[Albion] Everything is so negative at the moment !!

[jackalbion]

That is spot on. Also it's true that when we do hit a bit of poor form the ancillary issues (transport especially) become way more important. If we beat Liverpool 5-0 to qualify for Europe absolutely nobody* will moan about waiting for a train.


*Yeah, I'm sure there will be somebody. But they will be a very very lonely voice.

On a serious note though, I think if we constantly think 'well remember where we came from' we'll never progress. There has to be a slight raise of expectations if we want to keep on achieving.

 

[Brovion]

On a serious note though, I think if we constantly think 'well remember where we came from' we'll never progress. There has to be a slight raise of expectations if we want to keep on achieving.

I agree (again). We can't use Hereford, Archer, Withdean, etc as the benchmark for absolutely everything. Nearly all through my almost sixty years of supporting the Albion if you'd told me there would be Brighton fans 'slightly disappointed' that we didn't qualify for Europe (assuming we don't), I would have stared at you with incredulity. (Even ten years ago it would have seemed a big ask). How could there be Brighton fans SO entitled that they think we should qualify for Europe? And yet here we are, and yes I'll be one of those 'slightly disappointed', although my disappointment will be tempered by the knowledge of how far we've come.

And of course the longer this unbelievable era continues and the number of fans who have only known Brighton as a PL club increases, so the level of expectation will rise.

 

[GT49er]

Didn’t know we signed a Georginio AND Rutter !

It's people pretending that it's two players, even though they know it's not. It's a very funny joke, so good it's repeated at least twice a day!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

On a serious note though, I think if we constantly think 'well remember where we came from' we'll never progress. There has to be a slight raise of expectations if we want to keep on achieving.

This.

Success breeds expectation. It's perfectly possible to have (and expect) high expectation of the journey forward whilst remembering where we came from.

Progress may not be linear, however, I very much doubt TB subscribes to the 'Meh, good enough' school of thought.

For me, we chose last summer, to replace a generational coach with a PE Teacher. I guess we'll see.

I agree that we have to take each season on its own merits, and judge the present campaign on, for example, the level of investment last summer, but also the horrendous injury list and the loss of Pascal Gross. However, IMHO it adds to the joy of supporting the Albion to put everything into a historical context.

And I'm not talking about ancient history. This thing about 'remembering where we came from' implies that it's us greybeards who saw Alan Duffy and Bryan Wade play and then lived through the War Years who need to move on.

But It was only in August 2019 that TB said "What we want to do is to be a top 10 Premier League club", and given that we'd just finished 17th and only survived thanks to Palace winning at Cardiff, there were plenty of people who didn't think it was achievable. Even TB went on to say that it was "a really stretching target". And yet we have done that twice in the past three seasons, and it's my opinion that only injuries will have prevented us from doing it again, if that's the way it pans out this season.

So even the youngsters who have only known the Amex can still remember where we came from, and that includes losing 5-0 at home to Bournemouth and 2-0 to Cardiff.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Just remember this -

And then look at where we are now.

These days, if you talk about how far the club has come – or 'perspective' – you get arrested and thrown in jail, according to some posters.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

These days, if you talk about how far the club has come – or 'perspective' – you get arrested and thrown in jail, according to some posters.

Thrown in jail?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Thrown in jail?

Yep. These days.

 

[tigertim68]

RDZ generational ? No English teams or big name teams wanted him. Couldn’t be that generational.

Best manager we have ever had !

 

[John1066]

No need to get cross about it, THPP.

No need to get cross about it, THPP.

I agree (again). We can't use Hereford, Archer, Withdean, etc as the benchmark for absolutely everything. Nearly all through my almost sixty years of supporting the Albion if you'd told me there would be Brighton fans 'slightly disappointed' that we didn't qualify for Europe (assuming we don't), I would have stared at you with incredulity. (Even ten years ago it would have seemed a big ask). How could there be Brighton fans SO entitled that they think we should qualify for Europe? And yet here we are, and yes I'll be one of those 'slightly disappointed', although my disappointment will be tempered by the knowledge of how far we've come.

And of course the longer this unbelievable era continues and the number of fans who have only known Brighton as a PL club increases, so the level of expectation will rise.

Spot on . How long until we get a Cleese like rant “ What has Bloom/Barber done for us ?”

 

[Pliny the Gull]

I am not negative, as long as players give 100%, I'll take the ups & downs.
However, have to say words,transition and process, starting to p**s me off.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Every tweet or post on here is negative.

The players are crap, the open training day is crap, the managers crap, the terrace is crap, atmosphere is crap, food is crap.

Brighton fans are becoming so ungrateful. Most teams would kill to be in our position on and off the pitch yet we moan about everything.

I think a fair amount of tweets/posts are from new/foreign fans who have hopped onboard and think we should be winning the league but I even see older fans disgruntled. It’s very strange.

We have an amazing squad, stadium, local spirit (aitc), chairman, training ground, Some young lads trying to get atmosphere going in the north etc
We are all Brighton let’s get behind the club.

Maybe best not look here then

[Albion] - Home game v Liverpool date change

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/pages/en/media-article/mft-fixture-news-bhaliv-pl-april-2025

www.northstandchat.com

 

[Seagullinhove]

I agree that we have to take each season on its own merits, and judge the present campaign on, for example, the level of investment last summer, but also the horrendous injury list and the loss of Pascal Gross. However, IMHO it adds to the joy of supporting the Albion to put everything into a historical context.

