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[Albion] What does the Albion mean to you?
- Thread starter Munkfish
- Start date
I claim the prize. 67 years... boy, man and now old git.... of having my life ruled by the vagaries of The ALBION. Loved every ying and yang ... immensely proud to have seduced my son and grandson into joining the unquestioned love for those blue and white stripes.Listen up newbies! I’ve been supporting the Albion now for 55 years - yes, that’s right FIFTY FIVE YEARS!! I tell you what, the passion never leaves you, it’s there for life. I was as excited when we won promotion in 2017 as I was when I saw us win “my first promotion” in 1972. Cheesy or not it’s a hell of an enduring love.
Nobby
Well-known member
- Sep 29, 2007
- 2,606
55 years and counting....
Lived away from Sussex for 50 (jeez, can’t believe it), of those years, but those first five years, from the ages of 6-11, meant that I was completely hooked for ever.
Going to school, with school friends taking the p*ss over supporting a club they’d never heard of engrained a loyalty to my club that has never wavered.
Frequent trips “home”, to see relatives maintained the bond. And when Albion started to move up through the Leagues it was so wonderful to be able to tell people who I supported, and to meet the Albion faithful at away games.
Some unbelievable memories, especially in the last few seasons, and made some great Albion supporting friends over the years.
And with the Premier League, feeling a little bit less part of the club and more of a number, even though still going to most games, home and away.
I just can’t put my finger on why that is, maybe it’s the big Corporate crap that goes along with who we have become.
But still Albion til I die
Lived away from Sussex for 50 (jeez, can’t believe it), of those years, but those first five years, from the ages of 6-11, meant that I was completely hooked for ever.
Going to school, with school friends taking the p*ss over supporting a club they’d never heard of engrained a loyalty to my club that has never wavered.
Frequent trips “home”, to see relatives maintained the bond. And when Albion started to move up through the Leagues it was so wonderful to be able to tell people who I supported, and to meet the Albion faithful at away games.
Some unbelievable memories, especially in the last few seasons, and made some great Albion supporting friends over the years.
And with the Premier League, feeling a little bit less part of the club and more of a number, even though still going to most games, home and away.
I just can’t put my finger on why that is, maybe it’s the big Corporate crap that goes along with who we have become.
But still Albion til I die
el punal
Well-known member
Well done that man! You deserve a gold plated flask from the club for that achievement . . . . er, hang on a moment . .
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
To be fair, OP did admit to being absolutely sheeboed at time of posting
It’s not a word you slip into the conversation every day
Fifty years and a few weeks since my first home game.
For me, though, the Gillingham and early Withdean years coincided with utter turmoil in my life, and the weekly football (we started going to loads of away games back then) was a blessed oasis in a desert of stress. That was in the middle third of my Albion experience.
When I was at school it was hard to take the Albion seriously in comparison with the big clubs. I never much had a sense of belonging and place then, so my adherence to the football team was not automatic and not predicated by tribalism. And to be fair, nobody I went to school with was any different. We all had our school bags - Leeds, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool (no ManU because they were shite at the time). Some of us went to the Goldstone, but there wasn't any talk of it at school. Maybe (for old HGSB lags) this was simply because I was in the L stream with all the swots, but....
But.....things changed when I hit 40, as noted above. I found myself thinking about the Albion all the time. Brooding, a lot of the time. But the days out......amazine. And the sense of belonging, pride in the team and the city (even though I haven't lived there for 40 years).....unbelievable football days....and met loads of new mates. Lovely people.
And now, **** me, we are in the PL, with an amazing professional well-run club, smashing stadium - a present and a future.
And I still think about the Albion every day. Coming on here doesn't hinder that, it has to be said
For me, though, the Gillingham and early Withdean years coincided with utter turmoil in my life, and the weekly football (we started going to loads of away games back then) was a blessed oasis in a desert of stress. That was in the middle third of my Albion experience.
When I was at school it was hard to take the Albion seriously in comparison with the big clubs. I never much had a sense of belonging and place then, so my adherence to the football team was not automatic and not predicated by tribalism. And to be fair, nobody I went to school with was any different. We all had our school bags - Leeds, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool (no ManU because they were shite at the time). Some of us went to the Goldstone, but there wasn't any talk of it at school. Maybe (for old HGSB lags) this was simply because I was in the L stream with all the swots, but....
