TLO

[quote user="king canary"]Brighton had a great season last season but the season before finsihed 21st. We''ve spent 4 of the last 5 seasons in the Premier League. While I don''t doubt Dunk may have Premier League suitors I don''t think it is unfeasible if Norwich came in for him he might see us as a better shot at getting promoted than Brighton.[/quote]It''s amazing so many people only look back as far as last season to judge where we''re at. FourFourTwo did that, and got it embarrassingly wrong.Meanwhile, back in the real world, we''ve made the play-offs three seasons out of four, and it''s only down to Sami Hyypia''s time in charge that it wasn''t four out of four.There is no evidence to pre-suppose we won''t have as good a season next season as this one. Retention and strenghtening of the squad will mean another concerted effort - in line with those three out of the past four previous seasons.As for Lewis Dunk, he really won''t be going to Norwich. He''s already turned down West Brom and Everton, and Arsenal only cooled their boots at the time of his court case nonsense. He - like the rest of us - will see Brighton as having just a good a shot at promotion as anyone else; we have momentum if nothing else. While Norwich will of course be challenging, and are one of the favourites, to think that the play-offs are an over-achievement for us on the back of the previous season''s debacle is ludicrous.

[quote user="Yellow Green Army"]I''m not so sure Villa is a more attractive proposition than Norwich City at this moment in time sgncfc. The likes of Brighton, Derby WILL have to sell, as do all clubs in the championship who do not have the luxury of parachute payments to fall back on.[/quote]In the case of Brighton, you couldn''t be further from the truth.We know your (collective) disdain for Chris Hughton, but we see him as someone who has done a fantastic job, and him being given a four-year contract this week is indicative of how he is appreciated here.We missed out on promotion by a gnat''s knackers this season - a season where everyone knew we were bereft of a decent, fit, 20-goal striker that every promotion candidate needs. And this was without the benefit of parachute payments. If we can secure that player (whoever it may be - I suspect we''ll be scouring the Spanish leagues again), we are confident of another good season.As for Lewis Dunk - forget it. He''s 24, he''s a Brighton lad (admittedly so was Russell Martin), and he signed a five-year contract at the beginning of the season after Fulham - FULHAM! - offered £5m for him. If that genuinely triggered a released clause back then, that figure has shot up since. He''s also the captain in waiting.If we can retain Lewis Dunk, Connor Goldson, David Stockdale, Dale Stephens and Beram Kayal (all of whom are under contract incidentally), we''d fancy our chances next season. But believe me, if any of those players were to leave, it''s to the Premier League. And seeing as that''s unlikely, I''d put my mortgage (alright, I don''t have one - but bear with me) on all five staying.

[quote user="xymox"]Was a great away ticket but also enjoyed the wigan hospitality a couple of years back. @morty. The concourse was superb loved the younger kids with the bounce in a minute, almost wanted to bounce! An older geezer trying to override the youngsters with a we beat the scum but totally getting blanked, he had them singing that in the end made me lol. Oh to persistence. Loved the Amex and the after game party, Brighton are a ''nice'' club who we hopefully won''t play for a couple of years.[/quote]Night Boat To Cairo...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUx6xKmOHpIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSnhf1HpzuoGeno - crackly sound quality. People dancing while ignoring Ipsiwch v Bournemouth on the screenshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5fOMbr_jzwMedleyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJbFFB4OPecThanks to everyone who came along. We had a blast; hope you did too. So much so I forgot that we lost 1-0; something that would normally wreck my weekend.

[quote user="morty"][quote user="Dicky"][quote user="morty"]Thats brilliant, cheers!We''re eating at the chilli pickle on the Friday night.[/quote] Chilli Pickle is exceptional mate. Proper Indian food, not English Indian food. Enjoy.[/quote]Cheers, yeah it comes highly recommended![/quote]How was it?And thanks to everyone who came along to the Mods & Rock do in the concourse last night. Great fun.Dance offs and singalongs galore.Cheers.

