[Albion] When will our fans turn?

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

I actually think that Hyypia would do much better now with better players more suited to putting his ideas into practice. Not that I particularly want him back. I think we'd be in the market for better coaches these days.

As for Leicester supporters turning on their owner, they are the warning to us. If a club that has won the league and cup in recent years can go down after one bad season, then so can we, as most of us have always known.

Sure, why not? Even Potter managed to arguably make a half-decent fist of things with a squad nucleus of world-class players gifted to him by the recruitment team

 

[Seagull27]

History shows us that this can’t be maintained over the long term. To my mind there’s two scenarios:

1. A gradual decline in results and the quality of player that we bring in to replace those moving on. Cue dissatisfaction, wailing, gnashing of teeth etc. (Followed as others have mentioned by regarding our current efforts as a golden age of the club)

Or

2. We are able to bridge the divide by repeatedly qualifying for Europe, continuing to attract talent of the right calibre and develop that talent, to the extent that our financial clout grows, and we can make our wage structures more competitive and become an attractive destination in our own right.

Obviously I’m hoping it’s scenario 2, but I think all of us bar the youngsters have seen enough to not be taking anything for granted. It’s only the fans we’ve gained over the last couple of seasons who (to borrow a phrase) may be in “need of a history lesson.”

Even in your scenario 2, it could all unfold quite easily. Other clubs in that second tier of PL who have previously been in Europe fairly regularly, have had things fall apart in just one or two poor seasons, e.g. Everton, Villa, West Ham, Chelsea, Leicester.

The key at that point would be how quickly we could get it together again.

 

[Taybha]

As much as I like our current position I couldn't give a bloody monkeys what league we end up in, nothing would make me want to stop going and support the entity that is Brighton and Hove Albion FC.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

As much as I like our current position I couldn't give a bloody monkeys what league we end up in, nothing would make me want to stop going and support the entity that is Brighton and Hove Albion FC.

This. We've been shit before. We'll almost certainly be shit again. It's all about going to football to meet your mates and support your local team. That'll never change

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

The way the club is run, the vision, the progress, is stunning. We're being held up as the beacon of a well run club.

Not only is the recruitment policy superb, the fact there's a defined pathway for all the youngsters to progress is why we are happy to bring teen-agers into the first team squad. When other managers bemoan the lack of depth in resources we roll out another star. We may have struggled a touch this season after selling a few players but in truth it has been the injuries.

Given those out on loan, those playing in the U21's u18's putting the first team squad to one side our future is bright. We are likely to lose RDZ soonish but there will be a rush of new coaches/managers knocking on Barber's door. Even the rush will be pointless in truth as the next one in will already be identified.

Selling our best players for a fortune is a model that's got us here. That may, in the future, not be so fruitful as FFP hits hard with the top clubs, and could play into our hands again as the retention of the best players becomes the norm. Some may say we are a couple of players away from being a top 4 team, they're probably right. I would suggest those players are likely to already be here.

 

[Guinness Boy]

fair few moans and groans now when things are not going so well in a game.

If we got involved in a relegation fight then alot will turn

Moans and groans are all part of the game. A few of us, including me, questioning why we were playing 3 CBs without Dunk in the team on Saturday after they scored twice, when it was obvious that we had no protection on the left and Webster was having a barely average game to add to the issues.

All went away in the second half and every punter delighted when we won. It's just the ebb and flow of a game.

"Turning" for me is team getting regularly booed, proper questioning of Bloom on here and at games. I just don't ever see that happening. A few tourists and 'only here for the Prem' will clear off and good riddance.

All the time we've got De Zerbi we'll be in the hunt to win things anyway.

 

[Brovion]

When all of us NSC old codger types have died and all that's left is people who can't remember what we've been though. 5 years

Yes. We've got a whole generation of fans coming through now who not only don't remember Withdean (let alone any other historical grounds), but don't remember when Brighton weren't a PL team. Indeed if things carry on the next batch won't even remember when we weren't a top 10 team!

When we slip from this place (and we will), I'd be amazed if there wasn't a section of the fanbase bemoaning our slump. It will be perfectly natural. Sad, for us oldies (those of us who are left), but us chuntering on about Archer and Gillingham will sound like people talking about rationing during WW2. Yeah, yeah, you had it tough, now shut up.

Like others I want to see us win something before I die.

 

[Seasider78]

I dont think the majority of our current fans will "turn" , but what may well happen, is that over time more and more of the fanbase will be made up of those who can only remember us as a Premier league club.

Given that we have been at Falmer over a decade, most of the under 15 year olds won't remember Withdean, let alone Gillingham, or the Goldstone. We are now in our Seventh straight season in the PL, there are a growing number of young supporters who know nothing else. As that demographic becomes older, and more vocal, and a greater percentage of the fanbase, the definition of success will be very different from that of the majority of current spectators

For me just being in the Premier League is a successful outcome, and a cause to be happy, but for some being in the PL is standard, and nothing unusual, being all they have known.
We will start to become entitled if we are still in the PL for another 4 or 5 years

Spot on your measure is what you have been most used to as a fan and we forget that for the most part of 10 years we have been on a continual upward trajectory and when this slips there will be noise from certain quarters that’s for sure. I would like to think the majority are just enjoying the ride but not naive enough to think there would not be some noise from those who as you say did not witness the lows first hand

 

[Beanstalk]

I'd be stunned if a minority didn't turn, if you have the misfortune to see a lot of Albion twitter you can find a lot of negativity and some entitlement.

The vast majority thought I'd expect to keep the faith with the club. I am now resigned to losing players and mangers that we have brought to prominence and whose value we have increased. I also have faith in Bloom and Barber to still produce the goods though. The days of me wailing and gnashing my teeth at the exit of a beloved player are long gone, for the time being this is the way for us and I accept it.

