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Priestfield experience - For the benefit of Bigtomfu
- Thread starter LowKarate
- Start date
pishhead
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,221
"The Businessman moved forward, with a silence about his footsteps that would have been quite unnerving, had there been another soul around to fear it. But there was no-one, with the exception of the Small Man, and not a sound but that of the raindrops now clattering the cracked and broken surface of the pavement.
The Businessman looked up at the crumbling brick facade above his head, the rusting metal window frames and cracked glass, the faded sign, hung only by three nails these days, on which he could make out only a trace of its former wording. T e Sea ull Li e 0898 00 6 9 offered a glimpse of better days in this unfamiliar part of the world, as well as news of last night's reserve game against Bury for only 48p per minute.
Without warning, a blue door swung open next to the Alb on C ub Shop. The screech of metal hinges that hadn't seen a drop of oil since 1989 echoed sharply down Newtown Road, disappearing off into the night behind Furniture Warehouse. 'Welcome', came a thin, reedy, unseen voice from inside. 'We've been expecting you'.
The Businessman flexed his fingers, releasing momentarily his tight grip on a shiny, black monogrammed briefcase with the letters WA embossed discreetly beneath the handle. Inside the briefcase: a drawstring velvet pouch containing the contents of the Businessman's small change jar. Before embarking on his journey that evening, he had carefully, silently, breathlessly, emptied the jar out on to his desk back at his remote estate in Lancashire, and, with an ever-heightening sense of anticipation, counted every last penny.
Fifty six pounds, and twenty five pence.
He'd sat back, triumphant. At last. It was done. All those years of relentless toil, and he was finally ready.
'Start the car', he'd said to the driver, with the satisfied smile of a man who knew he was about to unleash all manner of fury and loathing.
'Start the car. We're going to Hove'."
The Businessman looked up at the crumbling brick facade above his head, the rusting metal window frames and cracked glass, the faded sign, hung only by three nails these days, on which he could make out only a trace of its former wording. T e Sea ull Li e 0898 00 6 9 offered a glimpse of better days in this unfamiliar part of the world, as well as news of last night's reserve game against Bury for only 48p per minute.
Without warning, a blue door swung open next to the Alb on C ub Shop. The screech of metal hinges that hadn't seen a drop of oil since 1989 echoed sharply down Newtown Road, disappearing off into the night behind Furniture Warehouse. 'Welcome', came a thin, reedy, unseen voice from inside. 'We've been expecting you'.
The Businessman flexed his fingers, releasing momentarily his tight grip on a shiny, black monogrammed briefcase with the letters WA embossed discreetly beneath the handle. Inside the briefcase: a drawstring velvet pouch containing the contents of the Businessman's small change jar. Before embarking on his journey that evening, he had carefully, silently, breathlessly, emptied the jar out on to his desk back at his remote estate in Lancashire, and, with an ever-heightening sense of anticipation, counted every last penny.
Fifty six pounds, and twenty five pence.
He'd sat back, triumphant. At last. It was done. All those years of relentless toil, and he was finally ready.
'Start the car', he'd said to the driver, with the satisfied smile of a man who knew he was about to unleash all manner of fury and loathing.
'Start the car. We're going to Hove'."
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Excellent post by the OP....maybe some of those BT pundits who will be droning on about Man City stars should read it to fully understand what tomorrow is all about for us the supporters of Brighton and Hove Albion FC
Coming from Woking it was no harder for me to travel there than it was to get to Brighton. I went to matches at the Priestfiled quite a lot: more than I did when we played at the Goldstone. At first it was almost out of a sense of duty. I reasoned that the club really needed us at that time and I owed them for all the good times that had preceded the dark days. As it turned out, my Dad and brother started getting in on the act too. As they only came across from Canterbury it was a nice short trip for them. Suddenly, after years of separation, we were all back together and cheering on the boys. Then over time came the sense that together we were the hardest of hardcore. Hardly any club had had to put up with the absurd ground share we had been lumbered with and still we soldiered on.
It's an odd thing. The football was simply dreadful and the surroundings were grim but I really rediscovered the Albion at the Priestfield and I've never lost it since.
It's an odd thing. The football was simply dreadful and the surroundings were grim but I really rediscovered the Albion at the Priestfield and I've never lost it since.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,221
City fans themselves of course have put up with plenty of drivel over the years, and fell as low as the third tier themselves. Alright, it's not quite homelessness and near extinction, but they won't be entirely without perspective, one hopes.
