Would relegation harm Falmer?

[Tooting Gull]

I'm sure there are those within the club and among fans very anxious that dropping into League Two would be seen by our opponents as lessening the case for our stadium. And they will try and use it with their own spin, there's no doubt of that.

But there is also the argument, which presumably we'd all agree with, that it is precisely because we haven't had the bloody thing we have not been able to compete fairly in the Championship and now League One. So in one sense the case is even more proven.

No one wants us to go down, and the falling crowds may be a bigger worry in the PR battle - but to the people that matter (ie the Secretary of State) how much damage would going down do?

 

[Citrus in Sheffield]

No, it is not relevant anymore.

 

[clippedgull]

Relegation will NOT be a factor that will determine the decision of SOS.

 

[Cian]

we were fighting for Falmer when in Div 3, so: no.

 

[seven stands]

we staying up anyhow

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yes. It could be critical. Nor from a planning viewpoint but from a leaking money/crowds viewpoint. The club have demonstrated they are not capable of maintaining a Division3 mid-table position. Not much difference in quality between Div 3 and Div 4. What if the club goes into freefall there? The whole thing collapses like a pack of cards.

 

[The Large One]

From our planning viewpoint - no. We were lower than this when the planning application was approved by Brighton & Hove City Council.

From a commercial point of view, it's going to be tricky, but I believe once the bulldozers finally move in, greater interest in the Albion will be renewed.

 

[Blackadder]

No one wants us to go down,

Not sure if LDC and the NIMBYs share that view?

 

[Dave the OAP]

I personally think it will be a disaster...we cant get 6k at the moment and if we continue this run, after the Forst and B City game, we could stuggle to get 4k

We cant keep expecting the directors to pump money into the club as this is a money pit at the moment.

I think it is absolutely amazing that not two years ago we were playing and competing with the likes of Derby, Coventry, Leicester, West ham and now we camt score a goal against the bottom 2 clubs in the 3rd division and people are questioning if we would be ok in the 4th division.

have we really come to this? Is it that bad?

 

[Titanic]

I think it is absolutely amazing that not two years ago we were playing and competing with the likes of Derby, Coventry, Leicester, West ham and now we camt score a goal against the bottom 2 clubs in the 3rd division and people are questioning if we would be ok in the 4th division.

have we really come to this? Is it that bad?

Yes, yes it is that bad.

 

[Rougvie]

I personally think it will be a disaster...we cant get 6k at the moment and if we continue this run, after the Forst and B City game, we could stuggle to get 4k

I totally agree, coupled with the growing problem of lack of interest in L1/2 football (not just at the Albion) its going to be EXTREMELY hard to build a ground that could be more than half empty for a few seasons in a game that is fastly becoming the preserve of the elite clubs if we are stuck down in L2.

If the decision was Chelsea V Man U live in your armchair or freezing your arse off in an empty atmospherless stadium with 8000 or so in it agisnt MK Dons or some equally pointless opposition i'm not convinced this Falmer street of gold is going to cut it at the bottom of the Football League structure.

Remember investors would weigh up the options of a mid table club in L2 could easily go the way of Exeter, Oxford, Cambridge, all clubs with a similar fan base and catchment area to us. Its all very well dreaming of being in the CCC or above, but the way things are looking at the moment, there are a lot more clubs with a lot better chance of that ahead of us in the pecking order.

 

[chez]

I personally think it will be a disaster...we cant get 6k at the moment and if we continue this run, after the Forst and B City game, we could stuggle to get 4k

We cant keep expecting the directors to pump money into the club as this is a money pit at the moment.

I think it is absolutely amazing that not two years ago we were playing and competing with the likes of Derby, Coventry, Leicester, West ham and now we camt score a goal against the bottom 2 clubs in the 3rd division and people are questioning if we would be ok in the 4th division.

have we really come to this? Is it that bad?

I agree with this. I think its critical that we stay in this division.

 

[The Auditor]

have we really come to this? Is it that bad?

Unfortunately the focus has been taken off the playing side..the lack of investment in the team is now showing

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Trouble is, the longer the lack of investment in the playing side is allowed to continue, the harder it gets to turn it around.

We're already chucking the youth team into the front line, maybe before they're ready in some cases. Young players of real potential are being made to sink or swim at the deep end and their confidence is shot to shit. Who do we chuck in next season, the under-14s?

 

[Trigger]

Trouble is, the longer the lack of investment in the playing side is allowed to continue, the harder it gets to turn it around.

We're already chucking the youth team into the front line, maybe before they're ready in some cases. Young players of real potential are being made to sink or swim at the deep end and their confidence is shot to shit. Who do we chuck in next season, the under-14s?

If they haven't been sold for financial reasons I guess so...

 

[sussexfatboy]

From our planning viewpoint - no. We were lower than this when the planning application was approved by Brighton & Hove City Council.

From a commercial point of view, it's going to be tricky, but I believe once the bulldozers finally move in, greater interest in the Albion will be renewed.

My understanding is that proving a need for the stadium is an important factor in the public unquiry, so gates ARE important in planning as well as PR terms.

This is why LDC/FPC et al are constantly telling whoever will listen that we do not need a 22k stadium.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Tooting's post is about the impact relegation would have on the Falmer decision not about the the club in general - that's a different point. The question is whether Ruth Kelly would be minded to make a different decision if we're relegated. I think the answer's no. The same arguments still apply... provide jobs, a community stadium for whole of area, the deficiencies of Withdean etc. I think more a worrying issue might be the fact that we can't fill Withdean now, in this division.

But DTG has a good point about the dangers of relegation. Season ticket renewals would be at an all time low, there'd be littte or no money to re-build for a promotion challengeand morale in general would be rock bottom - especially if we get knocked back on Falmer (which we won't). So yes, relegation must be avoided as it would be a disaster but no, it won't have a big impact on Kelly's decision on Falmer.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

So yes, relegation must be avoided as it would be a disaster but no, it won't have a big impact on Kelly's decision on Falmer.

Disagree strongly. There's a bit somewhere in the Falmer proposal that talks about Falmer being in the national interest as the Albion are the only League club in Sussex. That national interest aspect is in severe jeopardy if the Albion get relegated. Cos if the downward spiral continues, we are one drop away from the Conference, and we wouldn't be the only Conference side in Sussex.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Disagree strongly. There's a bit somewhere in the Falmer proposal that talks about Falmer being in the national interest as the Albion are the only League club in Sussex. That national interest aspect is in severe jeopardy if the Albion get relegated. Cos if the downward spiral continues, we are one drop away from the Conference, and we wouldn't be the only Conference side in Sussex.

But Tom, Ruth Kelly won't make the decision based on "national" footballing interests. She'll do it based on what she thinks is right, in accordance with government policy on local planning issues. It'll be about whether a football stadium will seriously f*** up the environment and the lives of people who live there or not. That's the issue. The fact that we're the only league club in Sussex will have nothing to do with it. And you can argue IF both ways can't you. IF we went down, we could be promoted next season with crowds returning to see a winning team at Withdean.