The Withdean Experience

[CHAPPERS]

I won't be going to Withdean much more this year, partley due to lack of funds and partly because it's shit.

 

[HH Brighton]

I accept my last comment about the F block was a bit OTT and obviously a bit of a generalisation. Perhaps I was getting a bit carried away but its just the mindless comments made by a few people sitting in the same area as me. Its not is if they were shouting encouragement from the beginning then later on coming out with the ‘Rubbish’ shouts, it started virtually from the beginning of the game.
I was looking behind me to see these two middle aged guys, arms folded shouting the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard. The bloke next to me said to ignore them as they were always like this.
I can imagne this what they were used to in the South Stand at the Goldstone but I.
Anyway can’t wait for QPR on Saturday for a proper game with a full house and hopefully 3500 brighton supporters giving the team proper support. Oh and we will have a roof !!!!!

 

[Zeitgeist]

The apathy this season has been spreading like a rampant disease. The only long term cure will be a positive Falmer result, plus the team playing attractive football to their full ability. The thought of another three seasons at Withdean is sure depressing though. Have people got the mental willpower to "keep the faith" that long? Lets hope so.

 

[countrygull]

I think it's all part of being an Albion fan. I've been one for 30+ years and we are a club which thrives on football's peaks and troughs more than most. In the last three seasons we've been up twice and down once. Go back ten years and we've had three home grounds, come within minutes of going out of the league, several times close to going out of business. The prospect of sitting comfortably in a brand new stadium with no concerns whilst the team battles out a good season and finishes just above mid-table for the eighth season in a row has no great appeal (well, maybe it would be nice to try it for one season....) but if you want a boring club, try going to somewhere like Reading, Crewe etc....

 

[ditchy]

Assuming we get falmer green light in the next week or so..how long before the contractors can start building work etc..is it all ready to go given the thumbs up or do we have to wait another 6 months or so for that to get going.
given the time it takes to build stadiums these days its not out of the realms of possibility to have two stands up and running inside 1year .

 

[Pavilionaire]

I suppose that this is arguably the worst time in that we've had almost 7 years of home ground heartache but we still haven't got the Falmer decision yet.

It will be easier to bear once we've got the green light.

 

[Titanic]

Assuming we get falmer green light in the next week or so..how long before the contractors can start building work etc..is it all ready to go given the thumbs up or do we have to wait another 6 months or so for that to get going.
given the time it takes to build stadiums these days its not out of the realms of possibility to have two stands up and running inside 1year .

The University have to make plans, get approval, and funding to build new facilities before their existing buildings on the site can be knocked down - that's going to take ages, and is largely out of BHA's control.

It's going to be at least 3 more seasons at Withdean, IMHO.

 

[Spiros]

I wonder how many of the people who say " get on with it " actually go week in week out to Withdean or listen to the match in the comfort of their living rooms.

Well I'm one and as a season ticket holder have missed less than half a dozen games at Withdean, whatever the weather. If it looks like rain I bring the waterproof coat and trousers (and have a few beers beforehand).

 

[bhafc99]

Assuming we get falmer green light in the next week or so..how long before the contractors can start building work etc..is it all ready to go given the thumbs up or do we have to wait another 6 months or so for that to get going.
given the time it takes to build stadiums these days its not out of the realms of possibility to have two stands up and running inside 1year .

I've no idea, but I do find it ironic that it will take less time to build Falmer than it has taken to get it approved.

Patience is a virtue and all that, but that decision is so long due it's becoming unbearable. Just say yes John!

 

[Inkerman]

An acknowledgement from McGhee to the applause he receives whilst walking to the dugout would help in some small way, as it shows a bond between manager and fans. This does not exist at present.

He did acknowledge on Saturday before the first half. A lot of people missed it & those of us who saw it spent the next couple of minutes talking about it and informing the others who's missed it. The fact that we did this underlines the dissatisfaction with the response.
The acknowledgement was was fairly quick - but if he give it large like some conquering hero then he'd have plenty of critics as well.

