non renewals

[Horses Arse]

According to the tour guide on the Amex tour last week the numbers of non-renewers are big - she was at pains to point this out several times. I wonder, though, whether actual crowds will be much different - at the moment we have loads that don't turn up anyway, and I suspect it's mostly them, plus those that will still come along quite often but as we never sell out they always know they can get a ticket. If things on the pitch are going well next term I don't think actual attendances will be much different, just a lower % of STH.

Not surprising. You can't bulllshit fans indefinitely. Top quality managerial appointment after prolonged review to ensure we get the right candidate, money available for squad rebuilding in the summer, judge the squad by close of transfer window (first few games without players in place didn't matter of course), money available in January, looking for loan deals..

It won't be as bad this time round of course unless CH leaves but it the way the club has handled this season will of course have an impact.. Even though the attendances don't reflect tickets sold the actual attendances will drop too unless we are right up there, which I doubt. We have yet another major squad rebuilding (building?) in the summer and we'll probably leave it very late again and risk irritating CH.

 

[Weststander]

I'm in WSU d block row v and when we moved to the amex I was in a row of 10 mates. Over the last 2 seasons it's dwindled to 6. Next season there'll be 0.

I'm still personally renewing but the others aren't (of the 10 of us 2 of us are true Albion fans, (the others are all really prem team supporters) I know a lot of people will scoff at that but these are people who have over the last 4 years ploughed a couple of grand each minimum in to our club, and got as ****** off as I do when we lose, and followed us away for 4+ games a season which is more than most of our home support) which considering they're not as loyal as us they're fans nonetheless ( hometown team and want us to do well)

Unless the club can somehow get us back on a Gus bus and regain the highs of his legacy then fans will drop away..

But on the other hand I have met a new friend when I moved to Burgess Hill who is a proper Arsenal fan. And tattoos to prove it, he's in his early 50's, who was born and bred in Brighton but followed his fathers footsteps and supports Arsenal.

He can't afford to watch them every week, but when a free ticket has been available from a friend over the last few years he's come with me to watch us, enjoyed it, then when tickets weren't available he'd but his own in a different stand. Then he came to away to few games 2 seasons ago. Last season he bought his own tickets to whatever games he could and came to 7 away games with me. This season he bought a ST himself and hasn't missd a home game and done 9+ away games. And has booked every away game til the end of the seSon including 'Boro on the last day of the season. All games I can't attend due to becoming a dad and my football budget has taken a massive dent.

He's even bought himself an Albion coat and scarf. Is he a Brighton fan? No. Is he a Brighton supporter? You bet your life he is. He will do more games than me this season and that's pissed me off no end.

We lose some fair weather fans. But we also make them. And pump a l of of money into our club so should therefore respect them.

This is why I don't understand this whole JCL crud, everyone starts somewhere at some time, if you look in the WSU tomorrow look at the average age of our fans, it's certainly not teenagers. New fans need embracing and welcoming, not chastised because they weren't there there during the days of Archer, Belotti and Stanley. We need a turnover of new fans to keep this club alive and I shall be moving from WSU to the SWC next season with my JCL mate.

Very true about the net flow of s/t' leaving, and new signing up. On the internet, I found the actual numbers of s/t (including 1901) holders for 2013/14 and 2014/15. The financial key for the Board and any fans not burying theirs heads in the sand, is how will the final 2015/16 figure come Sept'15 compare? A drop of a few thousand will have a significant impact.

For the new and returning fans, the failure to turn the Amex into 'a home fortress' over the four seasons, with an awful lot of home losses and a lack of home team goals, I think would have been a big influence on those new fans. The momentum was lost. They wouldn't have had the attend at all costs mentality/love of the original hard core fans.

 

[somerset]

I'm not too worried about a few thousand non-renewals to be honest. There are plenty of Eastern Europeans, who can take their place. We just need to sign a Polish goal machine and a couple of Baltic ball players, hey presto - a transformed team and a rocking stadium.

I think you should pass that comment to the club, it has mileage.......

PS: I am not renewing, nor is my Brother in law next to me.