"Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

[eastlondonseagull]

This is the impression I get over in the fringes of Hastings in East Sussex. Premiership scum fans, non-football fans and teachers who also live in Brighton at college.

I try and reiterate my point why I believe people should support their local team, but the fact is they are not interested because we are "shit".

At best, we are Reading. Pathetic support in the lower leagues, but if we get to the top, we will have the plastic fans come running.

There is about 4 : 1000 approx Brighton fans where I am.

An interesting quote some told me, hes a Charlton fan and he says "I will never watch Brighton, I will never ever have faith in local teams because they cheat you" He also said he has watched, and loves watching Palace when AJ was there.

I feel pretty helpless to be honest, that I can't convert or attract people to come.

Fortunately, where I work, we all support lower league teams, so they understand my love of the Albion.

But when I was at school in Brighton, and we're talking 1980 - 1983 here, I was the only Albion fan in my class. I only knew another two Albion supporters in the whole school, though there probably were more. Everyone supported Liverpool, on the whole. Plus a few followed Arsenal.

When I then moved up to Liverpool in 1983, all the friends I made up there thought I was a right prat supporting Brighton!

Stand proud, Adrie

 

[Les Biehn]

I have never got that mentality whereby people just pick the best team to support. I supported Chelsea all my life, through the 80's and 90's when in the main they were shit because thats who my whole family support. Then Abramovitch came in and it turned to shit as far as I'm concerned with fans being priced out of going and players earning ridculous money. Not to mention the shite football they play.

When I went to Uni I realised I had much more of a connection with my local club, a team I went to see a lot growing up. Most people can't understand why I would have stopped supporting Chelsea to support Brighton but at least i can afford to go and see Brighton. Mind you at the current prices I can only afford it once a month but thats still better than once or twice a season.

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

Re: Re: "Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

Fortunately, where I work, we all support lower league teams, so they understand my love of the Albion.

But when I was at school in Brighton, and we're talking 1980 - 1983 here, I was the only Albion fan in my class. I only knew another two Albion supporters in the whole school, though there probably were more. Everyone supported Liverpool, on the whole. Plus a few followed Arsenal.

When I then moved up to Liverpool in 1983, all the friends I made up there thought I was a right prat supporting Brighton!

Stand proud, Adrie

Like you I was at School in Liverpool, and you are right about everyone thinking I was a proper meff for supporting Brighton...UNTIL we did them at Anfield, and faced Manure in the FA cup...EVERYONE on Merseyside was an Albion fan that day!

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I try and reiterate my point why I believe people should support their local team, but the fact is they are not interested because we are "shit".


they do have a point

 

[Man of Harveys]

Re: Re: "Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

When I then moved up to Liverpool in 1983, all the friends I made up there thought I was a right prat supporting Brighton!

And exactly how good was it when we beat the best club side in the world at that point two years running?

 

[Blackadder]

Re: Re: "Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

But when I was at school in Brighton, and we're talking 1980 - 1983 here, I was the only Albion fan in my class. I only knew another two Albion supporters in the whole school, though there probably were more. Everyone supported Liverpool, on the whole. Plus a few followed Arsenal.

Bloody hell! 1980-83 were our best years!

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Re: "Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

Like you I was at School in Liverpool, and you are right about everyone thinking I was a proper meff for supporting Brighton...UNTIL we did them at Anfield, and faced Manure in the FA cup...EVERYONE on Merseyside was an Albion fan that day!

I moved up there in September '83, just in time for the new school year and AFTER the Cup Final. So, I did walk around with an air of pride!

When we did them the following year, too, it was amazing

 

[Seagull73]

I try and reiterate my point why I believe people should support their local team, but the fact is they are not interested because we are "shit".


they do have a point

You are a bringer of glad tidings and positive energy aren't you...!!

 

[Harold]

This is the impression I get over in the fringes of Hastings in East Sussex. Premiership scum fans, non-football fans and teachers who also live in Brighton at college.

Sorry. What's the point? You WILL obviously form that impression from the types of people you mention. Surely most would fail the measure of being a potential Albion fan, i.e. Premiership followers or people with no interest in the game in all.

You seem to have the impression that supporting the Albion is something any person can be cajoled into doing. Well I doubt most of us sat down and consciously 'chose' the Albion, instead it took an experience of some sorts to 'hook' us emotionally into the mighty stripes (usually at a young age).

