[Football] Premier League Fan Experience

[pasty]

I am stuck with watching the Albion in whatever division they happen to be playing in. If I wasn’t watching the Albion I’d stop going to games. At least it avoids the angst that some of you seem to have with Albion playing and improving at the top table

Some people won’t be happy whatever division or stadium we are in

BIG. FAT. THIS.

It's Albion or nothing for me. In nearly 46 years of being an Albion fan, I've only ever been to two other football matches that didn't involve us.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Agree with many of the comments made. There was something about being in the lower leagues that made football life more attractive. You were a "fan" not a "customer" for a start, and the football club was a football club, not a "business". Also, we had something to play for almost every season with that hope of promotion always there and maybe a decent run in the FA Cup. Now the most we can aim for is avoiding relegation and we have trouble half filling the stadium for a 3rd round cup game. And there is no longer the potential magic surrounding a home cup draw against one of the top premier league teams. In fact the cup is of so little importance we put out the reserves. Not all bad in the premier league obviously, but there's a lot I miss.

From 1995 onwards, in those leagues, we went NINETEEN seasons without ONCE progressing beyond the 3rd round.

The last two seasons have seen us achieve two of the best four FA Cup runs in the club’s history.

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

 

[Zamo25]

The Amex is the issue for me. One steep stand or a singing section nearer the away fans would do the home experience a world of good.

Don't get me wrong it is a "nice" place to watch football.... but that's all it is.

However, away experiences are still as good as they have ever been in my opinion. I enjoyed Maupay's winner v ******** as much as I enjoyed Bas Savage and Alex Revells' last minute winners v Hartlepool and Bradford respectively.

 

[Stat Brother]

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

If only the atmosphere could be more like The Goldstone.

 

[Justice]

I agree going to football has no danger edge to it anymore which was part of the experience back in the day, personally would rather have VAR than John Moss not giving us to clear as day pens against Chelsea. Our PL time might not last forever so I’m going to embrace it whilst it’s here.

Plenty of crap third round FA cup games at the Goldstone so let’s not rewrite history and pretend we always had huge crowds for cup games.

 

[BN41Albion]

From 1995 onwards, in those leagues, we went NINETEEN seasons without ONCE progressing beyond the 3rd round.

The last two seasons have seen us achieve two of our the best four FA Cup runs in the club’s history.

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

I agree. A lot of false nostalgia on this thread.
Also seen 'we were treated like fans and not customers' a lot. Well that's also bollocks; I'm pretty sure back in the 90s we weren't treated as fans by our board. And tell that to fans of the countless lower league clubs currently being fvcked over by their owners!

 

[Zamo25]

*Dean Bowditch

 

[Stat Brother]

BIG. FAT. THIS.

It's Albion or nothing for me. In nearly 46 years of being an Albion fan, I've only ever been to two other football matches that didn't involve us.

Now that's a good question.

I have a few mid 70's Highbury trips with my Arsenal supporting father.
Even then I think one game was against the Albion.

I went with Cubs to Eng v Scotchland schoolboys at the end of the 70's.

Beyond that I can't think of any non Albion games.

 

[nwgull]

Agree with many of the comments made. There was something about being in the lower leagues that made football life more attractive. You were a "fan" not a "customer" for a start, and the football club was a football club, not a "business". Also, we had something to play for almost every season with that hope of promotion always there and maybe a decent run in the FA Cup. Now the most we can aim for is avoiding relegation and we have trouble half filling the stadium for a 3rd round cup game. And there is no longer the potential magic surrounding a home cup draw against one of the top premier league teams. In fact the cup is of so little importance we put out the reserves. Not all bad in the premier league obviously, but there's a lot I miss.

Why do people get so anal about the fact that Barber once used the C word? Fans are treated terribly by many clubs in the knowledge that they’ll still come back the next week. Being treated as a customer means that the club act is if they’re doing their best to keep you coming back, even though they know that you will whatever.

And hardly any clubs are treated as businesses. If Bloom was treating BHA as a business, he’d have wound it up years ago.

 

[Springal]

I long for the days on when we couldn't afford to sign Bas Savage, heady heights of Gifton Noel-Williams on loan. Or when we were promised 4(?) new signings - and Dick Knight rushing around signing anyone he could like Shane McFaul

 

[pasty]

Now that's a good question.

I have a few mid 70's Highbury trips with my Arsenal supporting father.
Even then I think one game was against the Albion.

I went with Cubs to Eng v Scotchland schoolboys at the end of the 70's.

Beyond that I can't think of any non Albion games.

Went to Huddersfield v Bradford on a Sunday after we'd played away at Barnsley the day before and I’d stayed up there with relatives.

