[Football] Giving up my season ticket.

[blockhseagull]

Wow what a depressing thread.

Sad that people feel the way they do, but guess some people need to be ‘loved’ and appreciated in order to enjoy going to the football.

I just go because I enjoy watching football, the social element and because I support the club. The fact that the dynamic might have changed since we moved to the Amex and then became a PL makes no difference to me.

I accept there is going to be brilliant times and times when things are a bit tough and a bit flat… yeah I’ll moan about the quality of the football on the way home and be disappointed we aren’t good enough on occasions but I don’t feel the need to blame Barber, Potter etc and feel the need to give up my season ticket.

Everyone is going through a tough time at the moment, it’s been almost 2 years of restrictions and worries so I’m hardly surprised the atmosphere isn’t as good as it has been before…. However the joy and elation of Maupay’s equalizers this season have more than made up for the bad performances like last night.

 

[e77]

I think the period where games were played behind closed doors weakened the link between fans and the match day experience which I don't think will be restored until some sense of normality returns. We all had to make a decision last night whether to attend the game and risk potentially serious illness or not. While I did go I fully understand why people didn't, but regardless it is a decision that would have seemed unbelievable two years ago. Even so I used the toilet, got a soft drink and went to my seat where everyone I knew was missing and stayed there until the final whistle.

Granted last night was always going to be an evening kick off but the kick offs this season have been ludicrous. Having one home 1500 Saturday kick off between August and February really isn't on and the attendance for Brentford on Boxing Day is going to break the wrong type of records. The TV people need to start realising the crowd are part of the match day experience and it isn't a great look on TV and diminishes the exclusivity of the Premier League 'product'.

I am sure someone will prove me wrong but when we first came up we were sometimes on TV but now every game seems to be on TV. That is going to keep people away from grounds, especially for late kick offs.

I have a ticket for Old Trafford in 48 hours time and I have no idea if it is going ahead or not. The Premier League need to decide fairly sharpish if they want fans travelling up an down the country watching heavily depleted teams.

 

[Jeremiah]

To be honest it's a grind to get to the Amex at the moment and our football is mostly rubbish. So chucking it all in crosses the mind.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This grumpy old woman said, at the time, fans would enjoy the journey more than the destination.

It's a combination of covid, restrictions (size of bag, bottle tops etc etc) travel, cold, times of kick offs, poor results, and many factors.
My mojo is currently at 1 out of 10.

But you won't flounce though, will you?

 

[Guinness Boy]

I really missed football with crowds during the BCD era and couldn't wait to get back to a packed Amex and see my friends and experience top quality football right in front of me. I swore I'd never moan again.

Yesterday, I didn't go. Sure I had a carol concert to go to but I chose that. The wife could easily have gone and a friend puppy sat. I simply didn't make the effort.

However, the trip to Southampton a week and a half ago was great. A proper day out for me and the boy and plenty of atmosphere in the away end. So it turns out I much prefer away days.

The atmosphere at the Amex is bad and getting worse.
The ticket share scheme is a joke.
The coach who was supposed to provide the next level in terms of both results and football now has us playing turgid, chance-free football. We look like a side that's forgotten how to score, never mind win.

I'm not "Covid nervous". What will be, will be on that front. I'm jabbed and don't mind wearing a mask but I also travel to game on the train and I enjoy going mainly for the social aspect.

But, boy, has the last couple of months been a let down.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

However the joy and elation of Maupay’s equalizers this season have more than made up for the bad performances like last night.

Just when did they happen at the Amex? Did I miss that?

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

There were a huge amount more of midweek games in the EFL

That's why I put that down as number 3. Reason 1 and 2 made reason 3 not worth it. In the championship I didn't mind it because I enjoyed going to games more.

 

[BNthree]

I’m not sure it’s a sense of entitlement for me, wanting to see a home game at 3pm on a Saturday and a few more wins and goals isn’t entitlement, I don’t expect the Albion to win the League.

I felt being part of something when we played at Withdean, I can understand the OP when he gets this from watching his local non league side.

Think this is a big factor that others have touched on but not voiced.

 

[blockhseagull]

Just when did they happen at the Amex? Did I miss that?

Where did I say they happened at the Amex

 

[Badger Boy]

The club feels very stale at the moment. Nothing happening on the pitch and a widening disconnect off it in my opinion. The ticket sharing scheme is a massive dissatisfier and there is zero appeal to going to matches right now. For all the praise for the passing it about, the football is hopeless and passionless. Like the manager.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

But you won't flounce though, will you?

