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Post by Keithsson on May 11, 2022 12:34:14 GMT
You are spot on with the bottom line cause of this, BHA's indifference to the whole competition and tokenism in terms of putting on an 'event'. I mean, just one food/beer outlet open for that huge concourse with all the rest shuttered up.
Big businesses don't survive poor customer experiences and if that was the experience week in week out for the 'core business' then it'd hit their pockets by now.
But it just double underlines why BHA shouldn't be anywhere near the competition, both in terms of their U23 development squad being in it and the use of their stadium for the final... its not their core business, it's just a piffling triviality for them, not even worth the effort of pretending to care.
It'll never happen but I say kick 'em out and let the clubs on a more level playing field contest it. The clubs for which winning it would be special, as opposed to winning it being registered in a passing tweet that 99% of the fan base think 'ah, that's nice, didn't realise we still played in that'.
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Post by bonfireboy on May 11, 2022 14:07:34 GMT
I agree with Keithsson. Regularly getting pumped by Albion U23's does nothing to benefit anyone nor non league football in Sussex. There was palpable excitement about the final among the Worthing fans and this competition means a great deal to us. The build up to last night was an enthusiastic expression of this among the AwayBoys my son and I travelled with on the train to the Amex. Yet, inevitably perhaps, we got pumped like everyone does against Albion. We had trouble with the tickets too. Mine got the green light, my son's got the red. There seemed to be a massive fuss over people's bags... I was sad there were no programmes or any kind of souvenir, but I guess that's down to the Sussex FA. I hope it's a long time before I go to the Amex again but I hope to watch the Rebels in the final next season in a neutral ground against another non league team whose fan base and club will also care and get the feeling for this grand old competition.
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Post by wordaddy46 on May 11, 2022 16:18:59 GMT
Perhaps everyone should register their disgust to the Sussex FA
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Post by worthingwire on May 11, 2022 16:44:49 GMT
Clearly last night was frustrating for many people (I may have been lucky in that I didn't experience any issues). However, the attendance was over 3000 - where else in the County could accommodate such a crowd? Crawley, or Eastbourne Borough, but that would hardly be a 'different' experience for the players and club staff. It's a huge pity that BHAFC didn't see fit to cater adequately for the paying punters, but the Worthing fans were quality regardless - 'you're just a s**t Cucurella' towards their hairy #7 being my favourite chant of the evening. We'll have to see if any of their 23s ever 'make' it - I went a few years back to a 23s game there and picked out Ben White and James Tilley as the ones to follow. I was right about one! On last night's showing, their #6 Jack Spong was very smart I thought, as was the #2. Hinsh's lad didn't have enough time to make much of an impact, but he is a great player. Though both Jasper and Ollie Starkey wouldn't have looked out of place had they been wearing blue and white instead of red.
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Post by Keithsson on May 11, 2022 19:48:32 GMT
Take out the Albion season ticket holder 'freebies' and the crowd would come down to levels that have comfortably been accommodated by us, Bognor, Horsham and Lewes this season.
There are multiple options that allow all four sides of a ground to have fans in them, those clubs also have multiple food and drink outlets... and can marry up the right ingredients to make a hot dog for heavens sake!
I get that for non BHA players playing at the Amex is 'special', but it really really isn't for the fans. If their entertainment is all that matters then fine, but they're not paying customers 🤷♂️
As for making representations to the Sussex FA. I'm sure they'd be very open to negative feedback this morning... after sleeping off their corporate hospitality dinner and booze up in a swanky box above the plebs. It's not about us, it's about them... and I think on balance if we were to have to go there again next season, I'd happily leave them to it 👋
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Post by worthingwire on May 11, 2022 21:24:36 GMT
I take your points, but if we accept that for the players and coaching staff, a game at a Premier League ground might be something they may never otherwise experience, I'm not sure we should begrudge them that. It would definitely be better for the fans were the final to be held in a lower/non-league ground, no argument there. But for the players to get to experience the plush dressing rooms, the fantastic pitch, the whole package must be special for them. Nevertheless, the fact that the services on offer last night to paying supporters were disappointing in many respects is something that should be addressed for the future, 100%.
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Post by Bally on May 11, 2022 21:43:41 GMT
Brighton deserved to win and they did. Given that the fan experience is not top priority for the Sussex FA, and the player preference may be to play at the AMEX, I think its fair to say the only aspect to argue is on the grounds of re-addressing the quality and fairness of the competition. Professional v amateur, home advantage, one club gives out free tickets while others are made to pay. Is that a fair showpiece for the senior Cup final? For Brighton to not play as a consequence of their own success also seems harsh and would make the cup less of a draw, but the gap will only get bigger from now and we're a big club in the comp... think about the others below us. Maybe it should be u21 for Brighton?
