Lewes Dc Goes To High Court!!!!!! Important

[Voice of Reason]

When I walked away from the Goldstone on that final match I could never have believed that we would still be sitting here in 2006 no further forwrd, and in many ways further back, than we were then.

I am saddened beyond belief as to what has been allowed to happen. Everyone involved should look back in shame at what has been allowed to happen. Those who started this in the first place, the club, the media and most of all LDC and the legal system of this country. I can't understand why it has happened or how we will ever get out of it. Why us?

Just look at all these other clubs, from Hull to Reading, even Hartlepool have a new ground. Some one please explain.

At the weekend I was looking at a 1979 programme of a game v Man City. I think we won 4-0. The quality of the players then were exceptional. What do we have now?

Will it ever end?

 

[jfs]

IMHO Plan B is Withdean with the current capacity as even when we have been in the Championship, we have not filled the place. If you are a Government minister living in Blackburn, what national Interest is there possibly in a 3rd division team.

We will get planning permission because B&H Council have ejected us from Hove once and would not politically risk the backlash if they did it again.

Hello Dies Irae. Sorry, can't let that sort of nonsense pass without comment. Your point about not filling Withdean is ridiculous. It has no atmosphere, you get wet, it's only for the committed. With a proper stadium crowds will grow, we'll be able to attract and afford better players, the team will be better, crowds will keep growing, etc.

Did the council eject us - that's not my recollection - is your real name David Belloti?

 

[BensGrandad]

With a proper stadium crowds will grow, we'll be able to attract and afford better players, the team will be better, crowds will keep growing, etc.

Pure supposition and hope no basis of fact whatsoever.

The fans have lost the idea of 'its Saturday must go and watch the Albion' Other interests and teams have overtaken us due to the delays in building a new ground, not our fault granted but none the less true. From where will we get the extra 6,000 fans each week especially in a division that doesnt have any teams with a large following except perhaps Forest and a couple of local derbies.

Like Dies Irae I believe plan B if needed is to enlarge Withdean and stay there but until that becomes necessary I will support the move to Falmer.

 

[bhaexpress]

Pure supposition and hope no basis of fact whatsoever.

How ironic that you of all people should say that.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Hello Dies Irae. Sorry, can't let that sort of nonsense pass without comment. Your point about not filling Withdean is ridiculous. It has no atmosphere, you get wet, it's only for the committed. With a proper stadium crowds will grow, we'll be able to attract and afford better players, the team will be better, crowds will keep growing, etc.

Did the council eject us - that's not my recollection - is your real name David Belloti?

I am sorry but that is rediculous also.....Withdean is only for the comitted? was Gillingham only for the committed then? I understand people not going to Withdean out of principle, however not going because you get wet? You wuss. One of the best games ever at Withdean was the semi final playoff against Swindon where everyone in the ground was totally soaked...did that stop people ...NO. we go to Withdean ( albeit out of choice) because we love the club and would go and watch them anywhere, which i have done for 30 years+

My recollection was that the council in hove did nothing to oppose the planning application by Archer - perhaps you know different

To liken me to Bellotti is both insulting and down right rude...you dont even know me.

 

[Curious Orange]

Pure supposition and hope no basis of fact whatsoever.

The fans have lost the idea of 'its Saturday must go and watch the Albion' Other interests and teams have overtaken us...

*cough* Reading *cough*

 

[Dave the OAP]

*cough* Reading *cough*

I have to agree unfortunately.

On the many away trips last year to london, I got talking to people on the trains and the amount of people - Arsenal, Chelsea, West ham, etc etc who used to go and watch Brighton when they were at the Goldstone was quite incredible. I think the last years at the Goldstone and playing at Gillingham did us more damage than people actually realise.

Maybe jfs is right and these people will abandon these premiership clubs and return to the fold at a new Falmer Stadium. I am not sure it will be as easy as we hope.

 

[ditchy]

Pure supposition and hope no basis of fact whatsoever.

The fans have lost the idea of 'its Saturday must go and watch the Albion' Other interests and teams have overtaken us due to the delays in building a new ground, not our fault granted but none the less true. From where will we get the extra 6,000 fans each week especially in a division that doesnt have any teams with a large following except perhaps Forest and a couple of local derbies.

Like Dies Irae I believe plan B if needed is to enlarge Withdean and stay there but until that becomes necessary I will support the move to Falmer.

i actually think there are quite a few sunshine supporters who will go to a new ground but dont go to withdean .. i know of at least 2 who would gladley buy a season ticket for a new stadium but wont go to withdean

 

[Caveman]

I know of a few too ditchy. These aren't even Brighton fans, but they would go to a "proper ground" and watch football.

 

[perseus]

Who are the pawns and the real players in the game?

The South Downs lobby are the leading opponents. Half of their members are made up of Countryside Agency officials, which are Government employees. They are the "green" lobby flexing their muscles against Prescott's department.

The Inspectors can volunteer to chair the Public Inquiries. They are meant to be impartial, but they have their own prejudices. That was shown by their comments.

But all this was the political reality before Falmer was chosen.

I actually think what really happened was somebody in the South Downs lobby actually hates football, they intended to oppose the scheme for their own personal prejudices and everything snowballed from there.

That actually means it is the format and the make-up of what used to be called the South Downs Conservation Board that caused all the trouble. i.e. one of two people within the group can sway their opinion in their Committee decisions. The rest go along with them without thinking (or get outvoted).

