[Albion] Who on here has switched allegiance from another League club to the Albion?

[oneillco]

16.1% switched from another team to Albion seems about right to me, despite what your average bitter Palace fan would say. That 16% made up of inward migrants to Brighton from elsewhere in the country, and those who as kids only followed "big" clubs on the telly. A lot of the 83% (like me) lost the Albion habit in the wilderness years and started picking it up again with an occasional game at Withdean and then committed to a season ticket at The Amex. It's a good story...

 

[Brother Sid]

Coventry City supporter until 1966 (managed by Jimmy Hill) . My Dad was friendly with their left - back and i still remember the uncomfortable timber seats at Highfield Road. We moved to Brighton around this time and it has been the Albion ever since, even though my aunty regularly sent me for my birthday Coventry City merch for years after.

 

[pasty]

When too young to know any better, I "supported" Leeds. We're talking early 70's when they were good. Gray, Hunter, Madeley, McQueen, Bremner, Yorath, Lorimar, Jordan.

Then dad took me to the Goldstone aged 9, and that was that.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

This may not make me popular, but at least I'm honest...

Lived up North (North West), have a family who are Manchester United through and through, had a friend who played for Manchester United, and have been to a number of home games growing up. So, you could say I was 'United' during my youth and young adulthood.

Came down South in 1989 when I was 18 and followed Brighton to a degree as many of my friends were Albion but I was far too busy to go to games as I had a young family and was building a business working 6-7 days a week. I drifted away from football for a bit to be honest.

Was then taken to a home game at the (new) Amex by a lifelong Brighton fan and STH and fell in love with the club. Absolute class from owner down. Caught the bug.

Took the chance to get my own ST when we were flapping around in the Championship and have renewed every season since. I really enjoyed the Championship days and missed them when we were playing boring (but necessary for survival) Hughton tactics.

So, am I a 'Genuine' Fan? I don't really think I deserve to be. I didn't grow up here, and I wasn't born here. I used to go and watch Bradford City in the early 80's (my birth town) too - and I love live football.

Absolutely loving the way we're playing now. Utmost respect for Uncle Tony and the way the club is run. We're part of a small number of 'proper' clubs in my opinion.

Anyway, ready to be called a Plastic. Bring it on!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I may or may not have been a Chelsea supporter a long time ago in a universe far far away, but it's not something I like to talk about.

 

[Icy Gull]

Wherever I move to now, if I do, I am Brighton ‘till I die

That is 100% a FACT, even if we go non league

 

[jonny.rainbow]

I switched from Brighton to Liverpool then Celtic then back to Brighton then Liverpool again before finally settling on Brighton.

Transience of youth.

 

[Superphil]

Was a Dirty Leeds fan all the while I was living in a military family mostly overseas till I left home age 10 to boarding school in Sussex in 1977. Found out about the Albion and their imminent promotion to Division One, Eric Steele came to our school to tell us about it, and I switched whatever allegiances I had.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I concur as my two lads first game was Barnet at home in the last evening game at The Goldstone.
They still love the Albion to this day and have done the STH at Gillingham, Withdean and now The Amex

That was actually my second ever game, first being Cardiff at home a few weeks before (easier walk back to the station this one!)

 

[jackalbion]

My first Brighton game was the last game at the Goldstone when I was 5 months old, my dad gave me the middle name Albion so I didn’t really have a choice. Got dogs abuse for being pretty much the only Brighton fan in my year in primary school in Hove, then secondary school I found mates who also supported Brighton at Withdean, and others joined at the Amex. Never supported anyone else, although I do have big soft spot for Torquay United since travelling to a lot of away games with a work colleague.

 

[Cotton Socks]

I've always been Brighton but my stepdad is Man U & my Step-bro Spurs. Myself & Step-bro used to annoy stepdad by leaving things related to spurs or Brighton in his front garden. Step-bro nailed a 'whitehart lane' plate to his front gate, I replaced it with an Amex one. This has gone on for years, Step-bro has now switched to Brighton so the Amex sign is still on the front gate. Me and Jnr's had a few flags from Wembley so when we went round to Stepdads we stuck them in the front hedge, just ever so slightly out of his reach! Stepdad loved the cake I made him with a Man U shirt on top & seagulls around the edge! He loved his BHA gnomes for Xmas! He is listening to all our games now though, he is slowly being converted, normally it's passed down through generations but we're breaking the mould & passing it up! If I find out Step-bro has bought him a guest ticket to Wembley I will disown them both!

 

[PeterT]

I supported Brighton and Aston Villa. But I gave up on Aston Villa because they became too good. I had no such problem with Brighton. Even when Villa were doing well, it always felt better following Albion. I am the original un-glory hunter.

My 'other teams' are Aldershot Town, Whitehawk and Queen's Park in Scotland. I've seen Shots and Hawks play loads. @atfc village will be pleased.

That must have been at least 40 years ago then ….. !

