[Albion] Why the no shows v Pal-arse?

[Mackenzie]

Back home in Maldon, Essex before midninght. First time ever from The Amex!

Crickhowell in three hours, a new world record.

Something to be said about smaller crowds. Same atmosphere, better transport!

 

[darkwolf666]

Plastic seats ? You had it lucky



I think you missed the 8 changes to the starting 11

Season in the South Stand at the Goldstone - posh me!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

What this thread needs is a poll.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

you dont "buy" the whole.rivalry thing ? i question what.youre doing going go football in the first place ?

I don't buy the whole rivalry thing either. And the clue is in your question - what you're doing going to football in the first place? I went to watch the football, the fringe but still very capable players in MY team. It was good to see Kayal as deserved man of the match, Sam Baldock getting a decent run out, even though it was unfortunately due to an injury for Izzy Brown, it was good to see our back-up centre-backs acquitting themselves well.

The rivalry did contribute to the atmosphere, and it was interesting to see the large police presence, even the horses! But I didn't go because I hate Palace, because I don't hate Palace particularly.

If your main concern is the rivalry, I question why you're going to football in the first place.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

On the telly the atmosphere sounded pretty good for a lower crowd. Perhaps the different mix of fans sorted out the issues with the north stand singing sections?

 

[BadFish]

The FA cup is devalued (partially) because its talked down by sh*t like this, its self fulfilling

Couldn't agree more

The fact that the FA is devalued is because those in the champions league don't value it above the league and the European Cup. I cannot fathom the fact that this seems to have filtered down to other clubs also. The only competition that we and most of the Premier League have a chance at doing well in is the cup. Surely having a good cup run makes a big difference to confidence and morale and is useful in a relegation fight. Bit of light relief if you like.

IMHO the cup competition was devalued by the big clubs not taking it seriously, and their reasons were understandable. To me though this means that the rest of the clubs in the Premier League should be busting a gut to win it against teams that are not taking it seriously. Sadly the media has chipped away at its remaining relevance with their constantly asking the question "Has the FA cup lost its importance" etc etc until they got the answer they were after. Self fulfilling indeed. The question is why do we allow ourselves to be dictated to by the big six and the media?

I would honestly rather have a proper crack at the FA cup and go down rather than play it safe and stay up. We have come from a division where we played 46 games to one where we play 38, I think we can manage a potential 6 extra games I like watching Brighton play football and I want to do it as much as possible.

Rant over!

 

[Bold Seagull]

The reasons are very simple.

- £25 just after Christmas
- Monday night
- On TV
- The Ultras actually succeeded in scaring parents into not bringing their kids
- FA Cup
- Train strikes
- Many of our new fans don't care about the rivalry

We did not want this to be a full house (hence the price) and dare I say that neither club really wanted to progress to the next round. It was all a bit of a vanilla affair wasn't it?

Which is a shame. I agree with the sentiments of many who are disappointed with our fans. I was too. But the reality is that the rivalry we have is no longer a big enough factor for people.

Similarly to the early-leavers. We aren't a club supported solely by working-class men with nothing in their lives except the football club. We've got more casual (but still loyal) fans. This match gave those people enough reasons to give it a swerve. And I don't really blame them if I'm being honest.

I'd agree with most of that. I also had my first experience of the 1901 last night. I thought I knew what an early leaver was from my position in the East Stand family section, but the 1901 takes it to a new level! There were people coming back from HT on 55mins, people leaving on 80mins. I really enjoyed it, but again, as you've said we don't have a cauldron of 30k die hard fans in the Amex every week, we have 10-15k, and a lot of people who just enjoying watching the Albion when they can afford it.

 

[Seasidesage]

This 100%. Everything that is said about us by rival fans was proved right tonight. We are a nouveaux rich, plastic club, simple as that. No coincidence that the atmosphere was great tonight.

People think that a drum would be ‘tinpot’, yet we can’t sell more than 12,500 tickets against our biggest rivals. Regardless of the competition, that is pathetic.

Breaks my heart to agree but this 100%. The club have got what they appear to want. Middle class 'footie' fans who pick and choose their games like attending the theatre. There are people with genuine reasons for not going I get that. But when your sitting in a half empty stadium being mugged off by Palace for the attendance its hard to feel any empathy for those who couldn't be arsed because they were scared of a couple of bangers and some spotty youths in hoodies.

As a collective we could not have looked any worse. First thing my Wolves supporting boss said this morning was I thought they were your rivals? Where was everyone?

If that had been say Reading people would be laughing their heads off and throwing the old 'tin pot' jibe out left right and centre.

 

[getreal1]

Doesn't look much like a rivalry does it? More would have turned in for ManUre and the Bindippers surely.

That JCLs don't go to these would be no surprise, but so many regulars...

After all of the years moaning that they couldn't get tickets for Withdean (when there were nearly always some available) people can't now be bothered because it's a Monday, the FA Cup, it's on telly, won't pay £25, skint in January... delete as appropriate.

It was as laughable watching the massive gaps on the rerun from last night as it used to be watching Middlesborough's early games in the UEFA when they couldn't be bothered either.

 

[Renegade]

I went to the Tuesday night game we played in that meaningful competition but didn't want to go to this meaningless one and watch two reserve sides also.

 

[Renegade]

Middlesborough away?I've got that as a draw,then replay,then fixture congestion,and we are striving to stay in the Prem.Bad news.

 

[DavidRyder]

Didn't they only open up sales to people with a purchase history, to ensure Palace didn't buy up ours? That in itself would have prevented a lot of first timers.

