Football "banter" with plastic Prem fans

[Sussex Nomad]

I have a plastic prem fan, apparently I can't burn him, it's bad for the planet.

 

[Mackenzie]

Some people being a bit precious here. Throughout the last 20 years of under achievement, how many of us had a 2nd favourite premier league club to 'support'

I know I did.

Your kidding yeah?

 

[Creaky]

Sure it is good fun when asked about getting tickets but on a more serious note, assuming we manage to stay in the PL for a number of seasons, what effect will this have on feeding the fan base. If tickets are all but impossible to come by how are youngsters 'coming of age' going to be able to see the Albion play?

 

[sydney]

Posted this a few years back when we drew Liverpool in the Cup, an actual conversation with our receptionist.

Her: could you get my son a ticket.
Me: No, afraid not
Her: Why not
Me: Because I can only get one and I’m going.
Her: Well that’s not fair:
Me: Why
Her: You go all the time
Me: Yes, that’s because I’m a season ticket holder
Her: Well they should share them out so everyone gets to go
Me: But I get first dibbs because I go all the time
Her: Well he should be allowed to go, he’s supported Liverpool all his life and has never seen them play.


I fully expect more of the same next season.

that is pretty dumb , even from a receptionist.

 

[Jim Van Winkle]

I say **** the lot of 'em. Who's up for starting 'FC Albion of Brighton & Hove'?

I know a great little athletics stadium we can use.

 

[spence]

Working in London, I'm surrounded by Arsenal/Spurs\Chelsea and the odd Man U of course. They've all, seeing me disappear for games midweek, and hearing me talk about the club, been aware of what's been going on and are happy for me. I was even given a bottle of bubbly on the Tuesday after the Wigan game!

For my part, I don't mind the newbies or returners who buy season tickets. Their money is as good as anybody else's to the club. But there's one thing that they, and all the plastics, will never know. They'll never know what it means to have been there for the whole thing. What felt like an inexorable decline from about 1991, the mess of the 90s generally, seeing us lose the Goldstone and the club's soul, half time on the terrace at Hereford, putting up with Gillingham, fighting for the club's very existence. Then Withdean, then this. Everybody who was there for all of that had a feeling last Monday that the JCLs simply can't appreciate. I'm not saying we're better fans or anything, but part of me feels that those supporters have in all seriousness missed out on something that binds just a few thousand people in a feeling that can't be bought, can't be polished or sold by Sky, can't really adequately be explained. (I can't, anyway.) I almost feel a bit sorry for them, missing out on what that felt like.

I'm sure most of them won't give a damn, and will have enjoyed promotion hugely. Fair play - who wouldn't? But for a few thousand, it was just a bit more special than they'll ever realise, I think.

One of my favorite posts this year

 

[Questions]

Your kidding yeah?

I still go with some of the same guys that I did when I first started supporting the Albion in 1967/68. We all had a first division team that we liked and occasionally would go and see.
Never loved those teams like we did the Albion but it was quite commonplace.

 

[Mackenzie]

I still go with some of the same guys that I did when I first started supporting the Albion in 1967/68. We all had a first division team that we liked and occasionally would go and see.
Never loved those teams like we did the Albion but it was quite commonplace.

Well there you go I didn't think that was a thing.........that said I also support two teams, Brighton (obviously) and anyone who is playing Crystal Palace.

 

[Mackenzie]

Your kidding yeah?

*You're



Sorry everyone

 

[portlock seagull]

Well there you go I didn't think that was a thing.........that said I also support two teams, Brighton (obviously) and anyone who is playing Crystal Palace.

Precisely, it's the old Scotland joke about England.

Supporting and favouring is very different. I'd love to see Liverpool win the league again but haven't bought any of their merchandise (since owning a Hitachi shirt in early 80s!) and couldn't tell you who they're playing each week or even bother to tune into watch them if they're on the TV (which they never are because football has been priced off terrestrial so god knows how these plastics 'follow' their teams). But I'd like to see them win the League again someday, obviously not now WE ARE THEIR RIVALS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE!!!

 

[Goldstone1976]

Sure it is good fun when asked about getting tickets but on a more serious note, assuming we manage to stay in the PL for a number of seasons, what effect will this have on feeding the fan base. If tickets are all but impossible to come by how are youngsters 'coming of age' going to be able to see the Albion play?

Yep.

There are only two possible solutions: build a bigger stadium, and "dead mens' shoes". Can't see the former happening (though they may now take the opportunity of adding the "few extra" seats that PB says is possible), so it's dead mens' shoes...

 

[WSU Dilettante]

I never want to see that again.
I believe that person has a ST very close to me.

She sits about 5 rows forward from where I used to in West Upper (I moved a little more centrally at the start of this season)

An absolute embarrassment.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Sure it is good fun when asked about getting tickets but on a more serious note, assuming we manage to stay in the PL for a number of seasons, what effect will this have on feeding the fan base. If tickets are all but impossible to come by how are youngsters 'coming of age' going to be able to see the Albion play?

I'm pretty sure demand will never be higher than it is this summer. When we're struggling to hang on to 17th place there'll be one or two who don't renew season tickets and demand generally will drop off. That's what happened last time.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Is someone a plastic fan if they have 2 teams? Brighton and a PL team?

 

[abc]

The alternative view is a bit more positive. I've had many friends who support other clubs (mainly who live nearer to 'other' clubs) who have been delighted for us. But picking up new fans is always a good thing. I went to my first game at the Goldstone in the first season in Div 1 and have been totally (and infuriatingly) Albion obsessed ever since. New fans tend to start following a club at times of success. I suspect many, if not most, are then hooked and then become fans for life.

 

[Frankie]

I'm a lifelong Spurs supporter , Brighton are my second team and will continue to support both in my own fashion .

 

[Gwylan]

Yep.

There are only two possible solutions: build a bigger stadium, and "dead mens' shoes". Can't see the former happening (though they may now take the opportunity of adding the "few extra" seats that PB says is possible), so it's dead mens' shoes...

There's another solution. The club could reserve some of its available tickets (either non-ST tickets or ones held by the club for its guests) for U-18s. It would even fewer available every game for non-ST adults but would keep a new generation interested

 

[Goldstone1976]

There's another solution. The club could reserve some of its available tickets (either non-ST tickets or ones held by the club for its guests) for U-18s. It would even fewer available every game for non-ST adults but would keep a new generation interested

Yes. That's an excellent solution.

 

[Nixonator]

Is someone a plastic fan if they have 2 teams? Brighton and a PL team?

No they're just a bit of a knob. Any more questions let me know.

 

[pearl]

If I had more time my other team would be Whitehawk