The Internet & Brighton & Hove Albion fans

[Art Vs Science]

I was thinking about all of these years we have protested,campaigned and fought within a few inches of the clubs life to get to Falmer and we are ironically becoming part of the problem. Will we have Gus going into Falmer? I would say probably not. Will Falmer have the atmosphere we so desire, probably not(the goldstone memories are long gone i am afraid). The age of corporate funding & fair weather moaners will dominate our new era in my opinion and anyone who thinks Falmer will automatically be the fortress we want is deluded. I have seen (at Withdean) and heard enough on here to know that we have become a set of fans not much worse to the ones we were slagging off (Chelsea fans) on here a few weeks back. The internet has also become part of this problem along with a change in social attitudes. All the years of going to the pub in old shoreham road(or any pub for that matter) for 4/5/6 pints before the game and then singing your half pissed heart out in the north stand are no more. Will Falmer be briliiant? Yes, of course it will, will it win or winback alot of fans, yes it will. Will it hark us back to a rocking Goldstone Ground, I doubt it. Will the expectations and patience of fans of a by gone era be in place? I am sure you know the answer to that. The internet serves as a useful tool in the modern world but it also serves as a menace, the interweb has empowered our opinions to a far higher status than it deserves to be honest and it means not only can you hear the odd moan and self righteous opinions like in The Goldstone yrs but now you can you voice your opinion and reply for all to see without the danger of someone smacking you on the nose if you disagreed(or certainly disagreed in the way people do on here) or voice something controversial. Brighton & hove Albion is a different animal to that of the one in 1997, and so are the fans(not just us, i mean nationally) and i certainly cannot remember us booing our team when we were top of the table in my years of going. We have a chance of starting our new era on a clean slate, and slate we will. The point of 'I pay my money so i am entitled to my opinion' is as strong or as weak as 'If you don't vote, you don't have a voice', so it is here the the story begins and ends. So..........the underbelly to all of this? The biggest thing that has changed in football since we left The Goldstone? Us? We may well of moaned our way out of a good manager. I was guilty of this yesterday by posting something i should not of done in reaction to a 1-1 draw and very rarely do i moan. So it be that our tool has become our weapon and our weapon is a dangerous place.

 

[foul old ron]

Unfortunately I think you're right.

 

[Return of the Rev]

As long as no badgers have died in the building of falmer i'm happy I knew poyet wouldn't last

 

[Art Vs Science]

The point is not so much about yesterday or any issue surrounding BHA, this is about the information highway and it's validity.

 

[Giraffe]

I see the point and the Internet bit is clearly right.

However on the Falmer front let's not forget that The Goldstone had more than it's fair share of moaners and was often completely lacking in atmosphere. It could be a great place but at least half the time it was like a library.

 

[Razi]

Considering that we generally get around 6500 or so at Withdean for league games, the percentage of those who attend who are also regular NSC users must be fairly minimal. I think that it's just the way of modern football - with fans displaying very short-term memories and conveniently forgetting the seasons of the past where we've battled relegation with very mediocre standards of football on display. I'm sure it's the same all around the country. The problem is that those who criticise are generally more vocal about it than those who offer praise and encouragement, therefore heard.

 

[Art Vs Science]

I think there are quite a lot of people that view NSC but not post, i know a couple of people myself, But the representation is a fair one in terms of a crowd of people, however, what people use as media these days is something more diverse. Years ago people only had friends/family and maybe The Evening Argus to pull opinions from with no consensus input whatsoever, now everyone can have their say which is sometimes very damaging

 

[Buck]

But don't forget the views of fans, either on here, or at the match, vary massively. That's what makes football fantastic to watch and talk about. Everyone has an opinion.
I was disappointed yesterday during and after the match. Having watched the highlights last night I realised it wasn't that bad and on another day we'd of won easily.
You are right that many fans seem more fickle than ever and atmosphere is harder to create. I think that is primarily due to all-seater stadiums and the modern era where corporate comfort and money reigns over pie and chips on the terraces.
I really hope Falmer can buck the trend somewhat as so many Albion fans understand what they have missed for so long by not having a proper home.
The booing yesterday I think is more about fear and frustration that the wheels are about to come off and everyone so desperately wants to be in the Championship when we move to Falmer. People are now also becoming so sick of sitting in the shithole that is Withdean when they can see Falmer so close. A bit like realising how much you hated that job you were in for years when you are finally about to move on to something much better.