And Feyenoord v Vitesse Arnhem when visiting ex-wife’s parents in Rotterdam.

Both in early 90’s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nwgull]

From 1995 onwards, in those leagues, we went NINETEEN seasons without ONCE progressing beyond the 3rd round.

The last two seasons have seen us achieve two of the best four FA Cup runs in the club’s history.

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

Nostalgia has this cunning trick of making you think that the way certain things were 20-30 years ago is better than the way they are today, even when they weren’t. The reason for this is that EVERYTHING was better 20-30 years ago because you were 20-30 years younger!

Probably the reason majority of people born in the 50s or earlier voted to leave as they were youthful in pre 1974 Britain and have a clouded sense of nostalgia about it.

 

[SollysLeftFoot]

If the lower leagues could have access to greater funds if they were more corporate, they'd snap their hands at it; it's the nature of the game. It's not like that by choice.

 

[Stat Brother]

I long for the days on when we couldn't afford to sign Bas Savage, heady heights of Gifton Noel-Williams on loan. Or when we were promised 4(?) new signings - and Dick Knight rushing around signing anyone he could like Shane McFaul

I've only skimmed through this thread, but it's not difficult to imagine those moaning their arses off now were also moaning their arses off then, had been for the previous x years, as they were for the subsequent x years.


People have a very odd perception of a completely optional leisure activity that should only bring happiness.


I love my football team.
I love my relationship with them (through the hard times and the good)
I love what my team has become.
I love Mr Bloom.
I probably love Mrs Bloom even more, for letting him do it.

I love the fact we're playing Chelsea tomorrow and I think we'll win.
I love Ryan playing a short pass to Dunk!

The Albion are approaching the longest relationship I've had in my life, which in turn has become generational (Pops Stat was a Gunner)


I sure as hell won't be throwing all that away because some nimrod implemented a natural progression so badly a shaved monkey could have done a better job.

 

[blue-shifted]

The Amex is great & we visit some great stadia, but I loved going to Bristol Rovers again for our League Cup game.

And maybe this is the way to feel positive about things. We're still in two cups a year, which give us a great chance of drawing lower league opposition away. No VAR in those games.

Those of us, like me, who are having a pop at some of the modern football experience have no excuse not to be there, and if they "can't" for whatever reason, should probably put a sock in it

 

[CheeseRolls]

I am really excited at the real prospect that we can finally beat Chelsea tomorrow. Not a Chelsea cup side, with several stars rested, as they are not needed to breeze past a lower league side, but Chelsea's first team.

I had my nostalgia trip earlier this season, away at Bristol Rovers. A thoroughly enjoyable night out for me, but there were plenty of moans that we were only playing the kids. That's the kids we couldn't afford as a mid-table league one side. This included a number of local lads , who would have been whisked away to bigger London clubs.

I hope we get past the horrible Wednesday Massive next week, in a really patronising way and then get a lower league team away in the next round of the cup, we really can have it both ways now.

The Dan Burn VAR decision was a disgrace, a poor decision, poorly implemented. It pretty much unites everyone on here and sometimes it takes an act of injustice to do that.

Personally I have had a couple of games, watching as a neutral and been bored stupid. I don't have any problem with anyone who has a second local team, but I don't really have one myself.

 

[Yes Chef]

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be

 

[pasty]

I love the fact we're playing Chelsea tomorrow and I think we'll win.

I am really excited at the real prospect that we can finally beat Chelsea tomorrow.

Have you two seen their away form?

 

[bobby baxter]

From 1995 onwards, in those leagues, we went NINETEEN seasons without ONCE progressing beyond the 3rd round.

The last two seasons have seen us achieve two of the best four FA Cup runs in the club’s history.

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

You`re right, nostalgia is very selective. I have been a fan since 1964 and this is the best of times for me.

I love everything about our current situation, from the magnificent stadium to the best squad ever assembled, seeing us occasionally turn over sides that were once European Champions, I enjoy every minute.

 

[blue-shifted]

From 1995 onwards, in those leagues, we went NINETEEN seasons without ONCE progressing beyond the 3rd round.

The last two seasons have seen us achieve two of the best four FA Cup runs in the club’s history.

I get the nostalgia, but a lot of what is being ‘remembered’ is absolute bollocks.

Ha, yeh, but decent cup run is a relative concept. Can you remember the sheer elation when we did win a 2nd round tie? I reckon I watched those 3rd round draws with the same intensity as Mrs Armstrong watched the lunar landing, (only to pull out a highly unglamourous, but unwinnable 3rd round tie)