The Withdean years

Icy Gull · Jul 22, 2015

Do you miss them?

In some ways I do. Overachieving underdogs, back to back Championships, the romp to the Championship under Gus.

Ok it rained and we got wet and the pies weren't as good

Never thought I'd get misty eyed about that ramshackle ground but as fans the football was often fantastic or gripping, even in the relegation seasons, no?

What we have now will no doubt better those days eventually I'm sure

Sheebo · Jul 22, 2015

Yep I do sometimes. I've put on here a few times about my thoughts on when we do get to the prem lg as that will be even worse in some aspects (money, huge wages, ticket costs a rip off etc)..

Hillian1 · Jul 22, 2015

Yes, very very much.

Munkfish · Jul 22, 2015

MattBackHome · Jul 22, 2015

Some great times, but overall much better now, especially considering the farce of last season and the successful boredom supplied by Garcia.

shaolinpunk · Jul 22, 2015

I miss the chips and the abundance of forks.

westy · Jul 22, 2015

NO. I really really dont.
By the last season I couldn't stand the place. I used to miss the Goldstone but I dont even miss that any more. Things change, if we had still been at the Goldstone we wouldn't be able to compete, we need the Amex. Long term we would have slowly died without it.

Icy Gull · Jul 22, 2015

westy said:
NO. I really really dont.
By the last season I couldn't stand the place. I used to miss the Goldstone but I dont even miss that any more. Things change, if we had still been at the Goldstone we wouldn't be able to compete, we need the Amex. Long term we would have slowly died without it.

Of course, long term we are in a much better place but my enthusiasm for games (Adams mark 2 tenure aside) is way less than it was at Withdean now, hence the fact I look fondly on the Withdean years. I am not suggesting we go back there!! Nice as the stadium is, I go for the football and it was turgid last season, dull but understandably so the year before. Even the Poyet run to 4th place had quite a few dull negative wins and draws.

I long for the days when we won 4 or five home games on the trot and thrashed a team here and there, we did that a lot at Withdean ( admittedly at a lower level) :smile:

spence · Jul 22, 2015

No i don't. I stayed away because of it.

Green Cross Code Man · Jul 22, 2015

Mustafa said:
Hugely.

Obviously, somehow, it was the most successful period in the history of the club

Really? Then the late 70's rise to the top flight and cup final must have been in my imagination!

Mellotron · Jul 22, 2015

Chips

The Sportsman

Nibble · Jul 22, 2015

I used to love walking to Withdean on match days. Great atmosphere.

westy · Jul 22, 2015

Icy Gull said:
Of course, long term we are in a much better place but my enthusiasm for games (Adams mark 2 tenure aside) is way less than it was at Withdean now, hence the fact I look fondly on the Withdean years. I am not suggesting we go back there!!

I think you sir are suffering from a bad dose of Hyypia hangover. We've all gone through it.
A few good results and some forward momentum will bring your mojo back im sure. 1st season at the Amex I could barely sleep Fri nights I was that looking forward to it, get a good team on the pitch and hopefully we will all be like that again.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · Jul 22, 2015

Nope, it was rubbish. Although, I did like the walk along the running track and the fact you could stand there for the last five minutes and almost pretend it was terracing. Other than that Withdean was crap.

crabface · Jul 22, 2015

I miss the Ice Cream van

Drumstick · Jul 22, 2015

I miss the chips, and some great matches but we will have great matches in ten years at the Amex too.

I also remember the bitter cold, feeling like my toes would drop off, waiting in the rain for a flooded muddy smelly leaking portaloo. Some turgid football and very little atmosphere. Forever looking forward to the day we got out of it. Coming on NSC reading people moaning as they do now about the board, the players and H block.

A part of the nostalgia is that you forget the crap bits. Plus we had the stadium battle and in some respect a superior fan notion for putting up with it.

I think some people don't like just being part of the crowd.

Crispy Ambulance · Jul 22, 2015

Mustafa said:
We won 4 trophies in 12 years while at Withdean. We won absolutely no trophies in the 70's and 80's.

Cough......Jewish Chronicle Trophy.....Cough!

Green Cross Code Man · Jul 22, 2015

Mustafa said:
We won 4 trophies in 12 years while at Withdean. We won absolutely no trophies in the 70's and 80's.

I wonder if that is how the club's relative success should be judged? I suspect most fans would swap the success of the Withdean years for those from the 70's.

Icy Gull · Jul 22, 2015

Green Cross Code Man said:
I wonder if that is how the club's relative success should be judged? I suspect most fans would swap the success of the Withdean years for those from the 70's.

Both were FUN and I wouldn't swap either of them. We have had plenty of absolute shite before, between and after, we need to grasp the good years!!

attila · Jul 22, 2015

The music was better. Although I do wish they'd played 'Teenage Kicks' and 'I Fought The Law' a bit more often

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