OK a question for all you ex-pats

[glasfryn]

and by ex-pats I mean all of those who are far enough away not to be able to attend matches at the Withers(or Falmer when we get there).
the crack is you are in a pub,Doctors surgery,bus queque,sports centre,parents evening at your offsprings school,ect ect and some asks where you are from, when you Brighton do you say it with pride, say it quietly,or not say at all.
This is not a football question really although who would not be proud while we are top of our division but there have been times when we really have been lets say not as good as we might be now,having spend lots of time living away from Brighton in the far reaches of this sceptered Isle I have been ask this many times and have had to put some of the misconceptions some have of our great now City to rights.
Lots think its akin to a small fishing village,others that the whole population of Brighton are gay.
so whats your take on this you ex-pats

discuss

 

[jimhigham]

Love the city to bits. A city like no other in the UK. It's got confidence. It's got swagger. It's got class. It's got rough. It's got fine dining. It's got greasy spoon. It's got rolling hills and the sea. It's got urban. It's got everything you could wish for.

I lived abroad for 8 years and would gladly tell anybody that asked exactly where my alliegance lie.

 

[jimhigham]

And so what if it has a gay scene. Just means that an entire community sought it out and made it their home because it's choice.

 

[acrossthepond]

Brighton - I'm not particularly proud of the town, it's the place where I grew up and I didn't much enjoy growing up. But if it gets on to the subject of football I am inordinately proud of the football club, and will talk for hours about it. I work with fans of SCC, Burnley, Norwich plus all sorts from all over the place. It's amazing how many "proper" football fans (ie those that have been following their home town club for a while) have heard of BHA, remember fans united or know some of the story (they certainly do by the time I've finished with them). This is especially true of the Germans and Dutch that I meet.

The thing about following the Albion, and certainly over the last 20 years or so, is so much has happened. The club (meaning team, fans everything) has a texture, a history and an attitude about it that is compelling. Life really is stranger than fiction sometimes.

So I suppose to answer your original question, I am from Brighton, but I support BRIGHTON!

 

[Bakero]

I say it with pride. Most British people see Brighton as a cool, lively, forward thinking place. A lot of Europeans have also heard about Brighton's good reputation.

The Vietnamese generally haven't heard of it. I've tried my best to convert them to the joys of the Albion but they won't be swayed from the usual Premier League suspects.

 

[seagull_special]

Peoples faces light up when you tell them you are from Brighton, I probably appreciate Brighton more now that i am away from the city. When I tell foreign people that I support brighton they look at me blankly and wonder why I don't support Man U, Liverpool or Arsenal.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I'm not an ex-pat but when i say I support brighton if football talk comes up most say "who" or "where?"

 

[Seagull kimchi]

Here in Asia nobody has ever heard of any place outside London - So I inevitably have to say I come from 50 miles south of the capital. But when people ask me if I support Manure I say 'f*** that! - I'm a real football fan - I support my local team called BHAFC and they are f***ing brilliant - and people really respect that.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I always tell people that I follow Brighton and most have never heard of us. I had a long discussion once with a Manure "supporter" who only registered a flicker of recognition when I reminded him about 1983. However word is getting around, now that my 6 year old eagerly awaits the goals on Sky Sports News every Sunday morning and tells all of his friends at school that he supports Brighton, "who are the best team in the world". He even insists of using my Brighton towel for swimming at school.

There is also a Arsenal supporter here (let him off, as he had a trial with them back in the 50's) whom I see every week and he now looks out for Brighton's results so that we can discuss them. This is because he loves talking about footie but knows that I rarely, if ever, watch the Premiership.

There are also a surprising number of old dears around here that went to Roedean, so there is plenty of reminiscing that goes on. My landlord for one of our shops spent his youth learning farming in Sussex, so there have been plenty of interesting chats about that.

No-one who knows Brighton has mentioned it in anything other than a good light, but the usual response from people is "where's that?".

 

[brunswick]

i say england ashamed....but then brighton happily, as it is the best of a bad bunch

 

[Seagull kimchi]

I always tell people that I follow Brighton and most have never heard of us. I had a long discussion once with a Manure "supporter" who only registered a flicker of recognition when I reminded him about 1983. However word is getting around, now that my 6 year old eagerly awaits the goals on Sky Sports News every Sunday morning and tells all of his friends at school that he supports Brighton, "who are the best team in the world". He even insists of using my Brighton towel for swimming at school.

There is also a Arsenal supporter here (let him off, as he had a trial with them back in the 50's) whom I see every week and he now looks out for Brighton's results so that we can discuss them. This is because he loves talking about footie but knows that I rarely, if ever, watch the Premiership.

There are also a surprising number of old dears around here that went to Roedean, so there is plenty of reminiscing that goes on. My landlord for one of our shops spent his youth learning farming in Sussex, so there have been plenty of interesting chats about that.

No-one who knows Brighton has mentioned it in anything other than a good light, but the usual response from people is "where's that?".

I am somewhat intrigued and jealous of your lifestyle - you make it sound very cosy is SA, good luck to you my friend!

 

[KZNSeagull]

I am somewhat intrigued and jealous of your lifestyle - you make it sound very cosy is SA, good luck to you my friend!

That's becuase it is pretty cosy really. Like anywhere, you only hear the bad news about places in the media. I think the World Cup put a temporary end to that. Why intrigued?

 

[jimhigham]

ZAF = Glorious country. Used to go there a lot as a comfort break when living in West Africa. The bad press is just that. Press. Hospitable people in a beautiful landscape. You're onto a sweet deal the KZNSeagull.

 

[KZNSeagull]

ZAF = Glorious country. Used to go there a lot as a comfort break when living in West Africa. The bad press is just that. Press. Hospitable people in a beautiful landscape. You're onto a sweet deal the KZNSeagull.

 

[Dominoid]

I was from Hastings rather than Brighton, but I've always been proud to say I'm a Brighton fan, even more so now of course! I can honestly say though, I can't recall anybody referring to the Brighton gay scene. To be honest, most Cities have a "gay district" of some kind and nowadays, it's rare to find someone my age that really gives a shit what people get up to in their bedroom. I think the whole "lol, ur a bumder!" thing is wearing off these days.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

That's becuase it is pretty cosy really. Like anywhere, you only hear the bad news about places in the media. I think the World Cup put a temporary end to that. Why intrigued?

I have family in Durban who are forever inviting me over but I have yet to take them up on their generous invitation - bit of an Asia-phobe and not sure how SA will compare for me~?

(I meant 'phile' -school boy error!)

 

[jimhigham]

Do you mean Asiaphile? An Asiaphobe suggests you're terrified of the place.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

Do you mean Asiaphile? An Asiaphobe suggests you're terrified of the place.

Oppps yes I'm a big pile of phile!

 

[Mackenzie]

I'll tell everyone I'm from Brighton, very proud of my town and will live there again in the future.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I have family in Durban who are forever inviting me over but I have yet to take them up on their generous invitation - bit of an Asia-phobe and not sure how SA will compare for me~?

Then don't compare it. Just come over without any preconceptions.

Big Asian community on Durban and KZN generally, but I would imagine that it will be nothing like the Asian communites that you are used to, so could be interesting. It was the Indian communities 150 year anniversary of being in SA last year, incidentally.