Stayaway Fans

[Dave the OAP]

I think a lot of it is the standard of football we are watching. If we were playing great football, in the top 3 or 4, then yes, we would be getting 7k, but we are not and the last home game came after a pathetic display at Gillingham. Now we have had a decent result at Bournemouth, then i hope that people will come along...one problem we will have is the Rugby! People may chose to stay at home and watch that instead.

we must not forget we are in the Third Division and if you remember back third divi crowds were always that much lower.

I also agree with the poster who spoke about lack of quality players. Being brutally frank we havent got any real quality...yes we have some half decent youngsters, some journeymen, some ageing pro's, but no-one who excites you when watching. I would hazzard a guess that all of our players are available for transfer at a price....the lack of these so called decent players being snapped up, Lynch, Cox, etc shows that perhaps we think they are better than they actually are.

Personally i think watching the albion is a bit like a drug....its addictive and you need your fix no matter how they are playing.

 

[Captain Haddock]

For me it wasn't necessarily about the football. It used to be about the whole matchday experience, and the feeling that you were going to an 'event', and that there was nowhere else you would rather be.

On days when I knew I was going to a game at the Goldstone I would have a buzz of anticipation fom the moment I woke up - of seeing the floodlight pylons across Hove Park, of hearing the crackly tannoy, and the crowd already inside singing.

Does Withdean deliver any of this? In short no. But then again do any all seater grounds? Not really. For me, all the things that made going to watch live football unmissable have been airbrushed out, until all that is left is a souless, sterile exprience.

I went half a dozen times the season before last, I went 2 last season and have no pland to go this season, and in all honesty can't get that excited about going to Falmer just to sit in silence either. I think I have simply fallen out of love with it.

Spot on....although last paragraph doesn't quite apply to Capt H.

We are constricted by the non-pay-on-the-gate requirement dictated to us, but meantime we need to fight the effects of this as much as poss over these three years or so at Withers by rethinking/improving matchday arrangements.

Improvement in the collection arrangements on matchdays must be made, coupled perhaps with price offers on the day. The problem of spontaneous attendance decided on matchdays can't be overcome completely but if much larger numbers can book (without long delays) on the morning of a game and collect tix (without long delays) we'd be in a better position....let's face it we have quite literally a fair-weather fan problem because of the lack of cover in the ground. Fans simply won't attend in bad weather and being Britain no-one can be sure (despite weather forecasts) what the weather's goin' to be UNTIL THE DAY. That is where much of the problem lies.

I realise this involves more expense - staffing - but I'm convinced they'd offset the costs via additional ticket revenue. Perhaps this would only be relevant in the more clement months of the season, but it's a potential source of new income nonetheless.

Secondly pricing IS a problem. Too many people have mentioned / moaned about it for it not to be! Making tickets £22 would be futile but if advance-purchased tickets, for eg, were priced at £17/18 adults, £10 nus, £2 kids you'd generally see a marked increase.

Finally, I know this has been discussed before but I can't remember the finer details of the whys and wherefores but is getting a roof really a no-go? I think I remember MP writing off this notion adamantly some time back but is that still out of the question? Have circumstances changed in any way to allow this to now be a genuine possibility? If so would / should the South Stand get covered or perhaps the East....if East should families be moved to a section of the South to allow greater numbers of 'singers' to attend matches in the East Stand?

I firmly believe roofing (esp more than one!) WOULD increase interest and demand for tickets for weather and atmospheric reasons but appreciate if it's a non-starter for unavoidable reasons.

(Brentford and Pompey have erected new roofs for their away ends this season, I notice).

 

[Dave the OAP]

there was something about the foundations that meant we couldn't have a roof in the south stand....but no doubt those in the know will put me right on that matter.

 

[Captain Haddock]

Funny you should be talking about parties. My youngest has a party in Hove at 4 tomorrow. Managed to wangle another parent taking him though so I can take my eldest to Withdean.

Seriously, if you're after a noisy atmosphere at Brighton with no moaning, then go in the family stand - especially if you're near to the Burgess Hill contingent at the top left.

