[Albion] Is the Prem even worth staying in?

[BrickTamland]

This was the same thing that happened in 1979 after we got promoted to the old first division. Fans had been spoilt by seeing us winning most weeks and didn’t like seeing us struggling at a higher level. I would have thought the three playoff defeats and the season of struggle under Sami and then CH would have made people appreciate the level we are at but apparently not everyone likes it. They are entitled to their opinion of course, but personally I want my team to play at the highest level possible. If you don’t, then what is the point of wanting them to win in the Championship? If they do it enough they’ll be back in the Premier League. Or should they refuse promotion?

I think my point is more a wider criticism of the way the Prem functions, as if we are there to make up the numbers. Of course my argument creates a paradox of promotion and relegation but quite frankly its more exciting than just staying afloat which is about as much as we can reasonably expect without our own Russian oligarch (which I for one really wouldn't want). In response to @KalimantianGull I suppose then we had more of a backs against the wall attitude and we were still on our journey to the promised land. Now we've got here I'm not sure I really 'get' it. Nothing against those that do though.

 

[goldstone]

If every season is going to be like this one has panned out so far ... not scoring many goals and getting beaten frequently ... then the answer is no. Far too depressing. I want to see my team winning ... like we have got rather used to over the past few seasons. I cannot see the likelihood of a winning season (more wins than defeats) in the forseeable future in the Prem.

 

[trueblue]

Enjoyed a 0-4.

Which true blue? Chelski?

Certainly not.

Albion played well. Good open game. Couldn’t have done much more. So I enjoyed it.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

It all comes down to your reasons for watching football. I enjoyed the middle hour of today’s game, watching The Albion going toe to toe with the Premier League champions and giving a performance that offered real hope for better results to come. If you just want to watch your team win and score goals then history suggests that being a Brighton fan may not be the thing for you.

I can’t help thinking that a few seasons hanging on in the Premier League comes under the heading of ‘nice problem to have’ and one that Birmingham, Leeds and Massive would rather like.

 

[BrickTamland]

The winning thing isn’t my only point though. As I’ve repeated do you want the Albion to just become another once of the teams over spending to survive in a league designed for foreign and domestic TV? Having been what even been through I think it’s a bit depressing. Nothing to do really until the league becomes more balanced, as right now it offers very little to supporters outside the top 7/8 big clubs.

 

[Weststander]

It all comes down to your reasons for watching football. I enjoyed the middle hour of today’s game, watching The Albion going toe to toe with the Premier League champions and giving a performance that offered real hope for better results to come. If you just want to watch your team win and score goals then history suggests that being a Brighton fan may not be the thing for you.

Or Championship football is the way forward for those many thousand?

It's not a Brighton thing. On long non-winning PL runs, fans on other club forums lament about the Championship, where they say they go into every game with a bloody good chance of three points.

 

[Larry]

Yes for the money.

 

[Motogull]

Yes for the money.

And because both the Rodney Plonkers up the road and plucky Bournemouth have stayed up. We just can't go straight back down.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Doesn't matter what league you're in, losing and not scoring isn't much fun to watch every week. Looking forward to relegation and not becoming a Sunderland or Wigan.

I kind of get your emotion, but I don't second it.This is our first season back in the big time for many years. To stay in it takes experience. We need to get through that first year, pick up the experience and move on.

 

[worthingseagull123]

So what you're basically saying is you'd like to support a team like Ipswich. Nice middle of the road championship side, no jeopardy, little excitement, not much ambition but no fear of relegation.

Each to their own I suppose.

But Ipswich have had far more success than we ever have.

And on the balance of probabilities, they will bounce back.

 

[Questions]

If every season is going to be like this one has panned out so far ... not scoring many goals and getting beaten frequently ... then the answer is no. Far too depressing. I want to see my team winning ... like we have got rather used to over the past few seasons. I cannot see the likelihood of a winning season (more wins than defeats) in the forseeable future in the Prem.

Probably best to bail out now then. Look at WBA and Stoke and see what awaits us even if we stay up this year. I’d take that btw.

 

[jimhigham]

The trick is to stay in the Prem and build for the future. If we can become secure enough we can start looking at having credible cup runs and challenging for trophies. Oh! And staying in the Prem gives us the opportunity of building a secure base for the future so that the next generation of supporters doesn’t have to worry about things going all “mid 1990s” on us again.

 

[worthingseagull123]

The trick is to stay in the Prem and build for the future. If we can become secure enough we can start looking at having credible cup runs and challenging for trophies. Oh! And staying in the Prem gives us the opportunity of building a secure base for the future so that the next generation of supporters doesn’t have to worry about things going all “mid 1990s” on us again.

Not necessarily. Burnley went down and came back stronger

 

[Mr Bridger]

Yes for the money.

It’s not all about the money, more important things in life.

 

[jimhigham]

Not necessarily. Burnley went down and came back stronger

Absolutely. Quite agree and I suspect Mr Bloom has this in mind. Continuity is king and with the academy bedding in it makes sense to keep a manager with oversight of the entire operation. The Premier League was always going to be about more than just this one season.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

What a ridiculous thread. I have a full 24 pack of Andrex here if anyone needs a wipe down.

 

[Guinness Boy]

To cross reference to another thread, it's not worth staying in if you're not going to give it a go. If you're going to welcome the players, management and fans of the opposition, request their shirts, stick their overflow in our end and generally treat them like Greek Gods then you have no belief. With no belief the best you're hoping for in this league is not getting battered and finishing 17th. Ten years of that will have me taking up crochet. The average crowd at that point will probably be about 15K and the half and half scarf sales people will have long disappeared back to their caravans.

Have a go. Don't die wondering. Ten more repeat seasons of this season will finish me off as a football fan. It might only take two or three. And that's exactly what the powers that be want.

 

[Weststander]

Not necessarily. Burnley went down and came back stronger

Not theIr plan of course, and the vast majority of PL relegated clubs don't bounce back up.

 

[Weststander]

Absolutely. Quite agree and I suspect Mr Bloom has this in mind. Continuity is king and with the academy bedding in it makes sense to keep a manager with oversight of the entire operation. The Premier League was always going to be about more than just this one season.

He doesn't have that in mind, according to PB whos said it's vital we stay up.

 

[moggy]

I take it you did notice how many fans turned out for the victory parade?
I’d suggest you only have to look at the turnout for that event how much it means to the people of this city.
This club has been built over the last few years with one intention and you ask the question is it worth staying in the premier league?