HIGH STREET sales are at a 25-year low. The recession, much-hyped by the media, is almost upon us. And the credit crunch is biting into certain sections of our national game — although clearly not the North East of England (more later). But the Albion seem to be well and truly bucking the trend.
Season ticket sales at Withdean are up 25 per cent on last season as the return of Micky Adams has excited the local footballing public.
However, this feelgood factor hasn't translated into the pre-season friendlies, which to my mind, unfortunatel
y on Saturday, resulted in Gary Hart not really getting the crowd he deserved for his testimonial against Charlton Athletic.
The figure of a little more than 4,600 was well down on the corresponding fixture for Kerry Mayo last July and has already sparked debate amongst the Albion support.
In a perfect world, Gary would have got a comparable attendance with Kerry and received his deserved payday after 10 years' loyal service.
That didn't happen, for a number of reasons — the credit crunch, the match being played on the first weekend of the school holidays, Charlton Athletic's box-office appeal, the list goes on.
But every cloud does have a silver lining. Despite Hart being sacked by former manager Dean Wilkins, he is still part of Micky Adams' plans. And, as a result, has been rewarded with a new contract.
Had that testimonial been his Albion swansong, then the return he got from the match would have been disappointing. But thankfully, Brighton fans will still have the chance to see an Albion legend in action for the Seagulls for at least another year.
Last Thursday evening, I had the pleasure, as league sponsor, of handing out some awards at the Worthing Foot-ball League annual meeting.
It was great to see local man-in-the-middle, Chris Salt, receive the accolade of Referee of the Year, based on club markings. And that, despite his assault at a league cup final, he has decided not to hang up his whistle but to continue next season.
Right, too, that the evergreen Terry Burstow, connected with the league for more than 40 years, was bestowed with life membership.
As always, secretary Sir Laurie Claydon was in the thick of it, including at one point taking on the mantle of King Solomon when a healthy, but not quite heated, debate ensued on the issue of club linesmen.
I see both sides. The league wants a certain standard but it's hard for clubs at intermed-iate level to get one person specifically to run the line for the whole game — which, if they don't, incurs a fine.
Perhaps the answer lies with some of the young players of the town, who are not allowed to play adult football until their 16th birthday. By joining a Worthing League club as a linesman, it would not only introduce them to the adult game, but also earn them a few quid in the process.
Is top-flight football out of control? It's an audited figure that in August 1992 when the Premiership started, the highest-paid player in the ranks was a certain Bryan Robson, playing for Manchester United, and earning the princely sum of £8,000 per week.
Moving on 16 years, we have a Premiership footballer being released from prison after serving time for a particularly nasty violent crime.
It's fair to say that he's not a bad player, and probably he has yet to realise his true potential. You wouldn't put him in the top current 30 English players and he certainly doesn't play for one of the real contenders.
But that doesn't stop his club paying him £71,000 a week, even while he's been on his break at Her Majesty's Pleasure.
As Jimmy Greaves said, on more than one occasion: "It's a funny old game."
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