Stayaway fans has probably been done to death however......

[wigman]

I'm hacked off with meeting people in and around the County who say "Oh yes I am an Albion fan, have been for years, but I'll wait until they get Falmer before I go back and watch them."

It a bit like saying "I love my wife but I won't take her out until she has surgery to look like Louise Redknapp!"

We need these 'fans' now, not in two or three years!!!!

I took the missus yesterday for only her second ever visit to the Withdean and at a cost of over £50.She thoroughly enjoyed the match but did not enjoy the soaking.On the way home and whilst listening to the debate on the phone-in she said to me she could see how people stay away.The facillities on offer and the cost are the reason for poor attendances!

 

[Skaville]

You are spot on - people do get out of the habit of going to football. At one point during the Gillingham years I bust my leg quite badly. Sitting in the car for the tour of the motorways of the South-East was not possible whilst I was recuperating so, despite having a paid-up season ticket, I didn't go for a few games.

And, do you know, weekends became quite good. For the first time in years (other than the brief Summer period) my weekends were suddenly 2 days not a football day and a Sunday. I quickly got out of the habit. There will be thousands across Sussex who are out of the habit and it's going to take something very significant to get them back into it.

Top post.

 

[NMH]

I took the missus yesterday for only her second ever visit to the Withdean and at a cost of over £50.She thoroughly enjoyed the match but did not enjoy the soaking.On the way home and whilst listening to the debate on the phone-in she said to me she could see how people stay away.The facillities on offer and the cost are the reason for poor attendances!

Okay, that's what your missus thinks. But might she have said that at two-thirds of football grounds in the lower divisions? Unless you are under a roof, you get wet, and if you pay £20 plus and see a great match but still bemoan the cost, howabout £16 for a crap match?

Much as you have respect for your missus's opinion, it is just another opinion, and it's not really coming from a football fan. Some women think any football is a waste of money unless they fancy the players, and many regard shopping for expensive cosmetics as a reasonable option.

 

[Harty]

BTW Harty this subject is being done to death.

Agreed, but in little under 2 hours I will go to the George and Dragon for my Sunday beer and at least half a dozen people, all former Goldstone regulars, will be raving about yesterdays result but having no desire to go near Withdean but still having the view that they will return triumphant to Falmer.
Its annoying because, and apologies, for sounding like a cracked record, we need those supporters now.

And as a footnote, for almost all of the 6 or so I don't believe ticket pricing is the problem.

That is all..........

 

[jonny.rainbow]

What a shocking difference!, I would be rich if I'd supported Southend instead, so so much cheaper.

£4.50 X 23 = £103.50.

 

[itszamora]

I took the missus yesterday for only her second ever visit to the Withdean and at a cost of over £50.She thoroughly enjoyed the match but did not enjoy the soaking.On the way home and whilst listening to the debate on the phone-in she said to me she could see how people stay away.The facillities on offer and the cost are the reason for poor attendances!

Nail on head there. I'm sure the superfan brigade will disagree though, after all I'm sure we could all raise the cash for a few more seasons by selling a kidney on eBay or something

 

[Skidmarks]

£4.50 X 23 = £103.50.

Now please work out the money we save from free travel in a whole season.

 

[Skidmarks]

I took the missus yesterday for only her second ever visit to the Withdean and at a cost of over £50.She thoroughly enjoyed the match but did not enjoy the soaking.On the way home and whilst listening to the debate on the phone-in she said to me she could see how people stay away.The facillities on offer and the cost are the reason for poor attendances!

2nd only ever visit? who cares what she thinks!!!!

 

[NMH]

Agreed, but in little under 2 hours I will go to the George and Dragon for my Sunday beer and at least half a dozen people, all former Goldstone regulars, will be raving about yesterdays result but having no desire to go near Withdean but still having the view that they will return triumphant to Falmer.
Its annoying because, and apologies, for sounding like a cracked record, we need those supporters now.

And as a footnote, for almost all of the 6 or so I don't believe ticket pricing is the problem.