Ah that's you, is it? Sing up, families, sing up families! Been a 'left-side East Stand boy' with few mates on occasions....you know, small bunch of us billy-no-mates on our own with miles if empty seats fer company!

 

[Captain Haddock]

there was something about the foundations that meant we couldn't have a roof in the south stand....but no doubt those in the know will put me right on that matter.

Cheers Dave. I wonder if foundations are a prob in the East Stand too.

Out of interest, is it just me or do you remember there being more noise generated from the old away end (now family area) than the new away end and South Stands? Perhaps the acoustics are better (less appalling?) there. If so, wouldn't we be better off trying to get a singing section for home supporters there with or without a roof?

 

[Superphil]

I had the pleasure of a brief convesation with Mr Ken Brown a week ago or so. I asked him what he thought now he was here, and could see the lie of the land. His answer, "the most important thing is getting people to fill empty seats" he told me that was his number one priority, to improve the home gates.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Building a roof over the south stand now would be a waste of money. We've spent (wasted?) enough on that ground as it is. Any spare money should be spent on players. A successful team is what will bring the crowds back (and a significant drop in matchday prices).

 

[Uncle Buck]

Cheers Dave. I wonder if foundations are a prob in the East Stand too.

Out of interest, is it just me or do you remember there being more noise generated from the old away end (now family area) than the new away end and South Stands? Perhaps the acoustics are better (less appalling?) there. If so, wouldn't we be better off trying to get a singing section for home supporters there with or without a roof?

The official line regarding roofs on the temporary stands has been if you put a roof on them they are classed as permanent and that would mean applying for new planning permission, licences etc.

 

[Woodchip]

In Cardiff I was in a group of 5. In that 5 there were on 3 Brighton Fans (one that lives in Yorkshire). So realistically that is only 40% of those that attended could/would make games. One works on a Saturday so that reduces it down to 20%. 20% of 30,000 is (shock horror) 6,000.

OK, so I'm working from a very small sample attendence, but the figures magically work out.

 

[Captain Haddock]

The official line regarding roofs on the temporary stands has been if you put a roof on them they are classed as permanent and that would mean applying for new planning permission, licences etc.

Ah! Cheers for the info Uncle B.

 

[rusty redeyes]

- moaning? In the family stand? Probably the one place at Withdean you don't get any moaning just loads of noise. I hate Withdean BUT my team play there and I'm absolutely f***ed if I'm gonna let my 2 boys drift into supporting premiership teams.

Where did I say I'd been in the family stand This Saturday I'll be there with my 10 yr old daughter, middle name Albion.
For the Millwall game I was offered a friends tkt for a tenner in F block, complaints ensued due to my Stella'd attempts at support. When I had a ST in E block, the abuse we used to get from across the aisle was unbelievable and all because we were trying to support and encourage the team. The apathy, coupled with the cost and facilities means I now pick and choose my games. Does that make me a bad fan?

My VFM is a twilight round at Hassocks, at least I can only blame myself, and the 9th & 11th, for being consistently inconsistent!!!

 

[Beach Hut]

I had the pleasure of a brief convesation with Mr Ken Brown a week ago or so. I asked him what he thought now he was here, and could see the lie of the land. His answer, "the most important thing is getting people to fill empty seats" he told me that was his number one priority, to improve the home gates.

I would be very interested to know how he hopes to achieve this given the current commercial acumen in the club.

Also it was something he never achieved at Millwall

 

[Dave the OAP]

Where did I say I'd been in the family stand This Saturday I'll be there with my 10 yr old daughter, middle name Albion.
For the Millwall game I was offered a friends tkt for a tenner in F block, complaints ensued due to my Stella'd attempts at support. When I had a ST in E block, the abuse we used to get from across the aisle was unbelievable and all because we were trying to support and encourage the team. The apathy, coupled with the cost and facilities means I now pick and choose my games. Does that make me a bad fan?

My VFM is a twilight round at Hassocks, at least I can only blame myself, and the 9th & 11th, for being consistently inconsistent!!!

what people were having a go at a kid for supporting the team?