[quote user="TIL 1010"]The ground is in the middle of nowhere with no pubs for miles around. The only bars are in the concourses all around the stadium and by all accounts there are plenty of them. Your match ticket gives you free travel on the day by bus or train from Brighton town centre.[/quote]Not quite no pubs. The ones in the vicinity are set aside for home fans only.

[quote user="Bob Down"]TLO, what are your thoughts on the Goldstone ... would you go back if you could.  Maybe with the odd improved, or new stand ?Bit of atmosphere and easy to get to as well. So you can drink in town before ambling up to Hove (actually).[/quote]As much as we pine for something lost - the dewy-eyed mistiness days of the often-unrequited love of your first mistress (the Albion in this case for me) - and she could be cruel not always loving you back, yet you yearn for more - The Goldstone was a dump.It was our dump, but a dump nonetheless. It was never ripe for improvement - there wasn''t the room to do so without drastic measures, like for instance buying up perfectly good houses in order to make space. There was no dignity involved in prising us from our home. We didn''t want to go, though with the attendances, and the way the club was being run by a series of chancers and egotistical local businessmen, many didn''t want to stay either.The perverse irony is that, if Bill Archer hadn''t done what he did (i.e. sold the Goldstone and asset-strip it in order to make a few quid), we wouldn''t be where we are now, simply because it was necessity rather than an a greedy commercial consideration that got Falmer Stadium built. I''m not even saying this with 18 years'' hindsight of battling for our existence; I genuinely had no idea how the Goldstone could ever be improved to a ''modern'' standard. For example, the catering kiosk was next to the toilet and at times you struggled to work out which smell came from where.Now that we''re in the Falmer Stadium, and because we spent so long fighting for it - it had a history before it was even built - it was OURS, and we came to love it almost immediately. So while it was with a sense of anger and regret we had to say ''thanks for the memories'' to the Goldstone (even though we had no idea where our future lay), and though we bade a fonder farewell to Withdean (four promotions, including three divisional titles in 12 years) we knew what was on the horizon.Every nerve and sinew of my romantic side ought to be saying ''we should be at the Goldstone'', but because of the disenfranchisement and apathy at the club then, and the sense of inclusion now, my head is saying - "even though it''s a ''modern'' stadium, for me - Falmer has soul, and that suits me just fine..."

[quote user="morty"]Thats brilliant, cheers!We''re eating at the chilli pickle on the Friday night.[/quote]Good choice.It''s not your regular Indian place, and it is excellent though a tad steep.http://thechillipickle.com/restaurant/

[quote user="morty"]Hi TLO, cheers for all the info!Am staying in the Ibis hotel in Queens road and looking for somewhere niceish to eat on the Thursday night, nothing too Weatherspoonsy.Any recommendations? [/quote]Hi MortyThe Ibis is about as convenient as you could want - it''s about 30 yards from the entrance to Brighton Station.The pubs are around the station are probably the best in the city - The Prince Albert, The Lord Nelson, The Battle of Trafalgar, The Pedestrians, The Caxton Arms, The Evening Star, The Cyclist - all within 75 yards of your gaff. The Office and the Battle of Trafalgar are about 300 yards away, if you can be arsed to walk down the hill. Just avoid the Queens Head and the Railway Bell opposite your hotel.Just don''t drive in. Take the train.As for food, you''re pretty well spoiled. For Indian, head to Noori''s in Ship Street or the Chili Pickle in Jubliee Street; for fish, head to either Fishy Fishy or English''s in the Lanes; for tapas, go to Casa Don Carlos in the Lanes, or Solera D in Sydney Street or Bodega D in Church Street; for street food, go to La Choza in Glocuester Road; for Chinese go to Gars in the Lanes or China Garden in Preston Street; for Italian, head for Si Signore in Sydney Street or Donatello''s in the Lanes..."I could go on four hours and I probably willBut I''d sooner put the joy back in..."All of these places are within 10 minutes walk of your hotel. Looking further afield into Kemp Town (about a 15-20 minute walk) brings another set of surprises - in more ways than one - again. There''s loads of places on the seafront road and the beach too, though the weather might put paid to some of them. Brighton is the kind of place where it''s easier to avoid the soul-less chains and head for the small independent places.For even more info, follow @EatBrighton on Twitter. You''ve every opportunity to leave Brighton fatter and poorer if you allowed yourself to do it.

