when buying your ticket make sure you only buy a return from Victoria to Hayward's Heath as your match ticket includes free train travel to and from the game as far as this.

On your return after the match I would advise going to Brighton and then catching a Victoria service back to London rather than going back via Lewes.

A word of a warning, the last relatively fast service leaves at 22.55 and takes 54 minutes versus the last train leaving at 23.07 and goes via Mordor/Middle Earth and everywhere in between and arrives finally at 00.47 into Victoria.

*BEAR THIS IN MIND WHEN STOOD AT THE BAR IN THE NORTHSTAND AND YOURE JUDGING WHETHER YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE IT IF YOU STAY FOR JUST ONE MORE....*

Failing that if you can then definitely stay down for the night and enjoy all that Brighton has to offer!

 

[Brok]

...and don't forget that you hate Palace.

 

[Big Sky Albion]

[MENTION=35917]Big Sky Albion[/MENTION] as someone who has commuted from London to watch the Albion since we moved to the Amex I can whole heartedly concur that the above route (ph: ROOT not ROWT [emoji1303]) is by far the least hassle for night games as you don't get involved in the Brighton station bun fight.

Thanks all for the warm welcome and excellent advice, particularly regarding transit. Looks like I've got plenty of good options for food drink and atmosphere before and during the festivities. I can't play up front but I can certainly offer full-throated direction to those who do. I like the idea of spending the night but I don't know how that would go over with the rest of the family whom I am abandoning in London for this little adventure. Somehow Harry Potter World or whatever it's called will have to survive without me.

As for Montana, yes we do have a Wendy's in town and ordinarily you might expect plenty of snow, but we're not quite there yet. You've probably seen that much of this country is in danger of drowning lately but it's a different story up here--no rain since mid-July and the entire state is on fire. A week of overcast dreary skies frankly sounds fantastic just now.

 

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

[MENTION=35917]Big Sky Albion[/MENTION] as someone who has commuted from London to watch the Albion since we moved to the Amex I can whole heartedly concur that the above route (ph: ROOT not ROWT [emoji1303]) is by far the least hassle for night games as you don't get involved in the Brighton station bun fight.

You need the Eastbourne and Ore service from Victoria which leaves at 17 and 47 minutes past the hour and should alight in Lewes from the 5th carriage from the front to find yourself by the platform exit.

If you have time then exit the station, turn right up the hill and you'll come to the fabulous Lansdown pub on the corner after about a two minute walk. You know you're in the right pub if there's a tree in front of you as soon as you walk through the door.

Here you will find fellow Albion fans aplenty to drink and chat to. They also have a free jukebox.

I would recommend then catching the train one stop to Falmer just before 6.30 as that's when the trains start filling up with people coming after work from the East and you'll find you have plenty of time on arrival at the stadium to mooch around the shop, maybe pop into Dick's for a quick one and then reach your seat in plenty of time.

The other essential advice is that when buying your ticket make sure you only buy a return from Victoria to Hayward's Heath as your match ticket includes free train travel to and from the game as far as this.

On your return after the match I would advise going to Brighton and then catching a Victoria service back to London rather than going back via Lewes.

A word of a warning, the last relatively fast service leaves at 22.55 and takes 54 minutes versus the last train leaving at 23.07 and goes via Mordor/Middle Earth and everywhere in between and arrives finally at 00.47 into Victoria.

*BEAR THIS IN MIND WHEN STOOD AT THE BAR IN THE NORTHSTAND AND YOURE JUDGING WHETHER YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO MAKE IT IF YOU STAY FOR JUST ONE MORE....*

Failing that if you can then definitely stay down for the night and enjoy all that Brighton has to offer!

Is there a threshold time though in case the OP comes down very early to catch Royal Pavilion, pier, etc.?

 

[wardy wonder land]

At the very least, you owe it to yourself to visit the tiny alley between East Street and Little East Street - now called 'Quadrophenia Alley'.

as above & buy yourself a "non-iron" shirt from theses guys http://www.boneclothing.com/our-stores-20-w.asp for the memories

A) wave the family off to harry potter studios in the morning and get yourself straight off to Victoria station - cheap day return ticket to Brighton
2) spend as much of the day mouching about the "lanes",north Laine and the seafront
iii) beers near the station around 4ish
d) head-over to the Amex around 5.30 & have spend up in the shop


enjoy !!

 

[Brovion]

Thanks all for the warm welcome and excellent advice, particularly regarding transit. Looks like I've got plenty of good options for food drink and atmosphere before and during the festivities. I can't play up front but I can certainly offer full-throated direction to those who do. I like the idea of spending the night but I don't know how that would go over with the rest of the family whom I am abandoning in London for this little adventure. Somehow Harry Potter World or whatever it's called will have to survive without me.

As for Montana, yes we do have a Wendy's in town and ordinarily you might expect plenty of snow, but we're not quite there yet. You've probably seen that much of this country is in danger of drowning lately but it's a different story up here--no rain since mid-July and the entire state is on fire. A week of overcast dreary skies frankly sounds fantastic just now.

The people who say "Go via Lewes" may well have a point from a transport perspective, but the downside is .... you'll be in Lewes, not Brighton.

 

[Lindfield23]

Top tip: if a man going by the name of Ernest approaches you holding a large sausage, contact your embassy immediately

 

[Bigtomfu]

Is there a threshold time though in case the OP comes down very early to catch Royal Pavilion, pier, etc.?

You make a very valid point, the allotted window of use is 3 hours either side of kick-off/final whistle although I've certainly bent those rules a few times with no problems but def something for [MENTION=35917]Big Sky Albion[/MENTION] to be aware of

 

[wardy wonder land]

Definatly tell the club your back story - you might get into the program

 

[Icy Gull]

Talk of Montana made me dig this classic out that I hadn't heard for about 30 years. They don't make like this anymore.

I hope you have a great day at the Amex Big Sky Albion and that we are cruising along comfortably by he time it comes around

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZA9Jv3qH0

 

[BNthree]

Greetings from Montana, U.S.A. The first English game I ever watched was Brighton/ManU in the '83 F.A. Cup final when a new cable sports channel over here was looking everywhere for programming, and I've followed the club ever since. Can't claim to be a super die-hard supporter (die-with-a-modest-struggle supporter?) but I've always looked for the scores and followed the ups and downs, the longtime stadium struggles and the recent near misses and especially this long-awaited promotion.

As a few people have said contact Supporter Services and tell them your story. You could end up being mentioned in the programme!

supporter.services@bhafc.co.uk is the email address.

Also ask them if there will be a stadium tour that day as the page for tickets doesn't go that far ahead at the moment.

 

[Insel affe]

Definatly tell the club your back story - you might get into the program

Yeah so if we lose we know who to blame....