Pretty pink fairy
Banned
- Jan 30, 2008
- 31,981
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[Football] LA (Littlehampton Town) Yoof
- Thread starter Guinness Boy
- Start date
Back on topic...
Living in Bristol these days I've been getting into some non-league football, as my ability (and frankly, desire) to travel to watch the Albion in premier league grounds diminishes.
One thing that has bowled me over, comparing local west country non-league teams to those I know from having grown up in Sussex is how much better supported all the Sussex teams are.
As an example, Yate town play at the same level as Worthing. Yet they barely scrape together 100 home fans. You go to the town and people don't even realise Yate has a team. In a pub 5 minutes from the ground...
Taunton is a town the size of Crawley, unique identity, no other teams nearby... Average 500 at home and again play at the same level as Worthing.
Compare this to Worthing regularly clearing 2000, Hastings getting big crowds too. Many other very well established no league teams too eg Lewis, Bognor, Eastbourne borough. Then there's whitehawk & over teams like eastbourne town having well established 'ultras' followings.
It wasn't something I appreciated until I left Sussex, but non-league football is in a very healthy place compared to some other parts of the country.
Before that they cleared any Brighton from Hove park.
Also a fella i know pissed himself that day.
Wrong-Direction
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2013
- 13,638
Could see a few of them from North giving it large all game, tosspots. Also I wondered where the drumming was coming from walking back to the station ffs
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Pretty pink fairy
Banned
- Jan 30, 2008
- 31,981
Pretty pink fairy
Banned
- Jan 30, 2008
- 31,981
Four of us on Brighton Station concourse when they piled off the train after the game not a pleasant experience
Regards
DF
I’ve always kept an eye on Weymouth FC. My Dad is from near Weymouth and I was taken to see them play a few times a year when we visited. They have had some interesting times for sure and I still make an effort to see them play at least once a year at the really quite nice Bob Lucas Stadium, when I visit family, going there with my a great Uncle. Well, I did before Covid.
As I say, an interesting team;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weymouth_F.C.
As I say, an interesting team;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weymouth_F.C.
Whitechapel
Famous Last Words
4 of the 22 teams in the Isthmian Prem teams are from Sussex. They are 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th in the attendance table with Worthing averaging 400 more than anyone else in the league (in a league where half the teams don’t even average 400). Hastings are doing brilliantly too, as are a few more clubs down the pyramid. Whilst this might be a coincidence I do think young people are turning away from Brighton. Maybe I’ve just missed it but it seems like there’s no longer the drives from the club to get new young fans in. Is there still incentives to get young kids and 12/13/14 year olds who don’t have footballing mad parents to Brighton games? The first few years at Withdean there always seemed to be schools or football teams there. If you’re 16 and you and a few mates want to go to a game is Brighton the easy option it once was?
I can remember in L1 away to MK Dons me and a few mates were going, we asked around our non-Brighton mates at school and ended up with about 25 of us going. A couple of those enjoyed it so much we they started going semi-regularly. We paid £20 for a ticket, £20 for the train & £10 for a crate of Fosters from the one shop that would sell me dozens of crates without batting an eye or asking for ID. That’s a £50 day out, which whilst expensive for a 16 year old is really a couple of weeks of paperound money and twisting your parents ear until they cave in. We wouldn’t be able to do that now.
I also wonder how connected to Brighton as a town people from Worthing, Littlehampton, Horsham, etc feel in 2022. Even if I hadn’t been taken to Brighton games as a child I’d have still felt a connection with Brighton as a teenager because it’s where we’d go when we were 13/14 and didn’t want to be treated like kids. I grew up in Shoreham and getting the train to Brighton with your mates to just go there was something you’d be excited about. You’d go down to the arcade, go to the cinema, walk around JD, play pool and/or drink 2L bottles of cider on the beach. Is that still a thing in the age of smart phones and gaming?! F*ck me I sound old
I can remember in L1 away to MK Dons me and a few mates were going, we asked around our non-Brighton mates at school and ended up with about 25 of us going. A couple of those enjoyed it so much we they started going semi-regularly. We paid £20 for a ticket, £20 for the train & £10 for a crate of Fosters from the one shop that would sell me dozens of crates without batting an eye or asking for ID. That’s a £50 day out, which whilst expensive for a 16 year old is really a couple of weeks of paperound money and twisting your parents ear until they cave in. We wouldn’t be able to do that now.
I also wonder how connected to Brighton as a town people from Worthing, Littlehampton, Horsham, etc feel in 2022. Even if I hadn’t been taken to Brighton games as a child I’d have still felt a connection with Brighton as a teenager because it’s where we’d go when we were 13/14 and didn’t want to be treated like kids. I grew up in Shoreham and getting the train to Brighton with your mates to just go there was something you’d be excited about. You’d go down to the arcade, go to the cinema, walk around JD, play pool and/or drink 2L bottles of cider on the beach. Is that still a thing in the age of smart phones and gaming?! F*ck me I sound old
GREASED WEASEL
New member
- Dec 10, 2017
- 2,893
used to holiday down there in the 80s
caravan site,Preston I think
great little town all the pubs close together
and a lovely sandy beach
done some fishing down there too
always remember a ****ing great conger eel in the sealife centre
really good memories and for those reasons I've always kept an eye on their results
unfortunately going down this season
- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,922
I'm confused , Palace were in the North in 74 and five of them during a league game not involving Palace in the 80's down the front of the North stand ( they required police protection at Hove Station after the game )
Pompey were the only team given the whole of the North stand
Regards
DF
I'm pretty sure that is correct. October 1983, the week after the 7-0 victory over Charlton Athletic. I think there were 7,000 of them reported as being in attendance.
