Blackcap
Member
Moving from probably the worst stadium in the football league to arguably the best outside the premiership, it was inevitable that the number of season ticket holders was going to jump massively this season. Equally inevitable is the jealousy of fans of certain other clubs who see our club growing and attaining more success and using that as an excuse to label our fans 'JCLs' and 'Plastics'. That's the kind of predictable comments that we should expect from people who don't possess enough wit to hit us with more original banter.
It gets right under my effing skin though when I hear the same accusations from our own fans who were season ticket holders last year and who, for some god forsaken reason, seem to feel the need to mark themselves out as superior to this year's new STHs.
I was not a season ticket holder at the Withdean but I have supported BHA since my first game in 1976 when I sat in the West Stand with my dad and watched us beat Swindon 4-0. As I grew up I got along to games when I could, always paying on the gate. By the time of the Goldstone's demise I was attending pretty much every home game but without ever becoming a STH.
Like so many other fans I stopped going when we were at Gillingham due to the practicalities of getting up there. I attended occasional games at Withdean, but never becoming a STH for a variety of reasons.
From talking to other people on my regular coach this season, I know that a lot of this year's new STHs are like me - long time supporters, not brand new fans, who have returned to regular attendance because of the infinitely better matchday experience that the Amex gives you.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but total and utter respect and admiration for those die hards who stayed STHs throughout the Gillingham and Withdean years, I applaud and salute every one of you.
But those that call the likes of me a JCL or Plastic can, frankly, shove it up their arse. I was there on the East terrace when Wardy was banging them in, when Perry Digweed was losing his knackers, I was there in the celery throwing days, and I was singing "We've got a Russian International" at Sergey Gotsmanov that day when he saluted the crowd BEFORE scoring, when a lot of you were having your nappies changed.
I suspect most of the new STHs this year are returning fans, but even if someone is a brand new fan this year whose interest in the club has been sparked by the new stadium (or any other reason) SO WHAT? If they turn up every week, make a noise and stay till the end then as far as I am concerned they are every bit a valued supporter as anyone else.
We should all stick together, save the sniping for fans of other clubs and we should welcome all new fans to the club. There will be even more of them next year, making the Amex EVEN LOUDER - can you even imagine? Lets welcome them all and stop this stupid 'JCL' snobbery. If it was just last years STHs at the Amex this year, the atmosphere would be SHIT.
Rant over, I promise my next post will not be a moany one
It gets right under my effing skin though when I hear the same accusations from our own fans who were season ticket holders last year and who, for some god forsaken reason, seem to feel the need to mark themselves out as superior to this year's new STHs.
I was not a season ticket holder at the Withdean but I have supported BHA since my first game in 1976 when I sat in the West Stand with my dad and watched us beat Swindon 4-0. As I grew up I got along to games when I could, always paying on the gate. By the time of the Goldstone's demise I was attending pretty much every home game but without ever becoming a STH.
Like so many other fans I stopped going when we were at Gillingham due to the practicalities of getting up there. I attended occasional games at Withdean, but never becoming a STH for a variety of reasons.
From talking to other people on my regular coach this season, I know that a lot of this year's new STHs are like me - long time supporters, not brand new fans, who have returned to regular attendance because of the infinitely better matchday experience that the Amex gives you.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing but total and utter respect and admiration for those die hards who stayed STHs throughout the Gillingham and Withdean years, I applaud and salute every one of you.
But those that call the likes of me a JCL or Plastic can, frankly, shove it up their arse. I was there on the East terrace when Wardy was banging them in, when Perry Digweed was losing his knackers, I was there in the celery throwing days, and I was singing "We've got a Russian International" at Sergey Gotsmanov that day when he saluted the crowd BEFORE scoring, when a lot of you were having your nappies changed.
I suspect most of the new STHs this year are returning fans, but even if someone is a brand new fan this year whose interest in the club has been sparked by the new stadium (or any other reason) SO WHAT? If they turn up every week, make a noise and stay till the end then as far as I am concerned they are every bit a valued supporter as anyone else.
We should all stick together, save the sniping for fans of other clubs and we should welcome all new fans to the club. There will be even more of them next year, making the Amex EVEN LOUDER - can you even imagine? Lets welcome them all and stop this stupid 'JCL' snobbery. If it was just last years STHs at the Amex this year, the atmosphere would be SHIT.
Rant over, I promise my next post will not be a moany one