 

[BadFish]

I went to the Tuesday night game we played in that meaningful competition but didn't want to go to this meaningless one and watch two reserve sides also.

Why is the FA cup meaningless? I don't get it.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

I've never seen so many people leaving early in our ESU Library Section, I arrived at 7.15 and loads had already left!

 

[Deadly Danson]

I assume all the fans who are calling the likes of me plastic have their Stoke tickets sorted this morning and will see you all at West Brom on Sat.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Couldn't agree more

The fact that the FA is devalued is because those in the champions league don't value it above the league and the European Cup. I cannot fathom the fact that this seems to have filtered down to other clubs also. The only competition that we and most of the Premier League have a chance at doing well in is the cup. Surely having a good cup run makes a big difference to confidence and morale and is useful in a relegation fight. Bit of light relief if you like.

IMHO the cup competition was devalued by the big clubs not taking it seriously, and their reasons were understandable. To me though this means that the rest of the clubs in the Premier League should be busting a gut to win it against teams that are not taking it seriously. Sadly the media has chipped away at its remaining relevance with their constantly asking the question "Has the FA cup lost its importance" etc etc until they got the answer they were after. Self fulfilling indeed. The question is why do we allow ourselves to be dictated to by the big six and the media?

I would honestly rather have a proper crack at the FA cup and go down rather than play it safe and stay up. We have come from a division where we played 46 games to one where we play 38, I think we can manage a potential 6 extra games I like watching Brighton play football and I want to do it as much as possible.

Rant over!

You don't pay the bills though do you.

The only thing that dictates the importance of the FA Cup is money. The gulf between your revenue between the Championship and the Premier League is astronomical. When the FA cup was at its most romantic best, the difference between Division 1 and 2 wasn't anywhere near as significant.

The only way to make the FA Cup as relevant again is something like £50m for winning it. Otherwise 14 sides in the PL will always have a priority on staying up, the other 6 will prioritise CL qualification. The other thing about scheduling the 3rd round for the first week in January, is that you've just pushed many teams to have played 3 or 4 games in a very short space of time over Xmas, at a critical stage of the season. It can't be moved because you already have preliminary rounds starting late July in pre-season training for the lowest teams, but that scheduling is a nightmare for managers now.

One thing many people do miss out on though, is that while the top flight sides may field weakened teams, the FA Cup, from the qualifying rounds to the 1st round to the 3rd, is that it is still massively important to the lower leagues and non league teams. It is still a special romantic competition, and lower teams fancy themselves more for upsets when teams above them field their squad players.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Breaks my heart to agree but this 100%. The club have got what they appear to want. Middle class 'footie' fans who pick and choose their games like attending the theatre.

I'm pretty sure the club want a full stadium every game with a great atmosphere. What have they done to keep the non middle class 'footie' fans away (NMCFFs)? Are you saying NMCFFs are so fragile they have been put off by a few stewards and padded seating?

The club to my mind have sold tickets to whoever wants to attend, they made it as easy as possible to have an ST with their DD setup. Football IS too expensive, but that is across the board, not a desire of the club to exclude or engineer a particular fan base.

We're in the middle of Sussex, what do people actually expect!?

 

[BadFish]

You don't pay the bills though do you.

The only thing that dictates the importance of the FA Cup is money. The gulf between your revenue between the Championship and the Premier League is astronomical. When the FA cup was at its most romantic best, the difference between Division 1 and 2 wasn't anywhere near as significant.

The only way to make the FA Cup as relevant again is something like £50m for winning it. Otherwise 14 sides in the PL will always have a priority on staying up, the other 6 will prioritise CL qualification. The other thing about scheduling the 3rd round for the first week in January, is that you've just pushed many teams to have played 3 or 4 games in a very short space of time over Xmas, at a critical stage of the season. It can't be moved because you already have preliminary rounds starting late July in pre-season training for the lowest teams, but that scheduling is a nightmare for managers now.

One thing many people do miss out on though, is that while the top flight sides may field weakened teams, the FA Cup, from the qualifying rounds to the 1st round to the 3rd, is that it is still massively important to the lower leagues and non league teams. It is still a special romantic competition, and lower teams fancy themselves more for upsets when teams above them field their squad players.

You are spot on I don't play the bills and I am not interested in the financial side of football, I am interested in seeing my team compete in the competitions that it enters and hopefully do well from time to time.

To be perfectly honest with you I have nearly given up my interest in football due to the embarrassing amounts of money swilling around the game. I honestly try not to think about it as I find it wholly depressing. My interest is watching the game played on the pitch and all the excitement and joy that comes from an 87th minute winner against ones rivals. I live far too far away to get to games but I wouldn't swap the experience of jumping about with my lad this morning.

I get that money is killing the FA cup and money is killing the game you are spot on. Personally though I am going to fight against that for as long as I can. I don't get why others don't feel the same.

Your last paragraph is to me even more reason for us the value the FA cup. Surely a healthy FA cup is more beneficial to those further down the pyramid. Really the only people that do not benefit from the FA cup are those in the Champions League (you could argue that those in a relegation battle are also included but I remain unconvinced). So why do we continue to dance to their tune?

 

[alfredmizen]

Back home in Maldon, Essex before midninght. First time ever from The Amex!

proper fan

 

[alfredmizen]

Crickhowell in three hours, a new world record.

Something to be said about smaller crowds. Same atmosphere, better transport!

better fan than ive ever been.