Younger generations of Albion fans coming through

nevergoagain · Jan 20, 2014

Took my lad for his first training session at a local club in HHeath on Saturday morning, I was amazed and delighted that over half the kids there all had albion tops on.

Wind back 5/10 years and that would never have been the case, was lovely to see.

Bruntburger · Jan 20, 2014

Yes, undoubtedly one of the success stories of the Amex. Local kids now have a new exposure to live football and understand that Brighton is the team in their doorstep and represented in their community.

5 years ago kids would follow football on tv and wear the strips of the big four.

Beach Hut · Jan 20, 2014

Around 10 odd years ago when running Juniors football as manager he was the only player wearing a Brighton kit and I got into trouble when I banned kids training in Premiership kits

Brighton Breezy · Jan 20, 2014

It is great.

The worry - as with all football clubs at our level I imagine - is how many of the new young fans will be in a position to continue going to games once their parents stop paying for their tickets. If you look at football crowds in general, there seem a lot less groups of people in their late teens, early 20s than there were in years gone by.

jamie (not that one) · Jan 20, 2014

I hope you shouted at them all for being "JCL's" and "plastics"?

Monkey Man · Jan 20, 2014

Walt Jabsco said:
It is great.

The worry - as with all football clubs at our level I imagine - is how many of the new young fans will be in a position to continue going to games once their parents stop paying for their tickets. If you look at football crowds in general, there seem a lot less groups of people in their late teens, early 20s than there were in years gone by.

That's exactly what I've been thinking since I first started taking my boys to watch Brighton. For me, it was a rite of passage to park up at Hove Park and leg it into the North Stand just in time for kick-off, mates in tow, completely on a whim. Teenagers can't be so spontaneous about their football now, partly due to the way ticketing is handled, and also because it's so much more expensive. I'm happy to keep paying for my sons to come to games with me, well into their teens and beyond, but they - and we - all lose something if youngsters can't do their own thing at football.

Badger · Jan 20, 2014

We need to cash in on Man. United being TURD this season, get kids to swap those horrible red kits for a nice blue & white striped effort :thumbsup:

northstandsteve · Jan 20, 2014

Another Shirt Amnesty Good Idea

Horton hears a few · Jan 20, 2014

That's an encouraging sign for the future, the way it should be.

BarnhamBlue · Jan 20, 2014

As you will note from my username, i live in Barnham which is traditionally a 'Pompey' stronghold. Even here there has been a huge increase in number of kids wearing BHA shirts, obviously helped by Pompey's recent demise. I just wish that Albion could be more proactive in the area and see this as a opportuntiy to increase their fan base, widen their wings....etc.

BattFink · Jan 20, 2014

I've noticed a higher number than usual kids walking in Brighton tops around town.

Also had to stop my mate (who was a bit drunk) shouting full kit w***er at one though

Wozza · Jan 20, 2014

Badger said:
We need to cash in on Man. United being TURD this season, get kids to swap those horrible red kits for a nice blue & white striped effort

A shirt amnesty (a straight shirt-for-shirt swap) near the end of the season would be brilliant. It's not like the out-of-date shirts will sell for much, anyway.

sully · Jan 20, 2014

It was something I noticed when my lad was playing football.
When he started, aged 6 in 2003, he was the only one in his team who wore an Albion shirt. The only other non-Premier League shirt on view was a West Ham one.
By the time he gave up playing about 3 years ago, at least half the team were Albion supporters, which suggests the shift started long before the Amex actually opened.

Thunder Bolt · Jan 20, 2014

sully said:
It was something I noticed when my lad was playing football.
When he started, aged 6 in 2003, he was the only one in his team who wore an Albion shirt. The only other non-Premier League shirt on view was a West Ham one.
By the time he gave up playing about 3 years ago, at least half the team were Albion supporters, which suggests the shift started long before the Amex actually opened.

Even though a lot on Nsc hated the idea of a mascot, Gully & Gully's gang did a lot of sterling work getting youngsters interested. If I remember correctly, there were 10,000 in Gully's Gang when we moved into the Amex.

Giraffe · Jan 20, 2014

It is a great sight indeed. I've seen a huge change. When my son first started training as a 6/7 year old he was the only one in a Brighton kit now I see the same team at that age group train and more than half have Brighton tops. Brilliant sight. Worthing is Brighton through and through.

But the point raised above about cost for teenagers is a good one. How they can seriously afford to pay £42? A lot of clubs do a 16-19, or under 21 price, or a student rate. I would like the club to look at this.

hans kraay fan club · Jan 20, 2014

Beach Hut said:
Around 10 odd years ago when running Juniors football as manager he was the only player wearing a Brighton kit and I got into trouble when I banned kids training in Premiership kits

My lad is the only Brighton kit in a sea of Saints shirts at his training (unsurprisingly given our location) with a few individual others - Villa, Liverpool, United. If his manager had tried to dictate what kits the kids were allowed to wear, based on his own affiliations, I would have thought he was an absolute dick. I'm not surprised it caused conflict.

brightonbutterfly · Jan 20, 2014

Giraffe said:
It is a great sight indeed. I've seen a huge change. When my son first started training as a 6/7 year old he was the only one in a Brighton kit now I see the same team at that age group train and more than half have Brighton tops. Brilliant sight. Worthing is Brighton through and through.

But the point raised above about cost for teenagers is a good one. How they can seriously afford to pay £42? A lot of clubs do a 16-19, or under 21 price, or a student rate. I would like the club to look at this.

To the pricing comment listed above-With my eldest turning 16 at the end of the season, we're faced with staying put (Family Stand) and having to pay for 2 adults (myself and eldest) and a child (my youngest); or moving to get the under 18 rate-something we are loath to do as there's a good bunch around us. I know the fs is great value but wish there was an under 18 price included too, she'll still be a student after all.

BobbySmith · Jan 20, 2014

Very nice too see, I have myself noticed in Worthing that more of the kids, actually I would say the majority are now wearing Albion shirts not only in training, but other places. When I was a kid (sadly not anymore), at least 75% of us at school that followed football were Brighton fans. That is what it should be, a Sussex Community club. Makes me laugh seeing people moaning on here about lack of ambition etc, when we are probably supporting the most ambitious club in the UK, look how far we have came in the last 5/6 years, amazing and the local kids of today are in for a treat.

Beach Hut · Jan 20, 2014

hans kraay fan club said:
My lad is the only Brighton kit in a sea of Saints shirts at his training (unsurprisingly given our location) with a few individual others - Villa, Liverpool, United. If his manager had tried to dictate what kits the kids were allowed to wear, based on his own affiliations, I would have thought he was an absolute dick. I'm not surprised it caused conflict.

Don't worry I don't think I know you are a dick

hans kraay fan club · Jan 20, 2014

Beach Hut said:
Don't worry I don't think I know you are a dick

I'm sure.

Seriously though - you were there coaching a bunch of 7 or 8 year olds. You were there to organise training and hopefully introduce them to the basics of the game, and more importantly, to ensure they enjoyed themselves. Not to ban them from joining in if they had the 'wrong' colour shirt on. I was pretty surprised at your previous statement that you dropped little kids from the team, if their parents dared to shout advice from the sidelines, but this is a whole other level.

Amazing.

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