Season Ticket Renewals

[The Great Cornholio]

You are picking on one particular game as people do on here continually when they say that next season we would get higher gates in Div 1. I am talking of the general situation over the course of the season. Had we been halfway up the table we would have filled Withdean most games and tickets would have been difficult to come by.

Will Hartelpool on a Tuesday night next season sell out if we are not in the top 4.

OK - so you are telling me that if we were mid table, Watford, Crewe, Sheff Wed, Derby, Burnley, Millwall, Plymouth, Hull, Stoke, Coventry and Luton would all sell out?

 

[zefarelly]

gave mine up 2 years ago, wasn't enjoying it and didn't think it was worth the outlay so I gave the opportunity to someone else to have a prime pew in Cell block D.

unfortunately I can't say I've missed it

 

[BensGrandad]

OK - so you are telling me that if we were mid table, Watford, Crewe, Sheff Wed, Derby, Burnley, Millwall, Plymouth, Hull, Stoke, Coventry and Luton would all sell out?

Depending on when they were played and how we had got to be midtable I think that they could. If we had done it by 0 - 0 draw at home and a few wins away the answer would probably be no but if the results were reversed a few good wins at home with 0 - 0 draws away mot definiltely YES.

 

[Da Man Clay]

Renewing regardless, I love the albion and cant imagine bot going to watch them every other week. And also to have the added advantage of being able to apply first for away/cup games.

 

[Gwylan]

I had a season ticket for the GG (pre-Archer) and bought one for Priestfield as soon as DK took over. It's a small thing to pay for the club I love.

 

[Blackadder]

I'm renewing anyway as going to footie on a saturday is far better an option than trauling round shops of a saturday afternoon.

What he said!

 

[Sigull]

Not renewing for the first time in 15/20 years
However, it's because I'm retiring and intend to go to all the away games as the atmosphere and general enjoyment of watching the albion is much better.
Will buy home tickets as & when and will renew when Falmer opens

 

[B.W.]

What utter tosh. There are hundreds of loyal fans on here but there are also hundreds of once in a whiler's as well. NSC is a representative cross section of fans. And not even Ian Hart would use the results from 18 votes to make a statement like yours. Besides which, the poll isn't limited to Season Ticket holders so you'll probably find that someone who has voted no isn't a STH anyway - like the other thread.

Besides which, please show me who has said that relegation doesn't matter. I, along with a few others, have said that it won't be the end of the world like some doom mongers are predicting. That's not to say we want the club to go down - far from it. I'm just not a drama queen - just a realist.

I think you'll find that what I am saying is more than "utter tosh"... I am sure there are rogue voters who are not STH's, but the club should be worried... a lot of people I go to games with are getting royally pi$$ed off with the club's inability to strengthen the squad in an attempt to stave off relegation... these are long-standing fans, loyal for many, many years... as someone on here said, actions speaker louder than words, and the clubs actions (or lack of signings) are speaking volumes to plenty of fans... your post smacks of complacency, and I hope the board have a little more sense...

I am not a drama queen either, but many just don't seem to realise how serious relegation is, and especially for our club at this time... you are obviously one who can't work that out, despite the many previous explanations... enjoy your alleged realistic outlook... I would call it rose-tinted myself... a happy fool is still a fool...

PS. Don't compare me to Harty... thank you...

 

[B.W.]

More than a few "diehards" I've spoken to arent renewing due to the small amount of money reinvested in the team and the general poor facilities at withdean

And I am hearing exactly the same thing from the many long-standing fans I know... the club need to do something, and do it now, or face the inevitable consequences...

 

[B.W.]

OK - so you are telling me that if we were mid table, Watford, Crewe, Sheff Wed, Derby, Burnley, Millwall, Plymouth, Hull, Stoke, Coventry and Luton would all sell out?

Compare those clubs with the names of those likely to be in league 1 next year... do you see the problem, or are you just unable to accept that relegation is important?...

 

[The Auditor]

that it won't be the end of the world like some doom mongers are predicting.

