[Albion] Infighting amongst our fans

[The Wookiee]

I’m 52 years old and been to 58 different grounds watching Brighton from 1985

Never really saw much fighting amongst our own fan base, yes there were different groups from different areas that went home and away but never really saw fans turning on each other.

Everyone came together, and looked out for each other.

Lots of reports recently of in fighting, punch ups with fellow fans

What are your thoughts and experiences of fan base today and that of days gone by ?

 

[Beach Hut]

Post Covid away fans has changed significantly to Stone Island, CP7 types (old and young) who are quire aggressive but not particularly threatening.

That said CPFC away really is becoming a nightmare these days, behind me someone called the linesman a f***ing coon and repeatedly used the C word which to me is fine however there were females and younger fans near by.

And before all you PC experts say why didn't you report him, not for me thanks given how aggressive he was and on the Met Police march back to the station the weed stink nearly made me high as a kite.

 

[The Wookiee]

Post Covid away fans has changed significantly to Stone Island, CP7 types (old and young) who are quire aggressive but not particularly threatening.

That said CPFC away really is becoming a nightmare these days, behind me someone call the linesman a f***ing coon repeatedly used the C word which to me is fine however there were females and younger fans near by.

And before all you PC experts say why didn't you report him, not for me thanks given how aggressive he was and on the Met Police march back to the station the weed stink nearly made me high as a kite.

You are an old head like me - getting back on topic - do you remember much in fighting in years gone by ?

 

[dazzer6666]

Post Covid away fans has changed significantly to Stone Island, CP7 types (old and young) who are quire aggressive but not particularly threatening.

That said CPFC away really is becoming a nightmare these days, behind me someone call the linesman a f***ing coon repeatedly used the C word which to me is fine however there were females and younger fans near by.

And before all you PC experts say why didn't you report him, not for me thanks given how aggressive he was and on the Met Police march back to the station the weed stink nearly made me high as a kite.

Actually thought it was all very tepid tonight compared to previous games there…….

 

[Beach Hut]

You are an old head like me - getting back on topic - do you remember much in fighting in years gone by ?

No I don't bar England away games in the 80s where if no local fans turned up Pompey v Millwall plus West Ham v Chelsea and always everyone v Scousers

 

[Beach Hut]

Actually thought it was all very tepid tonight compared to previous games there…….

Really first time ever escorted to the ground only got in the ground at KO

 

[brightn'ove]

behind me someone call the linesman a f***ing coon

Yikes. Hopefully somebody did report this or the met spotted it because that’s awful.

 

[oneillco]

I’m 52 years old and been to 58 different grounds watching Brighton from 1985

Never really saw much fighting amongst our own fan base, yes there were different groups from different areas that went home and away but never really saw fans turning on each other.

Everyone came together, and looked out for each other.

Lots of reports recently of in fighting, punch ups with fellow fans

What are your thoughts and experiences of fan base today and that of days gone by ?

My experiences are currently much the same as they were when I first saw Albion in 1976...most of our fans are fine, get along well as a group and aren't looking for trouble. In the 70s and 80s we did have quite a large beer fueled minority who enjoyed some aggro; these days where we have a big following again there is a minority who are similarly antagonistic, but cocaine is probably a bigger contributor to their rage. However, overall I reckon I see far less trouble these days than during the Goldstone era.

 

[Giraffe]

Two of the fights were a few rows in front of me. Seemed to be a combination of pissed up (or coked up) lads mixed with sober left wing guys who didn't like their comments about their lino. Lots of accusations of racism. To be clear I was too far back to hear the original comments, but stewards were called and came and split them up. It started again when we scored as presumably one party or other took the opportunity in the chaos to have a pop at the other. Well that's what it looked like anyway.

How you can ever start on a fellow Brighton fan is beyond me, but maybe they had good reason

 

[Stat Brother]

Two of the fights were a few rows in front of me. Seemed to be a combination of pissed up (or coked up) lads mixed with sober left wing guys who didn't like their comments about their lino. Lots of accusations of racism. To be clear I was too far back to hear the original comments, but stewards were called and came and split them up. It started again when we scored as presumably one party or other took the opportunity in the chaos to have a pop at the other. Well that's what it looked like anyway.

