• We Need To Talk About Leon

    Published on 15-04-2015 08:11
    3 Comments Comments
    Dear Chris,

    We need to talk about Leon.

    Let's get one thing straight - we are Brighton & Hove Albion, not Real Madrid. We are a relatively small, if surprisingly well-supported, football club that has spent most of its 114 year life knocking around the nether regions of the Football League.

    Forty-six clubs, exactly half of the magic 92, have enjoyed time in the Premier League. Those clubs include the likes of Barnsley, Bradford City, Oldham Athletic, Swindon Town, Wimbledon and even Portsmouth. Yes, even bloody Portsmouth strutted their stuff for the Sky cameras. Not us though. Not little old Brighton & Hove Albion. We've yet to sip from the golden cup served at football's top table.

    The point I'm trying to make is we don't have any particular delusions of grandeur. We don't expect to see Ronaldo and Messi plying their trade at The Amex. We know that's not going to happen.

    What we do expect though is a bit of effort from those in the stripes. Lots of effort in fact. We know that when, upon arrival in Sussex, Leon Best was pictured holding up the Albion shirt he wasn't thinking "This is it - now I've REALLY arrived". We're not stupid. This is a man who scored a Premier League hat-trick after all.

    There must be a good footballer in there somewhere, surely. You've worked with him before, right? You know what he's about and is capable of. I'm afraid we've yet to see it. We've also not seen much in the way of desire, endeavour, hunger or appetite from someone you would hope feels he has something to prove: Leon's thirty-two games this season have yielded precisely zero goals. Even Jon Obika scores sometimes - we saw it with our own eyes.

    If possible, please take him to Brighton Station and pop him on a train heading North. There's no need to be mean - give him a packed lunch - it's a long way after all, but make sure he gets on a train and doesn't jump off when you're not looking. Wish him all the best (see what I did there?) from us but tell him to not call us about next season, we'll call him. Only don't call him. Please don't call him. If "Leon Best" is the answer, the question is not "Who can spearhead a Championship promotion charge?"

    I'm sorry I booed him last night and, despite what you said to the press, we were booing him. At football there are limited ways to express dissatisfaction.

    So, please pop him on that train, and let's all move on from this sorry episode.

    Thanks,


    An Albion fan
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    Comments 3 Comments
    1. Mellor 3 Ward 4's Avatar
      Mellor 3 Ward 4 - 15-04-2015, 10:12
      Exactly right! Get rid quick.

      The really, really worrying thing is that it was CH who bought Best in. The bloke (Best) is lazy, his attitude stinks, but above all, he's really not very good. In fact he's cr*p.

      Anyone can look at his goal scoring record over the past few seasons - it's appalling - and add the general 'I don't give a s**t attitude and it really grates to see him in an Albion shirt.

      Why were we so keen to hang onto COG in January - then not play him?

      The other problem is the question of loans in general - Barber has made the point that the club likes the loan system - we get players in and pay only part of their wages - the problem is that on the whole they care little about the club, supporters, especially kids can't relate to them, and there seems to be a policy of 'he's a loan player, we HAVE to play him' - why is this completely unfit loanee from Middlesbrough starting games - it has to be part of the deal?

      I just can't wait for the season to end - just need Millwall to drop a few more points - but I must admit to having reservations about CH if Best is the type of character who he is going after.

      If Best and/ or CMS are here next year........
    1. Ernest's Avatar
      Ernest - 15-04-2015, 12:54
      There is a reason why he has had more clubs than Arnold Palmer and more loans than Wonga, we should never have gone near him
    1. Rugrat's Avatar
      Rugrat - 15-04-2015, 13:09
      Epitomises much that's wrong with modern football. Regulalr bloke has a good season and gets snapped up by a Prem Club on long contract and eye watering money.

      Everything comes his way (house, cars, birds, even 500 pairs of trainers, and a huge amount of relative fame,) No longer are they a nobody. They need a ton of self motivation and someone to keep them motivated.

      Could be wrong, but you can see why some/many might not give it their all

      Even worse that it's not spotted by hopeless recruiters that allow it to perpetuate based on what happened yesteryear

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