But.....things changed when I hit 40, as noted above. I found myself thinking about the Albion all the time. Brooding, a lot of the time. But the days out......amazine. And the sense of belonging, pride in the team and the city (even though I haven't lived there for 40 years).....unbelievable football days....and met loads of new mates. Lovely people.
And now, **** me, we are in the PL, with an amazing professional well-run club, smashing stadium - a present and a future.
And I still think about the Albion every day. Coming on here doesn't hinder that, it has to be said
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
I'm in the half century club as well!
I'm just the same now when we lose as I was as a nine year old........just not quite so many tears
- Apr 5, 2014
- 23,524
Listen up newbies! I’ve been supporting the Albion now for 55 years - yes, that’s right FIFTY FIVE YEARS!! I tell you what, the passion never leaves you, it’s there for life. I was as excited when we won promotion in 2017 as I was when I saw us win “my first promotion” in 1972. Cheesy or not it’s a hell of an enduring love.
52 years for me and counting. So after well over a thousand games I’m still threatening to not renew my season ticket - the barstards
My wife was chatting in the pub a few months back about arguments, getting wound up at work, dealing with abusive emails/phone calls at work, and so on - and she turned to our friends and said 'the only thing I actually see him getting passionate about is bloody football'.
So that's presumably what it means to me!
So that's presumably what it means to me!
Like it or not the Albion tends to be the first thing I think of each morning and the last thing I think of at night.
Living up North it's a glue that binds me back to my youth, my mates and of the top ten moments in my life the Albion have probably featured in at least half of them.
The people I have met through a common affection of the Albion are amongst the most treasured, respected and loved (in a bromance way) that I've been fortunate enough to call friends, and long may it remain that way.
Shit results, shit seasons, shit players some and go, but the Albion is the most central pillar of all to me, in moments of darkness and doubt it's always been there.
Living up North it's a glue that binds me back to my youth, my mates and of the top ten moments in my life the Albion have probably featured in at least half of them.
The people I have met through a common affection of the Albion are amongst the most treasured, respected and loved (in a bromance way) that I've been fortunate enough to call friends, and long may it remain that way.
Shit results, shit seasons, shit players some and go, but the Albion is the most central pillar of all to me, in moments of darkness and doubt it's always been there.
D
Deleted member 2719
Guest
I am passionate about the Albion and its the one thing in life that you can guarantee will be there for you and never leave, although it came so close!
When you get a manager that you just don't understand, it becomes challenging and that is how I have found it of recent years, the problem is its like your daughter is going out with one of lifes wasters, you know it won't last but you have to grit you teeth everytime you meet them because there is nothing you can do!
We are just one big family, some you bond with and some you don't, but they are still family.
With the Albion memories run so deep and we are lucky to have TB as the chairman as he is a fan, if he sold out to an outsider I think that may just break my bond with them.
#albionitstribal
When you get a manager that you just don't understand, it becomes challenging and that is how I have found it of recent years, the problem is its like your daughter is going out with one of lifes wasters, you know it won't last but you have to grit you teeth everytime you meet them because there is nothing you can do!
We are just one big family, some you bond with and some you don't, but they are still family.
With the Albion memories run so deep and we are lucky to have TB as the chairman as he is a fan, if he sold out to an outsider I think that may just break my bond with them.
#albionitstribal
Taybha
Whalewhine
Nobby
Well-known member
- Sep 29, 2007
- 2,606
This
studio150
Well-known member
Looks like 1969 was a very good year for starting to support the Albion.
Ups and Downs, Monday morning work discussions, but still the same desire to keep returning however well or poorly we are doing
Ups and Downs, Monday morning work discussions, but still the same desire to keep returning however well or poorly we are doing
jamie the seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 27, 2011
- 2,803
Father and son bonding....He especially enjoys the away days..
Tried introducing soon to playing football from a very young age. He did not get it until his 1st trip to the Amex.
Does nothing else but watch, play and sleep football now.
Tried introducing soon to playing football from a very young age. He did not get it until his 1st trip to the Amex.
Does nothing else but watch, play and sleep football now.
Justice
Dangerous Idiot
The only thing outside of real life that’s makes you deliriously happy, rage with anger and on certain occasions cry like a little girl.
robinsonsgrin
Well-known member
It has been the glue that has held me together at times....been my constant through some pretty traumatic and shite life experiences...whether my mojo is flourishing or not, bha is part of me, my tribe, my family.
darkwolf666
Well-known member
The tears are still there for me, I find it really hard to sing some of the songs as I still get emotional, but can mime with the best of them!