The impact of a Chelsea move to Battersea on the Albion

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It is bound to have some impact - but if people want to go and watch Chelsea rather than the Albion - good luck to them.

 

[SK1NT]

No effect affect ?? what so ever... So they may be moving a cpl of miles and with a bigger ground... No where near Brighton and if or by the time they do move and get the ground Brighton will have had a good fair few years bedding in the JCL's with possible prem footy... Positive thoughts people

 

[Monkey Man]

I just bet they make a start and then SOMETHING happens which means they have to knock the whole thing down.

Yes, it wouldn't surprise me at all. The building has already been partially destroyed by one prospective developer.

 

[Da Man Clay]

We might lose about 50 fans. Meh.

 

[SeagullBT]

Agree with this. There is a lot of Chelsea fans in Crawley.

I don't think it would trouble us too much, maybe lose a few here and there but if they are that type of supporter we would have lost them easily to something else at some point.

Be good to see their designs though - I love new stadiums!

 

[beorhthelm]

I live in a village in West Sussex. My kid plays for the local Under-6 side. He's the only BHA lad. There's one Spurs, 3 Man Utd, but 4 or 5 Chelsea. At the start of the season there were 2 Chelsea kids. Every birthday there's another kid turning up in his new Chelsea top.

Moreover, the whole club is part of the Chelsea network; they send down scouts, run 2 coaching clinics a year, trips to the Cobham training ground AND they have rigorous safety procedures but excellent coaching. I wish the Albion were running the programme, not Chelsea.

My view is a move south of the river by Chelsea WOULD be significant for the Albion.

so the coaching network is encouraging Chelsea fans. if one is concerned about them having a larger/cheaper ground it wouldnt make much odds if it were at Battersea, Earls Court or redeveloped Stamford bridge..

 

[Mellotron]

We have what, a maximum of about 2,500-3,000 completely NEW fans at the Amex? Have got to chatting with everyone around me in WSU and not a single person sitting near me is new to the Albion. I don't see it affecting our attendance at all.

 

[User removed 4]

None whatsoever.

this.

 

[User removed 4]

sweet f*** all. Palace fans might be concerned, because what you'd think was Palace catchment area to the west of Croydon are already going to Chelsea.

They already were long before abramovich, they certainly were in the 70's.

 

[Monkey Man]

Yes, the Battersea site is only three miles from Stamford Bridge but that's not the whole story. How many people who currently never set foot near Chelsea's ground will find themselves going past it several times a week/month/year on the train? It will be on the main line to London for hundreds of thousands of people in Sussex. Chelsea will appear to be the London club with the strongest links to Sussex. No doubt the stadium would look pretty impressive and no doubt Abramovich's billions will ensure they continue to compete at the top end of the premier league.

I doubt it will dent our season ticket sales particularly, but having a big club like that within striking distance will potentially help Chelsea spread their tentacles a little further.

 

[User removed 4]

Yes, the Battersea site is only three miles from Stamford Bridge but that's not the whole story. How many people who currently never set foot near Chelsea's ground will find themselves going past it several times a week/month/year on the train? It will be on the main line to London for hundreds of thousands of people in Sussex. Chelsea will appear to be the London club with the strongest links to Sussex. No doubt the stadium would look pretty impressive and no doubt Abramovich's billions will ensure they continue to compete at the top end of the premier league.

I doubt it will dent our season ticket sales particularly, but having a big club like that within striking distance will potentially help Chelsea spread their tentacles a little further.

probably only about a mile and a half as the crow flies.

 

[Pavilionaire]

so the coaching network is encouraging Chelsea fans. if one is concerned about them having a larger/cheaper ground it wouldnt make much odds if it were at Battersea, Earls Court or redeveloped Stamford bridge..

Chelsea have a scouting base near Crawley. From this base they scout all over Sussex. They adopt certain village clubs in the county, the club signs up and agrees to adhere to certain standards and, in return, Chelsea have an input. So, a load of 5/6 year old kids joining their local club have a chance to see Chelsea train and attend a coaching Chelsea clinic in their first season. Sussex kids quickly convert over to Chelsea - if you're 6 what's not to like seeing Chelsea playing in the FA Cup Final or the Champins League Final?

So if Chelsea relocate south of the river next door to a station on the Brighton to London line they immediately become more accessible to Sussex. No messing about with kids on the Underground. You can be in Battersea in under an hour.

Chelsea might potentially be Champions of Europe in a few days time, backed by one of the richest men in the world.

Palace is a rivalry, but no threat. Chelsea is actually eating into Albion's marketplace now.

 

[saafend_seagull]

60,000? They don't even fill Stamford Bridge!

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

My Palace-supporting friend has messaged me that the story that surfaced in the press last November about Chelsea looking into building a new 60,000 stadium on the site of Battersea Power Station is back on. Clearly, he is not happy about it.

If it were to happen would it affect the Albion and football in Sussex? I see it's a 52 min journey from Brighton to Battersea Park, Chelsea would have c. 20,000 more seats and better facilities, probably cheaper prices for catering etc than they charge at present too.

I wonder whether many of the JCLs signing up for season tickets with the Albion would switch back to Chelsea if it was a faster and cheaper day out than Stamford Bridge is at present.

ha ,ha, remember seeing all the plastics trooping back into Brighton station after the cup final a few years back, there's plenty of them in the area ,will be interesting to see how many though

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

60,000? They don't even fill Stamford Bridge!

with direct flights from china .............. no problem

 

[User removed 4]

ha ,ha, remember seeing all the plastics trooping back into Brighton station after the cup final a few years back, there's plenty of them in the area ,will be interesting to see how many though

How did you know thery were plastics das ?? or are you just assuming they were without any real facts?

 

[withdeanwombat]

I still can't see how that site could be transformed into a ground of that size, leaving the chimneys intact.

No,but handy when the Champions League dreams go up in smoke !

 

[User removed 4]

60,000? They don't even fill Stamford Bridge!

They certainly do for the league games, i think even man utd struggle with cup games.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

How did you know thery were plastics das ?? or are you just assuming they were without any real facts?

you know the type mate

 

[somerset]

How did you know thery were plastics das ?? or are you just assuming they were without any real facts?

Don't let facts get in the way eh?.... the very fact that they had tickets and made the effort to go probably doesn't make them plastics..... das sees things nobody else can.... 6th sense that fella