And I'm not talking about ancient history. This thing about 'remembering where we came from' implies that it's us greybeards who saw Alan Duffy and Bryan Wade play and then lived through the War Years who need to move on.

But It was only in August 2019 that TB said "What we want to do is to be a top 10 Premier League club", and given that we'd just finished 17th and only survived thanks to Palace winning at Cardiff, there were plenty of people who didn't think it was achievable. Even TB went on to say that it was "a really stretching target". And yet we have done that twice in the past three seasons, and it's my opinion that only injuries will have prevented us from doing it again, if that's the way it pans out this season.

So even the youngsters who have only known the Amex can still remember where we came from, and that includes losing 5-0 at home to Bournemouth and 2-0 to Cardiff.

I agree, we could Hereford everybody to death but it doesn’t get us anywhere. Funnily enough although it was looked on as a bad time, that Hereford season was one of the craziest I’ve ever seen. More to do with home games and the tension/pitch invasions etc. I digress.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Without overdoing it there is no harm in the occasional reminder of that Hereford scenario to keep our feet on the ground.

When not doing Albion games I occasionally take in local non-league matches at Kings Lynn Town ('The Linnets'), in the National League North. So the equivalent level as the Worthing / Eastbourne rivalry down South. Good to see that so many BHA fans are willing to dip into their games.

I recently saw KLT play the current version of Hereford. It was a rather surreal and at times uneasy experience pondering that 'sliding doors' moment when it might have been BHA dumped out of the senior leagues. Could not help wondering 'where would we be now?' - and just how many hardcore fans would follow the Seagulls on the road, down in the sixth tier. A rather sobering thought. I like to think we would have risen to the challenge and somehow regained league status. Unlike so many former EFL clubs and once familiar names that now seem trapped at this level.

So a very useful reality check to watch non-league football as a contrast to the exalted heights of the PL. The standard of football and facilities are the obvious differences but it is entertaining and also feels 'honest'. Its a simpler life - no rants about Sky changing KO times. Money is even more precious. Clubs that struggle to exist on crowds of a few thousand, aspiring to the National League. While somehow trying to maintain full professional status. To them, the EFL seems as distant and unlikely as the PL once felt for us.

We might have our moans and groans about the Albion but when I rock up at The Amex, I'm struck by the opposite side of this contrast - and not take things for granted. To appreciate and savour our position, the quality of players and facilities. That we are an established PL club and have not only experienced European football but did not disgrace ourselves. To never feel 'entitled' but allow myself reasonable 'expectations' of continued progress and maybe punch a bit above our weight.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

As with most of life it's a minority of moaning keyboard warriors.

Mainly the OP and his @Barryseagulls chum

 

[chaileyjem]

Everyone knows what a good chairman, and state the club is in right now, everyone gets told every hour, everyone accepts that

There’s a few NSC regulars who don’t accept this…

 

[Invicta]

It's people pretending that it's two players, even though they know it's not. It's a very funny joke, so good it's repeated at least twice a day!

Be nice if one of them was fit !

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Football is reactive, we are in poor form, people will always be negative then, win a game and everything will be fine. The internet is there for things to be discussed, so people are discussing why we didn't win.

Everyone knows what a good chairman, and state the club is in right now, everyone gets told every hour, everyone accepts that, doesn't mean you can't occasionally moan about something.

Spot on. I want us to win trophies and get Europe, not bleat and be bum lickers to how well we are run. Does my head in and cringes me out and makes us too nice. I want us to be well run with a killer instinct, as winner, not just competitors.

OP just maybe doesn't accept we can be really pissed off at shit form and obvious mistakes from the team and club potentially in their recruitment.

 

[GT49er]

Be nice if one of them was fit !

Better than having to rely on O'Reilly, I suppose. Houghton would never have stood for all this tomfoolery!

(Strange those NSC's dyslexics always seemed to manage Jahanabakhsh though; must have been playing at being smart-arses, I guess)

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

I don't think it's that strange. Because of the history of the club we have a breadth of fans that is perhaps wider in terms of it's expectations and what it values in football than most/any other Premier League teams. There are those who have been around and seen the hard times and are grateful, there are those that mourn for some of what the club was and what it represented in simpler times, there are those who hate the whole circus around the Premier League, there are those who want/expect constant success, and of course there are those who live in the moment and enjoy the ride, and loads I've not mentioned too.

Many of those groupings will be feeling some level of disconnect between expectation, ambition and reality, and the ones that don't will in some cases be feeling a disconnect from their fellow fans. They are all behind the club though, and they all care enough about it to want everyone to know what they think should be different. As a club we're still maturing into our relatively new home and relatively new world of the Premier League - it's truly unprecedented success for us - and like anything going through a maturing process that comes with some element of realigning and getting used to it. I'd take a guess that it'll take another 5 years in the Premier League before it settles down and there's more comfort and greater similarity in sentiment between fans with who we are as a club. There'll never be a point where everyone is happy, but there will be a point where it's less temperamental than it is at the moment.

I'm defo in the missing simpler times / wanting to win things category lol as I do miss the Withdean days sometimes.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'm defo in the missing simpler times / wanting to win things category lol as I do miss the Withdean days sometimes.

And yet you want us to be winning trophies?

Sometimes, for someone so young, you sounds like a really old man