Non-League Upside Coming

[Hiney]

Our closest club is Eastleigh, promoted last season to The Conference.

They've just built a new stand behind the goal and have a plan that has some pretty impressive goals.

They played Dartford last night and, as a thank-you to everyone who has supported them since the promotion, they let everyone in for free.

Impressive

 

[Marshy]

Ive watched Burgess Hill a few times this season as always as its my home town side, and even though they are walking the league this season, the football is still crap in comparison to the Albion.

I hear what your saying but for me it will never get even close to what the Albion experience is for me regardless of the price difference.

 

[Mileoakman]

setanta definitely showed conference football, as well as play off games for the conference north/south

don't think they got particularly large viewing figures

BT Sport now show a smattering of Conference games when they can't find any of their precious PL matches to put on. Usually about one a month.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Ive watched Burgess Hill a few times this season as always as its my home town side, and even though they are walking the league this season its still a tenner to get in, and the football is still crap in comparison to the Albion.

I hear what your saying but for me it will never get even close to what the Albion experience is for me regardless of the price difference.

Having watched burgess hill more than the albion i agree the albion are better but the experience at burgess hill is better for me,when i want good football i can watch the prem on the tv, Horses for courses and if 20,000 wanted to watch hillians i would moaning about the queues and poor service. So lets enjoy footie and watch who we want!

 

[jamie the seagull]

I used to watch Eastbourne Boro when they were in the Conference.
Saw the likes of Luton, Darlington, Grimsby.
It got me back into football having lost contact with Brighton (circa Gillingham, Withdean).
With regard to the players at Brighton I have always found them polite and always willing to sign/pose for pictures with my son.

 

[Arthur]

Having watched burgess hill more than the albion i agree the albion are better but the experience at burgess hill is better for me,when i want good football i can watch the prem on the tv, Horses for courses and if 20,000 wanted to watch hillians i would moaning about the queues and poor service. So lets enjoy footie and watch who we want!

Question for you (or anyone else for that matter).....

Do Burgess Hill open the club as a pub during the week?

Reason I ask is I've been there a few times over the recent years and they've always got a decent selection on the hand pumps there and it's usually in pretty good nick. No mean feat (as the Albion prove) if the club only gets used on a match day.

Oh and I agree, cracking setup they have over there and of course the football is going to be poorer than a side 7 divisions higher but its far from crap. Best goal I've seen this season was there this year against Hastings, 40 yard half volley by a fullback.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Been to see Taunton a few times.

Daddies Sauce or Baked Bean sandwiches, thanks.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Question for you (or anyone else for that matter).....

Do Burgess Hill open the club as a pub during the week?

Reason I ask is I've been there a few times over the recent years and they've always got a decent selection on the hand pumps there and it's usually in pretty good nick. No mean feat (as the Albion prove) if the club only gets used on a match day.

Oh and I agree, cracking setup they have over there and of course the football is going to be poorer than a side 7 divisions higher but its far from crap. Best goal I've seen this season was there this year against Hastings, 40 yard half volley by a fullback.

The Hillians Bar

Open every Friday and Saturday evening from 6:30pm – 11:00pm
Darts
Fruit Machines
Live Sport shown on the Screens
No Membership Required
Events

Quiz Night’s last Friday of every month
Live Music once monthly

 

[Weatherman]

Ive watched Burgess Hill a few times this season as always as its my home town side, and even though they are walking the league this season, the football is still crap in comparison to the Albion.

I hear what your saying but for me it will never get even close to what the Albion experience is for me regardless of the price difference.

The football might not be as slick as the Albion but it is far from crap. I've watched mainly semi pro football for 40 years with a smattering of football league. One game at the Amex was enough for me, i was totally bored and couldn't wait to get out, there wasn't even much of an atmosphere and the cost is horrendous. We're all different but i personally get far more out of watching semi pro/amateur football.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Ive watched Burgess Hill a few times this season as always as its my home town side, and even though they are walking the league this season, the football is still crap in comparison to the Albion.

I hear what your saying but for me it will never get even close to what the Albion experience is for me regardless of the price difference.

I guess for me my Sons love it when they high 5 players they know as they come out, they can relate to them and know them. We all enjoy the Amex and I guess it's just a natural progression, even at Withdean it felt more "real" but I guess it's inevitable when your a part of 26,000 instead of 5-6,000?

