Albion's fanbase

[ady1973]

I have bought a season ticket for the first time since we moved away from the Goldstone.

Mainly because I couldn' afford it and also working shifts I could not justify it.
I try and go to at least 5 - 7 games a season and would go more if I could.
However the main reason I have dug deep this year is that, I class myself as a supporter of the albion for 32 years, and can't wait to see the Albion play in their new home.
I thought I better get a season ticket as I have heard of many people who do not support Brighton (I have even heard a pompey fan getting excited and can't wait to come down and see us on the 1st day) or have never been to a game at Withden wanting to go to Falmer when it opens, beacuse of the excitment we have caused etc, and I dont want to be disapointed.

I feel there are a few peple in the same boat as I am........Albion fans but dont want to be disapointed.Knowing tickets have gone to non-supporters or the johnny come lately's.

On that basis I think the 1st season will be nearly a full capacity if we do well who knows, if we fail then I can see people voting with their feet.......fickle are we ?...cause we are , we are football fans.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

We'll be alright - Albion car stickers and shirts all over the shop these days. I've only been to a handful of games since the Goldstone, but will be one of those returning to the fold once the BK Flamer's up and running.

 

[7:18]

we are a sleeping giant!

 

[Skintagain 1983]

Some of the BHAlbas Scottish Seagulls have discussed clubbing together for some Falmer season tickets. Return easyjet flights from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Gatwick are relatively cheap if booked well in advance. Not too shabby

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Some of the BHAlbas Scottish Seagulls have discussed clubbing together for some Falmer season tickets. Return easyjet flights from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Gatwick are relatively cheap if booked well in advance. Not too shabby

And that avatar's none too shabby either! Top notch.

Be seeing you.

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

I'm just glad to see that I am not the only jinx shirt sponsor... Sorry Albert, Colin et al.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Possibly! That might happen. I am sure there will be a lot of first timers when we move to Falmer. But at the moment it's just people saying they will go without having to commit! As for the people who used to go regularly but won't go to Withdean, I'm not overly convinced there are thousands of them given our attendances at the Goldstone throughout the 90's are not at all dissimilar to what they are now.

This has been dicussed before and the consensus was that there really are a LOT of people - particularly outside of Brighton - who are excited about the new stadium, TB's investment (and the potential of the Albion) and the way Gus has the side playing. There will be a lot of season tickets sold to people who currently "support" PRem sides but only rarely if ever go.

I'll be buying my first season ticket since the Goldstone and getting one for TRHK Jnr as well. I do 10-15 games a season, most at home, but the prospect of flair + roof + atmosphere have convicned me to buy a season ticket.

If we do well and trive at Falmer, we could lock in a whole new generation of fans. the last time we did that was in Div One and you can see the legacy if you scan the crowd at Withdean - loads and loads of men in their early 40's.

Get this right and who knows how far we could go.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I would hope that once we are at Falmer, kids growing up with a decent local ground and a team that is hopefully going places in the medium to long term, should start supporting the Albion, rather than a prem team - but it will take time, quite a few years. IO also think that once we are there, a lot of the old support will come out of the woodwork again over time, not just the initial impetus of a shiney new stadium.

 

[bhaexpress]

Our prolonged stay at Withdean must have eroded our fan base as well as discouraging new fans however, with a decent team and Falmer I would think we can recover and in fact improve the size of it.

 

[Robert Codners Nostrils]

Well it does seem like people are waiting in the wings for Falmer to open. As I said, I have no doubt that it will be full initially. It is really important that it stays relatively full. It seems that quite a few people on here are buying season tickets for the first time in ages. Also, quite a few people will be buying one for the first time ever. For this reason it is important we have a good first season. Worst case scenario is the flair/atmosphere/good results are not what people expect and the in between fans don't renew. That does sound a little negative. I have every faith that the club will get people through the gates and Gus is the man to get the team playing the sort of football that will keep people coming back!

 

[Tooting Gull]

No one knows for sure, let's face it. Somewhere between the 5,000 regulars who turned up at Withdean, and the 30,000 who'd turn up for a play-off final. All the club can do is proper marketing, and hope that works.

From my own point of view, I do think rather too much of the talk to date has been about very expensive seats and corporate hospitality. That's great, it's a vitally important revenue stream, but part of the momentum for taking that up is a one-off, after so long without a proper ground. The normal fans of today are the bigger spenders of tomorrow, and we clearly need sensible season ticket and match prices to drive those fan numbers up in the remaining areas, and pack the place out.

