Stepping into the line of fire

[huge]

At the real risk of raising my head above the parapet. All this talk of JCL, JCB and "where we're you when we were shit?" is really grinding my gears.

The real issue is that Bill Archer and David Bellotti sold the Goldstone ground from under us. Effectively not only making BHA homeless but denying thousands of fans the possibility of watching their local team.

My first game was 7th September 1984, a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers, I went all the time after that with my dad and then my friends right up to 1997. Football mad I was. My sister even got picked to be a mascot. One of the most painful moments in my life was the 3-1 loss to notts at Wembley in '91

Then those pirates Archer and Bellotti asset stripped the club. Took away our home and killed football for me. From that moment on I had no passion for the game anymore. I was 17 and couldn't get to Priestfield Stadium, I couldn't pick up a copy of gulls eye on the way to the match or walk in the masses of fans under the bridge on fonthill road. That was taken away from me. Football on the whole was dialled down a notch entirely for me even on the international level. At the Withdean I went a few times but it was never the same. It was hard to get tickets, I'd sit there watching the game and all I could see was the running track that I used to be made to run round on schools sports days. It saddened me. It actually hurt to go to the Withdean but I went as often as I could.

I still think those boys who stuck with it, who shouted the loudest travelled and endured are bloody heros and I'm very proud of the club for having people like them. They deserve the acknowledgment.

But here's the thing this club is lucky to still be playing football at all. Goal difference away from dropping out the league??!? Think we'd have survived that as a club? I think not!

If Brighton had had a ground for all those years all these these JCL's would have been there all along. These plastic Man U and Liverpool fans would have been wearing blue and white stripes. It was taken from them. You see more and more seagulls shirts now then ever before especially on the kids. Over the next 2 years as the stadium expands we need to fill an extra 8000 seats. That's more than the capacity of the Withdean for the love of god.

A JCL/JCB is a football refugee and we need to welcome them home as family. To build the club into something bigger than its ever been. It shames me when I see cynical nasty comments. It comes from the hard core but they are the ones who should be rallying the new boys to the flag. Granted some of them ( new fans) don't know what they are talking about but that will change in time.

Football is back for me. I haven't felt this since 1997. It was missing all through my 20's. My fingernails are ruined now and I've travelled this season long distances to see the team get gubbed a few times, experienced genuine heart ache and I've loved it. Every moment. But if it wasn't for the new stadium, being actually able to go regularly at home and watch my team.... I wouldn't have been able to invest so much to do that. And that's a fact for 10,000 JCL's.

lay off the newbies. It's not their fault. Blame Archer.

 

[Diego Napier]

Excellent post, well done & thank you!

 

[Cheggers]

Here here. Absolutely spot on in your observations. Nearly brought a tear to my eye.

 

[browneggsandham]

Very good post.

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

At the real risk of raising my head above the parapet. All this talk of JCL, JCB and "where we're you when we were shit?" is really grinding my gears.

The real issue is that Bill Archer and David Bellotti sold the Goldstone ground from under us. Effectively not only making BHA homeless but denying thousands of fans the possibility of watching their local team.

My first game was 7th September 1984, a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers, I went all the time after that with my dad and then my friends right up to 1997. Football mad I was. My sister even got picked to be a mascot. One of the most painful moments in my life was the 3-1 loss to notts at Wembley in '91

Then those pirates Archer and Bellotti asset stripped the club. Took away our home and killed football for me. From that moment on I had no passion for the game anymore. I was 17 and couldn't get to Priestfield Stadium, I couldn't pick up a copy of gulls eye on the way to the match or walk in the masses of fans under the bridge on fonthill road. That was taken away from me. Football on the whole was dialled down a notch entirely for me even on the international level. At the Withdean I went a few times but it was never the same. It was hard to get tickets, I'd sit there watching the game and all I could see was the running track that I used to be made to run round on schools sports days. It saddened me. It actually hurt to go to the Withdean but I went as often as I could.

I still think those boys who stuck with it, who shouted the loudest travelled and endured are bloody heros and I'm very proud of the club for having people like them. They deserve the acknowledgment.

But here's the thing this club is lucky to still be playing football at all. Goal difference away from dropping out the league??!? Think we'd have survived that as a club? I think not!

If Brighton had had a ground for all those years all these these JCL's would have been there all along. These plastic Man U and Liverpool fans would have been wearing blue and white stripes. It was taken from them. You see more and more seagulls shirts now then ever before especially on the kids. Over the next 2 years as the stadium expands we need to fill an extra 8000 seats. That's more than the capacity of the Withdean for the love of god.

A JCL/JCB is a football refugee and we need to welcome them home as family. To build the club into something bigger than its ever been. It shames me when I see cynical nasty comments. It comes from the hard core but they are the ones who should be rallying the new boys to the flag. Granted some of them ( new fans) don't know what they are talking about but that will change in time.

Football is back for me. I haven't felt this since 1997. It was missing all through my 20's. My fingernails are ruined now and I've travelled this season long distances to see the team get gubbed a few times, experienced genuine heart ache and I've loved it. Every moment. But if it wasn't for the new stadium, being actually able to go regularly at home and watch my team.... I wouldn't have been able to invest so much to do that. And that's a fact for 10,000 JCL's.

lay off the newbies. It's not their fault. Blame Archer.

that's all well and good, what about the newbies who joined today to blatently cause trouble?

