Lost the passion?

[Lord Bracknell]

Really? if it wasn't for paul we wouldn't have a football club to bitch about! It's as simple as that. No matter how the revisionists would have it.

This situation has been coming for a while, certainly last season, the rumblings were there and it's isnt just a one season wonder. The club that many of us have grown up with, me since 1974, has changed dramatically. For the new fans that may be a good thing. But they have never had the experience of being wanted to be more than fans...we were asked to boycott games, leave early, bring whistles, disrupt games, hound out owners and employees alike....we were asked to go on marches, to send Christmas cards and Valentine cards, that was what the club was all about. It was our club...the Ernest's, atilla's, samarah's, yorkies, easy's, Edna's, bozza's, Harty's, tim's,The Rev' , sarah and liz, paul and Colin's, adrian, Kieron, Rusco' club...all the fans who worked so damn hard to get us to where we are and what we didn't know, but probably guessed, was that the club would need to turn into a corporate machine.

To fill the new stadium, we needed new fans as we had lost so many over the years, and yes we have had many many new fans. We needed money to survive as it was obvious we were hemorraging cash and we have been hit by FFP which has meant that to keep the losses down, decent players who would have got us to the premiership have been sold and we have taken the decision to let other teams pay players who we have on our books....but those players, apart from one or two, are not interested and not good enough.

Yes this is a poor season, and people are hacked off...last season was a strange season, and if we we survive, next season in the championship will be more so as there is the expectation that we will be awash with money to buy better players!!! WHY? We are told we have a huge player budget!

Let's put this down to experience, realise it's not the fans club any more and if we are moving forward, let's hope that Brighton and Hove Albion corporate gives us something to cheer about....rather than cheering when millwall lose to watford!

D'ya know what, Dave? I have a feeling that, even if the Albion got promoted to the Premier League and managed to survive without getting relegated, I'd be concerned that the rumblings weren't being dealt with. It's not just about success or failure on the pitch. It's about the relationships that are getting distorted and the old trust that seems to be in decline. You're an ex-manager of the REMF football squad, are you not? This year, Paul Barber takes over that role. Tell me honestly ... do you think he is motivated by the same feelings that you had when you did the job?

It pains me to say this, but the thought that is uppermost in my mind is a cynical one ... He must be up to something, but I don't know what it is. I'd like to think he's just a decent bloke, supporting a good cause, but ...

Sorry.

 

[Stat Brother]

D'ya know what, Dave? I have a feeling that, even if the Albion got promoted to the Premier League and managed to survive without getting relegated, I'd be concerned that the rumblings weren't being dealt with. It's not just about success or failure on the pitch. It's about the relationships that are getting distorted and the old trust that seems to be in decline. You're an ex-manager of the REMF football squad, are you not? This year, Paul Barber takes over that role. Tell me honestly ... do you think he is motivated by the same feelings that you had when you did the job?

It pains me to say this, but the thought that is uppermost in my mind is a cynical one ... He must be up to something, but I don't know what it is. I'd like to think he's just a decent bloke, supporting a good cause, but ...

Sorry.

Shirley with pretty much all his actions he's damned if he does damned if he doesn't.

PB is open, honest, available, politicking spin master, with a hidden agenda, funding his bonus package.

If nothing else he's all things to all men.

 

[Ernest]

D'ya know what, Dave? I have a feeling that, even if the Albion got promoted to the Premier League and managed to survive without getting relegated, I'd be concerned that the rumblings weren't being dealt with. It's not just about success or failure on the pitch. It's about the relationships that are getting distorted and the old trust that seems to be in decline. You're an ex-manager of the REMF football squad, are you not? This year, Paul Barber takes over that role. Tell me honestly ... do you think he is motivated by the same feelings that you had when you did the job?

It pains me to say this, but the thought that is uppermost in my mind is a cynical one ... He must be up to something, but I don't know what it is. I'd like to think he's just a decent bloke, supporting a good cause, but ...

Sorry.

Saw that last night on the big screen and thought WTF has the REMF got to do with him ?

 

[nwgull]

Saw that last night on the big screen and thought WTF has the REMF got to do with him ?

Is the REMF a special exclusive charity that only members of the BHA superfanclique can do things for?

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Saw that last night on the big screen and thought WTF has the REMF got to do with him ?

Surely that's up to the REMF isn't it?

 

[Beach Hut]

Saw that last night on the big screen and thought WTF has the REMF got to do with him ?