It's a great ground and I'm not knocking The Albion, I'm just saying with every season, scandal and price hike football moves further away from the real fan and, in time, will drive the more traditional fans to the lower leagues.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

The football might not be as slick as the Albion but it is far from crap. I've watched mainly semi pro football for 40 years with a smattering of football league. One game at the Amex was enough for me, i was totally bored and couldn't wait to get out, there wasn't even much of an atmosphere and the cost is horrendous. We're all different but i personally get far more out of watching semi pro/amateur football.

I have to agree and where I started this thread was the cost per season against the cost and experience at Arundel, I've had a season ticket since the first season back at Withdean, I didn't go to Gillingham and have really enjoyed "The Withdean Years" and the first few seasons at the Amex, but £800+ for season tickets, £300 for parking and around £300 a year more the Arundel on the kids burgers, programmes etc is starting to make me question one against the other.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

AFC Wimbledon provide a handy roadmap of the way forward should a football club decide to disenfranchise its core support one step too far. Other clubs take note...

 

[drew]

I don't quite see the logic in suggesting the contract value will go down! There is a world wide audience for the Premier league. Furthermore, Sky, for a very long time have had pretty much a free reign for the package they have and the value has gone up at each renewal and now, they have a major competitor in BT which, if anything, will drive the price upwards.

 

[atfc village]

Our closest club is Eastleigh, promoted last season to The Conference.

They've just built a new stand behind the goal and have a plan that has some pretty impressive goals.

They played Dartford last night and, as a thank-you to everyone who has supported them since the promotion, they let everyone in for free.

Impressive

1765 turned up at Eastleigh and this a club that only got 893 v Lincoln in the Fa cup.Once Mr Moneybags has had he's fun they will tumble back down to The Wessex League.

 

[atfc village]

Lower leagues do get a showing, FC United executed a successful boycott a few years back at Ashton Utd(?) when the kick off time was changed at short notice. Guernsey show all their matches on line. I even saw Peacehaven get turned over last night thanks to facebook!

The same FC United that changed a Kick off time so their fans could watch a Man Utd v Liverpool game live on Sky.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I don't quite see the logic in suggesting the contract value will go down! There is a world wide audience for the Premier league. Furthermore, Sky, for a very long time have had pretty much a free reign for the package they have and the value has gone up at each renewal and now, they have a major competitor in BT which, if anything, will drive the price upwards.

My feeling is though that TV rights are rising as you say but will this be sustainable in Britain? If the world wide audience starts to think La Liga or worse still the US Soccerball League is better then Sky would switch their attention too and the English clubs could suffer. There has to come a point whereby the Premier League cost themselves out of the market and at that point we could see one of two things, a slow year-on-year reduction or a collapse in the value of the rights.

This thread was more about the traditional fan being priced out of the game and where they'd turn to, having had a season ticket for 14 or so years, and supported Albion way before that I am just thinking is this where I want to spend my Saturday afternoons or are they better spent supporting local clubs? I just don't think I'm alone in this thinking and groundswell or not it could start to impact the clubs that are more reliant on full grounds and people buying merchandise.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

So, anyone take in a Non-League game last weekend?

 

[Weatherman]

Burgess Hill v Horsham 7-0 Attendance 365
Horsham were poor but B Hill were v good.
All goals were recorded, one from a B Hill supporter and you get the view from the other end from the lad who records the Horsham games. I can't do links but these highlights have been linked to the B Hill forum by someone who does know what he's doing !

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

Burgess Hill v Horsham 7-0 Attendance 365
Horsham were poor but B Hill were v good.
All goals were recorded, one from a B Hill supporter and you get the view from the other end from the lad who records the Horsham games. I can't do links but these highlights have been linked to the B Hill forum by someone who does know what he's doing !

Likewise, another stonking performance from the Hillians and some of the stuff they've played this season has been excellent to watch. Will be at Aldershot on sat with my youngest and really looking forward to it. Win tomorrow at Chipstead and we go top (again!).

 

[Ali_rrr]

I've always loved going to non-league games. I've watched Eastbourne Borough for many years now, and it's great for getting kids who's attention may not be great to get into football. My dad and I did it with my little sister, and when she felt slightly bored she could play on the terrace behind the goal, and then watch it again when she feels like it. I've gone to see Lewes and Peacehaven a few times also. Obviously it doesn't compare to watching the Albion, who I would watch over anyone. But it's still enjoyable in my opinion.