[Albion] Fallen out of love with The Albion

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I can understand losing interest because of larger life issues. I went to just one game a season for many years in the 80s and 90s, because of Life. The reasons were all about me.

So I am a little disappointed that someone who barely got a blip of pleasure from our win at Anfield is blaming his lack of interest in the Albion on the club itself, while admitting to other issues that are clearly the real explanation. Don't expect football to cure your ills, mate, and don't blame it when it doesn't.

From my perspective, football on the telly, and the Albion in particular, have helped keep me sane in the last year. The first thing that entered my head when I woke this morning was our game with Stains, that mix of excitement and apprehension....it has never been better as far as I'm concerned. But that's just me, I guess.

I fully expect to lose interest again at some point. I gave up my season ticket at Withdean for the final few seasons, blaming the antics of an acquaintance who sat near me and who had issues, but really it was just....life. And so it goes.

I wish the OP luck and encourage him to seek to fix the things in his life that aren't working for him.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Bored of all the corporate guff from the Albion, bored of VAR nonsense, bored of xG, bored of hearing about 'the project. Bored of Potterball to a degree.

Hopefully the mojo comes back when we're back at The Amex but I'm struggling to see it right now.



Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I might feel frustrated and annoyed by our current team's endless failures to turn dominance into goals but the club itself has done nothing to make me fall out of love with it. And even when Bellotti and Archer were trying to destroy it from within, the Albion was always the thing we loved and wanted to save.

So no, Brighton & Hove Albion are my tribe. Tragically, being an Albion fan is a big part of my identity and losing that would be like losing a big part of myself - rather like what I imagine Alzheimer's must be like. And it's because most of us care so much about the Albion that they have the power to ruin whole weeks of our lives by losing to teams that aren't fit to lace their boots.

 

[Hugo Rune]

So when I say passion, I don’t mean kicking and screaming. For me many of the modern day managers are full of passion:
Pep, Kilopp and Tuchel the other day when he subbed the guy after 20 mins- that’s passion! Potter has the charisma of a letting agent in Solihull!

Tuchel was doing a thing that most managers try and do when new to a role, he is making a point, drawing a line in the sand.

‘It’s my way or the highway’

Potter did the same sort of thing when he kicked Andone & Locadia out of the club. I suspect like Tuchel, it was all cold calculation rather than emotion.

I clearly don’t understand your definition of ‘passion’ so apologies for the intellect remark.

 

[Icy Gull]

I actually think it might do a lot of us some good. Let's be honest, in "normal life", hardly anyone actually watches every game we play. Most of us will at some point during a 9-10 month season have a weekend / weeknight where we have to be somewhere else or do something that makes it impossible to follow a match live, and either dip in and out or simply find out the result after the game. Whereas now everyone is being effectively spoon-fed every moment of it (subscriptions dependent) and as such get more invested in it than perhaps we ought to be.

Fair enough, but with not much else going on I know I couldn’t not watch. We are all different and it was not posted as a criticism of anyone who decides not to watch, I did stop going a couple of years ago because I hated the football we were playing, I do get that some feel the same way about now

 

[Icy Gull]

I can understand losing interest because of larger life issues. I went to just one game a season for many years in the 80s and 90s, because of Life. The reasons were all about me.

So I am a little disappointed that someone who barely got a blip of pleasure from our win at Anfield is blaming his lack of interest in the Albion on the club itself, while admitting to other issues that are clearly the real explanation. Don't expect football to cure your ills, mate, and don't blame it when it doesn't.

From my perspective, football on the telly, and the Albion in particular, have helped keep me sane in the last year. The first thing that entered my head when I woke this morning was our game with Stains, that mix of excitement and apprehension....it has never been better as far as I'm concerned. But that's just me, I guess.

I fully expect to lose interest again at some point. I gave up my season ticket at Withdean for the final few seasons, blaming the antics of an acquaintance who sat near me and who had issues, but really it was just....life. And so it goes.

I wish the OP luck and encourage him to seek to fix the things in his life that aren't working for him.

Good post

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Good post. I have always thought that but have never been bothered to post it.

I guess you missed the excellent interview with him on radio 5 a few weeks ago. He was teased a bit at the start about his reticence when interviewed about the Albion. But when talking about his life he was a different man entirely. Funny, engaged, forthcoming....at the end they asked him about our next game and he switched instantly into his midlands verion of EL Wisty, and the interviewers all laughed.

Alf Ramsey put on a posh accent and used weird expressions like 'most certainly' when interviewed by the media, but in real life with the players he was quite different. Potter's the same. It's obvious.

I have mentioned previousy that some of the vitriol thrown at Potter on here by a minority of prats (one recently banned, again, I see) is little more than bullying. Bloke doesn't talk and act like he's in a gang or down the pub so people pick on him, like we used to flick the ear of a boy in our class with big ears, and kick the back of his legs under his chair, back in the day, because we were little shits.

 

[Barham's tash]

No.

I can’t wait until we’re all back watching games live. The crowd at the Amex really get going when we’re on top of a team and creating chances, which we have been all season.

That’s a hugely valid point. I wonder with our energetic attacking style these days how many marginal situations would have gone in our favour? I suspect many.

Imagine the relentless pressure we had against Sheff Utd [yes I know there were 2,000 there but it’s not the same as 27,500 is it?!] and the rising cries to shoot every time we attack or the doubling down cheers of a fifth successive corner. I suspect it would make a massive difference.

