Geriatric Seagull
New member
This won't make me very popular but here goes! After the initial euphoria of a new stadium and a few wins maybe it's time to look at just where we are.
On the pitch - the last few games have highlighted the need for at least a plan B and some different players to carry it out. It wasn't the opposition last night (although of course that hurt), it was the complete failure to close down opponents in midfield (Dicker, Barnes and Harley hardly made a tackle), the lack of a genuine front man for Mackail-Smith to feed off, Painter's lack of speed and Ankergren's loss of form that stood out most. Nobody had a good game - one or two were average or slightly better, but from halfway through the first half only one team looked likely to score- and it wasn't us! If Palace taken even half of their chances it could easily have been another five! O.k. only the most optimistic would ever have expected another promotion this season (even though we can all hope). At the moment, mid-table mediocrity looks the best bet.
Off the pitch.
Yes, there are things we would all to see different inside the stadium - fresh air in the enclosed area of WSU for a start - more places to put drinks or food (some people are still having to put one or other on the floor while they eat or drink), but my main concerns are over the transport arrangements (in my case park and ride), particularly for evening games. Yesterday there was a queue for Mill Road by 5.30 - and by 5.45 it stretched across the A23 back onto the A27. Have the club really qccounted for the number of fans who travel from beyond Worthing and Littlehampton? It's all very well saying get a special bus or train but for those who have already travelled from home to work this is just not practical.
As for the queueing arrangements after the games - chaotic! If the access up the steps outside the south stand is to remain closed off, there needs to be an urgent review of the situation - the steps fans are now being diverted to, together with the actual bus stop arrangements, are an invitation for an accident - several hundred people on the steps or in a queue where buses move around them - one person trips? The stewarding there is totally inadequate - last night the one on duty by the fence to the bus/coach/motorbike park walked away rather than try to stop people climbing through the fence! I can't comment on trains etc. but form anecdotal evidence, there are many others experiencing similar problems.
We all want the best for the club, on and off the pitch but, like a few posters on here in recent days, the prospect of another 8000 trying to get to games without a dramatic change in travel and parking arrangements is not an attractive one. (Imagine the whole crowd at Withdean on top of what we have now!)
Rant over. But that's eight home games over and we haven't had any bad weather yet!
On the pitch - the last few games have highlighted the need for at least a plan B and some different players to carry it out. It wasn't the opposition last night (although of course that hurt), it was the complete failure to close down opponents in midfield (Dicker, Barnes and Harley hardly made a tackle), the lack of a genuine front man for Mackail-Smith to feed off, Painter's lack of speed and Ankergren's loss of form that stood out most. Nobody had a good game - one or two were average or slightly better, but from halfway through the first half only one team looked likely to score- and it wasn't us! If Palace taken even half of their chances it could easily have been another five! O.k. only the most optimistic would ever have expected another promotion this season (even though we can all hope). At the moment, mid-table mediocrity looks the best bet.
Off the pitch.
Yes, there are things we would all to see different inside the stadium - fresh air in the enclosed area of WSU for a start - more places to put drinks or food (some people are still having to put one or other on the floor while they eat or drink), but my main concerns are over the transport arrangements (in my case park and ride), particularly for evening games. Yesterday there was a queue for Mill Road by 5.30 - and by 5.45 it stretched across the A23 back onto the A27. Have the club really qccounted for the number of fans who travel from beyond Worthing and Littlehampton? It's all very well saying get a special bus or train but for those who have already travelled from home to work this is just not practical.
As for the queueing arrangements after the games - chaotic! If the access up the steps outside the south stand is to remain closed off, there needs to be an urgent review of the situation - the steps fans are now being diverted to, together with the actual bus stop arrangements, are an invitation for an accident - several hundred people on the steps or in a queue where buses move around them - one person trips? The stewarding there is totally inadequate - last night the one on duty by the fence to the bus/coach/motorbike park walked away rather than try to stop people climbing through the fence! I can't comment on trains etc. but form anecdotal evidence, there are many others experiencing similar problems.
We all want the best for the club, on and off the pitch but, like a few posters on here in recent days, the prospect of another 8000 trying to get to games without a dramatic change in travel and parking arrangements is not an attractive one. (Imagine the whole crowd at Withdean on top of what we have now!)
Rant over. But that's eight home games over and we haven't had any bad weather yet!