[Albion] Was there a better site than Falmer

[AK74]

Sorry, I was just thinking on the hoof.

Maybe put it to a Gallup poll to see what the consensus is.

 

[Weststander]

Maybe put it to a Gallup poll to see what the consensus is.

With Johnny Canter to announce the results.

 

[Eric the meek]

With Johnny Canter to announce the results.

Good one.

Do you know the origin of the word 'canter'?

When pilgrims travelled from London to Canterbury, they had to ride at a 'Canter', or a Canterbury pace (between a trot and a gallop), to reach the safety of the Canterbury city gates by nightfall.

Apologies for the historical digression. Back to the horsey puns..

 

[Weststander]

Good one.

Do you know the origin of the word 'canter'?

When pilgrims travelled from London to Canterbury, they had to ride at a 'Canter', or a Canterbury pace (between a trot and a gallop), to reach the safety of the Canterbury city gates by nightfall.

Apologies for the historical digression. Back to the horsey puns..

Don’t apologise, I love historical anecdotes.

 

[Bold Seagull]

If there was some way of picking up the Amex and dropping it on Corals, then I'd be all over that like white on rice.

(not basmati)

The old Corals fitness and squash club now shut due to being built out of RAAC - which is probably about as strong as freshly boiled white rice…

 

[Surf's Up]

Not sure if mentioned already, but wasn't the site next to Brighton station which now has Sainsburys and housing etc a consideration but for whatever reason we couldn't? or did I imagine that?

Haven't read through this thread but no, you didn't imagine it - that would have been a superb site, city centre stadium, great transport links, steep seating like many spanish stadiums, more enclosed so superb atmosphere, pubs bars and food outlets on the doorstep, massive financial benefit to the city etc etc etc but a crap Sainsbury's supermarket and a load of crap inner city housing won over instead.

 

[Weststander]

Haven't read through this thread but no, you didn't imagine it - that would have been a superb site, city centre stadium, great transport links, steep seating like many spanish stadiums, more enclosed so superb atmosphere, pubs bars and food outlets on the doorstep, massive financial benefit to the city etc etc etc but a crap Sainsbury's supermarket and a load of crap inner city housing won over instead.

The land, owned by Railtrack? was worth a great deal, whilst the Albion had very little money. Scrabbling together a couple of land purchases for the Amex, one a 125 year lease with BHCC, the other from a playing awkward Brighton University (£1.75m?).

The Albion would never have been in the running to buy the site by the station, out of their ‘league’.

 

[zefarelly]

Mate, we all get a bit misty-eyed about the Goldstone and it's central location from time to time, but this idea is really for the birds. As has been said, it would have inconvenienced not just fans but absolutely everybody by sending Brighton into gridlock every single matchday (as if it wasn't bad enough already). Even if that had been approved (and the inconvenience to everyone else had been ignored), the city simply wouldn't have coped with those numbers every other weekend.

Modern day Albion have needed to cope with enormous gates, the likes of which The Goldstone *very* rarely had to cope with and as such the congestion was infrequent. The 11 Amex years have seen average gates rise from 20,000 (a high figure in a historical context) to 31,000. That ain't changing any time soon. For context, we had only averaged 20,000+ five times in our history before the Amex was built (4 of those seasons were back-to-back in the 1970s).

Source: http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/league/bha.htm



My opinion is that if there were better sites (and I doubt there were, given the work put in my so many knowledgeable people) then the incremental improvements we would be seeing from that site would have been trivial. So it is what it is and the club needs to be looking at fixing the issues. It's one thing having a half empty East stand with 15 minutes of the game (including injury time) still to be played, but what happens when we inevitably go down? How many fans (esp the elderly and those with young kids) will even bother going when they know all about the transport problems?

The club does need to alleviate the transport issues somehow. The only thing I can think of is by providing a huge uptick in immediate park and ride services. It is far more of a pressing issue than building a fan zone anyway.