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Post by rebeldale on May 12, 2022 14:34:46 GMT
I agree with most of the comments above, but would like to add just a few things, my own viewpoint and opinion.
I can understand the comments regarding the organisational fiasco at the Amex. I think having to set up an account to buy a ticket is stupid, I have asked them to close my account and delete all my details of their database. The guy behind us was a Albion supporter and he said that it was quicker to get in when they played ManU. To be fair, the stewards, and the police I spoke to were very helpful. Oh, and the seats were comfortable. I would have liked to have watched the game with a pint in my hand, but there you go.
I can understand Sussex County FAs dilemma. Its the pinnacle of their competitions, so it should be at the equivalent of "wembley" in Sussex. It should be a big game for both players and supporters. They really should be on the phone to the Amex management team with a list of things that need improving for next season. As to the lack of programmes, I dont think it was their fault, they were let down by couriers etc.
Finally, the Albion team. This is where it really should be looked at. The team we played, soulless as they appeared, showed both physical and mental abilities that we couldnt match. I remember when we played them in the semi-final a few years ago, they killed the game in the last 10 minutes with feigning cramp or injury. Same thing on Tuesday, it must be a lesson at the Academy. What was interesting, at least to me, was that our players ran and performed for the full 90, without lying on the pitch holding a calf at any stage. Again, the county FA should think this through, as the U-23s winning all the time will kill this as a competition.
Still, our club and supporters made the day. On we go to adventures new...
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Post by worthingwire on May 15, 2022 13:21:02 GMT
If anyone wants a copy of the programme for this match, just drop me a pm. I've got two spare ones.
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Post by Keithsson on May 15, 2022 14:55:31 GMT
You've got mail 👍🏻
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Post by wwrebel on May 15, 2022 22:36:23 GMT
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Post by Keithsson on Aug 5, 2022 10:51:41 GMT
Forgive looking back when we're looking ahead,
But I found this on Twitter and it has to be said,
Its not just us Rebels sick to the back teeth,
Of new football gimmicks that rip off and fleece,
So hats off to this fella who with eloquence and wit,
Told BHA bosses his experience was 💩
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Post by heavysoul61 on Aug 10, 2022 15:37:10 GMT
Yeah, I suspect we'll never see them now. Shame, I always take one for every new ground I visit... and I hope to god I never have to go there again. The programme FUBAR seems symptomatic of the Amex omnishambles... Parking folk paid for but as no-one was checking you could've just rocked up to, body searches that wouldn't be out of place in a custody block, a stupid electronic ticket scanner that didn't work, the aforementioned worst ever hot dog (I mean how can you **** up a hot dog FFS?) and all for a bland identikit Football League plastic-o-bowl that wouldn't have been fit for purpose for a game like that even if they HAD got everything else right. As for the game, great to see our team one more time and show our appreciation and we were the 'big' club by atmosphere generated, we won that hands down. But the match itself was ruined by some unfathomable decisions from the officials and a bunch of technically gifted kids with no soul took their chances well. I noted in the preview that none of their team from 2020 went on to do anything in football, so we'll see if Todger or whatever their #9 was called bucks that trend or if in 20 years time his embarrassing 'shirt and bra off' celebration will be all he has to fall back on when he recalls his 'career' 🤦 In short it was worth being there just to support Hinsh and the squad but nothing, literally nothing was enjoyable about the Amex at all. As both an Albion STH and Worthing Fan, I feel I should respond to this one @keithsson! Cards on the table, I didn't go the game because it was my Birthday yesterday, and Mrs Goldstonerapper was taking me out for dinner............however it does sound very much like BHAFC did not provide the same matchday experience for the SSC Final as they would normally for a normal league game, usually the car park management and the electronic ticket scanning works well but your feedback suggests that they just didn't provide adequate stewarding for the game. You are correct in your assessment of the hot dogs, they are indeed rank, but I can recommend the selection of pies they normally have for sale as very decent. The AMEX stadium criticism is a little unfair though IMHO, it's not an identikit bowl (like St. Mary's for example) and does have some design merit with the curved stands and profile into the downs. The atmosphere last Saturday at the AMEX was particularly good, in the 4-0 tonking of Utd with the added beauty of seeing Ronaldo sulking on the pitch. Clearly though the Sussex FA should have chosen a neutral venue, because BHAFC seem to have put in a half baked effort for this game. Having said all of that, I was definitely pro Worthing for this game, even being an Albion STH so disappointed to see the result. Some of the fare served up at the AMEX this season has been dire (Brighton 0 - Burnley 3), and for the first time I have considered quitting and going to Worthing full time instead! My first post here ... and I appear to have got off to a bad start trying to reply to a post that was a reply to another post! Hopefully this edit sorts it!! Anyway, I've just joined ... and reading through the various threads. I'm also a STH at Brighton ... and I attended the Final at The Amex ... in with the Worthing fans. I went with a mate of mine ... also a STH at Brighton (who introduced me to watching Worthing early last season. My mate has now cancelled his Brighton ST and has a Worthing one. Just wanted to say that I agree with various comments about issues on the night. Security did seem tougher and take longer than getting into a Premier League game for some reason. And whereas I've never had an issue scanning my season ticket at the turnstiles ... I did suffer the same problem that many had with my ticket that night. We got to the game early and so didn't have to queue for food and drink ... and we knew to go straight for the Piglets Pantries pies ... which are excellent. I still have my season ticket for Brighton but will be attending as many Worthing games as possible. I've cross referenced games in my calendar and at the moment it looks like I will only miss 2 Worthing games this side of Christmas. I was there on Saturday for the Dover 'experience' which as has been said on other threads was quite shocking. Anyway ... I will keep a close eye on this form and will contribute where I feel I have input. It looks refreshingly different to Brighton fans 'North Stand Chat' which is mostly just a political screaming match!!!
