Is this Donny fan right?

[Beach Hut]

To be fair where is there ever signage at a stadium these days ?

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. Being in the South end of the East Stand, I did hear a few of the Donnie fans trying to get some banter going with us - but obviously they're not aware of the nature of the East - being the 'Respect Stand'. Quite a significant amount of elderly and very young fans around us in that area.

The Donny fans were generally in the South East corner. That area is next to the bit of the East stand reserved for non-season ticket holders and club comps (wives, freebies, etc). There seemed to be a few gaps there and you wouldn't expect these fans to be the most clued up. So very unsurprising that they couldn't get any banter going.

I was in the WSL roughly half way between the half way line and the away end. there was on bunch of Donny fans who were nearer the SW corner and they stood up all game and tried to get a banter going with us. But still a long way off and only a few of them trying to get it going.

We may find that many away fans find they aren't as engaged in banter as they are at some grounds - and I can't see how this will change given the use of the seating the the East by the away fans.

Generally his observations are a buit pernickerty given that it is a brand new stadium. Take it as feedback then it's all useful.

 

[Seasider78]

Don't understand football banter WTF?

Perhaps if they manage to fill their allocation next time and do something other than sit on their hands in silence then they might get what they want

 

[sod1]

i did think the concourse was rather small in the away end and the projected images on the wall of Donny legends wasnt up to much . No problem in getting served though

 

[-gully-]

Nope he is clutching at straws and has resorted to talking out of his Sh1t pipe.

 

[bhaexpress]

i did think the concourse was rather small in the away end and the projected images on the wall of Donny legends wasnt up to much . No problem in getting served though

Part of the problem is that Donny don't have too many legends.

 

[bhaexpress]

100% agree with the lack of signs. It almost feels like we are trying to make it as hard as possible to find so people don't drive to it!

All the other bits and pieces mentioned with be ironed out i'm sure. It was the first competitive game - it's not going to be perfect straight away!

Next time put the post code in their sat nav.

 

[thoreveraviking]

Those Brighton fans in the car park sound like right NOBS.

We were on our coach and saw these NOBS, I hope they don't do that too often or they're going to get hurt. I would concur with most of those observations and know that some of our coaches never got there too. That coach park needs to be looked at very carefully by your club and immediately, we have good supporters in the main but many other clubs have large problem groups, it could be mayhem.
Fortunately we had a very clever driver who knew the area well.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

The concourses do feel a bit cold, it didnt feel like somewhere where I could relax and watch the late game. But everything else about the stadium is fine. If you have problems finding the SOUTH stand then I feel sorry for you.

 

[Hunting 784561]

I think he is spot on ----- Falmer



Well it looks great when you finally get there (the problem was getting there). Nobody in the centre of Brighton had a clue how to get there by bus and we got told 5 different directions to the train station so that was also a problem. Ended up catching one bus and dropped off 20 minutes walk from the stadium. The layout near it is pretty poor. Nothing around and that's the big negative of it really. I also felt they need some signage around as we didn't have a clue where it was to be honest, we just followed two Brighton fans.

It looks impressive when you first get there from the outside. Doesn't really look like a stadium though, more like an arena or something. When you finally find the away end (no signage as to where that is, that is needed). First encounter is the concourse, didn't see much of this personalisation thing, one pretty average projected image hidden away at the side was it, no colour scheme or anything as was mentioned. The concourse was too small. 1500 Rovers fans in a 2500 end and it was fully open yet very cramped, surprised that wasn't bigger and the toilets were tiny, huge queues for them, also lacked a bookies. A steward told us there was to be one but they feel the concourse is a bit small and lacked food outlets so they replaced it with a pie stand. It didn't seem to cope well to be honest, thought it would have been bigger given it's new.

When you walk in the huge stand grabs your attention. It is mighty impressive it has to be said. The second thing you notice is the PA. I'm 23 and go to lots of gigs but it was too loud. Great sound system but I like talking to mates without having to shout pre match.

It's a bit weird though. It's built well and looks impressive with that big stand but it all just feels a bit too fake and manufactured, if anything it looks a bit odd. The odd thing is the end stands. They don't go even up to the side touchline and it all looks a bit odd. My biggest criticsm of the away end was the seating. Hugely comfortable and lots of room, that's a positive in some respects but then you also feel like you've too much room (I'm a fan of cramped in seating improving atmosphere, you feel a bit spread out). Biggest criticsm is the slope of the stand, it's far too shallow. I was on row O and was barely at crossbar level. The negative here is the view of the other end is average and it's quite tough to make out what's exactly going on with being so low down.