I didn't know of it, but turned up on the East Terrace as usual thinking how full the North looked. Then came the Pompey Chimes and it was utterly bewildering.
It was all ticket, although the decision on the North may have been influenced by the Chelsea game.
Roadrunner
Well-known member
Wow. Where to start..... I fell I am in a pretty exclusive position to provide insight to this. I've lived in Littlehampton all my life and, whilst it has its flaws, it's a proudly working class town surrounded by a lot of much more affluent areas (and Bognor). Having been born and bred here, and brought up my own family in the town, I can honestly say that I wouldn't change it for the world. it's a bit rough around the edges, but where isn't these days?
Littlehampton has always 'provided' plenty of ground-troops for the Albion's more 'edgy' support (anything west of The Arun was always Pompey). I particularly remember the 0-5 game at Selhurst, when the 8:17 was standing room only by the time it reached Worthing - largely because half of Littlehampton were 'representing'. When Littlehampton Town reached the Vase semi final in 1991, we got drawn away at Gresley Rovers in Leicestershire - it was absolute carnage. Up to 2,000 travelled up and caused havoc all day long; one guy ran on the pitch when we scored a consolation goal and headbutted the opposition centre half - he got sent down for that.
The Littlehampton 'Yoof' are a very recent phenomenum, having sprung up on the back of The Marigolds recent FA Vase run - they made a big day out of the game in Newham, East London and have carried on supporting their local County league team ever since. Lots of flares, chants and a drum etc. I get the feeling that the cliub don't really know what to make of them, they are used to a very sedate average crowd of around 120. Unfortunately, some of them got a bit carried away during the Vase quarter Final last week, along with some older lads who should have known better, and a few things were thrown (including punches aimed at the visiting Brockenhurst team). This has led to an enforced and segregated/ reduced capacity for the Vase semi final against North Shields in a few weeks time. So instead of a crowd of well over 2,000 we are looking at a maximum gate of 1,500.
By and large, they are just kids (17-18) mucking about - pushing things to the limit, as you do at that age. But, to bring it back to the point, when I was that age I stopped following Littlehampton and bought my first Albion season ticket. It's just not a realistic prospect for these lads nowadays. It's unaffordable, loads of hassle and so overpoliced that it's just not much fun. Littlehampton look likely to get promoted to the Isthmian League next season, so it's probable that this trend will continue.
I have to admit that I have missed more Albion games than ever this season; watching Littlehampton is so much more enjoyable. And that feels ridiculous to even type. I've been to close on 1,500 Albion games in all four divisions and I realise I am priviliged to be watching them in the Premier League - I never thought I'd see the day. But it kinds of feels like we've reached a ceiling. How much enjoyment can you get out of finishing 12-17th every season? Ungrateful right?
My lad is 15, and is showing far more interest in Littlehampton Town this season than The Albion. Whilst it's not going to make a jot of difference to Brighton's overall turnover, it's broadly indicative of the fact that some people will ultimately 'vote with their feet', depending on what they want to get out of their Saturdays. You've only got to look at the increase in local non-league gates to understand that. Worthing are pulling in huge gates for the level they play at, the Ultras gang there are growing in numbers by the month. I guess it's ultimately a refelction of modern day football and the target 'customer' being very far removed from the working class fanbase of old.
Littlehampton has always 'provided' plenty of ground-troops for the Albion's more 'edgy' support (anything west of The Arun was always Pompey). I particularly remember the 0-5 game at Selhurst, when the 8:17 was standing room only by the time it reached Worthing - largely because half of Littlehampton were 'representing'. When Littlehampton Town reached the Vase semi final in 1991, we got drawn away at Gresley Rovers in Leicestershire - it was absolute carnage. Up to 2,000 travelled up and caused havoc all day long; one guy ran on the pitch when we scored a consolation goal and headbutted the opposition centre half - he got sent down for that.
The Littlehampton 'Yoof' are a very recent phenomenum, having sprung up on the back of The Marigolds recent FA Vase run - they made a big day out of the game in Newham, East London and have carried on supporting their local County league team ever since. Lots of flares, chants and a drum etc. I get the feeling that the cliub don't really know what to make of them, they are used to a very sedate average crowd of around 120. Unfortunately, some of them got a bit carried away during the Vase quarter Final last week, along with some older lads who should have known better, and a few things were thrown (including punches aimed at the visiting Brockenhurst team). This has led to an enforced and segregated/ reduced capacity for the Vase semi final against North Shields in a few weeks time. So instead of a crowd of well over 2,000 we are looking at a maximum gate of 1,500.