 

[huge]

I wasn't meaning NSC I'm talking about football fans of Brighton who go to games.

 

[fly high]

that's all well and good, what about the newbies who joined today to blatently cause trouble?

but they aren't the ones that have been abused since the start of the season. There have been loads of posts slagging off so called JCLs.

 

[Biscuit]

I do have a problem with JCL who don't know how to act at a game of football and leaving early really bugs me, but that doesn't take anything away from what you've written. Good post.

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

but they aren't the ones that have been abused since the start of the season. There have been loads of posts slagging off so called JCLs.

true x

 

[Nikki]

I do have a problem with JCL who don't know how to act at a game of football and leaving early really bugs me, but that doesn't take anything away from what you've written. Good post.

That gets me too. Really annoys me. But they'll learn.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

lay off the newbies. It's not their fault. Blame Archer.

You're not wrong but maybe you should recognise that it is a very small proportion of NSC who even use the term, let alone give people grief because of it. Feels a bit like everyone being tarred with the same brush by you - and that's a indiscriminate as those by the fools that make comments about JCLs.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

If Brighton had had a ground for all those years all these these JCL's would have been there all along. These plastic Man U and Liverpool fans would have been wearing blue and white stripes. It was taken from them. You see more and more seagulls shirts now then ever before especially on the kids.

It's debatable though isn't it? BHA weren't a fashionable club when I was at primary school in the 1970s and yet I never thought about supporting anyone else as I was from Sussex and so Brighton would be my team and I was in a minority that you could count on one hand amongst all the countless Man Utd and Liverpool fans. There are definately two different animals in terms of football fans - those loyal to their geographical roots in sporting terms and those who will flip/flop like Italy in WWII depending on who is winning. It's obviously not as black and white as that and I agree with most of your post and acknowledge that everyone should be embraced as we move into a new era, but there will always be two or more 'levels' of supporters at any football club.

 

[huge]

It's debatable though isn't it? BHA weren't a fashionable club when I was at primary school in the 1970s and yet I never thought about supporting anyone else as I was from Sussex and so Brighton would be my team and I was in a minority that you could count on one hand amongst all the countless Man Utd and Liverpool fans. There are definately two different animals in terms of football fans - those loyal to their geographical roots in sporting terms and those who will flip/flop like Italy in WWII depending on who is winning. It's obviously not as black and white as that and I agree with most of your post and acknowledge that everyone should be embraced as we move into a new era, but there will always be two or more 'levels' of supporters at any football club.

Yes good point. But the difference with us is that from 97 until now we really had less choice. Kids want to watch football if they can't see the home team they are more likely to choose a bigger club. One they can at least see play on TV.

 

[huge]

You're not wrong but maybe you should recognise that it is a very small proportion of NSC who even use the term, let alone give people grief because of it. Feels a bit like everyone being tarred with the same brush by you - and that's a indiscriminate as those by the fools that make comments about JCLs.

I don't mean to tar everyone with the same brush. But there is a very vocal minority. I can even understand where it comes from. I just wish it didn't happen so much. The club will grow from now organically. Future is bright. We should concentrate on the positives.

 

[Norman Potting]

Good post, perhaps we should issue complimentary copies of the excellent "Build a Bonfire" and "We Want Falmer" to all new ST holders so that they can be in no doubt how well deserved the success is in being where we are now

 

[severnside gull]

great post - we should be welcoming new fans with open arms not criticising them.


Wasn't there a song about it? "I believe that new fans are our future........................."

 

[Bez]

If you want to join the Brighton family at any stage, then that’s fine with me. Everybody has to start somewhere; they have to build their own memories, like, dislikes, favourite players etc.

I for one am not judging any of you, I don’t care where you have come from, how many years you have been around, I don’t care if you stood at the Goldstone or if you had a season ticket at the Withdean. I don’t really care if you have marched, signed petitions, invaded pitches or sent postcards, thanks and I mean really thanks to those who did but it doesn’t make you better or more worthy.

To the old school gang, let’s make sure the new ones are made to feel welcome, that they understand our history and that they are here for years to come to help fight any future hurdles we may face. I want us packed out week after week with people who want to be a Seagull.

It's not only new faces that leave early, I have............and I don’t feel bad about it.

If you can convert people to our cause then they are welcome, every single one on them

 

[TheDuke]

Fairly new here...what's JCL and JCB please

 

[Medwayseagull]

Fairly new here...what's JCL and JCB please

Before anyone else abuses you for asking - I have always taken it to mean Johnny Come Lately and Johnny Come Back.

 

[fly high]

If you want to join the Brighton family at any stage, then that’s fine with me. Everybody has to start somewhere; they have to build their own memories, like, dislikes, favourite players etc.

I for one am not judging any of you, I don’t care where you have come from, how many years you have been around, I don’t care if you stood at the Goldstone or if you had a season ticket at the Withdean. I don’t really care if you have marched, signed petitions, invaded pitches or sent postcards, thanks and I mean really thanks to those who did but it doesn’t make you better or more worthy.

To the old school gang, let’s make sure the new ones are made to feel welcome, that they understand our history and that they are here for years to come to help fight any future hurdles we may face. I want us packed out week after week with people who want to be a Seagull.

It's not only new faces that leave early, I have............and I don’t feel bad about it.

If you can convert people to our cause then they are welcome, every single one on them

This.