Very Strange Feeling Yesterday

[Thimble Keegan]

Yesterday a mate of mine (Palace fan) planned a trip to Hove dogs for a birthday celebration. It was pointless coming back to Worthing just to then get straight into taxi to travel to the Greyhound Stadium. I decided that I would go to a friends house in Withdean and then get a train to Hove a bit later and meet my mates at the dogs.

I never really gave it much thought but it suddenly hit me as I started to leave Hove Station and passed the pub which is now called 'The Station'. I was doing the same journey I had made many times when watching the Albion. Down the steps by the side of the pub and past the 'C.P.F.C. DIE' grafitti and along by the bus station and under the railway line.

It was all rather strange and surreal. As I followed the path around what would have been the southern end of the ground I expected to turn the corner and still see the large brick built West Stand but obviously it was not there.

I have been past the Goldstone a few times since it has gone but this was different as I was walking right up close and taking the same route to the ground I sometimes took when going by train.

Avery strange few minutes that was.

Albion & England forever.

Thimble Keegan
Worthing BHA

 

[Easy 10]

I think if you didn't arrive at the dogs in floods of tears after that, you did very well.

I parked down the side of what would have been the West Stand a few weeks ago (the missus wanted to go to Toys 'R' Us). I refused point blank to set foot, or wheel, on that site. While she was gone, I was in bits, and found myself thumping the steering wheel and howling "WHY ? WHY ?" repeatedly.

That wound will never heal.

 

[dwayne]

I can't believe you let ure wife go in there.


TRAITOR!!!!

 

[Easy 10]

Well YOU try arguing with her.

 

[Zeitgeist]

Whenever I see the monstrosity that has been built there, I still get angry. My wife has used the place in the past, I REFUSE to set foot in there! Some years ago when my daughter had something that needed replacing from Toys R Us, I drove to Portsmouth rather than set foot in there!........She even said she wanted to go to Focus as well!!

 

[Muzzman]

I've found if I'm in need of a piss whilst walking back from the doggies, urinating up against Focus DIY helps the pain a little.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

I will NEVER drive past there until Falmer gets built. If I'm coming through Hove and have to get to Brighton, I'll turn along Sackville Road and go along the seafront. Going to the celebration last year brought tears to my eyes. It was the first time I had been to Hove station since Fans United and brought back memories of going down those steps and up past the bus station and under the railway bridge many times as a teenager (I started to drive once I could as it meant getting a lift to Haywards Heath. Have any others managed to avoid driving past?

 

[NMH]

The times I have driven past, I just could not look.

Having been raised for my first 7 years in Goldstone Villas, and made several excursions as a toddler to crawl under the East Stand fence - my hatred for 'those people' would boil my guts too hard.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I've never entirely understood this sentiment. To me it's the same as not visiting the grave of a love one because it's too upsetting. Seriously, it's not healthly to grieve for that long. It took me a long time before I could drive past and everytime I do, I get a pang of sadness. And like Thimble, the first time I walked from the station, turned the corner and found the ground wasn't there, it was very strange and sad.

But it's gone. Not driving past it is going to bring it back. Boycotting the shops won't bring it back. It's not their fault - the blame lays squarely on the shoulders of 2 men and I still boycott Focus Do It All and the Liberals.

And I know I will be called traitorous scum and Superphil will demand the return of my season ticket but I have been to the shops - more than once. I don't go out of my way but if I need DFS or Toys R Us, I'm not going to drive 60 miles out of my way, just to avoid the Goldstone.

OK, cue abuse. I only hope it helps you heal.

 

[Kent Seagull]

I've not been to that part of Hove since the Doncaster game and will avoid doing so indefinately (It's fairly easy for me as the only reason I ever went to Hove was for football).

I have the memory of looking back at the Goldstone for the last time as I walked back to the Greyhound Stadium car park. I don't want to shatter the illusion that it's still there, isnt' it?

 

[Brixtaan]

(the missus wanted to go to Toys 'R' Us). I refused point blank

Time to resuscitate the "Is it right to hit women?" thread.

 

[Goring Gull]

I had similar thoughts whilst scoffing down a burger King there, then realised that althugh Burger King is pretty crap it certainley beat the vile Burgers they knocked up behind the north stand.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I've not been to that part of Hove since the Doncaster game and will avoid doing so indefinately (It's fairly easy for me as the only reason I ever went to Hove was for football).

