[Albion] Just how much of a big club is Brighton now? And how big can we get?

[Swansman]

They’re not that popular amongst neutrals in Germany are they ?

Nope

 

[Seasidesage]

The old how big are we chesnut? Well I can see I'm in the minority here but it does bother me!

I want us to be considered a big club I hate it when we are dismissed on Sky etc as a result.

As others have said its a moving feast and some clubs lose their status as well as some gain it. But surely we want to become an important club? If not what is the point? We are not going to become a global force in my lifetime but Liverpool weren't always huge anymore than Ipswich weren't always a noddy L1 side. It changes and always has. Quantifying it is difficult, but finding a way to get crowds north of 40k helps, winning something obviously, winning things repeatedly even better, european nights, historic events, tragedy, great battles etc all of these things build history, glamour and romance even if they aren't tangible as such.

I don't think we have scratched the surface of our potential. Why can't we attract support from the outer reaches of Sussex or Western Kent? Why does Bognor or Chichester have to be Pompey? We used to get a lot over from Eastbourne and Hastings. Established in this division and doing OK we can and would get 40k for a home game, not every week but regularly enough. As Leicester have shown with imagination, good decisions and good recruitment you can get into europe and around the prizes. Bigger than us, yep, but why can't we emulate them? Potential is there.

All this takes time, luck and good management but we are not stuck in a preputial loop of boom and bust anymore than we are guaranteed to be in the PL forever...

 

[e77]

Terrible though it was the club basically had to start again when Dick Knight took over. Him and then Tony Bloom had a near blank canvass to build the club in the right way while trying to connect to the community and build with solid foundations. I know TB has bankrolled us in the Amex period but his many millions could have just been spent on expenses signings and wages as opposed to infrastructure.

I think some of the historically bigger clubs like Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday get trapped in their legacy and under developed stadiums with fans who want success now. Southampton went into free fall for a few years but came back all the stronger for it. Although Leeds did well to get promoted and aren't having a bad season you somehow get the impression history will repeat itself with them.

 

[Hastings gull]

The old how big are we chesnut? Well I can see I'm in the minority here but it does bother me!

I want us to be considered a big club I hate it when we are dismissed on Sky etc as a result.

As others have said its a moving feast and some clubs lose their status as well as some gain it. But surely we want to become an important club? If not what is the point? We are not going to become a global force in my lifetime but Liverpool weren't always huge anymore than Ipswich weren't always a noddy L1 side. It changes and always has. Quantifying it is difficult, but finding a way to get crowds north of 40k helps, winning something obviously, winning things repeatedly even better, european nights, historic events, tragedy, great battles etc all of these things build history, glamour and romance even if they aren't tangible as such.

I don't think we have scratched the surface of our potential. Why can't we attract support from the outer reaches of Sussex or Western Kent? Why does Bognor or Chichester have to be Pompey? We used to get a lot over from Eastbourne and Hastings. Established in this division and doing OK we can and would get 40k for a home game, not every week but regularly enough. As Leicester have shown with imagination, good decisions and good recruitment you can get into europe and around the prizes. Bigger than us, yep, but why can't we emulate them? Potential is there.

You make fascinating points and I would just like to pick up on one issue, nootably the fans from afar, and I do agree with your point about potential. There are already loads of fans from the Hasting/bexhill area and even more so from Eastbourne. I get the train from here at 12ish, way before the match, and by the time it gets to Falmer at 1.15 it is packed and 8 coaches are put on, on match days. Yes, success may bring more, as you write,but there are already lots on board.
Similarly, when going really early to the semi final on the Hastings Charing Cross route, I was genuinely amazed at the amount of fans who got on at Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, cramminfg a large train already full from the ssstaations to Tonbriidge.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

no chance , Leipzig will always be a noddy club. No history or tradition.

Maybe 100 years time they can re-assess that

It'll be quicker than that. They've got wings, they'll soon take off in the top flight.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

We have a long long way to go before we could be considered a big club. It takes decades at the highest level and trophies to get into that league.
We are becoming a big team at the moment but mustn’t get too big for our boots.

 

[Tokyohands]

Historically we have achieved very little, so we aren't a big club.......

 

[Tokyohands]

But we are on the up

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Don't ever think of us in terms of size. We're just Brighton.

 

[OzMike]

We will never be a big club and that suits me as then we won't be accused for being glory hunters.
It just isn't the Brighton way.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Don't ever think of us in terms of size. We're just Brighton.

This is largely correct. I mean how do you judge the size of a club? Is it average attendance? Financial ?
I see it as size of ground, which is the same as attendances . To me large c.lubs have to be in big cities where the people are. It is no accident that the only Two big Scottish clubs are in Glasgow.
Leicester are high in the league right now but they are not a big club . I still count Sunderland as a big club, albeit a sleeping giant .

We are Brighton, a provincial seaside club who can grow in importance and influence, if not size.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

The best analogy for us is Liverpool.

In 1961 they had been languishing in the second tier for a decade with a rather chequered history for a big city football heartland club.

Their saviour and catalyst was Shankly - ours is Potter.

It will take 20 years but we will become one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.

 

[BN41Albion]

The best analogy for us is Liverpool.

In 1961 they had been languishing in the second tier for a decade with a rather chequered history for a big city football heartland club.

Their saviour and catalyst was Shankly - ours is Potter.

It will take 20 years but we will become one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.

 

[Napper]

What about Blackpool or Bolton, are they big clubs because the once won alot?

Blackpool have won 1 cup , spent majority of their history in 2nd and 3rd divs but have some good history / crowds. Reasonable size but not quite big.

Bolton are a bigish club yes, 4 FA cup wins , most of their history in top league. Decent attendances. Bigger than us I'd say

 

[Napper]

The best analogy for us is Liverpool.

In 1961 they had been languishing in the second tier for a decade with a rather chequered history for a big city football heartland club.

Their saviour and catalyst was Shankly - ours is Potter.

It will take 20 years but we will become one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.

rather chequered history ?

pre 1960 their decade average attendances were 47k / 31k / 36k

They'd won 5 league titles and been in 2 FA cup finals

along with 50 + years in div 1

Nothing like us at all

 

[Swansman]

The best analogy for us is Liverpool.

In 1961 they had been languishing in the second tier for a decade with a rather chequered history for a big city football heartland club.

Their saviour and catalyst was Shankly - ours is Potter.

It will take 20 years but we will become one of the biggest and most successful clubs in the world.

Damn are you telling me I have to sit here and listen to... I dunno - Tom Hark Preston Park - for another 20 years?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Damn are you telling me I have to sit here and listen to... I dunno - Tom Hark Preston Park - for another 20 years?

At least we won't have to sit here and listen to YOU for another 20 years Potter fanboy

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Who cares ? Surely a question only worried about by people for whom it is a factor in their choice of club to support ? Personally I don’t care whether the Albion are in the Champions League or a Sunday pub league, as long as I am a part of the journey.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Blackpool have won 1 cup , spent majority of their history in 2nd and 3rd divs but have some good history / crowds. Reasonable size but not quite big.

Bolton are a bigish club yes, 4 FA cup wins , most of their history in top league. Decent attendances. Bigger than us I'd say

More successful in the past doesn't mean bigger.

The only sensible way to define the size of a football club is by its current ability to sign the best players.

The biggest clubs have a gravity that relates to their size. The best players are always drawn inexorably towards the biggest clubs.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

MASSIVE!