Independent Blog

[Hotchilidog]

I normally back Ward up on the other threads that have a go, BUT, those comments are just indefensible, especially in the light of the very decent football we are serving up at the moment.

If it really is that much of a chore to watch he should retire to his living room chair and widescreen tv.

 

[Icy Gull]

I too have always thought that the criticism was ott but he really should go find his next team now. I wonder if he'll choose to stay in and watch Arsenal on the box rather than turn up at Withdean if our matches clash midweek. I think he should.

 

[Brovion]

"...compare a decent, flowing Champions League tie to some of the clueless, hoofing, clunkingly inept so-called football that’s served up to fans in League One and below, week after week."

I have no wish to defend his blog, but aren't some people getting a little defensive here.
Did he say we played like that.

Come on we all take the p**s and mock some of the teams that we face, including that south coast team for playing hoofball, so yes it is served up to to fans in League One and yes we do get to see it........ played by other teams.

I can see where you're coming from, but if that's the case maybe he could have phrased it better? Something like "watching my beloved Brighton sometimes we have to put up with clunking and inept football, and so it makes a pleasant change to watch better quality football in the champions' league."

Naa. On second thoughts even that doesn't work, it just sounds like a 3rd rate crodonilson. At best he's being sneeringly patronising about the standard of football he has to endure 'supporting' his local team.

 

[sten_super]

If it really is that much of a chore to watch he should retire to his living room chair and widescreen tv.

I think this is the issue, rather than the fact that we are playing decent football at the moment. Regardless of the quality, I can only raise any enthusiasm for watching Brighton or England. Everything else leaves me cold. Yes I can (and will) watch it if it's on, and would prefer to watch it to almost anything the missus will try to make me watch, but I don't feel any involvement in it, and would never even countenance it as an alternative to watching BHAFC.

This, combined with the air of superiority that litters his posts, as if any other viewpoint than his own is completely ridiculous (having only ever read two of his blog posts and never listened to the phone in), just makes him look like an idiot, IMHO.

 

[GOM]

I can see where you're coming from, but if that's the case maybe he could have phrased it better? Something like "watching my beloved Brighton sometimes we have to put up with clunking and inept football, and so it makes a pleasant change to watch better quality football in the champions' league."

Naa. On second thoughts even that doesn't work, it just sounds like a 3rd rate crodonilson. At best he's being sneeringly patronising about the standard of football he has to endure 'supporting' his local team.

Perhaps that says something about his writing ability !

 

[Hiney]

"...compare a decent, flowing Champions League tie to some of the clueless, hoofing, clunkingly inept so-called football that’s served up to fans in League One and below, week after week."

I have no wish to defend his blog, but aren't some people getting a little defensive here.
Did he say we played like that.

Come on we all take the p**s and mock some of the teams that we face, including that south coast team for playing hoofball, so yes it is served up to to fans in League One and yes we do get to see it........ played by other teams.

Fair point, but only IF he had made the comment and added a hilariously witty exemption for his 'beloved Brighton'.

 

[attila]

That is downright pathetic, Mr.Ward. Great you've decided to support our club - we welcome new fans from anywhere, no probs - but if that's the way you choose to express your support, kindly knob off.

 

[Easy 10]

He clearly feels he's "lowered" himself to support the likes of the Albion. That blog makes it perfectly clear where his real footballing passions lie. He might as well piss of back to Sky Sports and Arsenal if he feels he's slumming it with us and the clueless, hoofing, clunkingly inept football down here.

What an utter twunt.

 

[El Presidente]

I've always defended Mike Ward in the past, but in the light of his latest snide comments, have sent this to Radio Sussex

BBC Sussex
Broadcasting House
Queens Road
Brighton
BN1 3XB

Dear Sirs

BBC Sussex Radio football phone in presenter Mike Ward

I wish to complain about the constant sniping from Mike Ward about the Albion and its fans.

The whole point of the post match phone in is to reflect the enthusiasm and passion of Albion fans for the fare they have just seen. Quite often, as we all know, this is pretty dreadful viewing, but the whole point about being a fan of a lower division club is that you live in hope rather than expectation, romance rather than reality, and the Albion reflects a coming together of like minded souls who reject the alternatives of sitting in front of the television on a Saturday afternoon and dieting on Sky Sports News and the clueless witterings of Alan Green on Five Live.

You would therefore expect that the presenter of the FANS phone in would understand this, and Ian Hart, the former presenter, despite his occasional own goals, was a fan with a microphone, and we could relate to him.