I have the memory of looking back at the Goldstone for the last time as I walked back to the Greyhound Stadium car park. I don't want to shatter the illusion that it's still there, isnt' it?

Do you not agree with my analogy of losing a loved one though? Denial is a very bad thing when it comes to grief. It was horrible the first time I drove past, it was horrible the first time I went in the shops. But, with time, it eases. I get a slight buzz from parking in the old penalty area, thinking about all the players who have stood where I am standing.

Blaming DFS and Toys R Us is a bit daft IMHO. They didn't ask for the ground to be demolished so they could build there. They bought a piece of prime real estate in a good position for a retail park. As I said before, the blame lies squarely with a couple of men and we should never forget them

 

[CHAPPERS]

Do you not agree with my analogy of losing a loved one though? Denial is a very bad thing when it comes to grief. It was horrible the first time I drove past, it was horrible the first time I went in the shops. But, with time, it eases. I get a slight buzz from parking in the old penalty area, thinking about all the players who have stood where I am standing.

Blaming DFS and Toys R Us is a bit daft IMHO. They didn't ask for the ground to be demolished so they could build there. They bought a piece of prime real estate in a good position for a retail park. As I said before, the blame lies squarely with a couple of men and we should never forget them

I don't agree with that analogy.

Its not denial either, we all know what happened but its just sooo hard to accept the way in shich it happened, the club not only lost its spiritual home but were srewed out of a shit load of money as well.

 

[The Great Cornholio]

I've not been to that part of Hove since the Doncaster game and will avoid doing so indefinately (It's fairly easy for me as the only reason I ever went to Hove was for football).

I have the memory of looking back at the Goldstone for the last time as I walked back to the Greyhound Stadium car park. I don't want to shatter the illusion that it's still there, isnt' it?

Sounds like denial to me!

I understand that different people view it different ways. And I can certainly understand the argument from people who won't go there until we get Falmer.

But I still stand by my analogy. Avoiding somewhere because of bad memories is a bad thing.

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

That was a strange way to walk, TK, and certainly one I never considered. I was a turn-left-outside-Hove-station kind of a chap, up and over the bridge which took you down to Zippy's for pre-match snacks, then left at the top onto Sackville Road and right at the church. Great days.

First time I did that journey after we left (about a year ago) it was a very odd feeling. What made things worse was when some bloke outside Zippy's (now closed) asked how to get to the Goldstone. I nearly died. He meant the retail park.

 

[NMH]

Do you not agree with my analogy of losing a loved one though? Denial is a very bad thing when it comes to grief. It was horrible the first time I drove past, it was horrible the first time I went in the shops. But, with time, it eases. I get a slight buzz from parking in the old penalty area, thinking about all the players who have stood where I am standing.

Blaming DFS and Toys R Us is a bit daft IMHO. They didn't ask for the ground to be demolished so they could build there. They bought a piece of prime real estate in a good position for a retail park. As I said before, the blame lies squarely with a couple of men and we should never forget them

I don't agree. If you want an analogy, how about your loved one gets kidnapped tortured and murdered, then the perpetrator keeps the ransom money and erects a shrine to honour his victory over you ? Are you going to visit his shrine and put a flower on the shrine to give more honour to his victory ??

It may not be ToysRus or DFS 'fault', but they know the history of the site and don't give a shit - so when they lose some moolah from us it's something they must have been prepared for. I won't ever shop there, f*** that .

 

[CHAPPERS]

I don't agree. If you want an analogy, how about your loved one gets kidnapped tortured and murdered, then the perpetrator keeps the ransom money and erects a shrine to honour his victory over you ? Are you going to visit his shrine and put a flower on the shrine to give more honour to his victory ??

It may not be ToysRus or DFS 'fault', but they know the history of the site and don't give a shit - so when they lose some moolah from us it's something they must have been prepared for. I won't ever shop there, f*** that .

POsting posting NMH

 

[Marc]

In have never set foot on the Goldstone area since we left, its like walking on someones grave I reckon...I get shivers everytimg I drive pass it

 

[DTES]

I won't avoid going near it, but I won't set foot in the shops. It's like walking on a grave, as Crabtree said