It is good advertising for the game, besides I do not think anyone else volunteered to manage the REMF team which he is doing with Dodge

 

[Ernest]

It is good advertising for the game, besides I do not think anyone else volunteered to manage the REMF team which he is doing with Dodge

We could have done it, the NEW Clough and Taylor

 

[Beach Hut]

We could have done it, the NEW Clough and Taylor

We could but my days of managing football teams is long gone, retired around 7 years ago.

Sadly this is now turning into an anti-Barber thread (yet again)

 

[DanRedman]

After all that we have been through, the Mullery years, Wembley, the war years and the arrival at The Amex, the Poyet years, the AMEPC (training ground to you and me) - I have lost the passion.

Where did it go wrong?

No it's not the big corporate animal itself that has ground me down, it's things like:

- The spin;
- The number of disaffected ex-employees and ex-suppliers, loyal individuals, who are highly critical of what's gone on over the last 4 years;
- The disconnect with players (no settled squad, too many money grabbing loan rubbish);
- The utter lack of passion on the pitch (barring a few heroic individuals like Calde and CMS - who sadly don't possess enough skill); and
- The very poor quality of play on the pitch.

Money can't buy everything of course - we are so very lucky to have The Amex and The AMEPC - which of course are the envy of most football clubs. But if I'd spent £30m on a new state-of-the-art training ground, I'd want a pretty quick return on my investment. To see set pieces of the quality we have had this season would make me weep.

No team has the right to be successful and win trophies or be in the top 10, but every team should be united and passionate.

I haven't looked forward or been excited by an Albion match for months (years?). I don't want to leave the ground early or miss a home match but my loyalty is being severely tested. The Board would do well to listen, read and understand what supporters are saying, instead of sugar coating everything. Yesterday I received an email pushing the Player of the Season Awards Night - really? That's up there with giving the 'pretendance'. Who are you kidding? In my view, it shouldn't be held. Yes invite sponsors to a dinner, fair enough - use it as a real debriefing session. But who (other than a couple of players) are worthy off receiving any kind of award?

Football (but not exclusively football) is about opinions. They'll be people who will totally disagree with me. Some will be constructive in their arguments, others will be abusive and refer back to 'the inner sanctum' rubbish. I derive absolutely no pleasure in seeing the Club (that we fought so hard to bring back from the brink) being disunited or underperforming. I have always thought that by being united we can (and indeed have) achieve - and clearly the Club agree with their 'Together in 2015/16' strap line. But we aren't a Club that's 'together' - things need to be fixed.

Will I go on Tuesday, if my youngest doesn't want to go - I won't go. I've got lots of other things to do. Will anyone care, of course not and there's no reason why anyone should. Except I daresay there may be many other supporters, who might just be thinking along similar lines - and that should be of concern to the Board.

Well put that man!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Is the REMF a special exclusive charity that only members of the BHA superfanclique can do things for?

Absolutely not. That's it's strength.

 

[janee]

Football tends to go round in circles [/QUOTE]

This.
Remember going to carIisle away without winning away for 9 months ....and we lost 1-0 and feeling like I could never go again. The club really didn't care about fans then even though they called them fans.

I'm not waking up dreading the games like I was under Hyppia but it's really not great right now

 

[Frutos]

It says a lot for the attitude of some that where they could take the view of praising PB for getting involved with a charity so dear to all of us, instead they slag him off for it and look for some hidden motive.

Makes me wonder whether all of our struggles over the Goldstone and in the fight for Falmer have left some with an inbuilt need to fight a war with someone or something, irrespective of the justification or lack thereof.

 

[Sheebo]

I sympathise [MENTION=743]Henfield One[/MENTION] as fans we often have these moments - I know I do, and ive read many similar posts on here. One thing I'm fairky sure of is:

A) Your mojo WILL come back

B) The Albion are in a better position than ever before (yes there are slightly annoying things now and a lot has changed - but the ground & training ground mean so, so much...)

 

[attila]

Understand absolutely, Paul. We were always turkeys voting for Christmas when it came to Falmer/The Amex in terms of the corporate way football is run in England. (NB: in England. It doesn't have to be like this, it can be far better in every way, as the German model shows both nationally and internationally. They are aeons ahead of us in all areas: the standing issue, pricing for games and young player development for the national team, which is why they piss all over us at every given opportunity.) But we don't live in Germany. We live here. Me? I'm Brighton till I die. Nothing will destroy my love of the Albion: if Archer, Bellotti and Stanley, couldn't destroy it, I'm damned if I see why 'modern football' should, and it won't. Ever. Cheers, comrade

 

[BN9 BHA]

What a load of complete bollocks.

