Is there really a British mentality that we have an issue with success? We’re a nation of wanting the underdogs to win. ”Our media long has a history of elevating people to the level of celebrity with the end goal being just to bring them crashing down again.” – writes Graeme Fowler* on Medium. (Not the Graeme Fowler, former cricketer, who blocked me on Twitter… and I still have no idea why!)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Brighton & Hove Albion. But I preferred them when they weren’t so good!
My love-in with Brighton, the town, now city, dates back to the late 1970s. Living in Sutton, Brighton was the coastal town of choice for a day out by train. The quieter areas of Rottingdean and Saltdean were my mum’s preferred choices as she wasn’t a fan of the arcades. However, having to rely on public transport and appeasing two whiny kids, we used to stay put in Brighton – often to the left of the Palace Pier by the Volks Electric Railway. Coming out of the station and spotting the sea on the horizon for the first time was magical. It still is, though the destination these days is usually Harwich.
It is well documented (well, only if you’ve ever read my stuff), that Panini Football 80 was a watershed moment for me as far as my real interest in football. Not only the players, but the kits, the badges, the flashes of stands in the background of the team groups. Brighton’s kit, a stripy Bukta number was probably wasted on this 7 year old. The collars were too big. It looked like it was made from the same scratchy material of my school team shirt. I mean, Fulham may not have been Division One at the time, but they did have a silky Adidas number after all! This Bukta kit is now a thing of beauty. Whilst in Calais in the early 2000s, I saw a lady, perhaps in her mid-70s, wearing a white Brighton Bukta tracktop – the arms displaying the distinct repetitive logo pattern. The context threw me on so many levels.
Brighton & Hove Albion would have been sporting their new, silky, Adidas (all) blue kit for the 1980-81 season, when my family went down for the day. It was 16th August 1980. As we laid on the beach, basking in the sunshine, a group of Wolves fans, passed by in shirts and scarves. They were rowdy, drunk, skin more red than old gold. Two walked into the sea fully clothed. Harmless now, but at the time I felt a little uncomfortable. My nan had returned to the Midlands from London in the 1960s. She had settled in Shifnal rather than return to Shrewsbury. Wolverhampton Wanderers were the nearest league side and most popular club judging by the Wolves graffiti found on walls and in phone boxes. Whether I had had a negative experience chalking on the pavement or wall at a very young age, I always viewed graffiti as something really naughty. In our local park in North Cheam, someone had graffitied Siouxsie and the Banshees on a fence. I was wary of the band (and their fans) for years! This made me wary of Wolves fans too and these two drunks in the sea were cementing my opinion. All harmless. The fans left for the match. Brighton won 2-0.
The 1980s for me, personally, was the golden era for FA Cup finals. Spurs v Manchester City, United and Everton, Coventry City v Spurs and WImbledon’s giant killing against Liverpool. In 1983, the Brighton & Hove Albion squad travelled to Wembley (well, a school field about a mile away) by helicopter. It so happened that they flew over my folks’ house. We waved. I probably thumbsed-up them too. This ‘encounter’ hadn’t swayed me. I was always going to be a Seagull for the day. The Manchester United fans at school had given me grief for my Fulham Oscar shirt which boasted ‘Third Division Runners’ Up’ on the badge. These United fans, along with the obligatory Liverpool ones, would later turn into Wimbledon fans, citing that they now supported their local team. Be interested to know where their allegiances lie now. The final was a cracker, despite no Steve Foster, who was one of my favourites. Smith’s well documented miss at the end was painful for this Fulham fan let alone the Brighton faithful. The replay, set for the following Thursday meant four schooldays of playground finals. Foster was back for this one. United won 4-0. Oh well.
Incidentally, when Manchester United hosted Brighton & Hove Albion on the 6th October 1979, it was their first ever encounter in the league. The two team had met seventy years earlier (16th January 1909) in the FA Cup.