You mention the fringes of Hastings as where you form your impression too. Well let me tell you mate the town grew through an influx of settlers from London borough councils (in the same way Eastbourne had with Liverpudlian equivalents). Therefore many have football allegiances handed down that are not satisfied in Sussex. Add to that the fact it is a particularly poor part of Gods own County, unhelpfully far from Brighton, uncomfortably close to Kent, etc. Also we have always had organised Prem related supporters club travel options (i.e. Charlton, Arsenal and Man Utd) in the town to contend with.

However since 1991 we (A21) have operated (from Hastings) our own away travel/membership services. I (secretary) have 500 names in our database. This reflects our many years of effort in gathering and centralising Albion fans details from Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Battle, Tonbridge, etc, etc. Not all renew their membership with us every season, but you'd be amazed how many old faces float back to the lure of the Albion, even if only infrequently.

Yes this is a very small figure when measured against the amount of people in the area we cover. However we always have a hard-core of 100 or so that are fans in every sense of the word. There is plenty of interest mate, and naturally it increases when the product is better. It was ever thus.

My advice, if you're going to cajole anyone, concentrate on those that are of the same faith but not come along this season. You may not succeed, but at least you know you'll be talking to people that understand where you're coming from.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: "Why are you obsessed with Brighton? They always lose!"

However since 1991 we (A21) have operated (from Hastings) our own away travel/membership services. I (secretary) have 500 names in our database. This reflects our many years of effort in gathering and centralising Albion fans details from Eastbourne, Bexhill, Hastings, Battle, Tonbridge, etc, etc. Not all renew their membership with us every season, but you'd be amazed how many old faces float back to the lure of the Albion, even if only infrequently.

Yes this is a very small figure when measured against the amount of people in the area we cover. However we always have a hard-core of 100 or so that are fans in every sense of the word. There is plenty of interest mate, and naturally it increases when the product is better. It was ever thus.

My advice, if you're going to cajole anyone, concentrate on those that are of the same faith but not come along this season. You may not succeed, but at least you know you'll be talking to people that understand where you're coming from.

Wise words

 

[Kenhead]

I get it all the time and just laugh at them. There's been a couple of midweeks this year that i have left early and they have said why you going for, they only going to lose. I told them that i will be enjoying my pre-match alcholic drinks on the train whilst they still working away!
I end up having a much better weekend then most of them anyway aswell, as lot of them seem to just say in and watch the tele games whilst i get to see different parts of the country i live in, and experiance how the north west is so much different to brighton for example

Whilst on holiday it accually helped me supporting a lower league club as when i went to kavos in 2002 i started talking to a shrewsbury fan and he was quite impressed that i knew who lee steele and luke rodgers was, brought me load of beers!

 

[Drumstick]

I feel pretty helpless to be honest, that I can't convert or attract people to come.

Its do able I converted a Milwall Fan

I.E Baby Burtz

 

[Yorkie]

Er Yorkie, the league have been on the blower again. Any chance they could have them back?

Er Buzz did you not realise that we get to keep replicas?
How do you think I had my photo taken with them?

 

[SeagullTim]

It's so annoying at Stringer, as there are a lot of half Brighton fans, who support the Liverpools and Arsenals etc and support Brighton because its their home club. But then theres loads of stupid kids who know f*** all about football. One, being my friend is a Man U supporter and whenever me and a mate (brighton fan) or me and another mate (half fan) talk about the Albion he always laughs and says "shut up, their so shit" It pisses me off to think he probably couldnt name half the teams in the premiership or half the Man U starting line up, yet he still says how shit we are .

I'll be honest. I used to be a half n half as I had been following Everton since I was 6.

Most of these 'half n halfs' tell me that don't want to spend £15 a week, when they'd probably rather watch Gillette Soccer Saturday and waiting for updates on their club. The club really need to do something about this, I.e offer the U16s a much cheaper ticket price, as me and my friends are also struggling to pay this each home game.

 

[Yorkie]

My answer to that is 'They might be shit but they're my shit'

 

[Beach Hut]

I can't comprehend how anyone supports any Premiersh1te team - until Mrs Hut buys those two kids MUFC shirts for Xmas as requested by them.

 

[Brixtaan]

was speaking to a liverpool fan the other day and he asked who i supported, when i said brighton, he replied 'oh you cant like football then'. Wanker

He must have been a southerner,thats not a standard Northern response.

 

[Blackadder]

Er Buzz did you not realise that we get to keep replicas?
How do you think I had my photo taken with them?

Well that screwed up that joke!

 

[Yorkie]

Well that screwed up that joke!

It was a joke?

 

[Blackadder]

Nope. I meant it!