That is all..........

Nah, we need another type of supporter to those ones Harty. Falmer will be too small, if we are playing in the Prem vs Arsenal Chelsea or Man United week-in week-out. Are you suggesting we "need" all those glory-hunting comfort-seeking slouches?

They can revel in their credit-card-shopping-with-the-missus Saturdays, roast lunches and Italian roasted cafe latte, and I don't miss 'em.
I'd just let them know they missed a great game, not how much they are "needed".

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Now please work out the money we save from free travel in a whole season.

Personally I save nothing, as I have pre-paid bus ticket.

Pretty sure it's the same for a lot of other people.

 

[Skidmarks]

Personally I save nothing, as I have pre-paid bus ticket.

Pretty sure it's the same for a lot of other people.

What makes you so sure?

 

[wigman]

2nd only ever visit? who cares what she thinks!!!!

True; but when you have seen recent increases in utility bills(council tax,gas,electricity,mortgages) then petrol etc When you are trying to balance the books and money is tight for most people,you can see why a lot of people choose not to go to the Withdean. She was only making a comment and to be fair to her;she has at least attended a game this season and that is more than some so called fans who claim to follow the Albion!

 

[Beach Hut]

The travel issue is mis-leading and irrelevant to cost as I don't think the club have any choice but to include it - think it was a condition of playing at Withdean and will also be in place for Falmer.

 

[Questions]

Nah, we need another type of supporter to those ones Harty. Falmer will be too small, if we are playing in the Prem vs Arsenal Chelsea or Man United week-in week-out. Are you suggesting we "need" all those glory-hunting comfort-seeking slouches?

They can revel in their credit-card-shopping-with-the-missus Saturdays, roast lunches and Italian roasted cafe latte, and I don't miss 'em.
I'd just let them know they missed a great game, not how much they are "needed".

Correct... If they are not there they are not fans.... .f*** em I say.

They bring nothing to the occasion when they do come, saying things like, ''He`s not as good as Peter Ward or the processed cheese in the rolls was so much better in the old days at the Goldstone.

 

[Beach Hut]

True; but when you have seen recent increases in utility bills(council tax,gas,electricity,mortgages) then petrol etc When you are trying to balance the books and money is tight for most people,you can see why a lot of people choose not to go to the Withdean.

Exactly the point I am trying to make about what are peoples priorities when money is tight and cost of living spirals out of control.

 

[Skidmarks]

Exactly the point I am trying to make about what are peoples priorities when money is tight and cost of living spirals out of control.

Yes i understand your point but it still doesn't explain where all those fans came from when we played Leeds? where are all those fans stating their gonna be Falmer regulars once its built.
Ticket prices will be the same yet our attendances won't at Falmer, where are these fans now?

 

[British Bulldog]

There is plenty of them on here,excuses starting to wear thin now about cost, the withdean factor etc

They may be wearing thin but they are genuine reasons for fans not going.

 

[Yorkie]

Yes i understand your point but it still doesn't explain where all those fans came from when we played Leeds? where are all those fans stating their gonna be Falmer regulars once its built.
Ticket prices will be the same yet our attendances won't at Falmer, where are these fans now?

When money is tight then people will pick and choose their games.

 

[Beach Hut]

Yes i understand your point but it still doesn't explain where all those fans came from when we played Leeds? where are all those fans stating their gonna be Falmer regulars once its built.
Ticket prices will be the same yet our attendances won't at Falmer, where are these fans now?

Well at the Leeds game I think you will find many in the South Stand were Leeds - the 6 in front of me were.

And as stated people will cherry pick the better games.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

The travel issue is mis-leading and irrelevant to cost as I don't think the club have any choice but to include it - think it was a condition of playing at Withdean and will also be in place for Falmer.

But as was suggested on the phone in, surely a rethink of those conditions that were drawn up almost ten years ago is not entirely unreasonable?

Pay on day and eradicating the travel voucher seriously needs to be looked at.