The Amex matchday is brilliant from start to finish.
All we need are home wins and all of this stupidly entitled whinging will be quickly sidelined again.

Happy clapper alert

The main event ( football match) isn't brilliant

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I lost the passion for the albion in 1992. Not sure why, it just happened.

For 8 years I think - it was only going past Withdean on the train and seeing a match being played, seeing the fans, that the spark came back. And I hated Withdean pretty quickly.

Love the AMEX experience, although this season has been dire. Not bothered about corporate-ness myself, just sad how bad it got under Sami, with the Millwall home game being my lowest point ever as a fan.

 

[Diego Napier]

I have a feeling that, even if the Albion got promoted to the Premier League and managed to survive without getting relegated, I'd be concerned that the rumblings weren't being dealt with. It's not just about success or failure on the pitch. It's about the relationships that are getting distorted and the old trust that seems to be in decline.

I understand your sentiments and I know the journey we've been on over the last 17 years or so is quite unique. However, I am also realistic enough to understand that the club, whilst acknowledging the past and listening to supporter feedback, will and should always look and move forwards.

The clamour on this board when things aren't exactly how a number of posters would like is often deafening yet my perception is that it's either the regular mouthy malcontents or those who hanker after the days when they could make a difference. I'm not putting the latter down, I recognise and appreciate their efforts but I also feel that the world moves on and sometimes yes it's sad but there is a time to let go rather than becoming bitter and resentful. For some, passions and commitment will wane naturally.

Our club is a very different beast nowadays, it's geared up to the numbers game and seeking to maximise revenue and the management appear to be doing a good job sustaining that and encouraging additional support whilst we are going through one of our regular seasons of dire football. You refer to the old trust, it may well be in decline although how critical that is will surely diminish over time.

It isn't a case of either taking on board all the supporters wishes or ignoring them totally, it's about striking the right balance. The club management do listen to us and react however, if it were a choice between what the majority of supporters accept or the demands of a vociferous rump then it's a bit Hobson; the tail is never going to wag the dog.

 

[Mayfair Seagull]

Totally agree with what Henfield One is saying.

Barber is doing so much damage with his constant spin and patronising sermons. I can’t wait for him to leave.

This pre-season is massive, if they get it wrong again and we have another poor season, the crowds will really start to fall. Us die-hards will still be there of course, but the club could be in real trouble if we're only getting gates of 12-15k.

 

[GT49er]

I understand your sentiments and I know the journey we've been on over the last 17 years or so is quite unique. However, I am also realistic enough to understand that the club, whilst acknowledging the past and listening to supporter feedback, will and should always look and move forwards ...........
.......... The club management do listen to us and react however, if it were a choice between what the majority of supporters accept or the demands of a vociferous rump then it's a bit Hobson; the tail is never going to wag the dog.

Can't argue with any of that, but I think the most significant bit is right at the end where you say, "if it were a choice between what the majority of supporters ACCEPT or the demands of a vociferous rump....."
'Accept', not 'want' - I think that sums up the corporate model.

 

[ofco8]

Feel very much the same as HO.

When we were shite in the past - it was still our team. There was a passion and connection with the players. I can deal with bad results and seasons as we did in the past - as we were united as one.

It hasn't, for me anyway, got anything to do with the results, The thing I hate most is the spin. I can not stand it. Barber does some things very well, and others not - fair enough, he's just doing his job. We all make judgements on what we think is right.

But if something goes wrong - we don't need the crap manipulation of the facts - i.e the Season Ticket Renewals - there is absolutely no way it's as high as they have said on face value .
Brighton fans are not the same as today's Premier League Supporters - or those in the MLS. We've had the wool pulled over our eyes before. A suit talking to us like they are a politician is not what we need - the corporate side of things has totally trampled over 'little old Brighton' in their 'ramshackle Withdean Stadium'.

Maybe I was naive when we got Falmer that we could still keep the same identity we all fought for - but this club today doesn't have the same feel or look to it anymore. Unfortunately this sanitised version of football seems intent on carrying on.

I think the changes that have occurred was possibly what Dick Knight was worried about. However, I think it was inevitable that change had to happen, whether it is better or not, everybody have their own views.