I can't disagree with any of that, much as I'd like to, TheGoldstone is home, and always will be.
But, your last para . . . Yes the club needs to do something . . . Park and ride . . . I don't get it. It just moves congestion slightly furhter away to create another gridlock, more diesel fumes, bla bla . . . . So . . . walking, cycling, covered walkways? , decent trains maybe (oh no, that won't happen) . . .M O N O R A I L ! Sussex UNI to St Peters Church, with a BtN UNI stop on Lewes Rd . . . . how can that not improve . . . . Well, everything!

 

[Surf's Up]

The land, owned by Railtrack? was worth a great deal, whilst the Albion had very little money. Scrabbling together a couple of land purchases for the Amex, one a 125 year lease with BHCC, the other from a playing awkward Brighton University (£1.75m?).

The Albion would never have been in the running to buy the site by the station, out of their ‘league’.

I know, pity though.

 

[Weststander]

I know, pity though.

20 years ago, thinking back Brighton Station was my preference. A huge site. With the natural city centre thing of being the centre of radial bus routes, with high capacity train lines heading north and west.

 

[Seaview Seagull]

I can't disagree with any of that, much as I'd like to, TheGoldstone is home, and always will be.
But, your last para . . . Yes the club needs to do something . . . Park and ride . . . I don't get it. It just moves congestion slightly furhter away to create another gridlock, more diesel fumes, bla bla . . . . So . . . walking, cycling, covered walkways? , decent trains maybe (oh no, that won't happen) . . .M O N O R A I L ! Sussex UNI to St Peters Church, with a BtN UNI stop on Lewes Rd . . . . how can that not improve . . . . Well, everything!

Who's paying for it?

 

[Gwylan]

Apologies for the historical digression. Back to the horsey puns..

Yeah, that's the mane thing

 

[El Presidente]

If the Albion were shit and playing in front of 14,000 against Middlesbrough on a Tuesday night in the Championship none of these problems would arise. It’s that bloody Tony Bloom and his algorithm that’s the issue.

#BarberOut

 

[zefarelly]

Who's paying for it?

Well . . . There's this tree . . .

There isn't an obvious solution, which merely confirms the poor location. A large car park and better access on/off the A27 would be a big improvement. And shuttle buses from St Peters to Falmer. Getting to Brighton central isn't such an issue.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Falmer would be fine if the train service in this country wasn't completely dogshit and getting worse year by year.

 

[BNthree]

Shuttle buses from St Peters to Falmer. Getting to Brighton central isn't such an issue.

Pity the bus company hasn’t laid on matchday specials that run this service. Nonstop from St Peter’s to Falmer for £2 each way. Even if it’s not included in the travel zone (as it’s a special service) I’m sure plenty would be happy to use it.

 

[Black Rod]

Pity the bus company hasn’t laid on matchday specials that run this service. Nonstop from St Peter’s to Falmer for £2 each way. Even if it’s not included in the travel zone (as it’s a special service) I’m sure plenty would be happy to use it.

I got the 25 on Sunday from the Pavilion at around 12.50pm. Got to my seat just as the game kicked off. Buses are great when the traffic is okay. When there is congestion as bad as Sunday, it is quicker to walk

 

[BNthree]

I got the 25 on Sunday from the Pavilion at around 12.50pm. Got to my seat just as the game kicked off. Buses are great when the traffic is okay. When there is congestion as bad as Sunday, it is quicker to walk

Yeah I get that but 25 also stops at every bus stop between the Pavilion and Falmer and my fantasy football special wouldn’t.

 

[El Presidente]

Falmer would be fine if the train service in this country wasn't completely dogshit and getting worse year by year.

#VoteTory

 

[heathgate]

I can't disagree with any of that, much as I'd like to, TheGoldstone is home, and always will be.
But, your last para . . . Yes the club needs to do something . . . Park and ride . . . I don't get it. It just moves congestion slightly furhter away to create another gridlock, more diesel fumes, bla bla . . . . So . . . walking, cycling, covered walkways? , decent trains maybe (oh no, that won't happen) . . .M O N O R A I L ! Sussex UNI to St Peters Church, with a BtN UNI stop on Lewes Rd . . . . how can that not improve . . . . Well, everything!

A monorail,... singular.... Capacity?... hardly seems the answer to move 20k souls to and from stadium area.