Also, a lot of people sneered at Reading when their crowds shot up with a decent ground and a good team. Isn't that what's about to happen to us? Converting a few Premier League fans to the local cause can't be a bad thing.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I stopped going to Withers about 3 years ago, but I held a ST up til then (and at Gillingham). I got fed up with it, hated the surroundings, although we had quite reasonable seats, relatively.

I will be going to Falmer, probably not every week, but when I want to - and looking forward to it.

 

[Robert Codners Nostrils]

No one knows for sure, let's face it. Somewhere between the 5,000 regulars who turned up at Withdean, and the 30,000 who'd turn up for a play-off final. All the club can do is proper marketing, and hope that works.

From my own point of view, I do think rather too much of the talk to date has been about very expensive seats and corporate hospitality. That's great, it's a vitally important revenue stream, but part of the momentum for taking that up is a one-off, after so long without a proper ground. The normal fans of today are the bigger spenders of tomorrow, and we clearly need sensible season ticket and match prices to drive those fan numbers up in the remaining areas, and pack the place out.

Also, a lot of people sneered at Reading when their crowds shot up with a decent ground and a good team. Isn't that what's about to happen to us? Converting a few Premier League fans to the local cause can't be a bad thing.

Reading had gates very similar to ours when they played at Elm Park so they are a good example to follow. Although they have had a lot of success in recent years by getting to the Premiership. Same could be said of Hull. That is why success will be important after the novelty wears off. The point about marketing is really important too. We know the people are out there; the club needs to attract them in. Particularly kids as the younger generation have been the worst affected by playing at Withdean.

 

[The Large One]

Also, a lot of people sneered at Reading when their crowds shot up with a decent ground and a good team. Isn't that what's about to happen to us? Converting a few Premier League fans to the local cause can't be a bad thing.

The difference between us and Reading is that, before John Madejski, their history showed that they were Division 3 and 4 fodder. They'd spent 1926-31 in the old Div 2, as well as a couple of seasons during the 1980s.

Brighton, on the other hand, has had its history of 25,000+ crowds, an FA Cup Final etc.

We've only had 6,000 recently because (a) we can't get too many more in (b) a place no-one really wants to have to go to. For 13 seasons at Withdean for Brighon, read an entire lifetime at Elm Park for Reading.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Some people on here have got short memories. Forget Withdean, go and check the crowds at the Goldstone the last few seasons. They weren't 25,000. Try 8,000.

 

[Robert Codners Nostrils]

We've only had 6,000 recently because (a) we can't get too many more in (b) a place no-one really wants to have to go to.

But were crowds all that bigger right throughout the 90's at the Goldstone? Even when we were Championship/League 1 level I don't remember them being all that big. I don't think there is a lot of evidence to suggest that we'd be pulling in significantly bigger crowds if we weren't currently at Withdean. I think though having been through such a hard time playing there that the interest in playing at Falmer is huge. Hopefully the people that start going again and the first timers will continue to go even if things don't work out as we hope on the pitch.

 

[Robert Codners Nostrils]

Some people on here have got short memories. Forget Withdean, go and check the crowds at the Goldstone the last few seasons. They weren't 25,000. Try 8,000.

Even smaller until the last few games at the Goldstone! When we were doing alright we'd get 8/9 k and around 12k for really big games.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

We had gates at the Goldstone when we were winning the old Fourth Division of over 30,000 for several games.

When we finally made it to the old First Division, the average gate was in fact lower.

Fickle or what!

 

[Notters]

Also, a lot of people sneered at Reading when their crowds shot up with a decent ground and a good team. Isn't that what's about to happen to us? Converting a few Premier League fans to the local cause can't be a bad thing.

Actually, I remember doing quite the opposite and sneering at Reading for having small crowds despite having such a lovely stadium.

 

[The Large One]

Some people on here have got short memories. Forget Withdean, go and check the crowds at the Goldstone the last few seasons. They weren't 25,000. Try 8,000.

True, but look at why.

During the 1980s, there was a slump in attendances EVERYWHERE. Chelsea were famously getting 8,000 for their home matches at the time. During the 1990s, the rot was so deep, and the club so badly run, it drove people away.

My point was that while the Reading story has become something to aspire to, I don't think there will be as many people sneering at 20,000 watching Brighton over the next few years as there were when 20,000 people suddenly started watching Reading.