[Football] Worthing FC

[Guinness Boy]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

As usual you're completely out of touch and out of date.

Families with children have been moving from Brighton to Worthing for the last decade or more, to get houses with gardens and a decent school. It's Little Brighton now. Brookstead is a brilliant ale house, there's good restaurants and plenty of things for the under 50s to do. Labour council too

Not to mention a place where the odd Brighton player or so has decided to live.

Anyway, back on topic, I went over Christmas to the freezing game when Worthing got stuffed by Ebbsfleet. We said afterwards (three of us, Brighton, Spurs and Villa) we'd go back again.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

As costs start rising, it may be more than one person.

Checked the old inflation calculator, when my Dad first took me to the Goldstone in April 1973, he was 42 years old I was 8, it was 50p for him to get in, 25p for me, that now equates to £7.18 allowing for inflation.

What does a 42 year Dad and his 8 year old son get for that money at the Amex?

EPL football granted, but sooner or later is there a danger that the Albion will price the working man out of the beautiful game?

Back in the 70s, you could go and see bands like the Rolling Stones or the Who for about a quid. Nowadays it'll be £100 plus if you want to be sat in the same county.
The prices are what the market will stand. I'd love it to cost a tenner to go to a game but it's not going to happen.

 

[Whitechapel]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

My mum took me to my first Brighton game when I was 2 weeks old, I got my first season ticket when I was 6 at Withdean, I had a season ticket for 16(ish) seasons, went to over 50 away grounds with Brighton from Middlesborough to Plymouth. I Haven't stepped foot in a Premier League stadiumsince Boxing Day 2019 (Spurs away)

I'm a Brighton fan, I always will be. However the spiraling costs of being a ST Holder combined with games constantly being moved for TV, the introduction of VAR ruining a lot of the most exciting moments in a match, the constant upheaval with Southern Rail on a fortnightly basis & a few other factors meant I decided to step away from going to Brighton games. My own one man protest at the way football was going and the 'customers not fans' attitude from the club.

I know you can't help but look down your nose at almost everybody on this website, but there are dozens of good reasons that people are walking away from the Premier League (and more specifically Brighton) experience and going to Non League games.

If me and a mate wanted to go to Brighton in a Cat C game, have a few pints and something to eat. We're looking at £60 each. That's before we add on any booking fees, MyAlbion+ memberships etc etc. Let's imagine for simplicity sake that it's £120 for the two of us and it all goes direct to the club. That would cover the wages for 20 minutes of a player on 60k a week. At Worthing or any other non-league club £60 is a match ticket, 8 pints & some scran each. That money makes a direct impact at the club. That's probably not far off a players appearance fee, the money doesn't just pay for a new En-Suit for a player, it makes a difference to real people.

If the only reason you go to football is to see the best players then fine, but you'd be better off supporting one of the Plastic 6. For me half of football games is having a laugh with my mates. Having a beer in the stand, being able to go an away game without names written on the ticket, celebrate without worrying about some lines drawn on a TV somewhere.

Worthing and Eastbourne both way above average attendances in their league, 4 Sussex teams top of the attendance table in the league below, Whitehawk & Littlehampton doing very well too. It amazes that some people can't see the explosion going on in Local Non-League and how it ties in to Brighton.

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Yep. Arrive 2.55, pay by cash or card and in the ground by 3.00, give or take. It's like the Goldstone in the 60s.

 

[wadhurstseagull]

I have a season ticket at Brighton and Worthing. Two very different experiences but both enjoyable. Great win today, hopefully repeated tomorrow.

 

[Live by the sea]

Ok if you want to watch non league football , go enjoy .

Finding it hard to believe Worthing has suddenly become little Brighton but if Guinness boy says so I guess it must be true.

 

[Giraffe]

I drove near to Woodside road shortly after the end of the game. Quite a young crowd. Quite a lot of them look pissed up. Do they have a group of “ultras” that think themself a bit tough? Acted like a bunch of right tools at worthing crossing. (Could have been Dartford fans btw).

 

[Paxton Dazo]

Ok if you want to watch non league football , go enjoy .

Finding it hard to believe Worthing has suddenly become little Brighton but if Guinness boy says so I guess it must be true.

