[Albion] Japanese fan visits

[slartibartfast]

A couple of months or so ago, I passed a little group of what I presumed were Japanese fans in the concourse at the Amex. As I went past , I glanced at the back of the shirt of the fella , and was surprised to see that he had WEBSTER written on it.

I was astonished. Just shows, you cannot always make assumptions...

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

A couple of months or so ago, I passed a little group of what I presumed were Japanese fans in the concourse at the Amex. As I went past , I glanced at the back of the shirt of the fella , and was surprised to see that he had WEBSTER written on it.

I was astonished. Just shows, you cannot always make assumptions...

The only Brighton shirt I saw in Tokyo being worn by a Japanese fella had Milner on the back.

 

[NSC viewer]

I love seeing the support we have from around the world and when they come to The Amex to experience a match themselves, especially one with an ending like today, you know they will be even more hooked. They will pass on that support to their kids, friends and family who will have a connection to Brighton and want to come and see a game one day.

As a kid at senior school in the early 90s, where nobody else in my year group supported Brighton (I think some might now!) this still amazes me. I was in the queue for the club shop after the game today and probably 75% of those queuing were international supporters ready to spend on merch to take back home and proudly tell their friends about their team, my team, OUR team.

 

[timbha]

I love seeing the support we have from around the world and when they come to The Amex to experience a match themselves, especially one with an ending like today, you know they will be even more hooked. They will pass on that support to their kids, friends and family who will have a connection to Brighton and want to come and see a game one day.

As a kid at senior school in the early 90s, where nobody else in my year group supported Brighton (I think some might now!) this still amazes me. I was in the queue for the club shop after the game today and probably 75% of those queuing were international supporters ready to spend on merch to take back home and proudly tell their friends about their team, my team, OUR team.

Correct. And then the knobs will start on about the virtues of supporting your local team

 

[Dave the hatosaurus]

They were in the coach park after the game, waving at all the supporters coaches as they left the ground.

After the match i left the west upper to meet up with some friends in the west lower and as i re entered the stadium they were just leaving. I asked if they had enjoyed the game and thanked them for visiting which seemed to go down well and thought that was it. However after waiting for the p & r queue to die down for about half an hour i got on the top deck of a racecourse bus and was amused and surprised to see them all in the Woodingdean fish bar having a rare old time by all appearances!

There was a large group of what I think was a Japanese women's football team (student team I'm guessing).
They'd have been bang in trouble on corners.

 

[Weststander]

For those who’ve met some of the Japanese visitors, have they largely travelled all this way to see some Mitoma games, or are they in Europe anyway? A friend works for a Japanese bank in The City, he has many Japanese colleagues.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I love seeing the support we have from around the world and when they come to The Amex to experience a match themselves, especially one with an ending like today, you know they will be even more hooked. They will pass on that support to their kids, friends and family who will have a connection to Brighton and want to come and see a game one day.

As a kid at senior school in the early 90s, where nobody else in my year group supported Brighton (I think some might now!) this still amazes me. I was in the queue for the club shop after the game today and probably 75% of those queuing were international supporters ready to spend on merch to take back home and proudly tell their friends about their team, my team, OUR team.

Had a Japanese kid next to me today and his dad behind him. Next to dad were two French BHA fans. Great to see but, at the same time, it would be sad if this took over. Football has long been the thing that binds working class people, particularly blokes.

“The show” only has value because of the atmosphere provided by the hardcore fans. However, it’s incredible to think that the club I used to follow to Barnsley and Port Vale are now a tourist destination.

Let’s just hope we keep the balance that got us here and don’t get greedy.

 

[timbha]

Had a Japanese kid next to me today and his dad behind him. Next to dad were two French BHA fans. Great to see but, at the same time, it would be sad if this took over. Football has long been the thing that binds working class people, particularly blokes.

“The show” only has value because of the atmosphere provided by the hardcore fans. However, it’s incredible to think that the club I used to follow to Barnsley and Port Vale are now a tourist destination.

