I want the glory of promotion....but am indifferent to playing in the Prem

[Not Andy Naylor]

A team's aim is to win, isn't it? And if they fulfil that aim more often than their rivals, they go up. So if we want the team to win (which I assume we all do) then I'm afraid we have to take the downside of promotion to the Premier League.

 

[catfish]

A team's aim is to win, isn't it? And if they fulfil that aim more often than their rivals, they go up. So if we want the team to win (which I assume we all do) then I'm afraid we have to take the downside of promotion to the Premier League.

It's so different to the excitement in '79 when we were promoted to the old Div 1, ain't it?

 

[Eeyore]

Imagine reaching the First Division again (to use the proper term for those who know football started before 1992).

We'll be signing average players for £8m and feeling totally indifferent to their arrival. A home fixture against Stoke City will no longer cause any excitement. A sense of final accomplishment will be replaced by thoughts of what, if anything, comes next. But naturally we want, and perhaps need, to be there. With the money some of the clubs will have on their return to the Second Division it will get harder.

But sometimes searching for the holy grail is more fun than finding it.

 

[dingodan]

I really can't believe this thread.

I'm sure you will all be sighing with boredom throughout next season if we make it to the PL.

I'm sure you will all be disinterested, bemoaning our plight in such a boring league, harking back to the good old days of the Championship.

I'm sure this forum will be dead quiet as you all get on with other more interesting things in your life once things at your football club become so much less exciting.

Yeah OK.

 

[drew]

The top flight was always a closed shop in the potential to succeed though.

If you look at the 23 years prior to the Premier League there were only seven different winners with one massively dominant team (Liverpool 11 titles).

We are in the 23rd year of the Premier League and the pattern is pretty much the same. Five different winners so far but Leicester could make it six this season. (The dominant team of the era were obviously Man Utd.)

You could argue that there are now more opportunities for promoted teams than when we last went up as there are far more European berths up for grabs.

Personally, I would think 7 different teams winning the league in 23 years is a pretty good competition. (It's also not dissimilar to other top European leagues).

As for european spaces, we have seven. 4 CL and 3 Europa. which is only one more than we had back in the 80s.

 

[perseus]

The next seven home games this season will be every bit as big as half the Premier League games.

I'm up for watching Premier League teams at the Amex for next season. The time is right for me. I've seen 20 seasons in the second tier and every season has been a hard slog with competent defences and impotent attacks.

 

[Megazone]

If Leicester can do it, anyone can.

 

[BadFish]

The next seven home games this season will be every bit as big as half the Premier League games.

I'm up for watching Premier League teams at the Amex for next season. The time is right for me. I've seen 20 seasons in the second tier and every season has been a hard slog with competent defences and impotent attacks.

Exciting times indeed, but it is also worth noting that one of the reasons for these games being exciting is the prospect of gaining the chance of having a crack at the Premier League at the end of it.

If playing in the PL is not the end goal then surely there is little point in getting excited about winning these games?

I understand where people are coming from and in many ways the Premier League is a poison chalice but we have no choice but to aim for it. We might as well look to enjoy the rewards of our efforts.

 

[e77]

Getting in the top flight again would seem to be the best way to complete the journey from the Goldstone being run down then sold, Gillingham, Withdean and the Falmer For All campaign.

 

[El Presidente]

It's better to travel to arrive.

Watching the Albion in the top flight 79-83 started off being like a kid at Christmas, but by the fourth season there home crowds had fallen to below 10,000 and we would sometimes take less than 100 away.

The excitement of staying up the first time was replaced by indifference and I'd be going to matches at times out of a sense of duty rather than looking forward to seeing the Albion.

The target every season in the PL will be 40 points. What has happened with Leicester this season is fantastic, but for every Leicester there are ten Norwich's, scrapping for points, trying to get 10-11 wins out of 38.

Enjoy it, cherish it, remember the occasional victories against the 'big' clubs (I can still recall beating Arsenal, United, City, Liverpool in the league during 79-83), but love it? Nope.

 

[8ace]

is this actually true though? we'd be going from being one of the best supported and attractive to watch teams in our division to being just another also ran. i would expect more Saturday 3pm games, certainly in percentage terms...

No it's not true at all. Look at Hull's fixture list the last two season in the prem - they played on a Saturday nearly every week.
Also look at bmuff's remaining fixtures - all 3pm Saturday.

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

Don't forget all the (Sussex born) closet Arsenal/Chelsea/ManU supporters in the home stands.

I don't think that's anything new. Half the people that surround me at Falmer fall into that category.

 

[Prince Monolulu]

As stated before, I recall a Chelsea game being on TV in the concourse one Saturday prior to our kick-off. The blues scored, and there was a bigger cheer than the rest of the afternoon.

 

[sir albion]

As stated before, I recall a Chelsea game being on TV in the concourse one Saturday prior to our kick-off. The blues scored, and there was a bigger cheer than the rest of the afternoon.

Who was they playing?

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Who were they playing?

Absolutely no idea.

I was having a quick pint and possibly an old pie.

 

[Gazwag]

One things for sure, it will cut considerably the miles travelled a season for away matches.

 

[severnside gull]

I have followed Albion from Division 4 and the old 3rd Division (South) to Division 1 and every version of every league between over a period of nearly 60 years. Don't give a shit about the EPL unless we are in it in which event I will at least get to watch more games than I can now if only because most will be televised live

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Imagine reaching the First Division again (to use the proper term for those who know football started before 1992).

We'll be signing average players for £8m and feeling totally indifferent to their arrival. A home fixture against Stoke City will no longer cause any excitement. A sense of final accomplishment will be replaced by thoughts of what, if anything, comes next. But naturally we want, and perhaps need, to be there. With the money some of the clubs will have on their return to the Second Division it will get harder.

But sometimes searching for the holy grail is more fun than finding it.

Bit like dating and marriage then?

 

[Eeyore]

Bit like dating and marriage then?

That could be worth a few thumbs up.

 

[BrianWade4]

Does anyone else feel like this?

Don't get me wrong, I am desperate for us to win as many games as we can and get in the top 2. Or the playoffs are great drama and potentially glorious. The celebrations would be epic either way .

But I can take or leave playing in the Prem next season:
- 8 fewer match days
- Less Saturday 3pms
- More expensive away tickets
- Let's face it, we're not going to win many
- More diving, cheating players and whinging managers

The pros would be:
- great to have a full Amex every week.
- see the top teams
- financial security for the club and a deserved return for Tony
- some subsidy for away travel (I believe)

On balance, I am indifferent to the PL.

The media bang on about the £100m+ etc., and of course a lot of people at the Club would benefit financially. But it is irrelevant at best to the fans.

It's all about the glory.

PG

Perfectly sums up my view