Sitting at Withdean in the freezing cold and pouring rain..

[Return of the Rev]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K43TzRz16xI&feature=related

Could they not put this video on the concourse screens at 20 minutes before ko every game,WOULD GIVE GROUPS A CHANCE TO GATHER IN VARIOUS BAR AREAS FOR A SINGALONG?

 

[severnside gull]

Withdean was f***ing BRILLIANT at times.

Certainly some occasions that got the blood pumping, more so than the school sports day it was designed for (unless your child was competing).

I ran a 3A's meeting at Withdean and after competing in the mile and 880yds (it was that long ago!) I got 5 minutes notice to stand-in for someone and run my first (and last) ever steeplechase. I lost my running shoes hurdling the water jump and finished the race in bare feet. All these years later I still have the cinders in the bottom of my feet to prove it! My point? Withdean was ALWAYS a shit hole

 

[Brovion]

Sacrilege to even mention it but the latter years at the Goldstone were nothing to shout home about with weeds growing through the concrete on the terraces and the walls of the stands rusting about our ears.................it's been a long journey and one that has had its ups as well as its downs. I just can't think of any point along the way - even recently - when I could truly have imagined that we would be where we are today.

Spot on. It wasn't just the Gillingham/Withdean era, the club had been dying on its arse for about a decade before we left the Goldstone. Certainly the Withdean era though seems like a different club (which in a lot of ways it was).

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Probably mind playing tricks, but I don't remember ever being quite so cold watching the Albion as I was at the Leicester game at the Amex. It was like an ice box, and the North Stand concourse was completely deserted by half five.

 

[Return of the Rev]

probably mind playing tricks, but i don't remember ever being quite so cold watching the albion as i was at the leicester game at the amex. It was like an ice box, and the north stand concourse was completely deserted by half five.

they need to enclose part of the north concourse,must be losing thousands after the game as it does get chilly mid winter!

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Probably mind playing tricks, but I don't remember ever being quite so cold watching the Albion as I was at the Leicester game at the Amex. It was like an ice box, and the North Stand concourse was completely deserted by half five.

It was freezing but I also remember times at Withdean when the sun was out, the birds were singing in the trees behind us and it was almost enjoyable. We also won more silverware at Withdean than the whole of the time at the Goldstone.

 

[Bisto]

Very true caveman, but a lot of the younger/new fans wont truly appreciate the good times, because the never witnessed the bad times.

You see 13-15000 more fans at the games at think 'where have these all come from?' but it is great to see the diverse demographic which hopefully will keep the club boyant and solvent throught the coming years. Just hope they don't disappear if we slip back

 

[somerset]

Of course gates will drop if we drop back that's the same for every club in every country at any time,....

 

[xenophon]

I miss Withers a bit

For sure, many happy days and nights at the old place

 

[Captain Sensible]

We all f***ing love it!, yes, including myself. For any football club to turn things around like Brighton have, all from fan power is amazing, an amazing fight, so the fans that went through trips to the priestfield and trips to the withdean, those fans that rode the rollercoster will appreciate trips to the amex a little bit more, that's all.

No that's not all.
If you protested at the Goldstone, if you went to preistfield, if you marched and campaigned and wrote to planning authorities, if you went to withdean and marched, campaigned and wrote all over again to get the Amex. Not only do you appreciate it more, but you realise this club has a sole. It is living testimony to the effort fans made and our board to give this club a future. It also is a reason that we can never EVER, allow our club to be owned by money men that have no link or care of BHAFC. Our owners need to be vetted by the fans IMO.
This club has a sole, and we made it so.

 

[Gullys Cats]

No that's not all.
If you protested at the Goldstone, if you went to preistfield, if you marched and campaigned and wrote to planning authorities, if you went to withdean and marched, campaigned and wrote all over again to get the Amex. Not only do you appreciate it more, but you realise this club has a sole. It is living testimony to the effort fans made and our board to give this club a future. It also is a reason that we can never EVER, allow our club to be owned by money men that have no link or care of BHAFC. Our owners need to be vetted by the fans IMO.
This club has a sole, and we made it so.

Well said mate

 

[Fat Langers]

The fans united game at the goldstone was one of the best games I ever went to! Me and the old man, stood at the very back of the north stand while we chanted non stop! Fantastic memory! All that was organised to keep us in the league and a ground to play in.
And when we did man city at the withdean on pens!
The wind and sidewards rain, while wearing a white BHA poncho that made you look like a KKK member out at the withdean was priceless! I've never laughed so much.
To look at what we have now and how far we have come is fantastic. I love my club.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

It was freezing but I also remember times at Withdean when the sun was out, the birds were singing in the trees behind us and it was almost enjoyable. We also won more silverware at Withdean than the whole of the time at the Goldstone.

It amazes me how much we won when at Withdean. I started watching in 1990 and barring the Play off final in 1991, it was all downhill from there. As much as the Amex is amazing, Withdean will always have a special place for me with winning 4 promotions in 12 years. That last season when we were leaving and won the league with four games to spare was amazing.

Having said all that, if you had told me at the last game at Withdean that we would sign Vicente, CMS, Buckley etc last summer and then bring in players of the quality of Kuszczak, Bruno and Bridge with more to follow the next summer, I wouldn't have believed you! The last year has been amazing and I can't wait to be back at the Amex next season!

 

[withdeanwombat]

Bloody Amex.Padded seats,cover from the elements,beer and pies,televisions,big screens,footballers you've heard of before they sign for us.New training grounds,pies and beer,occasional Saturday games.Worrying about the Premier League (the PREMIER league).

How I miss the mile each way walk to the Goldstone,bus to Gillingham,and Portslade to Preston Park.

The good old days.Sigh.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

No that's not all.
If you protested at the Goldstone, if you went to preistfield, if you marched and campaigned and wrote to planning authorities, if you went to withdean and marched, campaigned and wrote all over again to get the Amex. Not only do you appreciate it more, but you realise this club has a sole. It is living testimony to the effort fans made and our board to give this club a future. It also is a reason that we can never EVER, allow our club to be owned by money men that have no link or care of BHAFC. Our owners need to be vetted by the fans IMO.
This club has a sole, and we made it so.

A sole what? True fan? Monkeyhat? Pie recipie? It's bugging me now

 

[SweBHAFC]

There are some non jcl's that need to come off their high horse. In fact, this whole "I am 40+ but looking for recognition from 11 year olds because I have supported the club for x amount of years" is pathetic.

Not singeling anyone out but there are a few of yous on here.

From my whitdean experience (sth) I was often shocked by the moans and meldrude behaviour by our own fans. bring on the jcl's and note that for TB he could not give a f*** about who you are as long as the 500 odd quid keeps rolling in.

Rant over

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

No that's not all.
If you protested at the Goldstone, if you went to preistfield, if you marched and campaigned and wrote to planning authorities, if you went to withdean and marched, campaigned and wrote all over again to get the Amex. Not only do you appreciate it more, but you realise this club has a sole. It is living testimony to the effort fans made and our board to give this club a future. It also is a reason that we can never EVER, allow our club to be owned by money men that have no link or care of BHAFC. Our owners need to be vetted by the fans IMO.
This club has a sole, and we made it so.

??