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Post by goldstonerapper on Aug 10, 2022 17:35:16 GMT
As both an Albion STH and Worthing Fan, I feel I should respond to this one @keithsson! Cards on the table, I didn't go the game because it was my Birthday yesterday, and Mrs Goldstonerapper was taking me out for dinner............however it does sound very much like BHAFC did not provide the same matchday experience for the SSC Final as they would normally for a normal league game, usually the car park management and the electronic ticket scanning works well but your feedback suggests that they just didn't provide adequate stewarding for the game. You are correct in your assessment of the hot dogs, they are indeed rank, but I can recommend the selection of pies they normally have for sale as very decent. The AMEX stadium criticism is a little unfair though IMHO, it's not an identikit bowl (like St. Mary's for example) and does have some design merit with the curved stands and profile into the downs. The atmosphere last Saturday at the AMEX was particularly good, in the 4-0 tonking of Utd with the added beauty of seeing Ronaldo sulking on the pitch. Clearly though the Sussex FA should have chosen a neutral venue, because BHAFC seem to have put in a half baked effort for this game. Having said all of that, I was definitely pro Worthing for this game, even being an Albion STH so disappointed to see the result. Some of the fare served up at the AMEX this season has been dire (Brighton 0 - Burnley 3), and for the first time I have considered quitting and going to Worthing full time instead! My first post here ... and I appear to have got off to a bad start trying to reply to a post that was a reply to another post! Hopefully this edit sorts it!! Anyway, I've just joined ... and reading through the various threads. I'm also a STH at Brighton ... and I attended the Final at The Amex ... in with the Worthing fans. I went with a mate of mine ... also a STH at Brighton (who introduced me to watching Worthing early last season. My mate has now cancelled his Brighton ST and has a Worthing one. Just wanted to say that I agree with various comments about issues on the night. Security did seem tougher and take longer than getting into a Premier League game for some reason. And whereas I've never had an issue scanning my season ticket at the turnstiles ... I did suffer the same problem that many had with my ticket that night. We got to the game early and so didn't have to queue for food and drink ... and we knew to go straight for the Piglets Pantries pies ... which are excellent. I still have my season ticket for Brighton but will be attending as many Worthing games as possible. I've cross referenced games in my calendar and at the moment it looks like I will only miss 2 Worthing games this side of Christmas. I was there on Saturday for the Dover 'experience' which as has been said on other threads was quite shocking. Anyway ... I will keep a close eye on this form and will contribute where I feel I have input. It looks refreshingly different to Brighton fans 'North Stand Chat' which is mostly just a political screaming match!!! Looks like you’re in a similar boat to me heavysoul61! I took a punt and went for a Worthing season ticket having been a STH at the Amex since it opened, in the hope I wouldn’t miss too many Worthing fixtures with clashes, but as you point out I think it’s only a couple of game clashes across the season. Love both for different reasons, but like you, I have been totally drawn into Woodside Road over the last couple of years and will continue to be! I think you can take what Keithsson says about the Albion with a pinch of salt (doing a great pro Worthing job sir you can do both if you can bear the expense in these tough economic times………
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Post by Keithsson on Aug 13, 2022 12:09:54 GMT
That pitifully bland but highly expensive soggy hot dog could've really used a pinch of salt goldstonerapper 😆
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