But none of us wants league one football at championship prices in a conference stadium

 

[zefarelly]

But none of us wants league one football at championship prices in a conference stadium

when we can see better football in the Conference . . .or at Shoreham if my last match was anything to go by.

the facilities are better at Shoreham as well as the food and drink

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I think you'll find that what I am saying is more than "utter tosh"... I am sure there are rogue voters who are not STH's, but the club should be worried... a lot of people I go to games with are getting royally pi$$ed off with the club's inability to strengthen the squad in an attempt to stave off relegation... these are long-standing fans, loyal for many, many years... as someone on here said, actions speaker louder than words, and the clubs actions (or lack of signings) are speaking volumes to plenty of fans... your post smacks of complacency, and I hope the board have a little more sense...

I am not a drama queen either, but many just don't seem to realise how serious relegation is, and especially for our club at this time... you are obviously one who can't work that out, despite the many previous explanations... enjoy your alleged realistic outlook... I would call it rose-tinted myself... a happy fool is still a fool...

PS. Don't compare me to Harty... thank you...

You state what you purport to be fact based on an anonymous poll of 18 people. Would you care to rebuke my arguments with fact rather than bluster, speculation and name calling? Relegation was catastrophic last time round wasn't it? No championship for us - had to make do with going up via the play offs. (/awaits the "It was a poor league - different this time blah, blah")

Actions speak louder than words? Please provide proof that Dick Knight hasn't made money available and that the players named by McGhee didn't turn us down as you seem so certain.

Long stand fans, loyal for many years will not be renewing because of the lack of players? They have been loyal for this many years and choose the current situation as the trigger not to renew - not 1995/96? 1996/97? 1997/98? Being third bottom in the Championship is worse than being bottom of League 1 or League 2? Some loyal fans they must be.

If we go down, there will be less season ticket holders? No shit, Sherlock. There will also be a reduction in the wage bill, allowing the club to stop punching above it's weight. And, if the team is chasing at playoff place at worse, crowds will be on a par with current levels. The first season at Withdean proves that. People will watch their team doing well - they aren't so keen to watch them struggle.

And I'm sure the club are worried about the current predicament. Are you seriously suggesting that after 10 years of hard work, Knight and the board are happy to see us slide down a division? I fully expect the old "Open the purse strings" argument to be used again. The club is in debt with little or no collateral. Where is this money to come from - a magic tree? Or are you advocating borrowing money - putting the club in further debt - based on a financial projection of yours and Bens Grandad (based on supposition) rather than based on a detailed finanical analysis produced by the board? Now I await the "Director's digging into their pockets" retort - depsite the fact that the vast majority of money given to clubs by directors are loans - not gifts. And why should these men invest large sums of money with no guarantee of getting it back? They have a lot in at the moment and will get nothing if the club goes to the wall - a real possibility if Falmer is ultimately rejected.

 

[JohnnyJet]

I’m renewing regardless. It will have no bearing on my decision whether we stay up or go down. Although I don’t want Brighton to go down, I just enjoy watching them and it would take a lot for me to turn my back on them. Brighton really do need as many people to renew their season ticket as possible if they are to stand any chance of competing at this level. Why give up now just when things are starting to get interesting?

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I’m renewing regardless. It will have no bearing on my decision whether we stay up or go down. Although I don’t want Brighton to go down, I just enjoy watching them and it would take a lot for me to turn my back on them. Brighton really do need as many people to renew their season ticket as possible if they are to stand any chance of competing at this level. Why give up now just when things are starting to get interesting?

A fine 2nd post sir. People have very short memories. Try supporting Rochdale or Macclesfield - then you will no what hardship of watching your team is. No-one is more frustrated at watching the standard of football this year than me. No-one is more frustrated about the lack of signings than me. But I was there when we were getting trounced at home by Oxford and Rochdale. I didn't quit then so why the hell should I quit now?