Let’s just hope we keep the balance that got us here and don’t get greedy.

Sadly it’s inevitable but hopefully at a slow enough rate that I will not see the days of an Oasis like ticket grab, where the biggest ticket agencies capture the market and everyone becomes their/our biggest fan for the day…… because they have access to money/credit.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

There were two in front of us. Tiny females. Massive bag of shirts and merch

Just after you left, a Japanese fan immediately to our right, left around 90 minutes. I felt pretty sad for him when our goal went in.

 

[trueblue]

Had a Japanese kid next to me today and his dad behind him. Next to dad were two French BHA fans. Great to see but, at the same time, it would be sad if this took over. Football has long been the thing that binds working class people, particularly blokes.

“The show” only has value because of the atmosphere provided by the hardcore fans. However, it’s incredible to think that the club I used to follow to Barnsley and Port Vale are now a tourist destination.

Let’s just hope we keep the balance that got us here and don’t get greedy.

I agree but think we're far from that stage at the moment and have faith that a fan like Tony Bloom will be keen to keep the balance right. We've got plenty of bandwagon jumpers from Sussex, so if people want to trek thousands of miles to take in a game I think we should be more than happy to gratefully accept their support...and their money.

Locals have every advantage in getting tickets to see home games whenever they want. Nobody could justifiably complain they're being frozen out at this point.

 

[Since1982]

There was a Japanese family in the WSU today - Mum with young baby, Dad, two kids in Albion kit. Their seats were split across three rows but a great effort by those around them moving seats had them sitting together ready for kick off.

 

[el punal]

Had a Japanese kid next to me today and his dad behind him. Next to dad were two French BHA fans. Great to see but, at the same time, it would be sad if this took over. Football has long been the thing that binds working class people, particularly blokes.

“The show” only has value because of the atmosphere provided by the hardcore fans. However, it’s incredible to think that the club I used to follow to Barnsley and Port Vale are now a tourist destination.

Let’s just hope we keep the balance that got us here and don’t get greedy.

I disagree. Football is no longer a thing that binds working class people, that went out with the Ark, and so does the label working class. Just enjoy the fact that football now, particularly with the Albion, crosses all divides and welcomes fans from all walks of life regardless of status or nationality. It is something that as Brighton fans we should be proud of rather than resentful.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

I get Guinness Boy’s point totally - what I would say though is that the Japanese fans are especially welcome in my book. They are unfailingly polite, happy and enthusiastic visitors and I hope they, and the wonderful Kaoru, stay with us for many, many years!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I get Guinness Boy’s point totally - what I would say though is that the Japanese fans are especially welcome in my book. They are unfailingly polite, happy and enthusiastic visitors and I hope they, and the wonderful Kaoru, stay with us for many, many years!

And they spend a lot of money

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

They do fascinate me, have they flown over specially or are they uk based fans who come most weeks, how do they all get tickets navigating our system in English, and just how many are there every game?? Watching on telly yesterday, I don't think there was a crowd shot that didn't have Japanese people in it!

 

[essbee1]

They do fascinate me, have they flown over specially or are they uk based fans who come most weeks, how do they all get tickets navigating our system in English, and just how many are there every game?? Watching on telly yesterday, I don't think there was a crowd shot that didn't have Japanese people in it!

I sense a lot are students from the nearby Universities.

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

I was waiting outside the old shop yesterday for a friend before the game, and the amount of Japanese fans looking in shock as they saw the shop was no longer there. They were very grateful as I directed them to where the new shop is. Walk round past the east stand and you will see a large white box like building in the car park is quite tricky to translate though

 

[Titanic]

We have a young Japanese couple with season tickets near us in WSU. I love that he has Hinshelwood 41 on his shirt

 

[oneillco]

Quite amusing in the train queue after the match when it was kicking-off between a group of Brighton geezers and some Fulham d*ckheads... 3 Japanese fans happily filming it all at close range and finding it all very exciting