I think the point here is that more people are turning to non-league football due to affordability. Anyone who does so isn’t less “strong BHA” it’s just the world we’re living in and the cost of following a ‘Premier League side’. I have a season ticket at Spurs but every opportunity I get I head down to Shoreham with my daughter. She loves it (they also play more exciting football than Spurs) and she goes free and I get in for £6. Since I started going to Shoreham I’d say the average attendance has increased by at least 50. Yes, they’re doing well but for me it’s more down to people turning to non league football.

 

[Whitechapel]

I drove near to Woodside road shortly after the end of the game. Quite a young crowd. Quite a lot of them look pissed up. Do they have a group of “ultras” that think themself a bit tough? Acted like a bunch of right tools at worthing crossing. (Could have been Dartford fans btw).

They've got an ultras group, not sure if they refer to themselves as Ultras though. Never seen any problems from them, but I suppose it only takes a couple of people to get a bit overexcited I guess.

 

[chaileyjem]

Not sure why these non league threads often turn into some binary argument. It’s one or the other, I’m a season ticket holder at Amex and also go to various non league sides in Sussex.

They’re are imo very different (cost, experience, roots), but I like that I can go to both. Many others clearly do likewise. And of course there will be reasons why some prefer one to the other and reasons why - as on this thread - some have walked away from the Albion or the PL and now prefer non league instead.

But there’s no signs at all that there’s any trade off between the popularity of the Albion and that of non league due to cost or anything else. . If anything I’d argue that the strength of Albion as a club (its popularity, investment, academy, profile) helps Sussex football at all levels. Anyway All attendances at football - through to non league - are at historical highs and rising. - Albion included - and there are little signs of tailing off. They are two different things and they happily co - exist .

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Not sure why these non league threads often turn into some binary argument. It’s one or the other, I’m a season ticket holder at Amex and also go to various non league sides in Sussex.

They’re are imo very different (cost, experience, roots), but I like that I can go to both. Many others clearly do likewise. And of course there will be reasons why some prefer one to the other and reasons why - as on this thread - some have walked away from the Albion or the PL and now prefer non league instead.

But there’s no signs at all that there’s any trade off between the popularity of the Albion and that of non league due to cost or anything else. . If anything I’d argue that the strength of Albion as a club (it’s popularity, investment, academy, popularity) helps Sussex football at all levels. Anyway All attendances at football - through to non league - are at historical highs and rising. - Albion included - and there are little signs of tailing off. They are two different things and they happily co - exist .

I agree ... season ticket at the Amex and will renew again (probably very soon) for next season. But I really enjoy the non-league experience and have been to Woodside Road 11 times this season when the Albion haven't been at home. I've also been to a couple of Worthing away games - traveling on the team coach with the manager and a number of the players. Also went to a cup game at Lewes when both Albion and Worthing were either away or not playing.

I enjoy doing both ... but I don't understand why some on here seem to be looking down their noses at those supporting non-league football where every £1 of income really helps make a difference!

 

[Bozza]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

I have a good mate who did likewise (there's a chance it's one and the same person, I guess).

He'd followed the Albion through thick and thin, up and down the country, but had just become disillusioned with the whole thing - the pain in the arse of getting to and from the Amex, the money-obsessed Premier League and VAR etc.

Now, he can wander from home, grab a pint in the Green Man, Grizzly Bear or Brooksteed and knows almost to the second how long it will take him to get to Woodside Road, where he can watch his football with a pint in hand if he wishes. He'll then be home, after a Saturday 3pm kick-off, a few minutes after 5pm.

Although I can't see me making such a switch any time soon, I do completely understand it and why he finds it more enjoyable.

It's not about one being better than the other, they are different, and it's perfectly possible for people to partake of both, enjoy both and not be guilty of anything at all.

Annoyingly I didn't think to check if Worthing were at home today. I realised they were, about three miles into a nine mile run, when I saw some chaps with Worthing hats on by West Worthing crossing. It was too late for me to do much about it then.

 

[Superphil]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

I too know a couple of very long standing BHA STHs who decided a few years ago that increased costs vs travel vs PLCircus vs VAR vs VFM meant they’ve scrapped their Albion STs and taken Worthing ones. They still go to watch Brighton on occasion.

 

[BN41Albion]

Worthing now 3-0 up. Attendance is 1599. (Tickets were £14)

And some were complaining that £25 for the cup game v Liverpool was too much!

