seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
I grew up in Whitehawk and AFAIK the team had the crest from the very beginning. Need confirmation from other Whitehawkers as our family moved off the estate in 1978.
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New Stadium plans for Whitehawk...
- Thread starter Munkfish
- Start date
I grew up in Whitehawk and AFAIK the team had the crest from the very beginning. Need confirmation from other Whitehawkers as our family moved off the estate in 1978.
*Gullsworth*
My Hair is like his hair
Why is the Hawk red when they are called Whitehawk?
Probably because it's on a white background and wouldn't show up very well..............
BrianWade4
Well-known member
Why the animosity? I like Whitehawk?
London Irish
Well-known member
Same here - there's more than a few of us who can't make the constant up the M1 away trips if you have a family to take care of. If whitehawk stagger their fixtures with the Albion as Crawley currently do, then it would be a good alternative for time and money reasons. Would be a bit sad if our journey to the Prem involves hostility to the local non league teams
A case could be made that they would gain additional fans if the Albion were in the Premier League. There would be people in the Brighton area who are unwilling to pay Premier League prices, who have an anti-Premier-League bias (which I can understand), or can't get seats at the Amex, but who want to watch a reasonable standard local game.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
In reality, this doesn't really happen though. Havant&Waterlooville never really saw much of an attendance change between Portsmouth being in the Premier League or League Two. The only boost they got was that when PFC were in the Premier League, they agreed to pay H&W a sum of money so that their own Season Ticket holders could attend H&W matches for free (I'm not sure whether H&W saw all of that promised money....) but it did work reasonably well in that it was value added to the ST for a lot of PFC supporters who did then attend H&W games when their side was away etc. spent money in the club bar.
H&W have been in the Conference South since it's inception, and at this tier for 14 years of their 15 year existence since the amalgamation of the 2 separate clubs. They've been to Liverpool on an FA cup run, been televised in the first round vs Brentford, and seen a steady growth in attendances from an average of say 400, to pushing an average 800 at times, although more like 600 in recent years.
Fact is, you don't just suddenly attract loads of fans, and suddenly grow exponentially without a lot of hard work, in some cases truck loads of money, and a lot of luck. I've been over to watch Whitehawk a few times, but they're not going to attract those supporters that have stayed loyal to Lewes over the years, or those that follow other clubs around this level like Bognor, and even a bit below in Burgess Hill, Worthing etc. The casual footfall from Brighton fans not wanting to pay PL prices will be minimal, unlikely to increase the gates by more than a handful.
For me, you can show ambition in gradual steps, otherwise who believes it as nothing more than smoke and mirrors? Their average attendance this season in the Conference South is the second lowest at 200. Their highest attendance all season was 356, again one of the lowest, and their lowest attendance was 57 which is frightening. The average attendance in this league is around 550, most clubs enjoy at least a couple of games reaching nearly 1000. Whitehawk have a long long way to go.
- Thread starter
- #50
100 times this.
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
I do applaud Whitehawk for showing this grand ambition to better themselves, but do wish this was happening at one of the other sussex towns like Worthing, Lewes or Hastings etc. instead.
London Irish
Well-known member
None of what you argue there is against what they are doing though surely? Why isn't developing their ground showing ambition in gradual steps? They have done well on the pitch in recent times but clearly their infrastructure is no good from both a practical and marketing perspective. Gradual step one - spending on the team and getting them promoted three leagues gradual step two, sorting out their infrastructure.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,630
But the Albion fans you speak of are mostly people who used to go years ago, and their families, children and so on, people who'd turn out if we made it to cup finals or play off finals because they live in Brighton & Hove, or Sussex, and have always regarded themselves as Albion fans when asked who they supported.
Whitehawk have absolutely no history of success or support, and thus I just don't see this happening. Crowds might increase slightly if they had a bit of success, as you'd expect, but that's largely going to be from the residents of Whitehawk taking an interest. I really don't see where the Hove thing comes from either, Whitehawk is about as relevant to Hove as Dr Ian Paisley is at a Sinn Fein party conference.
Bold Seagull
strong and stable with me, or...
This is a bit Kevin Costner 'build it and they will come...' though is it not? Albion didn't just emerge from the Withdean with their highest attendances ever, and suddenly build a 22k stadium hoping they'd quadruple their attendance, there was always historic support there and matching attendances from the Goldstone days, it's not really a comparison in any way.
Why on earth would you spend that much money on a new stadium when you're highest attendance for a league game is 356? Makes no sense. Build a decent stand to house say 200 people to start with, one which is not 10m back from the pitch might help, and not look like it will blow down in a stiff breeze, and one which could be extended in future. Then cover both ends with a bit of decent terracing. Refurbish the club house facilities. These would be ambitious plans to be taken year on year if the playing side can sustain itself at this level.
That is if Steve King doesn't bankrupt them first!
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,630
If they really have been getting crowds of 57 
isn't all this a bit built on sand anyway?
If this project fails, then whoever's putting the money in will walk away in a heartbeat, and they'll be bust before you can say Boston United.
isn't all this a bit built on sand anyway?If this project fails, then whoever's putting the money in will walk away in a heartbeat, and they'll be bust before you can say Boston United.
It's strange, the page says "Brighton & Hove City FC" yet when you look at the mock-ups they all say "Brighton City FC" which make s lot more sense.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,630
Having thought about it, presumably it's because there is no city of Brighton, only a city of Brighton & Hove. That must be it.
Not sure I like that though. In all honesty- and I really don't have anything against them, per se- I just wouldn't have any interest at all in going and watching them. Someone like Lewes, if they got it together and made it into the League, there is the slightest chance that I'd consider popping along to a game if the Albion weren't playing, just to see what it was like. But Whitehawk? No. There is just nothing that appeals about it, even if they somehow ended up in League Two.
The Large One
Who's Next?
Taken from the right angle, it almost looks serene...
Plastic-Fantastic
Member
I believe the name was challenged on the basis that there is no such place as "Brighton City" (the City is made up of the towns of Brighton and Hove).
They should call themselves East Brighton FC or even Brighton Town FC to avoid confusion with us.
London Irish
Well-known member
ALL of our new season ticket holders are that? Really? I'd be surprised if it wasn't a mix of old fans, fans of other clubs and total newbies.