The more I read about the Prem...

[LamieRobertson]

The main reason I and some mates wanted us promoted was for TB, to stop the huge annual accounting losses, where he always had to pick up the financial tab. Also, to break the hoodoo of recent heart breaks.

There’s something special about the other divisions. The players crowd surfing and boozing with fans last April NEVER happens in the PL. Arrogant Aguero, Ozil etc are protected by arrogant security guards, working for arrogant clubs. Fans don’t get anywhere near the Beats headphone wearing primadonnas.

First paragraph is so relevant...how much longer could that realistically have gone on...TB’s own ambition was the Premier..surely he’s not being blamed...we didn’t see any of the Newcastle lot going out on the town like our lot ..that’s because we are different and I believe as things stand we will remain so

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

... the more I dislike it.

I spent no time at all around the Prem until we got there, and to be honest I only care about us being top flight again and not the shit that surrounds it. But the more I read, the more I hate it. The pulling of supporters videos of us in the 70/80s for a start, that has really pissed me off. But now the 'big six' wanting more of the dosh, is this about football any more? At least in the Football League they had a little more grace about their (very little) riches. I feel like we have been caught up in some giant circus of greed. The Great White of footballing divisions. It just opens it's mouth and eats everything in sight. I find myself increasingly reading about money and not football. I am old enough, and fortunate enough to remember 1979 and went at the time. It was Division One and devoid of this money merry go round back then.

I am from a very big non league football background, but that asides, having observed the Prem for two months I find this division crazy and it is more about money than football, it is a different monster from anything I have experienced in sport. Inflated wages and transfers were to be expected, no brainer. But now that I read more about it, because we're in it the more I think this is not about football. I'm probably getting old but I'll do another season (if we survive this one) and call it a day. I don't care much for corporate football. I'm sure Arsenal find it fantastic.

The Prem is all about selling your soul to the devil for cold hard cash. There's no grey areas. Sign up or ship out.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

First paragraph is so relevant...how much longer could that realistically have gone on...TB’s own ambition was the Premier..surely he’s not being blamed...we didn’t see any of the Newcastle lot going out on the town like our lot ..that’s because we are different and I believe as things stand we will remain so

I'm not blaming our club whatsoever, it is the whole machine that forces clubs into a corner, in the same way as I am not complaining about the football or the step up. It is everything that surrounds it that irks me, the eeking out of every penny from us lot. There comes a breaking point for 'ordinary' supporters where they have to decide whether they go to a football match or pay for the train to work the next day. And what emerges from that is the loss of a supporter for a tourist/banker. And yes I did see the Stoke analogy from someone in an earlier post, but there is most certainly the north/south divide here. Look at the most expensive clubs to watch in the Prem and I am sure you'll find they are generally southern clubs - I haven't googled it by the way. In our perceived world of a bottomless pit of money the southern clubs are more likely to be raped by the corporates than our counterparts up north.

Tony got exactly what he deserved and I am very happy for the guy.

 

[The red pepper kid]

Why do people without a point reduce themselves to insults online?

The point you so very clearly missed is that we have people screaming for tickets and others very clearly with them saying there not going and disrespecting the club and its circumstances by stating they have lost interest/or have lost themselves within the premier league circus
If you don't like it give up your seat for others that do.
There can you understand that point

 

[Sussex Nomad]

The point you so very clearly missed is that we have people screaming for tickets and others very clearly with them saying there not going and disrespecting the club and its circumstances by stating they have lost interest/or have lost themselves within the premier league circus
If you don't like it give up your seat for others that do.
There can you understand that point

Could you show me instances of where people are actually saying and/or doing this? I'll be very interested for you to prove the point.

And an online insult is still an online insult, you can polish a turd but it'll still be a turd. Those that find a good reason to be keyboard warriors don't really have a point at all.

 

[DumLum]

The top six should get more of the money in my opinion. I don't want to see top English clubs playing in a European league.
The pulling of the YouTube channel still worries me.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm pretty much the reverse.

The more the Albion are in the Premier League, the better it's getting.
I was very much in the don't like it, money, greed, over exposure, but really pleased for Tony, camp.

I had 'supporters blind faith' about being competitive in the bottom tier, and now that I see it's actually a reality I'm grumbling that my team, little old Brighton, didn't make the very best of their game away at Arsenal.

Short of going on a palacesque run, making 'we're out of our league' blindingly obvious I can't see much enjoyment from Barnsley at home next season. Not something I really expected to say (and probably won't if the Barnsley game were to come around).

The stadium, team, club, owner and fans, are all at Premier League level, as much as I moaned before joining the circus I'm very happy to have front row seats.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I'm pretty much the reverse.