Yeah, I got called "everything that’s wrong with [Albion] fans." as well as complacent and unwilling to acknowledge that we need to improve as a club on Saturday evening. All this in response to saying I really enjoyed my trip to Sheffield and people need to calm down on the Webster hate (it's all a bit OTT at the moment).

It's potentially shaping up to be the greatest season in the history of the club - even aside from results, it's the first time in 25 years that I've genuinely found watching the Albion to be a more enjoyable experience than a stressful one, and I for one, will not be joining the boo boys on social media any time soon!

 

[Napper]

Yes. We've got a whole generation of fans coming through now who not only don't remember Withdean (let alone any other historical grounds), but don't remember when Brighton weren't a PL team. Indeed if things carry on the next batch won't even remember when we weren't a top 10 team!

When we slip from this place (and we will), I'd be amazed if there wasn't a section of the fanbase bemoaning our slump. It will be perfectly natural. Sad, for us oldies (those of us who are left), but us chuntering on about Archer and Gillingham will sound like people talking about rationing during WW2. Yeah, yeah, you had it tough, now shut up.

Like others I want to see us win something before I die.

Since the Amex , how many bad seasons have we had ? Hypia and Hughton is 2 ( even Hughton debatable was a bad season) . Other than that pretty much every season for 13 years been bloody good ( Including the first season at the Amex 10th .... one of the best ever seasons that one)

Anyone in their early 20's would fit your description

 

[el punal]

…because our model is to sell best players and managers (not that we have any choice realistically, but it will frustrate)

I’m just wondering when this will lead to spectacular sense of entitlement perhaps from some quarters? Or are we more grounded than more massive clubs like Wednesday and Leeds?

Haven’t we been here before? I don’t know of any Brighton fans with a sense of entitlement. The vast majority of us realise we’re on a journey of complete loveliness and enjoying every moment. Leave the entitlement and arrogance to those alleged ‘top six’ fans. To be honest I really feel you’re over egging the doom and gloom scenario - just enjoy what we’re doing and where we are.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Nobody will turn. There will be flashes of emotion driven annoyance when we next sell an important player.

But I think our model will change. The reason is FFP being enforced and several big clubs operating near the limits. This will mean that there is no longer a chance of being offered £100m+ for a player.

Let's look at a player like Pedro or Mitoma. I don't see anyone offering us more than £40m in the coming years. £50m absolute tops. This has possibly halved to what we might have expected to get for a player of that talent a year ago. The market has corrected severely.

All of that will leave us with a dilemma. Big 6 clubs will still want to sign our players, they will still want to go, (though wage offers will also correct as well). But The profits on offer will be much diminished, so what do we do? I think we'll still sell. But less often and our top players will remain with us for another season on average

 

[Stat Brother]

If there is not an annoying twat near you at the football, it's because you are the annoying twat.

Oh it's definitely me, or should I say 'my tolerance level', as I drove and can hardly be thought of as Alpha even with Dutch courage, so stone cold sober, old and tired does make it 'everyone else'

I thought I had clowns to the front of me and clowns to the back but once the match started everything was good.

The lads behind were particularly amusing and on good form.

A very restorative game.


I hope we sell everyone except Pascal every summer, so we can always have a free start and Mr Bloom has oodles of cash.

 

[The Fits]

If we keep signing players like Gross, Veltman, Lallana, Welbeck, Milner etc and manage to keep one or two decent youngsters like JPVH. And if on the whole we can keep the outstanding youngsters for at least two seasons, I see no reason for any kind of revolt.
But ultimately it's about success. What on earth have any of us got to worry about right now?

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

Blatantly loaded, clickbait question with "when". And then "turn" is subjective too. Turn against RDZ or against the team or against the club or against the FA or against Mr Bloom?

And what is "turning" anyway? Grumbling about bottle tops in an Internet forum? Joining in the pile on when a player underperforms? Pitch invasions and protest marches on the promenade?

I choose to view the question as when will Brighton fans organise protest marches against Mr Blooms management of our club.? My answer is never, unless a very unfortunate mental illness affects the guy and no one steps in to protect him and his legacy.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Moans and groans are all part of the game. A few of us, including me, questioning why we were playing 3 CBs without Dunk in the team on Saturday after they scored twice, when it was obvious that we had no protection on the left and Webster was having a barely average game to add to the issues.

All went away in the second half and every punter delighted when we won. It's just the ebb and flow of a game.

"Turning" for me is team getting regularly booed, proper questioning of Bloom on here and at games. I just don't ever see that happening. A few tourists and 'only here for the Prem' will clear off and good riddance.

All the time we've got De Zerbi we'll be in the hunt to win things anyway.

You're right insomuch as when a team is doing well, a fall off in standard, even if for 5 minutes as happened Saturday it results in groans and moans.

The difference now with this team is the belief we will remedy the position. We did it comfortably.

Most of us, especially the oldens are in Wonderland but everyone is yearning for a trophy, just something, anything! The Oxford Benevolent Cup is a distant memory.

 

[Baldseagull]

We will turn when we start getting beaten by teams like Brighton regularly.

 

[The Mole]

Ah they don't count, quite simply they are not fans.

They may be fans but clearly haven’t got a clue about football

 

[Comrade Sam]

When that Bloom sells to some Arab Sheikh, who wants to change the colour of our kit and treble ticket prices, then rename the club and ban homosexuals from games, then make the women's team wear burkas and replace piglets pies with Halal sheep's heads - I shall turn, I won't stand for that I'm telling you right now!

 

[Hotchilidog]

Started already hasn't it? with the 'you've seen the Albion now @%#& off home' chants

Crap chant except against Man United