 

[Cotton Socks]

My first Brighton game was the last game at the Goldstone when I was 5 months old, my dad gave me the middle name Albion so I didn’t really have a choice. Got dogs abuse for being pretty much the only Brighton fan in my year in primary school in Hove, then secondary school I found mates who also supported Brighton at Withdean, and others joined at the Amex. Never supported anyone else, although I do have big soft spot for Torquay United since travelling to a lot of away games with a work colleague.

Wow, is that really your middle name, or am I being whooshed? Both my Jnr's have got abuse at school for supporting Brighton, it's only the last couple of years the youngest junior hasn't had abuse (don't know why ). Without sounding weird you sound like you have so much in common with my eldest jnr that I actually had to check with him that he hadn't registered here a couple of years ago!

 

[Eeyore]

That must have been at least 40 years ago then ….. !

Twas indeed. Won the league in 1981. The fascination all started when my brother bought me an Aston Villa belt and I was Villa in the Subbuteo league at school. It was never the same as following Albion though. I couldn't do it now. I did go to one of their games 9 years back with a Villa supporting friend. Felt no affinity whatsoever. I'm still them if ever I play Subbuteo, I've got their team in old colours.

 

[faoileán]

This may not make me popular, but at least I'm honest...

Lived up North (North West), have a family who are Manchester United through and through, had a friend who played for Manchester United, and have been to a number of home games growing up. So, you could say I was 'United' during my youth and young adulthood.

Came down South in 1989 when I was 18 and followed Brighton to a degree as many of my friends were Albion but I was far too busy to go to games as I had a young family and was building a business working 6-7 days a week. I drifted away from football for a bit to be honest.

Was then taken to a home game at the (new) Amex by a lifelong Brighton fan and STH and fell in love with the club. Absolute class from owner down. Caught the bug.

Took the chance to get my own ST when we were flapping around in the Championship and have renewed every season since. I really enjoyed the Championship days and missed them when we were playing boring (but necessary for survival) Hughton tactics.

So, am I a 'Genuine' Fan? I don't really think I deserve to be. I didn't grow up here, and I wasn't born here. I used to go and watch Bradford City in the early 80's (my birth town) too - and I love live football.

Absolutely loving the way we're playing now. Utmost respect for Uncle Tony and the way the club is run. We're part of a small number of 'proper' clubs in my opinion.

Anyway, ready to be called a Plastic. Bring it on!

That is a classic story of someone who moves to this city, loves it, and buys into the Albion. You have my total respect and I love geezers like you who are helping to re-build our club...

 

[jackalbion]

Wow, is that really your middle name, or am I being whooshed? Both my Jnr's have got abuse at school for supporting Brighton, it's only the last couple of years the youngest junior hasn't had abuse (don't know why ). Without sounding weird you sound like you have so much in common with my eldest jnr that I actually had to check with him that he hadn't registered here a couple of years ago!

Yes it really is, funny as it’s my brothers middle name as well, but he has absolutely 0 interest in football. Funny really, there is another ground hopping train obsessive Brighton fan out there somewhere.

 

[Cotton Socks]

Yes it really is, funny as it’s my brothers middle name as well, but he has absolutely 0 interest in football. Funny really, there is another ground hopping train obsessive Brighton fan out there somewhere.

Yes, you very nearly have a virtual doppelganger.

 

[Jackthelad]

It's understandable that a largish percentage of our fans who are in their 30's and 40s would've been fans of other clubs in the 1990s and even the early 2000s. I only knew of one Brighton fan who was my age. I have a distant memory of the Notts County game that we lost in 1991! I think if we had won that game, then maybe it would've been different. I remember being really upset we lost that, and I had a bad feeling that was it for us. It's amazing how things are now, most fans are envious of how well-run our club is and the football we play and most of my son's mates are Brighton fans.

 

[Triggaaar]

Parents weren't into football, aunty was and went out with a Spurs player, so my brother and I had Spurs as our team - but we never went. Got invited to see Brighton when I was 15 and haven't stopped.

 

[Mt.Fuji]

I'm one of them.

As you may know, I'm Japanese. So, it was always difficult for me to choose which European clubs to root for. I don't like filthy extravagant clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea. Traditional mega clubs like Real Madrid are also boring for me because "winning is too normal". So, I used to root for Arsenal in that Arsenal is and was a very thrifty club under Arsene Wenger and they didn't win EPL for many years. "Winning EPL is once in 10 years or less" for Arsenal, which makes it more interesting for me to root for Arsenal. Brighton has become a better version of Arsenal for me. Brighton spent quite a long time in lower leagues, which makes one victory in EPL even more special and Brighton is very thrifty. Not only that, Brighton has my most favorite Japanese footballer Mitoma. Not only that, the hometown is a beautiful port city, which is important for me in that fishing and skiing are one of my biggest hobbies. I will keep rooting for Brighton even if Mitoma leaves because Brighton has become special for me already

I know I'm still a "baby" as a Brighton fan in that I'm one year old Brighton fan