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Aye they may not...its those sat in the studio that i'm referring too...the lead presenter and Scholes showed plenty of ignorance when doing the Real Madrid/Man Utd game earlier in the week
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,221
kevo
Well-known member
- Mar 8, 2008
- 9,103
Yeah, not gonna sleep much! What a day we have in prospect tomorrow...
Remember the Doncaster 0-0 game, I seem to recall leaving at half time that day and going back to a pub that I can only remember as being as small as someone's lounge!!
The red pepper kid
Active member
- Dec 30, 2014
- 664
well the first season I was scared for the club all the time I couldn't see where we were going, made the trip 6 times that season in a mg maestro the journey and car were horrid .
the second season I was better acclimatized to it and rumours of withdean helped, they were desperate times and I used to shout for the albion until my voice went -nearly every time, I remember having serious pops at anyone who dared criticize the club.
I was young and emotional, everything seemed deadly serious , I would have followed us non league I would have had to !
living in lancing I used to go and watch mid sussex and Lancing free admission Bovril 10p a cup.
I feel kind of sad when I look back I can still feel the worry from those times.
however today my 81yr old dad my two sons 31 and 27 are watch us become a premier league side ..........................blimey oh reilly !!!!!!!
the second season I was better acclimatized to it and rumours of withdean helped, they were desperate times and I used to shout for the albion until my voice went -nearly every time, I remember having serious pops at anyone who dared criticize the club.
I was young and emotional, everything seemed deadly serious , I would have followed us non league I would have had to !
living in lancing I used to go and watch mid sussex and Lancing free admission Bovril 10p a cup.
I feel kind of sad when I look back I can still feel the worry from those times.
however today my 81yr old dad my two sons 31 and 27 are watch us become a premier league side ..........................blimey oh reilly !!!!!!!
darkwolf666
Well-known member
I think possibly along with Harry Wilson's Tackle, I would have been one of a handful of Albion fans who hid a little pleasure at the club now playing on our door steps.
Having said that I was more than happy when they moved 70 miles away again!
Absolutely hated the police reaction to us moving to Priestfield and told several officers where they could shove their video cameras - they seemed to believe every Albion fan was a hooligan and almost appeared to want to bait a reaction so they could film it - the irony is I ended up working for said force!
Having said that I was more than happy when they moved 70 miles away again!
Absolutely hated the police reaction to us moving to Priestfield and told several officers where they could shove their video cameras - they seemed to believe every Albion fan was a hooligan and almost appeared to want to bait a reaction so they could film it - the irony is I ended up working for said force!
Peter Grummit
Well-known member
Guilty. Although I didn't get a ST for the 2nd season at the Pissfield, I still went to a fair few games. Fair play to my Dad and Sister who both had STs both seasons. And especially to my Father-in-law who worked unpaid for the Club across that period and went home and away.
I can safely say the highlights were the 4-4 draw; Attila's defiant soundtrack; celebrating the final game there in the adopted pub....and the scenery driving through the Ashdown Forest - we would go that slower way purely to get some enjoyment from the day. I also remember that despite the crowds being tiny, there was basically only one road in and out to the ground so if you arrived after 230 you had to queue in what seemed like the most futile traffic jam of all time.
For those who whinge about train queues at Falmer, my other memory of going by train is that the connection at Victoria was dreadful, so you always seemed to have a half-hour wait there both ways.
Gallows humour summed it up. There was a trainspotting pathos about the whole misadventure.
PG
The Birdman
New member
I think our coach group found a pub in a street well away from the ground can't remember the name which was between terrace houses and the food was good and nice beer garden and thinking we be the only brighton fans in the pub we were wrong it was full and very friendly landlord and locals they were very upset when the club returned to Brighton the beer helped us get through the pain of watching the club in Kent.
But the group of fans built up Good comradeship and it's part of the history of the club journey to todays game.
portlock seagull
Why? Why us?
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,081
Ooooh, excellentIs this like one of those exercises at school where you write one bit of a story, then pass it on for the next person to write a bit more, and so on until it's finished?
Very atmospheric already, by the way. I like it
Ha ha, yes it could be. Maybe someone could rewrite history and just shoot the ******* before he steps inside the Boardroom?!
Over to you NSC!
portlock seagull
Why? Why us?
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,081
The Cricketeers. One of the few likeable things about Gillingham.