 

[drew]

A summary of the main points.

1. NCS is a small percentage of the Albion following.
2. There always has and always will be fans that don't agree with the way a club plays.
3. Any manager that thinks he will get 100% backing from 100% of attending fans is deluded. There is no manager in football that gets that, not even 'the special one'.
4. Football supporters have changed because society has changed.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Point 4 was my point. The other 3 things were ideals of examples leading to point 4

 

[Lord Bracknell]

It's not just the internet that defines our culture. It's the nonsense of most mass entertainment. A world where success or failure, victory or defeat, are defined by something as crass as an instant public vote taken by phone or text message. Winners get adulation (for a few weeks), losers get cast into oblivion. But it doesn't matter, because there is a constant supply of talentless individuals who will step forward to compete to be next week's winner.

"We pay our money, we are entitled to boo if we want, f*** off Poyet if you don't like it, there are plenty of managers out there who will realise that they aren't bigger than the Club" ...

... and thus we treat the man of whom people were saying ONLY LAST MONTH that he had got the Albion playing better football than some folk had EVER seen in their lives.




It's not Poyet who needs to be told to f*** off.

 

[cjd]

I think there are quite a lot of people that view NSC but not post, i know a couple of people myself, But the representation is a fair one in terms of a crowd of people, however, what people use as media these days is something more diverse. Years ago people only had friends/family and maybe The Evening Argus to pull opinions from with no consensus input whatsoever, now everyone can have their say which is sometimes very damaging

Liked your opening post, and whilst a lot of it is true, the importance of this 'internet thingy' is slightly over-rated.

When I go to watch the Albion at Withdean, listening to the chat around me, it is rarely about NSC. In fact, most supporters know of NSC but take little interest.

Todays managers, players etc should be immune to critisism on here........it happens at every football club forum....it's just the way it is. A simple fact of life.

Personally, I really like seeing others opinions...no matter how daft......and I enjoy having the chance to vent my own spleen occaisionally....(even if it is daft...LOL..!).

It's the 'internet'......good fun...gives the ordinary supporter a chance to have his/her say........and long may it continue.

Good points of this forum;

1) You can state your opinion without fear of getting a smack in the face. Bullies aren't the only people with an opinion.

2) You can critisise Richard Hebberd without fear of a ban.

3) You can improve your English grammer with the help of El Presidente.

4) You can get information on the Albion, before Andy Naylor gets off his arse.

Bad points;

1) You 'lose' your life..LOL.!


Any more anyone...

 

[Jackthelad]

It's not just Brighton most clubs these days complain about their home atmosphere, It's modern football that's to blame and the changing demographics of the "fan". In the end Brighton have no excuses if there is a shit atmosphere at Falmer. You are moving to a brand new stadium the atmosphere on the first few games will be immense. You the fan should create some sort of Brighton Ultras movement. Clubs like Aberdeen and Celtic have done this well by creating modern Ultra movements to create a better atmosphere.

 

[Questions]

It's not just the internet that defines our culture. It's the nonsense of most mass entertainment. A world where success or failure, victory or defeat, are defined by something as crass as an instant public vote taken by phone or text message. Winners get adulation (for a few weeks), losers get cast into oblivion. But it doesn't matter, because there is a constant supply of talentless individuals who will step forward to compete to be next week's winner.

"We pay our money, we are entitled to boo if we want, f*** off Poyet if you don't like it, there are plenty of managers out there who will realise that they aren't bigger than the Club" ...

... and thus we treat the man of whom people were saying ONLY LAST MONTH that he had got the Albion playing better football than some folk had EVER seen in their lives.




It's not Poyet who needs to be told to f*** off.

It doesn`t mean he is beyond reproach though does it ? My view was the same on here as it was down the pub after the game. Muck about with the JPT and the league cup all you want but the FA cup deserves respect.

There is a big difference between abuse and booing at a game and generally disagreeing with some of your managers sentiments.