Where we’re pretty bad as a crowd is geeing up a poorly performing team IMO. We expect too much.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Shocked to see that some on this thread are thinking of giving today’s game a miss. Genuinely shocked

I wager a good few would turn the tele on if we were winning by a couple of goals early doors

Its understandable fans are falling out of love with football atm but this is ALBION we will never have an easy ride or entertain the top table with ease. We are also similar to most teams in this division, a run of defeats and BOOM the fear of relegation strikes, confidence not existent, struggling for points, mistakes made every game. Only a handful of clubs are Premier league safe season in season out. Fans of the other clubs will always fear relegation, it's the price you pay for playing with the big boys. OP shouldn't get disheartened other fans from other clubs feel the same, but if that club wins two or three in a row the interest and passion increases.
Watch the game today on the telebox, not the same as live granted, swear at the ref, Potter the players and find someone to blame for our defeat and remember there will be a Southampton fan watching their tele as well with the same feeling for their team. We may, sorry probably will lose but try to rekindle some passion of your own and remember our journey to this point, come on here discuss the failings or maybe merits of the performance and realise its football and a lot of fans experience the same ups & downs.

 

[Justice]

I’ve never known a manager to treat a clubs fan base with the arrogance Potter does. His snide comments grind on me, it’s very much ‘the intellectual fans can see what we are trying to do’ or ‘ you don’t understand football if you can’t appreciate Dan Burn’ ... he’s dividing the fan base and either doesn’t realise it or just doesn’t care.

Personally I think his comments are distractions for his abysmal record in the PL.

No owner, player or manager will ever be bigger than the club I support. I will always love the club although at certain times I may not particularly like it.

 

[Napper]

just a bad time , despite the pretty football , no one enjoys losing most weeks and the way we now lose adds to it.

Good times could return in the championship

Peaks and troughs

 

[Cheshire Cat]

This season is just painful. All style and no substance.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I guess you missed the excellent interview with him on radio 5 a few weeks ago. He was teased a bit at the start about his reticence when interviewed about the Albion. But when talking about his life he was a different man entirely. Funny, engaged, forthcoming....at the end they asked him about our next game and he switched instantly into his midlands verion of EL Wisty, and the interviewers all laughed.

Alf Ramsey put on a posh accent and used weird expressions like 'most certainly' when interviewed by the media, but in real life with the players he was quite different. Potter's the same. It's obvious.

I have mentioned previousy that some of the vitriol thrown at Potter on here by a minority of prats (one recently banned, again, I see) is little more than bullying. Bloke doesn't talk and act like he's in a gang or down the pub so people pick on him, like we used to flick the ear of a boy in our class with big ears, and kick the back of his legs under his chair, back in the day, because we were little shits.

Absolutely perfectly put.

 

[A1X]

Fair enough, but with not much else going on I know I couldn’t not watch. We are all different and it was not posted as a criticism of anyone who decides not to watch, I did stop going a couple of years ago because I hated the football we were playing, I do get that some feel the same way about now

Oh no please don't assume I thought you were criticising, it was more of a general point that actually with so little going on we possibly are a bit too invested (it wasn't even like we had that long a summer gap so it's been pretty much relentless ever since lockdown) and maybe the odd game "off" here and there could do most of us some good even if we don't realise it.

 

[Normandy seagull]

I will never love the club as much as I did during the Withdean. That's in part because I was younger then and it was a more important part of my life.

But also back then we were a small, local club with not very many fans. The club had a family, community feel, and every individual was genuinely valued by the club... and we felt close and valued by the players.

We are now a big, corporate club in a rich and powerful division... the squad is full of internationals. On the pitch we would annihilate teams that years ago we were looking up to... and it is awesome.

Am I less passionate about the club now? Yes, absolutely. Would I want to go back? Definitely not.

I like being a big club. I like playing in the best division in the world. I like having a squad full of internationals. That all comes at a cost - our passion, most likely, for now.

That all said - there are plenty of big clubs around the world, including in the Premier League, who have kept their passion for the game and love for their clubs. Maybe over time as we get used to being a big club - with fans in the ground - and a bit of success... we will start to get our passion back.

Or maybe not.

How I feel totally. Loved the H Block South stand

 

[Icy Gull]

Oh no please don't assume I thought you were criticising, it was more of a general point that actually with so little going on we possibly are a bit too invested (it wasn't even like we had that long a summer gap so it's been pretty much relentless ever since lockdown) and maybe the odd game "off" here and there could do most of us some good even if we don't realise it.

We’ve just had 8 days off

That’s enough for me!

 

[portslade seagull]

Still love em with a passion just ask the wife, but the killer for me is VAR which always seems to take an age and takes away the enjoyment of celebrating a goal until all possible checks have been made. It just should stick to goal line decisions and obvious offsides not ones determined by millimetres. The refs get paid enough let the continue doing what they should be doing reffing the match

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

From my perspective, football on the telly, and the Albion in particular, have helped keep me sane in the last year.

Are you sure there Harry? Sane? You're mad as hatter

 

[Stat Brother]

and another player specific thing...



...When we lose today to a last minute Ward Prowse free kick, needlessly given way by a 'rush of blood to the head', don't any of you dare wait a few hours then write on your socials:-

"A tough defeat to take, but we'll learn from it, onto the next game, UTA" - flexed arm emoji


Just how many f**king times do you honestly think you can write that f**king shite, get away with it?
Only to then go out 72 hours later and do the self same f**king thing again.



They're basically saying:-

'Hey let's patronise the rubes, who's relationship with this team has been longer than I've been alive, with some meaningless drivel while banking this weeks £50,000 before I start looking for another club to join'.



If you insist on telling everyone you're going to learn something..




... THEN BLOODY WELL MAKE SURE YOU DO.

 

[Beach Hut]

Unrelated more is the issue for me, we cannot go to home or away games and constant football on the telly is shit.

Therefore at present could not give a toss if relegated or not as do not feel part of it.