Football converts.

[Seagullmatt]

Have you ever converted anyone into an Albion fan? Tell your story here.

This is mine. Back in '96 I was seeing a girl. She had a younger brother who was one of these Man U glory hunters but had never been to a match. A couple of visits to the Goldstone soon changed that and he hasn't looked back since. My relationship with his sister is long over but I'm still friends with him.
The irony of the story is that he now lives down the road from Manchester in Warrington!

 

[Seagullmatt]

What about you Royalali? Converted anyone into a Reading fan?

 

[chips and gravy]

I regularly used to go with a guy who was a committed Liverpool fan. We lost touch when I moved away for a few years. However, I have recently met him at the game at The Dell a couple of years back and also at Brentford

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

I first watched the albion in 83 back when I lived in Brighton, but for many years after that I used to have little (no) interest in footy (or the albion) but was pursuaded to go and see us play away at Notts County (game we got relegated in 96).

I couldn't believe the plight we were in and as such the fight against Arch*r brought me back to the Albion fold...got hooked after that and pretty much only missed 3 or 4 games home or away ever since. Quite a turnaround!

Thanks Bill for for reuniting me with the Albion....Now F*ck off and die!!!!

 

[Bobby's Gull]

My best mate was a palace fan, all i used to constantly talk about was the albion to piss her off and consequently turned her away from the dark side. It was a great moment when she finally admitted that she supported the albion.

 

[Seagullmatt]

My best mate was a palace fan, all i used to constantly talk about was the albion to piss her off and consequently turned her away from the dark side. It was a great moment when she finally admitted that she supported the albion.

That's the best story so far!

 

[Yorkie]

Yorkie, that's your cue to tell Ned's story

I'm sure I only told it a few days ago.

When I met Ned we were both invited to someone's house and the Cup Final (league cup) was on.

Sheff Wed were playing and I showed an interest. Ned was impressed that I liked watching football. I told him I was a Brighton fan which went down like a lead balloon because of 1983.
Sheff Wed won that day.

A year later we were going out together and I went to Hillsborough with him to watch some matches. I refused to sing the songs though and he laughed at me. We then married 15 months later. He returned the favour by lowering himself from Premiership football to watch our lowly stuff when we played at Yorkshire grounds, even at Halifax.

Wednesday started plummeting and the fans were increasingly cynical and moaning. He didn't really enjoy going anymore although out of loyalty to his club he did go occasionally (he wasn't ever a season ticket holder)

In the meantime we found out how to get hold of tickets for Withdean through the message boards and also met up with a group of regulars who also became good friends.

Last season when we played at Forest it really impressed him how the fans could enjoy themselves even when losing. He hadn't seen that sort of camaraderie before. The passion of Albion supporters started getting to him too.

He liked the red away shirt when we wore it at Preston. Whilst there he said to me,'I know the Brighton players better than I do the Wednesday players'
He said he would like a red shirt.

When we played at Hillsborough in Dec 2002 he went in the Kop and I went in Leppings Lane (yes we both wore our respective shirts and walked down the road together hand in hand )
We went ahead and then desperately tried to hold onto the win.
Wednedsday were really struggling at one point and he shouted out, 'Come on Al...<cough cough> Owls.
He covered that one up well Of course they equalised so we were still talking when we got home.
A week later Wednesday were at home to Gillingham and lost. He commented to his neighbour, 'Oh well at least Stoke lost as well' to be faced with a mouth full of abuse.

He decided then he just wasn't enjoying going to matches there at all.

So if I wanted to go to an Albion match and could get tickets then he came with me.

The way we fought back on Boxing Day against Burnley (2-0 down and Sidwell got 2 goals in 2 mins at the end of the game) finally tipped the balance.
He went and bought the stripes.

When it came to playing Wednesday last April I asked him if he felt anymore for them. He said no although he would always look to see how they were doing, but he had never had that passion for them that he does for the Albion.

Conversion complete. He burned his Wednesday shirt and even told some Wednesday fans in the Brewery Tap that he used to be an Owl. They took it in good part.

 

[bhaexpress]

Well, I can cite Mrs BHA as a convert and she's not into US Sports. Hopefully Ms. BHA will also join the blessed throng on Easter Monday as well.

 

[Braders]

converted both my sisters and my cousin from leicester,manure and the gooners to brighton fans in one game

 

[Faldo]

My missus was a West Ham fan (coz her Dad was).

Now she could make a sailor blush in her recent criticisms of Ben Roberts and a stroppy Leon, and fancies Danny Cullip.

So despite her excellent choice of team, she still knows nothing about footy (or arguably, men...)

 

[Kenhead]

I got poke to become an albion fan, she use to support man united (she's even been to old trafford twice) but just before the 1999-2000 season started there was some activity day down the marina where a few of the albion players where doing a trainning session and asked loads of teenagers down, so we went, poke really enjoyed it and i suggested about her getting a ticket to the mansfield game (i didn't really want to go on my own) winning 6-0 really helped get her hooked and she's been a seagull ever since!

 

[Dover]

Krispies converted me in 97. Brentford away. I was orginally going to watch Dover Athletic at Kiderminster ( I think). The rest is history.

That game was magic. Since then other great moments have included;-

Singing the Rainbow tune a Giliingham to Geoff Wood.
Eating leftover chicken outside Orient
Rod Thomas' superb save at Gillingham.

But the biggest coverting factor is the Brighton fans. Thank you for letting me join.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Funny that Yorkie, I always look on Wednesday as a great set of fans. I have a mate who is an Owl and some of my best footy memories are being legless with Wednesday fans.

 

[Marshy]

I didnt convert my wife I just told her she was an Albion fan when she married me.

She didnt object, love honour and obey after all.