Season ticket numbers will fluctuate - do well, they go up. Do badly, they go down. Twas ever thus. A lot of people only buy one if the team are on a high - fair enough, the crowd size wouldn't change if we didn't have these supporters and there would be no need for Falmer. We have to find 14000 extra fans from somewhere. But why all the melodrama about some people choosing not to renew because we may go down? It is the case at the vast majority of clubs. The primary goal is to keep the club solvent until we have a new ground and can compete with the big boys. I still don't believe that people buy the "Falmer isn't the most important goal" argument. A simple poll would answer it. Would you rather be in League 2 and have Falmer or be in the Championship at remain at Withdean forever? The former allows the club to be restructured and rise up - a la Hull. The latter leads to eventual relegation and being doomed to scratch around the lower echelons - provided we stay in business. The two options are mutually exclusive - we all hope to stay up and get Falmer. But the histrionics about the possibility of being relegated are ludicrous.

 

[Gwylan]

I remember coming down from London to watch Jimmy Case's last game. It was a hell of a journey as the trains were buggered, I saw Ian Baird score a goal with his arse and us promptly fall apart against a team who were, at the time, bottom of the entire league (and looked like it). I thought supporting Albion couldn't get any worse....

I was still back a couple of weeks later.

Even if we are relegated, we're still so much better off than those dark days. Those 'diehard' fans who aren't renewing must have short memories.

 

[TSB]

I had a season ticket at Gillingham.....it's like watching Brazil compared to that.

 

[Storer68]

I'm not renewing.......

because I'be already paid for next season

 

[B.W.]

You state what you purport to be fact based on an anonymous poll of 18 people. Would you care to rebuke my arguments with fact rather than bluster, speculation and name calling? Relegation was catastrophic last time round wasn't it? No championship for us - had to make do with going up via the play offs. (/awaits the "It was a poor league - different this time blah, blah")

Actions speak louder than words? Please provide proof that Dick Knight hasn't made money available and that the players named by McGhee didn't turn us down as you seem so certain.

Long stand fans, loyal for many years will not be renewing because of the lack of players? They have been loyal for this many years and choose the current situation as the trigger not to renew - not 1995/96? 1996/97? 1997/98? Being third bottom in the Championship is worse than being bottom of League 1 or League 2? Some loyal fans they must be.

If we go down, there will be less season ticket holders? No shit, Sherlock. There will also be a reduction in the wage bill, allowing the club to stop punching above it's weight. And, if the team is chasing at playoff place at worse, crowds will be on a par with current levels. The first season at Withdean proves that. People will watch their team doing well - they aren't so keen to watch them struggle.

And I'm sure the club are worried about the current predicament. Are you seriously suggesting that after 10 years of hard work, Knight and the board are happy to see us slide down a division? I fully expect the old "Open the purse strings" argument to be used again. The club is in debt with little or no collateral. Where is this money to come from - a magic tree? Or are you advocating borrowing money - putting the club in further debt - based on a financial projection of yours and Bens Grandad (based on supposition) rather than based on a detailed finanical analysis produced by the board? Now I await the "Director's digging into their pockets" retort - depsite the fact that the vast majority of money given to clubs by directors are loans - not gifts. And why should these men invest large sums of money with no guarantee of getting it back? They have a lot in at the moment and will get nothing if the club goes to the wall - a real possibility if Falmer is ultimately rejected.

I am telling you that this poll suggests people are unhappy enough to be thinking about not renewing their ST's, and the people I go to the footie with are getting pi$$ed off with the lack of investment in the team... any your evidence is?... oh, you have none...

Look at the teams that were relegated last season... what positions are they occupying in league 1?...

I didn't say DK hasn't put up money, but we have repeatedly failed to sign the players our manager says we need...

You are insulting long-standing loyal fans (including me) who rightfully believe the club has failed to make a decent attempt to strengthen the squad to keep us in the division we are in... if the board are complacent, they willl lose their most important fans... in fact, this thread may help them realise that there is a growing ground swell of opinion that is threatening ST renewals...

You then (sarcastically) go on to admit that ST sales will fall if we get relegated (contradicting all of your earlier comments)... you suggest the wage bill will fall (only out of necessity, since we will probably lose our best players)... then you make the assumption that we will do well in league 1 (see my point about last season's relegated clubs)... your logic is severely flawed...

Again, I did not say money was not available to strengthen the team... it is, however, apparent that we have FAILED to sign the players we need...

There... that is my opinion... looks like we will have to agree to differ...

 

[dougdeep]

Only 2 out of 58 say position will affect their decision. Well done people.