This is not from the horse's mouths, but pretty well near it. They couch their words a bit more diplomatically than that.

They never had any intention of being reasonable form the very beginning. It is all a pretence. Their policy is to cause as many delays as possible.

IT IS A WAR AND ALWAYS WAS

 

[The Large One]

I am sorry but that is rediculous also.....Withdean is only for the comitted? was Gillingham only for the committed then? I understand people not going to Withdean out of principle, however not going because you get wet? You wuss. One of the best games ever at Withdean was the semi final playoff against Swindon where everyone in the ground was totally soaked...did that stop people ...NO. we go to Withdean ( albeit out of choice) because we love the club and would go and watch them anywhere, which i have done for 30 years+

My recollection was that the council in hove did nothing to oppose the planning application by Archer - perhaps you know different

To liken me to Bellotti is both insulting and down right rude...you dont even know me.

A couple of things there Dave.

I partially agree with the point about Withdean is for the commited (and face it, you need to be commited AND sectioned to go) and semi-commited. In the match in you refer to, I think you've argued the point yourself. It wasn't the rain that didn't put people off, it was the fact it was the Play-Offs that encouraged peopleto come. Who is going to want to miss that? Having said that, we were utterly cack for 119 minutes and 55 seconds.

Regarding Archer, he never applied for planning permission at the Goldstone. The story of events goes (I think) something like this.

Around 1991, the Albion (before Archer) applied to Hove Borough Council for planning permission to build a retail park on the Goldstone site. The idea was to be able to increase the value of the land to borrow against it.

Hove Borough Council initially refused, saying it would adversely affect town centre trading - something they wanted to increase. However, on appeal, the Albion won, mainly because Hove BC were advised that their reasoning was unlawful.

However, and this is the important point, no safeguards were put in place by the council to stipulate that a retail park could be built until the Albion had moved to a new home. The Albion gave a (for want of a better term) 'gentlemen's agreement' not to move until they had a new place. But nothing was put in as a condition of planning permission by the council. Permission was, however, granted for a new retail park.

Roll forward four years, and a new chairman and a new board, seeing that he was sitting on the potential goldmine a planning permission, and not giving a shit about the Albion, promptly asset-stripped the club, sold the ground at one quarter of its real value for a quick sale, scuppered a move to groundshare with Portsmouth, and f***ed us up the arse.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Fair enough

i respectfuly flounce away from this arguement

 

[Yoda]

CERTAINLY WAS:-

THEY HAVE £18,790.53 (bcf) AND FALMER & SOUTH DOWNS APPEAL TOTAL FUND SO FAR £15,060

I can’t but help keep thinking about this point.

FPC already have £15,060 put aside for the appeal.

They need a further £14,940 to reach their £30,000 donation.

Their current fund’s for running the parish for this year are £18,790.53.

This leaves them £3850.53 for the year if the Government say that LDC is liable for the costs. How can they afford to run on £3850.53? A huge risk to take when it will be way into the Winter before we’ll get an outcome?

 

[sparkie]

I can?t but help keep thinking about this point.

FPC already have ?15,060 put aside for the appeal.

They need a further ?14,940 to reach their ?30,000 donation.

Their current fund?s for running the parish for this year are ?18,790.53.

This leaves them ?3850.53 for the year if the Government say that LDC is liable for the costs. How can they afford to run on ?3850.53? A huge risk to take when it will be way into the Winter before we?ll get an outcome?

The plus side is also that it shows that they've struggled to raise the money and had to use most of their reserve up. If the legal battle goes on to another round, they will struggle to meet any further legal bills.

 

[JJ McClure]

If the legal battle goes on to another round, they will struggle to meet any further legal bills.

And then we can re-possess the entire village

 

[Caveman]

And then we can re-possess the entire village

Then use it for accomodation for our superb footballers.

 

[JJ McClure]

Then use it for accomodation for our superb footballers.

good idea althought they might be upset by the lack of a KFC!

 

[Caveman]

good idea althought they might be upset by the lack of a KFC!

Fill in the pond and have one there.

 

[unnameable]

I may have missed something, but nobody has commented on the fact that LDC, on their website, are claiming that the government are liable to fund the hearing in the High Court because they conceded that the ruling on Falmer contained an error of fact.
Incredibly, then, LDC has engineered a situation in which someone else is bound to bear the cost of the hearing that they alone requested.

 

[Jim in the West]

Maybe jfs is right and these people will abandon these premiership clubs and return to the fold at a new Falmer Stadium. I am not sure it will be as easy as we hope.

There is a potentially huge future fan base. I no longer take my daughters, as the planning process before hand is quite extensive, and you don't really want to ear-mark a game in (say) 6 weeks time, with the risk that it will pi$$ down and they'll be miserable. However, in the last couple of seasons I've taken both daughters to Plymouth, Reading, Watford, Coventry, West Ham...all grounds where I knew we'd all be under cover.

Apart from kids, there's another generation we're losing - the OAP. It is scandalous that LDC is depriving many of the older generation from going to watch live footie - if you're not in the rudest of health, an afternoon at Withdean in the wind & rain is hardly to be recommended.

And let's not forget the casual support of the students of Brighton & Sussex Universities. There would be no other stadium in the UK (perhaps Europe) sited right next door to TWO universities with many thousands of students at a loose end.

Plus, ofcourse, the residents of Lewes District....the siting of the ground right next to Falmer station makes a trip from Lewes, Newhaven, etc, simplicity itself.

Falmer WILL BE a success