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

The official line regarding roofs on the temporary stands has been if you put a roof on them they are classed as permanent and that would mean applying for new planning permission, licences etc.

Isn't it also that there is a nature reserve out back - so a fire wouldnt be spotted if there were a roof on the stand?

 

[Superphil]

I would be very interested to know how he hopes to achieve this given the current commercial acumen in the club.

Also it was something he never achieved at Millwall

Indeed Peter, indeed. Let's just give him the benefit of the doubt, seems like a pro-active sort of bloke.

 

[Buzzer]

Ah that's you, is it? Sing up, families, sing up families! Been a 'left-side East Stand boy' with few mates on occasions....you know, small bunch of us billy-no-mates on our own with miles if empty seats fer company!

Nope, not me. I sit a few rows down to the right, usually behind Hans Kraay and his 2 boys. vJust saying that the Burgess Hill massive do us all credit.

Where did I say I'd been in the family stand This Saturday I'll be there with my 10 yr old daughter, middle name Albion.
For the Millwall game I was offered a friends tkt for a tenner in F block, complaints ensued due to my Stella'd attempts at support. When I had a ST in E block, the abuse we used to get from across the aisle was unbelievable and all because we were trying to support and encourage the team. The apathy, coupled with the cost and facilities means I now pick and choose my games. Does that make me a bad fan?

My VFM is a twilight round at Hassocks, at least I can only blame myself, and the 9th & 11th, for being consistently inconsistent!!!

Sorry, got the wrong end of the stick there. As for bad fan - I've never called anyone a bad fan. I leave that to HB&B and his super-fan bollox.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Good thread.

I go because I support Brighton and Hove Albion, a club who, through no fault of their own, are forced to play in a substandard stadium which limits the amount of revenue they make ofr the playing budget, and has no atmosphere because we are all sitting in the open air in temporary seating with away fans - who lets face it- you need for a decent atmosphere, a dot on the horizon.

If I stopped going, like the majority of those I used to go with, and every body else decided top punish the club for its circumstances, then the club would die and we could all go off and support Palace.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Nope, not me. I sit a few rows down to the right, usually behind Hans Kraay and his 2 boys. vJust saying that the Burgess Hill massive do us all credit.

Except that by stange co-incidence, I will have just one with me this week, as one of mine too is at a party. [and we're in the 'argus' stand this week].

 

[Scotty Mac]

not sure how this bears much relevance, but since i have gonme to uni and attended cheltenham games regularly i actually look forward to going to games

i think it boils down to a few things that have already been mentioned - i can wake up at 2pm and wander down to the ground and buy a ticket. literallym a decision can be made 30 minutes before the game

i KNOW there will be a decent atmosphere, that i can stand up and that there will be a roof. also, the fact that cheltenham are punching above their weight has a key factor - people expect the team to lose every week when they turn up as the side is clearly not good enough to be in this league, yet they go out, give 110% and you can see they care - which in turn gets the supporters caring, which in turn creates a good atmosphere

it comes down to price, football on offer, expectation of where the team should be, and overall enjoyment factor - something withdean does not offer unfortunately

 

[Yorkie]

I think a lot of it is the standard of football we are watching. If we were playing great football, in the top 3 or 4, then yes, we would be getting 7k, but we are not and the last home game came after a pathetic display at Gillingham. Now we have had a decent result at Bournemouth, then i hope that people will come along...one problem we will have is the Rugby! People may chose to stay at home and watch that instead.

we must not forget we are in the Third Division and if you remember back third divi crowds were always that much lower.

I also agree with the poster who spoke about lack of quality players. Being brutally frank we havent got any real quality...yes we have some half decent youngsters, some journeymen, some ageing pro's, but no-one who excites you when watching. I would hazzard a guess that all of our players are available for transfer at a price....the lack of these so called decent players being snapped up, Lynch, Cox, etc shows that perhaps we think they are better than they actually are.

Personally i think watching the albion is a bit like a drug....its addictive and you need your fix no matter how they are playing.

I agree with all those points.