[Albion] Saturday - bad vibes in the family area

Blue Valkyrie said:

Wonderful. That will go down well if Cardiff are leading and we are going down.

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Werther said:

Hi all - first time poster here

I traveled over from Worthing for the match on Saturday with a group of friends/family. There were 11 of us in total. We try to get together for the Brighton-Newcastle match each year. Something that started when both teams were in the Championship. Our group was mainly Brighton fans, 3 x Newcastle fans (including myself) plus a couple of neutrals. As a large group with 4 kids, we booked group tickets in the family section (E1H)

It started out as a great day - sun was shining and there was a brilliant atmosphere in and around the ground after the Cardiff result.

Unfortunately, things took a bit of a nasty turn. I don't know what the trigger was - the few Newcastle fans in our group were certainly not vocal. However, a guy in a neighbouring seat overheard a discussion and twigged that a few of our group were Newcastle supporters. From that point on he completely lost it. Started shouting that we were "not eff'ing welcome", should not be there and should get out. We tried to explain that we were just a group of friends there to watch the match together with our kids, but he wouldn't let it go. He continued through the rest of the first half shouting that he had paid good money for his seats and we had "completely ruined his day out"

During half-time it seems there was some plotting because as the game resumed, he had swapped seats with another guy. They seemed to be together - I think they were related - not sure. Anyway this guy had been brought in to emphasise exactly how unwelcome we were. He spent the 2nd half screaming anti-Newcastle chants in our ears. "Go on Brighton, kill them !" that kind of thing. We managed to ignore most of it - but it became a pretty unpleasant atmosphere

It was my daughter's first time at a match, and she really enjoyed it initially. But having having felt the animosity and hearing the abuse hurled by this guy for the whole of the 2nd half, she's really not keen to return. I have to say everyone else we met on the day was great - but our encounter with this guy and his mates / family really soured the experience.

The point of my post is to see if this guy was right ? I always think of the family section as more of a laid-back area - where it would be OK for a mixed group of fans to watch the match together. I could understand such a reaction in one of the other stands - especially at this stage of the season with tensions mounting. But in the family stand with kids … it seemed a bit of an OTT reaction ? But perhaps I'm wrong ? Would be interested to hear other views

PS - really pleased for Brighton. The draw was a fair result after the 2nd half-revival and (fingers-crossed) that point will see the club safe in the PL.

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CHAPPERS said:

That 3-3 at Birmingham was some game. Getting pelted with stuff from the upper tier less fun but hey ho.

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essbee1 said:

Really sorry to hear this. I'm ashamed of two of our fans if this is the way they behaved. Against all teams it had to be
Newcastle - possibly the club with the best-natured fans in the divisions.

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Herr Tubthumper said:

And you had 4 kids with you. Personally, I’d report this to the club. Do you have their seat numbers?

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bhafcjack said:

There's a home section and away section for a reason.

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Bry Nylon said:

I know Hughton is looking to draw every game but that is just ridiculous.

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maglers said:

Not the experience I had in East Upper on Saturday. I put my son’s seat on the exchange and it was sold to a Newcastle fan (how is that allowed, Paul - feel free to DM me). His mate sat in the row in front. All was fine until Brighton scored. I encouraged them to at least stand up and one of them turned to me and said if I touched him again (I’d tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention) he would break my f***ing neck. I suggested he might want to go and sit with the away fans (I may not have used those exact words but that was the sentiment...).

Anyway at the final whistle he turned round, grabbed me by the collar with both hands and said:”Welcome to the Championship you f***ing mug.” A strange thing to say obviously because we aren’t quite there yet. Goes to show there are idiots supporting all clubs.

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Sue1983 said:

I don't condone any abuse to other supporters whether home or away fans (banter is fine but not abuse) but you need to be very, very discreet if you are an away supporter in the home end even if it is the family stand.

I sat in the Millwall end in the 1/4 final this year as I didn't have enough points for the away end and B/F is a Millwall supporter ( I know, I know)

I had my shirt on under two or 3 other layers (plus a coat) so no one would have ever had known and I just kept my head down, pretending I was a neutral I was crying inside when they scored with everyone around me jumping up and down. And jumping for joy inside when we scored our two goals and then won on penalties when they were all shaking their heads in disbelief. But my point is I just wouldn't have said anything, or portrayed any emotions to suggest I was a BHA fan as I was in the home end and not the away. I so wanted to join in with the celebrations with those in the away end but I couldn't and wouldn't. On the outside I was a neutral when on the inside I am and always will be Blue and White.

To top it all I then had to queue up for the train and travel on the train up to London Bridge with the Millwall fans without being able to say a thing or jump up and down celebrating.

I don't ever think I will go in the away end again - it was horrible - not because of the Millwall fans (as the ones around me were great, they took defeat on the chin, they had just enjoyed the ride) but because I never ever want to be in a position I can't cheer our boys on especially when they score.

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maglers said:

Not the experience I had in East Upper on Saturday. I put my son’s seat on the exchange and it was sold to a Newcastle fan (how is that allowed, Paul - feel free to DM me). His mate sat in the row in front. All was fine until Brighton scored. I encouraged them to at least stand up and one of them turned to me and said if I touched him again (I’d tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention) he would break my f***ing neck. I suggested he might want to go and sit with the away fans (I may not have used those exact words but that was the sentiment...).

Anyway at the final whistle he turned round, grabbed me by the collar with both hands and said:”Welcome to the Championship you f***ing mug.” A strange thing to say obviously because we aren’t quite there yet. Goes to show there are idiots supporting all clubs.

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Weststander said:

In that magical moment of a rare Albion goal and our euphoria, what came over you in busy-bodying with complete strangers?

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maglers said:

Not the experience I had in East Upper on Saturday. I put my son’s seat on the exchange and it was sold to a Newcastle fan (how is that allowed, Paul - feel free to DM me). His mate sat in the row in front. All was fine until Brighton scored. I encouraged them to at least stand up and one of them turned to me and said if I touched him again (I’d tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention) he would break my f***ing neck. I suggested he might want to go and sit with the away fans (I may not have used those exact words but that was the sentiment...).

Anyway at the final whistle he turned round, grabbed me by the collar with both hands and said:”Welcome to the Championship you f***ing mug.” A strange thing to say obviously because we aren’t quite there yet. Goes to show there are idiots supporting all clubs.

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Wozza said:

If you're gonna break the rules, you need to be discrete...

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Mackenzie said:

I had a similar experience at the Hereford game all those years ago, not being able to celebrate was so difficult.......but I'm still glad I went.

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portlock seagull said:

You and everyone else in your group did no wrong.

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