“Bitter and Sour Grapes = Some Brighton Fans”

Last updated : 24 March 2002 By Jason Turner

I was astonished to find how bitter some Brighton fans were about Bobby Zamora getting injured and Notts clawing back to gain a 2-2 draw. This got me thinking about the time we played Brighton at Meadow Lane earlier in the season. We were 2-0 up and Brighton were top of the table, and then they came back to gain a 2-2 draw. I thought how could some of them be so cruel towards the Notts fans because we had only done what they had done to us earlier on in the season.

Then it dawned on me. They had be frightened of this game because they knew deep down that Notts could on their day win a team who have a best home record in the country, as they have not lost at home since they lost to Southend in October 2000. Even Peter Taylor admitted he was worried about this game.

I still didn’t think that this is what their gripe was about but it had been staring me in the face. It was the fact that Bobby Zamora got injured, which sparked their outrage.

Some of their fans have blackened the name Brighton & Hove Albion football by issuing statements calling Notts fans Scum and that Notts are dirty cheats. I mean one fan has even said that all Notts County fans should get Cancer.

I just laugh at these statements and think to myself what seriously disturbed people there are around. These are not “real” supporters that say things like this. I feel sorry for the majority of the other Brighton fans who have had to put up with their fellow fans say such childish and horrible things. I can understand that some of our fans will be upset and others angry that Brighton fans have turned on us.

From what I saw, because the view was a disgrace, Bobby Zamora and one of our men both went for a ball that was in the air, and Bobby Zamora fell down awkwardly. Obviously Brighton fans will say our player-fouled Zamora, but he didn’t seem to make any contact, and even if he made contact he would have had to hit him hard to dislocate is shoulder.

This upset the Brighton fans because our man didn’t get punished. They were outraged that their top man had got injured. Perhaps he’s never been injured whilst at the club, but sooner or later players will get injured. Football is a CONTACT sport although some referee’s don’t think so.

Once Zamora had left the field Brighton were never the same team. I think they know that without Zamora they do not look as good and that he is a very key player in their squad. It was clear once he had gone, because they were not as dangerous and lost their edge.

Many people have said that Brighton are a one man team, and I have to say that they are right. The defence at times looked worried and afraid when balls came into the box.

We were average in the second half and yet managed to claw back into the game. I don’t think Brighton fans liked it because we played a more physical game, which is obviously what they are not used to as Brighton seem to be playing fast flowing attacking football.

Yes we made some silly challenges and late challenges, but it was nothing deliberate or unusual that you don’t see week in and week out in this division. Notts County are not a dirty side. I suggest Brighton fans look at the disciplinary tables to see who are the worse sides in this division. I doubt we would be anywhere near the top.

The conclusion I have come to is that some of the Brighton fans are very bitter and have sour grapes because they have lost Zamora at a crucial time in the season, and to top it all they didn’t even win the game which has meant that they are only two points clear of third place Brentford when they could have been 4 points clear.

Brighton have nobody to blame but themselves. For a team near the top of the league they could have hammered us because they had the chance to. We were lucky not to go into the break 3-0 down and it was Brighton’s fault as they let us come back into the game.

Some of the Brighton fans should just stop making fools of themselves and saying such rubbish and worry about the next game and getting a striker on-loan before transfer deadline, because if they don’t I feel they will not have the stamina to maintain second spot and get an automatic promotion place.

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