By and large, they are just kids (17-18) mucking about - pushing things to the limit, as you do at that age. But, to bring it back to the point, when I was that age I stopped following Littlehampton and bought my first Albion season ticket. It's just not a realistic prospect for these lads nowadays. It's unaffordable, loads of hassle and so overpoliced that it's just not much fun. Littlehampton look likely to get promoted to the Isthmian League next season, so it's probable that this trend will continue.
I have to admit that I have missed more Albion games than ever this season; watching Littlehampton is so much more enjoyable. And that feels ridiculous to even type. I've been to close on 1,500 Albion games in all four divisions and I realise I am priviliged to be watching them in the Premier League - I never thought I'd see the day. But it kinds of feels like we've reached a ceiling. How much enjoyment can you get out of finishing 12-17th every season? Ungrateful right?
My lad is 15, and is showing far more interest in Littlehampton Town this season than The Albion. Whilst it's not going to make a jot of difference to Brighton's overall turnover, it's broadly indicative of the fact that some people will ultimately 'vote with their feet', depending on what they want to get out of their Saturdays. You've only got to look at the increase in local non-league gates to understand that. Worthing are pulling in huge gates for the level they play at, the Ultras gang there are growing in numbers by the month. I guess it's ultimately a refelction of modern day football and the target 'customer' being very far removed from the working class fanbase of old.
Charlies Shinpad
New member
Never a truer word said about LA Lads.
We had a good little crew back in the day and right up to the late 90's I would say.
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BN41Albion
Well-known member
- Oct 1, 2017
- 6,828
4 of the 22 teams in the Isthmian Prem teams are from Sussex. They are 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th in the attendance table with Worthing averaging 400 more than anyone else in the league (in a league where half the teams don’t even average 400). Hastings are doing brilliantly too, as are a few more clubs down the pyramid. Whilst this might be a coincidence I do think young people are turning away from Brighton. Maybe I’ve just missed it but it seems like there’s no longer the drives from the club to get new young fans in. Is there still incentives to get young kids and 12/13/14 year olds who don’t have footballing mad parents to Brighton games? The first few years at Withdean there always seemed to be schools or football teams there. If you’re 16 and you and a few mates want to go to a game is Brighton the easy option it once was?
I can remember in L1 away to MK Dons me and a few mates were going, we asked around our non-Brighton mates at school and ended up with about 25 of us going. A couple of those enjoyed it so much we they started going semi-regularly. We paid £20 for a ticket, £20 for the train & £10 for a crate of Fosters from the one shop that would sell me dozens of crates without batting an eye or asking for ID. That’s a £50 day out, which whilst expensive for a 16 year old is really a couple of weeks of paperound money and twisting your parents ear until they cave in. We wouldn’t be able to do that now.
I also wonder how connected to Brighton as a town people from Worthing, Littlehampton, Horsham, etc feel in 2022. Even if I hadn’t been taken to Brighton games as a child I’d have still felt a connection with Brighton as a teenager because it’s where we’d go when we were 13/14 and didn’t want to be treated like kids. I grew up in Shoreham and getting the train to Brighton with your mates to just go there was something you’d be excited about. You’d go down to the arcade, go to the cinema, walk around JD, play pool and/or drink 2L bottles of cider on the beach. Is that still a thing in the age of smart phones and gaming?! F*ck me I sound old
I wonder how much of it is due to folk getting fed up of the travel situation too. This season has been ridiculous in terms of the amount of games thay have been a complete ballache to get to for a sizeable percentage of the crowd because of public transport issues. I'm going to fewer games nowadays partly because I cba with the hassle getting to and from the ground quite often. Much easier and cheaper to pop along and watch non league with a beer in your hand
Was that the year Brighton station locked it's gates?
Charlies Shinpad
New member
Great post.
My late Dad was a Mackem through and through but as a nipper from Littlehampton I was taken by my dad to Pompey who had the likes of Ray Hiron, Mike Trebilcock and John Milkins and some other decent players and with near capacity crowds but I never really felt an affinity to them.
He also let me go with a lad down from me in Manning Rd to an Albion game when we were struggling in Old Division Two and I loved it from the first minute.
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Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Watched Littlehampton at Uckfield this season, less than 20 Marigolds in attendance
Charlies Shinpad
New member
Watched Brighton play Barnet at Gillingham a few years back less than 2,000 in attendanceWatched Littlehampton at Uckfield this season, less than 20 Marigolds in attendance
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Roadrunner
Well-known member
Watched Littlehampton at Uckfield this season, less than 20 Marigolds in attendance
Like I said, it's a *very* recent phenomenum, and we're only talking about a few dozen (at most) lads. But it's definitely something that the local kids of a certain age are latching on to. It's down to the club to harness that enthusiasm without letting it become a problem.
Pretty pink fairy
Banned
- Jan 30, 2008
- 31,981
No idea I didn't hang around that was a poor turn out from us that year, we got embarrassed
Regards
DF