I'll be making my first visit to the Withdean tonight, to see my previous local Football League side (Barnet) take on my new one (Brighton & Hove Albion) in the first round of the League Cup.

Seems only right and proper to attend, as part of my assimilation into the local culture and a stage on the way to becoming a fully fledged Brightonian, plus it's easier to persuade Mrs Rhino to take an interest in a football match if it's a knockout and something directly hangs on the outcome.

Bit of a long shot, but is anyone else going?

No, I'm 70 miles along the coast at Bournemouth. I am only answering in an attempt to make this the Official League Cup Thread.

Bless you. Shall I rename it?

Voice on shoulder: "Yes".

Done.

I'm not going either.

But I am going to Ipswich v Orient and am taking advantage of the uniform ticket prices to sit in a prime seat that I have just realised may put me dangerously close to David Sheepshanks.

Spearmint Rhino wrote:

QUOTE:
I'll be making my first visit to the Withdean tonight, to see my previous local Football League side (Barnet) take on my new one (Brighton & Hove Albion) in the first round of the League Cup.

Seems only right and proper to attend, as part of my assimilation into the local culture and a stage on the way to becoming a fully fledged Brightonian, plus it's easier to persuade Mrs Rhino to take an interest in a football match if it's a knockout and something directly hangs on the outcome.

Bit of a long shot, but is anyone else going?

I am incredibly jealous, as it is my town and my club, yet one is in exile in Italy these days. I shall be following the Albion game via various on-line sites as usual tonight.

If you've not been to the Albion before, I must warn you they are often hypercritical, not especially knowledgeable, worldweary but loyal and sometimes humorous! And that's just my dad.

Enjoy and give them a cheer for me.

...And very quiet.

I don't think I can go tonight, but won't know for sure until about 5.30.

Hot Orange wrote:

QUOTE:
I'm not going either.

But I am going to Ipswich v Orient and am taking advantage of the uniform ticket prices to sit in a prime seat that I have just realised may put me dangerously close to David Sheepshanks.

Ipswich fan I know says that after what he saw Saturday he fancies Orient to knock them out. If that happens he says he'll knock Sheepshanks out.

Actually, I should qualify my above statement by saying that they are very quiet at home. The away support is a different matter, apparently, but I went to the Withdean a handful of times last season and was surprised at how quiet things were.

twohundredpercent wrote:

QUOTE:
Actually, I should qualify my above statement by saying that they are very quiet at home. The away support is a different matter, apparently, but I went to the Withdean a handful of times last season and was surprised at how quiet things were.

They are very quiet at Withdean, given the atmosphere at Fortress Goldstone, (even allowing for the melancholy, nostalgia-influenced memory of great times past) partly due to the place itself, which seems to blow any noise away and the distance of the seats to the pitch. Plus, increasingly as the years at Withdean have gone on, though I didn't get back last season, sheer Withdean fatigue and falling crowds.

It's pretty expensive for what it is, too, which has also had an influence on changing/diminishing the crowd over the years.

As you say, though, traditionally the Albion's away support is relatively sizeable and pretty vocal.

I shall be missing Carlisle's debut at Shrewsbury's new stadium because I'm drafting my Will. It occurs to me that (even by my standards) this is a bizarre, and crap, excuse.

Hopefully Radio Cumbria will broadcast the match on their Kendal transmitter so that I can savour the frustration of Grant Holt knocking a hattrick in against us.

QUOTE:
Ipswich fan I know says that after what he saw Saturday he fancies Orient to knock them out.

I'll be going with my dad, an Orient fan, so I expect both teams to disappoint. 0-0 followed by a penalty shootout that will still be going on this time tomorrow.

That's a good point. What are the competition rules? Done and dusted tonight, with pens if necessary, or does it go to a replay?

Extra time and pens on the night. No replays.

I saw the Orient bus drive past Portman Road as I left work today. It had a small scrolling electronic sign on the front which read: "Leyton Orient F.C. Team Bus".

I also saw Pablo Counago drive out of the car park at lunchtime with Ivan Campo in the passenger seat. Hectic days.

5 Live at MK Dons. You'd have thought by the fawning that they were a real football club.

Pete Winkleman/Bruno Brookes gave the game away saying they were a local club for the Milton Keynes community. You should have thought about that earlier you twat and then you could have started a non league club instead