(For the record I really enjoy non-league football)

 

[BN41Albion]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

You seem to have a very simplistic view of the world

 

[Live by the sea]

I suppose you can do both . Never really considered both myself though .

 

[amexer]

As costs start rising, it may be more than one person.

Checked the old inflation calculator, when my Dad first took me to the Goldstone in April 1973, he was 42 years old I was 8, it was 50p for him to get in, 25p for me, that now equates to £7.18 allowing for inflation.

What does a 42 year Dad and his 8 year old son get for that money at the Amex?

EPL football granted, but sooner or later is there a danger that the Albion will price the working man out of the beautiful game?

I am lucky have no problem affording Albion but very aware so many can't. It is for this reason only, I didn't agree with sharing scheme as in past got so much pleasure inviting someone along.
Appreciate people my stop going to Albion because of cost but not many of them will than go to non league. I to went to Worthing today and have been to Lewes, Burgess Hill and Whitehawk this season. Like today enjoyed the game for a change but unless one has an affinity to the club your watching, whilst we want the local side to win we really don't care about the result. That is a big difference to emotion of watching Albion and talking about game before and after

 

[Lenny Rider]

I drove near to Woodside road shortly after the end of the game. Quite a young crowd. Quite a lot of them look pissed up. Do they have a group of “ultras” that think themself a bit tough? Acted like a bunch of right tools at worthing crossing. (Could have been Dartford fans btw).

The Dartford crew were in town in Spoons at lunchtime making a bit of a din, so it was probably them.

 

[Eeyore]

Why on Earth would he do that . Clearly not a strong BHA fan then . Worthing is the pensioner capital of the south along with Eastbourne .

I gave up my Albion season ticket for a Whitehawk one. I haven't watched Albion at any ground for three years. I'm not sure what the definition of a 'strong' Albion fan is, but folk have their reasons for doing things, like me.

But having seen the Albion play on 85 different grounds, mostly during the bad old days, and having no less love for them now than I did then, I guess I'm still a 'strong' fan.

 

[Eeyore]

My mum took me to my first Brighton game when I was 2 weeks old, I got my first season ticket when I was 6 at Withdean, I had a season ticket for 16(ish) seasons, went to over 50 away grounds with Brighton from Middlesborough to Plymouth. I Haven't stepped foot in a Premier League stadiumsince Boxing Day 2019 (Spurs away)

I'm a Brighton fan, I always will be. However the spiraling costs of being a ST Holder combined with games constantly being moved for TV, the introduction of VAR ruining a lot of the most exciting moments in a match, the constant upheaval with Southern Rail on a fortnightly basis & a few other factors meant I decided to step away from going to Brighton games. My own one man protest at the way football was going and the 'customers not fans' attitude from the club.

I know you can't help but look down your nose at almost everybody on this website, but there are dozens of good reasons that people are walking away from the Premier League (and more specifically Brighton) experience and going to Non League games.

If me and a mate wanted to go to Brighton in a Cat C game, have a few pints and something to eat. We're looking at £60 each. That's before we add on any booking fees, MyAlbion+ memberships etc etc. Let's imagine for simplicity sake that it's £120 for the two of us and it all goes direct to the club. That would cover the wages for 20 minutes of a player on 60k a week. At Worthing or any other non-league club £60 is a match ticket, 8 pints & some scran each. That money makes a direct impact at the club. That's probably not far off a players appearance fee, the money doesn't just pay for a new En-Suit for a player, it makes a difference to real people.

If the only reason you go to football is to see the best players then fine, but you'd be better off supporting one of the Plastic 6. For me half of football games is having a laugh with my mates. Having a beer in the stand, being able to go an away game without names written on the ticket, celebrate without worrying about some lines drawn on a TV somewhere.

Worthing and Eastbourne both way above average attendances in their league, 4 Sussex teams top of the attendance table in the league below, Whitehawk & Littlehampton doing very well too. It amazes that some people can't see the explosion going on in Local Non-League and how it ties in to Brighton.

All good. I think the non-league explosion may have had a lot to do with Covid. There has been a sea change. It was then I started the non-league thread on here and its had tens of thousands of views and almost daily chat and debate. Good to see the non league in Sussex doing well.