How you can ever start on a fellow Brighton fan is beyond me, but maybe they had good reason

Yep just posted much the same on the 'more banning order' thread.

 

[The Wookiee]

No I don't bar England away games in the 80s where if no local fans turned up Pompey v Millwall plus West Ham v Chelsea and always everyone v Scousers

That was really the point of me starting this thread

Hooliganism was a lot worse back in the day but rarely did Brighton fight Brighton-

If you went away following Brighton you went together - you looked after each other, young and old.

 

[Eeyore]

I've seen the Albion play at 85 grounds and not once witnessed an in-fight. To be honest, I've only witnessed handbags with other fans a few times.

I've only been to one Albion match in the last four years so I can't comment on things post lockdown, but from reading here it does seem that at a time when you would have thought attendees were more aware of how easily their behaviour is monitored there seems to be an emboldening of their actions.

I can only assume these 'marching powder' stories have some truth in them.

I may be reading things wrong here, but I would hope that you don't need to be a 'sober left wing guy' to take issue with overt racism. I'm pretty sure it's not a qualification and that most would be uncomfortable with it. And given that it carries a prison sentence, I assume the goon must have been in a parallel universe of some sort which kind of loops to my third paragraph.

 

[WhingForPresident]

That said CPFC away really is becoming a nightmare these days, behind me someone call the linesman a f***ing coon repeatedly

For fucks sake These ****s need reporting and lifetime banning orders issued. Vile.

 

[pb21]

sober left wing guys who didn't like their comments

Not liking racism isn't the preserve of sober left wing guys.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Two of the fights were a few rows in front of me. Seemed to be a combination of pissed up (or coked up) lads mixed with sober left wing guys who didn't like their comments about their lino. Lots of accusations of racism.

One hell of a statement there considering you're a moderator. You really need to choose your words better.

 

[The Hermit Kingdom]

Post Covid away fans has changed significantly to Stone Island, CP7 types (old and young) who are quire aggressive but not particularly threatening.

That said CPFC away really is becoming a nightmare these days, behind me someone call the linesman a f***ing coon repeatedly used the C word which to me is fine however there were females and younger fans near by.

And before all you PC experts say why didn't you report him, not for me thanks given how aggressive he was and on the Met Police march back to the station the weed stink nearly made me high as a kite.

Anyone using that ancient racial epithet must be in their late 50s/60s I would have thought. Utterly pathetic and deplorable.

 

[Chicken Run]

I find the the thought of Blue on Blue fighting thoroughly depressing

 

[smillie's garden]

I find the the thought of Blue on Blue fighting thoroughly depressing

Yes, but not as depressing as not challenging racism just because the racist happens to support the same football team.

 

[Chicken Run]

Yes, but not as depressing as not challenging racism just because the racist happens to support the same football team.

Indeed

 

[Guinness Boy]

I’m 52 years old and been to 58 different grounds watching Brighton from 1985

Never really saw much fighting amongst our own fan base, yes there were different groups from different areas that went home and away but never really saw fans turning on each other.

Everyone came together, and looked out for each other.

Lots of reports recently of in fighting, punch ups with fellow fans

What are your thoughts and experiences of fan base today and that of days gone by ?

I’m a similar age, started aways at a similar time and have only done a few more grounds. You’re absolutely correct about the old days, maybe a bit of tension between the Brighton based and LA based lot at times but basically we were all Brighton together.

It’s got much worse in the Premier League. Allocated seating often the cause as we’re selling out everywhere and some blokes just won’t accept they can’t have 20 of them on a row with six seats free.

Age not really a factor either. A very aggressive bloke tried to nick my place in Amsterdam and must have been late 50s / early 60s. We all saw what that old bloke did at Marseille. Meanwhile, I ended up with a group of youngsters at Forest (was with my son and there’s also a 60 year old in that group but most in their early 20s) and it was like the old days. Got pissed on the train, made travel f-ups together, had a laugh.

If someone’s calling out racism though, good on them.