Nah. You don't get rid of me that easily.

 

[stewart_weir]

Lots in the same boat, football isn't what is was, by a long chalk.

Sanitised to death.

Its also the effects of getting older and thinking back to a time wearing rose tinted glasses. It was never really that pleasant in the olden days standing on the terrace as the sky emptied cold water onto us. The urinals stank of cat pxss lets not forget and if you wanted a shxt it was best to hold on until you got home. The banks of pipe tobacco smoke wafting over the East Terrace I can still smell today. Would I go back to those wind sept tobacco air days now? Probably not but I do miss them.

Today we have the price of success (literally) together with the increased commercialisation BUT if we demand the best players then they get paid accordingly and so we have the inevitability of that commercialisation at every level. The Albion's loss of you and others will be replaced by a waiting list to replace you. The ground is only 'full' because of our success and if that's mid table mediocrity and the occasional flirtation with relegation and even less flirtations with a top 6 spot then that is the future of us fans.

Lets not forgot though - we are where we are because we lack a quality striker. If that striker comes in January or in July assuming we keep the squad mostly together then perhaps your going to miss that elusive top 6 finish in May 23.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

The thought of buying another ST in WSL sends a shiver down my spine


Regards
DF

 

[Weststander]

You only have to look at the North Stand to see why it doesn't work. It looks like a tiny afterthought.

So obvious.

The concept of relatively small, longitudinal end stands was there from day on, Dick's vision. The end stands are basically unchanged from the Nov'01 graphics revealed to 1,000 Albion fans at a rapturous Hove Town Hall meeting.

When Levy designed the new WHL with KSS Architects (the same firm we used), he said he wanted to learn from the recent mistakes of others that had killed atmosphere, he bitchily cited the Emirates. Whilst drawing on the coups of others, the Anfield Kop. So KSS/Levy created a visionary Kop.

Lucked out by the passage of time, seeing others mistakes.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Where did I say they happened at the Amex

You didn't. The point is in reference to the thread. The thread is about the entertainment: hassle:value ratio and whether it's worth having a season ticket.

Moments as you described, illustrate perfectly that it is unnecessary to have a season ticket in order to follow the Albion. I enjoyed those Maupay moments immensely but my purchase of a season ticket is inconsequential to that.

 

[Weststander]

The thought of buying another ST in WSL sends a shiver down my spine


Regards
DF

You certainly wouldn't get that from watching the football.

 

[blockhseagull]

You didn't. The point is in reference to the thread. The thread is about the entertainment: hassle:value ratio and whether it's worth having a season ticket.

Moments as you described, illustrate perfectly that it is unnecessary to have a season ticket in order to follow the Albion. I enjoyed those Maupay moments immensely but my purchase of a season ticket is inconsequential to that.

My point was very much to do with my overall enjoyment of supporting the club.

Something which several have commented that PL football is ‘soulless’.

If those moments at Palace, WH and Southampton are soulless then I’m not sure what people are looking for

 

[Is it PotG?]

If those moments at Palace, WH and Southampton are soulless then I’m not sure what people are looking for

Although all 3 were super fun being there, sadly these were all away matches.
Many people have said that they currently prefer 'aways', me included, which unfortunately leaves the home performances somewhat lacking for many, many fans not travelling to away fixtures.

 

[nwgull]

My point was very much to do with my overall enjoyment of supporting the club.

Something which several have commented that PL football is ‘soulless’.

If those moments at Palace, WH and Southampton are soulless then I’m not sure what people are looking for

Those 2 goals at Anfield felt pretty soulful as well - even the disallowed 3rd for a few sweet seconds!

 

[LeTiss]

It’s been a testing season due to COVID, the new exchange system, not playing at 3pm and Groundhog Day home performances.

My highlight last night was the pie.The Amex lacks passion & the club missed a trick by not creating an intimidating home end. Look at Selhurst it has shit facilities & whilst the Holmesdale may be filled with the less desired it has numbers & passion.

On the pitch it’s become sterile and as we venture into Xmas a STH mate who I went with last night hasn’t seen us win all season. How are people going to be upbeat when you get Groundhog performances? We control possession in areas where the opposition want you to have possession and rarely score 2 goals in a match. On top of that you face opposition who feign injury & roll around buying fouls or stoppages. As a squad we are a couple of quality players away from being a good PL side but we need to play a faster brand of attacking football if you are going to buy in the crowd.