GT49er
Well-known member
.......................we'd have had more experience of playing in Europe prior to this season!
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[Albion] If we'd have lost at Hereford...
- Thread starter Commander
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el punal
Well-known member
I met up with friends on New Year’s Day 1997 and also mentioned about us dropping into the Conference League. At the time I think we were 12 points adrift. I said we’ll be back in Division 3 (as it was back then) soon enough. One of the lads then said “Yes, but who says we’ll be allowed to join if we haven’t got a home.”
It was then that the enormity of our plight hit me.
That's a very good point. Leaving aside the inconvenient fact that the Conference categorically said we could NOT join I'm not sure their clubs would have tried to persuade them otherwise anyway. We're not Man City, Wolves or Sunderland, or Rangers when they had to start from the bottom of the Scottish League. We didn't have an away following in the thousands, so the argument that our visit would somehow be a massive financial boost to the host club is fanciful at best. They'd have had a few hundred more away fans than they'd usually get, and they'd probably sell a few more hot dogs, but that would be about it. Offset against that would be the increased police costs to cover the presence of unruly, protest-happy Brighton fans, and possibly a few less home fans put off by the thought of getting caught up in a riot. And yes they would be worried about that, the fact we had a new owner wouldn't matter - what if we didn't like him either?
- Thread starter
- #64
People keep saying this, but it isn't true. They have been back, and they went all the way back to League One.
Brighton/Hove too big not to have a professional team we would have found a way either Phoenix club or some other solution. We dont have the football culture like in the north where they can do everything wrong yet have success now and hen through willpower. To answer OP maybe bouncing between League One and Championship maybe with smaller stadium in Falmer or rebuilt Withdean
Peacehaven Wild Kids
Well-known member
Prague in the Communist era. I would have wanted more than 5 points
Apologies. My mistake. Fair enough. They dropped off my radar and just popped up again when I was there with 16 other away fans in 2019. Boiling hot day. Day before stokes went mad at headingley and the day andone got that dumb red. Nothing quite like being in a crowd with only a few away fans and scoring.
I heard an approach was made but they were not interested.
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
We would have disappeared without trace.
I personally think the club would have gone, and a Phoenix club created. This would either have risen quickly, or have failed with lack of local support from the powers that be. So taking that to be the case what would we have done?
Our support could well have benefitted the non league scene. Perhaps we would have seen Whitehawk rise in our place, re-branded with Brighton in the title. Worthing push on quicker than they have done, with a new ground and pushing league status. Perhaps even Southwick surviving and taking a leading role in local football.
Although Luton have done remarkably, the loss of the Goldstone could well have been fatal to us if relegated. No Falmer, no Europe no club.
Chilling.
Our support could well have benefitted the non league scene. Perhaps we would have seen Whitehawk rise in our place, re-branded with Brighton in the title. Worthing push on quicker than they have done, with a new ground and pushing league status. Perhaps even Southwick surviving and taking a leading role in local football.
Although Luton have done remarkably, the loss of the Goldstone could well have been fatal to us if relegated. No Falmer, no Europe no club.
Chilling.