[quote user="Dicky"]Thanks TLO. I am sponsoring the game, so we have a group of 18 of us in amongst the Brighton fans.... Should be a laugh. Think we will head to the bar after the game and then into Brighton for a few more unnecessary beers.... For Norwich fans who haven''t been to the Amex before, it is a long way out of Brighton and no nearby pubs, so best to drink at the stadium beforehand.[/quote] Nice one. As long it''s not the East Anglian Electricity Board sponsoring the game... Re: drinking - there are many excellent pubs around Brighton Station, and most allow away fans. So it will be door to door from pub to stadium with the free train travel (about 9 mins).

[quote user="Bob Down"][quote user="......and Smith must score."]I''ve been recommended '' Dick''s Bar '' to avoid the crush after the game.[/quote]''Dick''s Bar'', in Brighton !Otherwise it sounds good and I''m sure a few City fans will partake, so well done TLO.Also we won''t be waving some silly banner having a go at your club, rather instead raising a glass in recognition of you lot hauling yourself back after Archer sold you down the river. How''s hewton doing ? [/quote]Cheers, Bob. See post above for ''silly banner''.I remember Fans United in 1997, and Norwich City fans, having a few issues with Robert Chase if I recall correctly, brought a fair few coach loads down. A post from the FB page of my radio show...https://www.facebook.com/thealbionroar/posts/602150086551708Hughton is doing what he has been brought in to do - pick up the debris from a disastrous period under Sami Hyypia. He hasn''t pulled up any trees particularly, but he has got the results in enough for us to hopefully avoid the trapdoor. We''re expecting carnage on the playing squad front during the summer at the Albion.And he''s a nice chap too.

[quote user="......and Smith must score."]Thanks for that TLO.....sounds like '' Quadrophenia '' revisited so a few old Who songs maybe ? I''ve been recommended '' Dick''s Bar '' to avoid the crush after the game.Any good ?[/quote]That''s about the size of it - Dante will be playing soul, funk, disco etc. Digitalis plays the mullet-rock, air-grab and air-guitar classics, I (Large Al) will play The Who, Small Faces, Jam, ska and all points in between.Regarding Dick''s Bar, it''s a bit airport lounge-ish, and gets very full very quickly - it is the crush place rather than somewhere to go to avoid the crush. However, if you can get in, you are welcome. ''Dick'' incidentally, refers to Dick Knight, former chairman and now Life President, so no sniggering at the back. The man himslef may even be in there afterwards.Basically, since the stadium opened, the culture is along the lines of get there early-ish (even though the only bars in the vicinity are at the stadium - about 37 bars at the last count), drink ale (there will be a real ale from Norfolk, and the staff in the away end will be wearing yellow and green colours with NCFC badges), watch the game; moan, cheer etc.After the game, the queues at Falmer railway station, which is about 150 yards from the stadium, can get a bit busy, so everyone is encouraged to stick around and drink more beer until the queue dies down. To that end, and the fact it''s Good Friday, we''re doing the music stuff in the East Stand. 8pm is a nominal finishing time. Everyone is welcome into all parts of the stadium after the game.Incidentally your match ticket also gives you free travel (bus or train) to and from the city centre to the stadium free of charge; it''s included in the price.And if you want to know what the Piswich fans did on their first visit to the Amex... http://www.eadt.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.1220907.1330342188!/image/372017083.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/372017083.jpgNo, we didn''t understand it either. The airheads.Anything else you want to know, just holler.

Evening all.For those of you heading south this Good Friday, you will - no, really - receive a warm welcome, there''s plenty of real ale for sale, award-winning pies (even Delia rates them) and something mildly typical for Brighton on a Bank Holiday.After the game in the East Stand concourse (you lot will be in the South Stand), there will be a DJ set of mod, soul and rock music. You''re welcome to come in and have a beer, a natter and if you feel like drunk enough - a bit of a boogie. No pressure.Can''t seem to post a pic, so here''s a link... https://www.facebook.com/events/1590503341163870/