Incidentally Reading supporters are very concerned about SCs lack of apparent involvement - when we all know what an out going character he really is!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Assuming we get falmer green light in the next week or so..how long before the contractors can start building work etc..is it all ready to go given the thumbs up or do we have to wait another 6 months or so for that to get going.
given the time it takes to build stadiums these days its not out of the realms of possibility to have two stands up and running inside 1year .

I'm sure I read that Martin Perry said that he has the contractors ready to start as soon as the go-ahead is given.

Contradicting this is the planning permission Brighton Uni needs to get for it's new buildings.

What is the truth and why the hell didn't the Uni permission go in at the same time as the stadium ?

 

[berkshire seagull]

Think they’ve missed the boat somewhat with these extra seats. I attended my first home game of the season on Saturday and the whole experience reminded me of why I stopped going to home matches. I had my dads ticket in block F and from the moment I got to my seat I couldn’t wait to leave. Even when I used to attend games at Withdean I can’t remember the whole place lacking in atmosphere so much as it is now. Its not just the lack of singing but the total hush of the crowd during the game. What happened to the days when people used to shout have a bit of banter or perhaps even join in with the occasional ‘Seagullllls’.
The whole thing seems to start from when the team comes out. Surely everyone should be up on their feet clapping the team out and the management team to the dugout. Someone near me commented that Mcghee did not even acknowledge the applause they did get but with that pathetic effort would you? Most people around me seem to be more interested on where their flask and wagon wheels are.
There seems to be a depressing acceptance of the whole thing from everyone there as the season ticket holder I attended with said it was always like this and no one seems to care….
Now I know I’m going to be shoot down in flames as I don’t attend home games but I have been to six away games this season and have been going to watch brighton since 1979 and was a season ticket holder for 15 years. The away support is nearly always fantastic and I know there’s good reasons for this but its like attending games of two different teams. The Brighton at home experience is not what football should be about.
It doesn’t bare thinking about the consequences of not getting Falmer when we can all sit with like minded people and not the total idiots that seem to frequent F block at Withdean…

My only time against stoke last season and depression was all to see and that was my first and last game there.

 

[berkshire seagull]

Take the rough with the smooth or else f*** off.

You are spot on and i chose the f*** off

 

[berkshire seagull]

I'm sure I read that Martin Perry said that he has the contractors ready to start as soon as the go-ahead is given.

Contradicting this is the planning permission Brighton Uni needs to get for it's new buildings.

What is the truth and why the hell didn't the Uni permission go in at the same time as the stadium ?

The facts that are clear from what i have read in the recent past on here is that you won't be sitting in falmer for another 3-4 years as they have a deal with the uni's that states they must be given time to relocate etc bla bla.

Know thats what you call a complete joke

 

[London Irish]

This is one of many naval-gazing threads where people are expressing honest opinions. But it still does not make for a pretty sight.

I'm looking now at my naval, too. After two takeaways and about 15 pints consumed at the footy on Saturday and the rugby on Sunday, that's not a pretty sight either.

Can't we all stare at Kiera Knightley's naval instead?

 

[DTES]

Can't we all stare at Kiera Knightley

What a great post. I might just stare at my avatar for the rest of the evening.

 

[Safeway]

The facts that are clear from what i have read in the recent past on here is that you won't be sitting in falmer for another 3-4 years as they have a deal with the uni's that states they must be given time to relocate etc bla bla.

Relocate what exactly?

 

[mitch]

they can start site clearance and foundation work early away from the uni buildings if needed

 

[mitch]

the uni buildings we need to be demolished to make way for the stadium have to be rebuilt some where else on the campus site.

 

[DTES]

The facts that are clear from what i have read in the recent past on here is that you won't be sitting in falmer for another 3-4 years

So you're going to do the honourable thing then? You're going to stop supporting now, and not jump back on the bandwagon in a few years?