Have to say the build quality is impressive and it looks like a cross between Cardiff and Huddersfield in a way. But it just feels a bit more like an arena than a football ground. The flags looked fantastic though, I'm sure atmosphere will come, the chants of Albion sound good but there was no real banter between fans almost as if the fans to our right didn't understand a football crowd at times. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic stadium but it doesn't have the feel of a football stadium if you get what I mean and the open corners etc give you this feeling that it's only half built. I can see probelms aswell at the away end with fans on the pitch, didn't seem to be much preventing you getting on the pitch. The pitch looked fantastic and the big screens are good too (though they could at least spell player's names correctly, two of ours spelt wrong and could do with showing yellow cards next to those booked). Being a bit picky there though.

It was a good day out, biggest disappointment obviously the result and some Albion fans booing Sharp as he was being carried off, bit out of order that I felt as it was clear he had a nasty injury from his body language. Also utterly bizarre some of the abuse we got at times around the ground. One guy had us in stitches saying he knew all about Doncaster and that our fans are a disgrace to football, how bizarre. There wasnt' much evidence of this fans relationship that always existed when we went to the Withdean, shame that. Also saw a bit of a set two in the coach park. A group of Brighton fans spat at an old man, bit out of order that especially as one of them had a young kid. The kid saved them as they did it right next to a group of older style blokes that to be honest didn't need encouragement for a scrap, had they not had the kid they'd have been in big trouble I think, bit out of order that. Have to say though in the town centre we met some real nice Brighton fans so it was a bit mixed, they seamt to have no idea how to get to the stadium either, but I'm sure that'll improve in time.

I'm not even going to mention the M25 though, some of our fans didn't even make it, talk about timing.

Sounds like a bitter old Yorkshire pudding pissed off that we've got a better new "arena" than theirs.

....Next

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Just seemed a free for all and everyone lumped in together. I imagine a lot of teams will probably take the piss without being challenged , but someone like Palace and Pompey will be chaos. People who don't fight will fight for that one. Its in our DNA to hate them and if we're being rowed up then it will spill into violence. Cant see how it wont

Fair comment, although I'd imagine that the Police will have planned pretty carefully for forthcoming high-profile Cat C games. Then again, if people want trouble then they won't have to look too hard to find it. I just hope that those folk who have no intention of getting involved don't get caught in the crossfire.

 

[bhaexpress]

We were on our coach and saw these NOBS, I hope they don't do that too often or they're going to get hurt. I would concur with most of those observations and know that some of our coaches never got there too. That coach park needs to be looked at very carefully by your club and immediately, we have good supporters in the main but many other clubs have large problem groups, it could be mayhem.
Fortunately we had a very clever driver who knew the area well.

You have done nothing that moan on here, is it our fault that your coach drivers don't have sat nav or can't read a map ? I mean, like your place is state of the art ..... Not.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I think the place looks marvelous.

Better than pictures of shitty old stadiums where people used to stand up (which is the reaosn why I think a few people slag off the new stadiums).

 

[thoreveraviking]

I'm not disagreeing with what you say, but what's your reasoning for that observation?

1) Easy access for 'away' fans to attack the 'home' fans and vice-versa
2) Lack of effective stewarding/police around a mixed coach park.

Will that do for starters ? The fella was trying to be constructive stop getting paranoid, the stadium is new, the staff are new, the coach park is new.
Constructive criticism should never be ignored especially when it involves the safety of both home and away supporters. These problems and others will need to be 'ironed out' before your bitter rivals come to town.

 

[Eastleigh Northstander]

Does he have a point, maybe 1 or 2 minor ones, but mostly nitpicking! Luckily if he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to come back

 

[Lewes Seagull]

Part of the problem is that Donny don't have too many legends.

That made I laff lol

 

[Twinkle Toes]

1) Easy access for 'away' fans to attack the 'home' fans and vice-versa
2) Lack of effective stewarding/police around a mixed coach park.

Will that do for starters ? The fella was trying to be constructive stop getting paranoid, the stadium is new, the staff are new, the coach park is new.
Constructive criticism should never be ignored especially when it involves the safety of both home and away supporters. These problems and others will need to be 'ironed out' before your bitter rivals come to town.

Me? Paranoid?? Do me a pleasure. Anyway, many thanks for butting-in with your two-penneth worth, especially when the question was actually asked to another Albion supporter...

 

[bennibenj]

Does he have a point, maybe 1 or 2 minor ones, but mostly nitpicking! Luckily if he doesn't like it, he doesn't have to come back

i agree, was also quite dissappointed the doncaster massive didnt sell their allocation as a few empty (loads) prevented them adding much to the atmosphere. I think i heard them once.

saw the set to in the park and ride area, didnt know what was going on but it looked pathetic, didnt realise a kid was there, out of order

 

[World of Sport]

"we followed two Brighton fans":safeway:
I know why he came down here, he can hang he's mates arse next Saturday.

 

[Silent Bob]

Some of it may be true, I ahven't experienced it as an away fan so who knows?
Complaining about not being able to find out how to get there on the bus (1. You find out beforehand 2. Why get the bus from central Brighton anyway?) and not being able to find the train station makes him seem like a bit of a dingus.