The more the Albion are in the Premier League, the better it's getting.
I was very much in the don't like it, money, greed, over exposure, but really pleased for Tony, camp.

I had 'supporters blind faith' about being competitive in the bottom tier, and now that I see it's actually a reality I'm grumbling that my team, little old Brighton, didn't make the very best of their game away at Arsenal.

Short of going on a palacesque run, making 'we're out of our league' blindingly obvious I can't see much enjoyment from Barnsley at home next season. Not something I really expected to say (and probably won't if the Barnsley game were to come around).

The stadium, team, club, owner and fans, are all at Premier League level, as much as I moaned before joining the circus I'm very happy to have front row seats.

As I have previously said, and I can't disagree with you, the football is fine. It's the circus around it.

 

[The red pepper kid]

Could you show me instances of where people are actually saying and/or doing this? I'll be very interested for you to prove the point.

And an online insult is still an online insult, you can polish a turd but it'll still be a turd. Those that find a good reason to be keyboard warriors don't really have a point at all.

stupid retort

 

[Brovion]

Again, welcome to your opinion, but I don't personally see it as moaning, whinging, etc., etc. The proof is there to see with the 'big clubs', it is happening before our eyes. Perhaps it is just easier to ignore. Yes, the slog to get where we are was long and arduous. But if you read what I was pointing out, you'd see what I was trying to get at. And I'm not about to repeat myself, just read again.

I saw precisely what you were getting at. Yes there is a gap between the Big Six and the rest. You could also have added that there is also a gap between the PL and the top of the Championship. And a gap between the top of the Championship and teams like Burton Albion.

You only seem to have discovered this now. You admit that you "spent no time at all around the Prem until we got there" and the more you read about it the more you hate it. I too had no time for the PL until this season (I never watched any PL games despite being a Sky subscriber), but at least I knew about it, and about its inequalities. Now we're here I think it's great (as I said in my post), and when we get relegated I'll lose interest in it again - until we can get back here. And your comment that we're 'losing our identity' is laughably inaccurate. Our identity, our togetherness, directors, players, fans, has never been stronger.

So yes, perhaps you should have stayed ignorant if it upsets you that much. Or go and watch your local non-league club instead, they'd be grateful for you support.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

The point you so very clearly missed is that we have people screaming for tickets and others very clearly with them saying there not going and disrespecting the club and its circumstances by stating they have lost interest/or have lost themselves within the premier league circus
If you don't like it give up your seat for others that do.
There can you understand that point

stupid retort

And.... I guess what you are saying is that you basically made up your post and have no evidence of people with STs saying they won't go. Well done you.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I saw precisely what you were getting at. Yes there is a gap between the Big Six and the rest. You could also have added that there is also a gap between the PL and the top of the Championship. And a gap between the top of the Championship and teams like Burton Albion.

You only seem to have discovered this now. You admit that you "spent no time at all around the Prem until we got there" and the more you read about it the more you hate it. I too had no time for the PL until this season (I never watched any PL games despite being a Sky subscriber), but at least I knew about it, and about its inequalities. Now we're here I think it's great (as I said in my post), and when we get relegated I'll lose interest in it again - until we can get back here. And your comment that we're 'losing our identity' is laughably inaccurate. Our identity, our togetherness, directors, players, fans, has never been stronger.

So yes, perhaps you should have stayed ignorant if it upsets you that much. Or go and watch your local non-league club instead, they'd be grateful for you support.

Fair post, no complaints. I'm not sure that it upsets me as such, it irks me, it's like that itch you can't scratch.

 

[Stat Brother]

I saw precisely what you were getting at. Yes there is a gap between the Big Six and the rest. You could also have added that there is also a gap between the PL and the top of the Championship. And a gap between the top of the Championship and teams like Burton Albion.

You only seem to have discovered this now. You admit that you "spent no time at all around the Prem until we got there" and the more you read about it the more you hate it. I too had no time for the PL until this season (I never watched any PL games despite being a Sky subscriber), but at least I knew about it, and about its inequalities. Now we're here I think it's great (as I said in my post), and when we get relegated I'll lose interest in it again - until we can get back here. And your comment that we're 'losing our identity' is laughably inaccurate. Our identity, our togetherness, directors, players, fans, has never been stronger.

So yes, perhaps you should have stayed ignorant if it upsets you that much. Or go and watch your local non-league club instead, they'd be grateful for you support.

That's what I meant to write!

As I have previously said, and I can't disagree with you, the football is fine. It's the circus around it.

TBH I don't really see us as part of the circus, either.
That's not meant as some under the radar comment, but to me the circus stems from transfers, rumours and money, rightly or wrongly Tony does play those games.