PS Get your money on Rebecca.

 

[Napper]

read any messge board and its the same

 

[Acker79]

I'm not sure I see the link. Did gus complain about the internet or NSC yesterday, or did he complain about the people in attendance who booed? The people in attendance surely weren't booing because some of the negative comments on here convinced them to?

 

[Black Dalek]

Booing has crept into all clubs, inc England. Fan's pay there money and....blar blar blar, but whoever booed us should think about how far we have come. I'M ON THE GUS BUS.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Booing has crept into all clubs, inc England. Fan's pay there money and....blar blar blar, but whoever booed us should think about how far we have come. I'M ON THE GUS BUS.

Yes it is not just an Albion thing of course. Blimey i wrote that at 0730 on a sunday morning.....i almost impressed myself

 

[Brovion]

You can't blame the Internet, that's on a par with shooting the messenger. It has definitely encouraged people who love the sound of their own voice to constantly spout their opinions as they think for once in their lives they have an audience of people 'listening' to them. They aren't fussed what people think, the reaction and the knowledge they've been 'heard' is what they want so sometimes the more stupid the comment the better. But there's nothing said on here (or said on moronic phone-ins) that fans haven't been saying to each other in pubs, workplaces, etc for years. It's just that on the internet there's a chance the players can 'overhear' the conversation. Also there is sometimes a danger of notalgia taking over: the Goldstone wasn't all about atmospheric packed crowds loyally supporting generations of Albion players - it was also a decaying shithole full of moaning wankers.

Having said all that there is undoubtedly a tendency for modern fans to want instant gratification. If we go two or three games without a win the next fixture becomes a 'must-win' game - even in August! In the old days the league was just the framework around which the matches were organised. The match itself was the thing, you went to it on a Saturday and hoped Brighton won. If they didn't, well, there was always next week. You wouldn't really look at the table in any serious way until after Christmas when you might think "Oooh if we keep this up we could get promoted!" (Or "Better buck our ideas up or we could get relegated!"). Indeed the papers didn't even publish the tables until at least three games had been played as they knew there were worthless.

Now the league is seen as a ladder to be climbed and any time a club seem to be not making progress or worse, slipping, then it's a disaster that the chairman must address by either spending money or sacking the manager.

 

[Art Vs Science]

You can't blame the Internet, that's on a par with shooting the messenger. It has definitely encouraged people who love the sound of their own voice to constantly spout their opinions as they think for once in their lives they have an audience of people 'listening' to them. They aren't fussed what people think, the reaction and the knowledge they've been 'heard' is what they want so sometimes the more stupid the comment the better. But there's nothing said on here (or said on moronic phone-ins) that fans haven't been saying to each other in pubs, workplaces, etc for years. It's just that on the internet there's a chance the players can 'overhear' the conversation. Also there is sometimes a danger of notalgia taking over: the Goldstone wasn't all about atmospheric packed crowds loyally supporting generations of Albion players - it was also a decaying shithole full of moaning wankers.

Having said all that there is undoubtedly a tendency for modern fans to want instant gratification. If we go two or three games without a win the next fixture becomes a 'must-win' game - even in August! In the old days the league was just the framework around which the matches were organised. The match itself was the thing, you went to it on a Saturday and hoped Brighton won. If they didn't, well, there was always next week. You wouldn't really look at the table in any serious way until after Christmas when you might think "Oooh if we keep this up we could get promoted!" (Or "Better buck our ideas up or we could get relegated!"). Indeed the papers didn't even publish the tables until at least three games had been played as they knew there were worthless.

Now the league is seen as a ladder to be climbed and any time a club seem to be not making progress or worse, slipping, then it's a disaster that the chairman must address by either spending money or sacking the manager.

Bollocks! Ha. Yes some fair points indeed, but i didn't write this as a scathing attack on anything. It was just more of a example of how people strap their views onto forums online and the piece where i had wrote "the interweb has empowered our opinions to a far higher status than it deserves " i think sums it up. As our speed of receiving information globally has sped up, so has our impatience and the culture of 'i want it, and i want it now' is embedded in the psyche of the younger generation.