Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2015 19:18:48 GMT
I went to Brighton on the train yesterday. I've known and been intrigued by the place since a holiday in Sussex as a child. Then I was aware of Brighton being "a bit like Torquay". Now I can't think of too many places in this country which are so different to each other. Positively so I might add.
You could tell that Brighton and Hove Albion were at home from Salisbury onwards. A few exiles at first, then hordes boarding the train from Chichester. People from Bognor, Littlehampton, Worthing, Shoreham and that string of towns which rather sprawl along the Sussex coast. A mixture of people with a fair sprinkling of "geezers" amongst them. The stadium at Falmer lends itself to rail travel but, when Albion are at home, their presence is in your face. You can't fail to realise there's a game happening.
Brighton were at home to Brentford yesterday. That sounds like an 8,000 crowd in League One. Wrong. It's the Championship watched by 27,000. And, queueing at the Co-op on North Street, you couldn't help notice that Albion were all over the front page of the Argus: PROFITS ARE SOARING FOR THE SEAGULLS.
Now admittedly that doesn't quite tally with the BBC's "Brighton announce loss of £10.6 million". Confusing? Well, yes. The paper has picked up an "operating profit" figure; the BBC the overall loss. A few pertinent figures: £20 million spent on football activities; £130 million borrowed from the owner; turnover £24 million. I reckon this makes Brighton and Hove Albion around ten times the "size" of Torquay United; their loans from their owner around sixty times ours from Thea (other figures are available depending on how you read them). Remember we're talking about Brighton and Hove Albion not Manchester United.
Yet I wasn't in Brighton to see the Albion. I was there for Whitehawk v Bromley in Conference South. Head east along the front to the marina; turn left to Kemp Town; through the park; past the caravan site. Whitehawk's Enclosed Ground is ringed by the Downs but isn't a scene of beauty itself. Two temporary stands behind both goals - the usual rattling combination of green seats and metal - whilst the only permanent structures are those from the club's Sussex County League days: a small stand and a dowdy social club. Portacabins house the toilets and board room. There's an odd similarity to Truro City who Whitehawk once played in the FA Vase.
Indeed there are other parallels with Truro; large amounts of money spent on a previously modest club. Truro's aim was to become the largest club in the county; Whitehawk want to be Brighton's second club and a force in themselves. Hence their proposal to be renamed Brighton City. It's slightly bizarre. Whitehawk is a distinct community on the edge of town; most people have little reason to visit. In Torquay terms it would bear some resemblance to Watcombe Wanderers rising through the pyramid.
Whitehawk won 2-1. At times it seemed as if they were going to do the same as we did to Bromley. Whitehawk have two one-time Torquay loanees - Jake Robinson and Danny Mills; they also have Sergio Torres. Look at their other players and, even if you've not heard of them, each has a decent pedigree. Two wealthy men. It must be costing them a fortune. There were 252 there yesterday; perhaps half of whom were from Bromley. Whitehawk are up to third; they could (subject to ground grading) be in our league next season and straight on our case. The new Eastleigh as it were. When we next visit Brighton I suspect it's more likely to be the Enclosed Ground rather than the Amex.
You could tell that Brighton and Hove Albion were at home from Salisbury onwards. A few exiles at first, then hordes boarding the train from Chichester. People from Bognor, Littlehampton, Worthing, Shoreham and that string of towns which rather sprawl along the Sussex coast. A mixture of people with a fair sprinkling of "geezers" amongst them. The stadium at Falmer lends itself to rail travel but, when Albion are at home, their presence is in your face. You can't fail to realise there's a game happening.
Brighton were at home to Brentford yesterday. That sounds like an 8,000 crowd in League One. Wrong. It's the Championship watched by 27,000. And, queueing at the Co-op on North Street, you couldn't help notice that Albion were all over the front page of the Argus: PROFITS ARE SOARING FOR THE SEAGULLS.
Now admittedly that doesn't quite tally with the BBC's "Brighton announce loss of £10.6 million". Confusing? Well, yes. The paper has picked up an "operating profit" figure; the BBC the overall loss. A few pertinent figures: £20 million spent on football activities; £130 million borrowed from the owner; turnover £24 million. I reckon this makes Brighton and Hove Albion around ten times the "size" of Torquay United; their loans from their owner around sixty times ours from Thea (other figures are available depending on how you read them). Remember we're talking about Brighton and Hove Albion not Manchester United.
Yet I wasn't in Brighton to see the Albion. I was there for Whitehawk v Bromley in Conference South. Head east along the front to the marina; turn left to Kemp Town; through the park; past the caravan site. Whitehawk's Enclosed Ground is ringed by the Downs but isn't a scene of beauty itself. Two temporary stands behind both goals - the usual rattling combination of green seats and metal - whilst the only permanent structures are those from the club's Sussex County League days: a small stand and a dowdy social club. Portacabins house the toilets and board room. There's an odd similarity to Truro City who Whitehawk once played in the FA Vase.
Indeed there are other parallels with Truro; large amounts of money spent on a previously modest club. Truro's aim was to become the largest club in the county; Whitehawk want to be Brighton's second club and a force in themselves. Hence their proposal to be renamed Brighton City. It's slightly bizarre. Whitehawk is a distinct community on the edge of town; most people have little reason to visit. In Torquay terms it would bear some resemblance to Watcombe Wanderers rising through the pyramid.
Whitehawk won 2-1. At times it seemed as if they were going to do the same as we did to Bromley. Whitehawk have two one-time Torquay loanees - Jake Robinson and Danny Mills; they also have Sergio Torres. Look at their other players and, even if you've not heard of them, each has a decent pedigree. Two wealthy men. It must be costing them a fortune. There were 252 there yesterday; perhaps half of whom were from Bromley. Whitehawk are up to third; they could (subject to ground grading) be in our league next season and straight on our case. The new Eastleigh as it were. When we next visit Brighton I suspect it's more likely to be the Enclosed Ground rather than the Amex.