So we end up with the likes of Propper & Gross who NOW the circus has heard about, which makes it all the more exciting.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

That's what I meant to write!


TBH I don't really see us as part of the circus, either.
That's not meant as some under the radar comment, but to me the circus stems from transfers, rumours and money, rightly or wrongly Tony does play those games.

So we end up with the likes of Propper & Gross who NOW the circus has heard about, which to me makes it all the more exciting.

And as I've said before I'm not complaining about the football OR the over inflated transfers and wages. I think the main thing that got me on this little trip is the threat of the forced closure over GRs you tube channel, that, before we were Prem was fine, no complaints. And I just see it as the thin end to a larger wedge. In the future, instead of breezing around the net to see all things BHAFC we'll have to pay for it. One example and this is the circus I refer too.

 

[el punal]

Again... read before engaging, I have not knocked our support one bit. And you directly answered my thoughts regarding the library at Arsenal. So I can only conclude you agree with me.

Your conclusion is wrong, I don't agree with you. I was inferring that our supporters have definitely not felt that the club has lost its identity and nor do I, far from it. Some clubs, as I pointed out, Arsenal, have. That's not our problem. We are now in the stratosphere of Premier League football and are adapting to it.

By the way, you still have not elaborated on how you feel the club is or has lost its identity.

 

[studio150]

Nothing new in any of this.
People have stopped going to see the Albion in the past for a whole lot of reasons.
Some only want to come when the Albion are winning games and dont want to see them lose more often than not.
However many are prepared to supportthe club through goid and bad times and just want to see the club play at the highest possible level even if we lose more than we win.
In terms of the PL my main issue is the total disregard for everything before the start of the PL.
Take Gareth Barry as an example Sky and everyone going mad about his record number of zpL games when he played against Arsenal recently. But if you include Ryan Giggs' top division appearances before the start of the PL then Barry us still some way behind.
Yes kick off time and day changes can be a pain. However the money that the clubs take for this enables better players brought to be acquired.
Would we have been able to sign Ryan Suttner Propper Gross etc without the tv money and the lure of the PL.
Football like all sports doesn't stand still and is always evolving. Some changes will be beneficial others less so.
Currently I am enjoying the PL experience and hope it can continue for many years to come.
If people don't enjoy the PL that's up to them but jyst remember the long climb back and look at the quality that the development squad are able to bring in and develop.

Hopefully we don't become blase` about the PL but remain grounded and remember our roots.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

By the way, you still have not elaborated on how you feel the club is or has lost its identity.

In that case I can, yet again, only assume you haven't read my thoughts on this thread.

 

[Nixonator]

Sorry to butt in . 5 years ago there were 7 of us who all went home and away, as soon as we got promoted 2 didn't bother renewing their ST sighting change of kick times and "load of corporate shite" the away games died straight away because of silly kick off times and the fact you can watch all the games on tv or by streaming. The second season 1 other dropped out saying he couldn't be arsed with it. That left 4 off us... two of us has said we won't get ST next season if we are still In The premier league. Leaving just 2 out of the original 7 left.

I personally find the football quite boring and all the new fans around us annoying as they seem to have forgotten where we came from and seem to expect us to be something we're not.

Because of all the changes in KO times 3 of us have started watching our local Rymans league team and even go and see them away ! I have to say I really enjoy it!

I feel after 4 years I have lost my mojo for all pro football and rarely watch it anymore which makes me sad.... as was said it is a poison chalice.

Bizarre. I guess going to watch the albion was just a secondary to you and your mates then and was more about the meet/drink-up. What does it matter if it's on TV?

How anyone could suggest the football over the last couple years has been boring is utterly astonishing.

Get behind the club that is still going about things the right way in the PL circus.

 

[Jim in the West]

I've been supporting the Albion since 1968. The last two seasons have been amazing - quality football and loads of excitement. Who can forget (last season) the home game against Sheffield Weds, and away games at Fulham and Brentford. This season the atmosphere at the Amex for West Brom and Newcastle has been the best for many a year - with the notable exception of Sheffield Weds in the playoffs two years ago. I think there's some selective memories here. I'm not a fan of the PL corporate stuff, but some of the on-field footie is beautiful to watch.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

There is a lot to dislike about the Premier League, and I speak as someone who has had to deal with it and its member clubs for many years.

But as an Albion fan, I want us to do as well as we can, win as many matches as we can and play at as high a level as we can. And that means being in the Premier League and, I hope, staying in the Premier League. As for losing our identity or not, part of that is up to us. As long as we don't forget where we came from and what we went through to get here, we should be okay on that score.