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[Albion] Looking like a poor turnout at Newcastle



Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
The away section at Newcastle is absolutely shit. Newcastle itself is great, but in terms of matchday stadium experience, it's probably the shittest away game I've done in all 4 divisions and a complete waste of £30.

Somehow Newcastle has managed to ignore the directive of away fans being pitchside. It's a long way to travel to watch ants running around.
Still our northern exiled fans get a chance to go, so not all bad.
 






Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,240
Withdean area
Second season syndrome and some huge journies for fans of this club at one end of the country. The Albion is not of the size, that takes 2,500 to all PL away games, ad infinitum.

Plus there's a general air of doom hanging over the club as it heads towards relegation next May, compounded by the daily :catfight: at Lancing HQ between Barber, Winstanley and Ashworth. I'm just being silly.
 


Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,211
Cumbria
Somehow Newcastle has managed to ignore the directive of away fans being pitchside. It's a long way to travel to watch ants running around.
Still our northern exiled fans get a chance to go, so not all bad.

Indeed. Although there's no trains because of strike action again...
 


pottert

New member
Aug 12, 2009
3,020
Peacehaven
The away section at Newcastle is absolutely shit. Newcastle itself is great, but in terms of matchday stadium experience, it's probably the shittest away game I've done in all 4 divisions and a complete waste of £30.

I presume in saying that you have never done Middlesbrough,Bristol Rovers,Coventry,Walsall,Colchester Just to name a few.


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theboybilly

Well-known member
I think it's just the way the away fixtures have fallen for us before the New Year. The vast majority of long distance games fall before the turn of the year. I generally stay overnight when we're playing away and in 2019 I only have to book hotels for Man Utd & Wolves (which isnt that far really) Most of the London games come up in the second half of the season. It's been an expensive few months so far for Albion fans.
 




PaoloAlbioni

New member
May 6, 2016
126
Although cost is an issue for me, tbh the bus replacement service (EVERY weekend in October in BOTH directions ffs) is the final nail in the coffin, so will sit this one out.
 




butchy

Well-known member
Jul 24, 2005
1,953
Bethnal Green, E2
The new ground factor is certainly key - im heading up this weekend for that exact reason.....glad only going from the capital though and don’t have to endure the rail replacement bus which really is the pits if travelling up from the south coast
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
I presume in saying that you have never done Middlesbrough,Bristol Rovers,Coventry,Walsall,Colchester Just to name a few.


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Ive been to all of those and the away end at SJP is worse than any of them. You can barely see the pitch, let alone the players.
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,283
Back in Sussex
Have said this before I think this is largely a result of the Direct Debit (and to a lesser extent, home game prices). People are already spending a chunk of disposable income on the Albion EVERY month so it becomes harder to find the cash for the away games. The core support is similar with a lot more "pick and choosers" thrown in, including a lot more youngsters.

If people were paying for a season ticket up front in April, then by the time October comes round they'd have forgotten about it and would find it easier to justify money on away games.

Throw in inflated Brighton-London train prices, Southern Rail, engineering works and Brighton being in a shit location for the Motorways connecting South to North, and it makes sense that the away regulars haven't changed too much.

Agreed. I started to write something about home days but got lazy and deleted it and posted a shorter response.

It does feel as though a fair few people regularly make big days out around home games, and why the devil not, and that eats up disposable income.

That it's now possible to watch every away game from the comfort of home or, in many cases, a local pub, will also suppress traveling numbers a bit.
 




pottert

New member
Aug 12, 2009
3,020
Peacehaven
If we'd won an away game or two and put in a half decent performance in the last year I suspect we'd have taken a lot more - as it stands I don't think it's surprising we're not taking too many. We have been shocking for so long away, and we don't have a large number of fans based up north to make up the numbers unfortunately

Last season we played Newcastle between Christmas & New year & took over 2000
The season B4 we played them at 5.30 in August on Sky & took 1500.


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Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,283
Back in Sussex
Somehow Newcastle has managed to ignore the directive of away fans being pitchside. It's a long way to travel to watch ants running around.
Still our northern exiled fans get a chance to go, so not all bad.

I've written on this subject somewhere else on here not too long ago. I think it's disgraceful how they have been granted an indefinite reprieve from the rule of situating away fans pitchside.

I really don't understand why there are any particular security/fan safety issues at Newcastle that every other Premier League club is seemingly able to resolve.
 








pottert

New member
Aug 12, 2009
3,020
Peacehaven
Coach at 5am, roll on... :ascarf:

Fair play. I cannot think of anything worse.
I did coach to Southampton 4 hours from Peacehaven it almost killed me.
I’m going by train.5.45 bus from Peacehaven to Brighton (arriv 6.15)
6.25 train/bus to three bridges (arriv 7.10)
7.15 train to St pancras (arriv 8.05)
9.00 train to Newcastle (arriv 11.50)

Plenty of room to stretch my legs & a few beers as well.








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Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,240
Withdean area
1,500 is still amazing in the big picture, travelling 300 miles and back.

I remember a mini documentary on BBC (biased) South Today, following Stains fans on a typical away PL trip about 20 years ago, to Coventry. In fairness it was a Monday night game, but their total away following was barely a couple of hundred, including just one or two coachloads.
 
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pottert

New member
Aug 12, 2009
3,020
Peacehaven
Did you miss Everton?!

You are not wrong.
Everton is awful.I was expecting a real old school experience but it was rubbish.
The away end is something from the 70’s & the atmosphere was non existent.I
Cannot think of an away end in English football that is worse that Everton.



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pottert

New member
Aug 12, 2009
3,020
Peacehaven
Fri pm flight from Heathrow, flying back after the game. Airmiles booking so cost me £35 return and a few points.

How much has it cost you to get too & from Heathrow & a night in Newcastle on top of the £35


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