The same cannot be said of Mike Ward, following on from his rant at Albion fans a couple of weeks ago in The Independent, he follows this up by extolling the virtues of The Champions League, he states:

“I can justify this apparent disloyalty to my own club by pointing out one harsh yet indisputable fact: that the Uefa Champions League is so far removed from anything Brighton & Hove Albion are ever going to compete in – and I’m sorry, but I do mean ever – that it may as well be an entirely different sport.

Indeed, at times that’s exactly how it looks, if you compare a decent, flowing Champions League tie to some of the clueless, hoofing, clunkingly inept so-called football that’s served up to fans in League One and below, week after week.”

I note that the Champions League which he champions features such mouth watering ties this week as FC Copenhagen v Rubin Kazan, Benfica v Hapoel Tel-Aviv and……….wait for it, CFR 1907 Cluj-Napoca v Basle.

If this is the view of Mr Ward, who clearly has contempt for both the players and fans of the Albion, may I suggest that instead of taking a wage off the licence payers, of whom many also happen to be season ticket holders and travel thousands of miles to watch the Albion home and away, he finds something else to occupy himself between 5 and 6 each Saturday if the ‘clunkingly inept so called football’ at Withdean once a fortnight offends him so much.

Before he gets on his high horse and makes a sniping comment about me being po-faced and out of touch with the 21st century, may I point out that I live in Manchester, and have access to tickets to see both United and City each week, but choose not to, simply because I, like so many others, are proud to support the Albion, having seen them in both good times and bad.

I’m in awe of people such as Paul Samrah, Dick Knight, Attilla, Ian Hart, Tony Bloom and many others who have given up their time and much of their money to make sure that we have a club to support.

The Albion is a privilege not a right, part of the community, the fabric of the twin cities of Brighton and Hove, and a vital umbilical cord for all exiles who grew up in Sussex.

The fans understand this, Mike Ward clearly does not, he does not represent us, speak for us or on behalf of us, and I think he is a totally inappropriate person to be hosting the phone in show.

Yours faithfully

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I think it was rather clumsily worded, but don't we seem to spend every other weekend suggesting that our opponents are clunky (or words to that effect), lumbering, hoofball merchants? Just off the top of my head, Southampton, MK Dons and Yeovil spring to mind. There ARE plenty of horrible teams to watch in this league, fact.

I see where you're all coming from- admittedly I don't read the bloke's columns as I find them a bit dull- but I don't think he QUITE intended it to come across in the way it did. Or maybe I'm just in a generous mood

 

[See-Goals]

Good letter, nice to see some constructive outpourings.

 

[Stoo82]

and a vital umbilical cord for all exiles who grew up in Sussex.

Great letter, if I could put my name to it then I would. The quote above is so bloody true.

 

[Was not Was]

Great letter, El Pres.

Could we not take this a stage further and stage a 'crazy American pastor'-style burning of Mike Ward's book?

This would surely be completely appropriate, garner worldwide attention, and provoke his followers to new heights of fury. If he has any.

I will willingly donate my copy.

 

[Scotty Mac]

Could we not take this a stage further and stage a 'crazy American pastor'-style burning of Mike Ward's book?

i quite like his book

i imagine i will probably phone up the phone in on saturday to talk to the great man himself and, regardless of the result, complain about the football that was on offer and that unless poyet produces a replica of 19790's holland by the end of the month that i am going to burn my season ticket and support arsenal every saturday night on match of the day instead

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Mike Ward. You are the weakest link.

Goodbye.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Why the UEFA Champions League is the world's most tedious and overhyped borefest.

BBC Sport - Football - Man Utd 0-0 Rangers

 

[Billy the Fish]

I don't really get his point.

I consider myself to be a Brighton fan and only a Brighton fan - none of this second club bollocks, but I still manage to watch plenty of premier league and champions league games, because I love watching football. That doesn't detract in any way from my love of the Albion, they are mutually exclusive events.

All of this is possible wthout any fuss, book or blog.

 

[Silent Bob]

The phone in has become unlistenable with this guy and the failed Southern FM chap.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

When will he realise that not everyone thinks/feels/cares about his opinions?

Actually, for "not everyone" see "no-one"

His blogs and dismal burblings about the club are the longest suicide letter for a BHA pundit ever.

He is rapidly becoming the most reviled Brighton supporter I can remember.

 

[Turkey]

He's obviously not talking about us, he's not thick. There are some poor sides at this level. We all want to play at a higher level. No need to be so bloody precious. Everyone jumping on the bandwagon though, suppose your lifes going pretty well if this is all you have to worry about!