Visits to Brighton were restricted to days out with Epsom Coaches. I’d always have one day a year off school and go out with my dad to the coast. The coach would often pass my school on a dull circuit around Sutton, picking up pensioners. I would duck to avoid being spotted (by my teachers rather than the oldies). All a bit unnecessary and theatrical. By the time the coach had done the rounds collecting day trippers, we’d arrive at our destination. From memory, the trip would take around 4 hours, including a break to a tea room en route. We’d get to Brighton around 12.30pm, with strict instructions to be back on the coach at 5pm. I made a pact with myself that one day I would live in Brighton. I bought my first flat in Roundhill Crescent in 2002.
I have the programme for Brighton v Fulham (29th September 1984, lost 2-0), but not entirely sure if I went. It’s only four days after my 11th birthday, so I am sure I would’ve remembered it. I certainly missed our 3-2 win in April 1986 as it was a school night… and we were already relegated. And the Fulham scorers that night? This is a question that would stump the most ardent of Cottagers. The answer being, Brathwaite, Dreyer and Pike (Chris) – the first two on rare outings.
Out of the 29 matches between the two sides since, I have probably missed a handful.
I have highlighted the stand out games, in my eyes, (for good and bad reasons) further below:
In my own hierarchy of football clubs, based on success, ground size, number of fans, time spent on similar divisions, rogue chairman… I have Fulham and Brighton close together. For us Fulham fans, the very threat of not having a club, let alone a ground was very real. Chairman, David Bulstrode’s best efforts to merge us with Queens Park Rangers in 1987, fortunately died a death… Bulstrode too, a year later at just 48 years old.
For Brighton, troubles emerged a few years later in 1995. This is well documented in the excellent book, More Than 90 Minutes, by photographer, Stewart Weir and journalist, Paul Hayward. The bad guys this time, Bill Archer and another David, Bellotti, planned to move Brighton to Portsmouth. The very heart of the club ripped out in the process. This bleak period coincided with some horrendous results on the pitch. Albion were mirroring Fulham, joining us in the basement division for the start of 1996-97 season.
On 26th October 1996, my friends and I joined some Albion fans at Brighton station, as an act of solidarity against the evil regime. We marched together to the Goldstone. It was hardly a love-in, but I was glad to do my bit. The game finished 0-0 and I remember getting a copy of the Sports Argus that evening. The march was covered on the front page – rival fans united. On the back, a Stop Press! mentioned how Brighton and Fulham supporters had fought after the game at Hove station!
By the time Brighton played their high stakes final match of the season, away at Hereford United – the result would mean that one of them would lose their league status – Fulham were signing off a promotion season in style at Cambridge United. Our match winner that day was none other than Brightonian, Darren Freeman. A real cult zero, sorry, hero during our lowest times. Whereas my mates wanted Hereford to survive, deep down I did want Brighton to survive. (I have absolutely nothing against Hereford by the way!) My reasoning was that we were similar clubs and that Brighton were shadowing our own misfortunes but a few years later. This could’ve been us in 1995-96, when, in 91st position, we lost to 92nd club, Torquay United.
By 1997, I was going out with a Spanish girl who was an au pair in Kingston upon Thames. A few months into our relationship she moved down to Brighton to start an art course at the college (on my recommendation). I would spend time at her flat in Dorset Gardens, just off Edward Street. I always armed myself with a copy of the Sports Argus on a Monday morning for the commute into London, delighting in the nostalgic articles of John Vinicombe. Times were very lean for the Albion including ‘home’ matches at the Priestfield Stadium, home of Gillingham FC. Gary Hobson is the standout name for me during that period. I think he may have been the captain.
The al Fayed era at Fulham, meant a quick exodus of players that had been our promotion heroes the previous season. Manager Micky Adams eventually ended up at Brighton in 1999, followed by loyal disciples Richard Carpenter, Darren Freeman, Danny Cullip and Paul Brooker. How could you not want that team to succeed?
I attended a pre-season friendly against Fulham at the Withdean. It reminded me of the days when I’d attend most friendlies, Sutton United, Carshalton Athletic, Slough Town, Three Bridges! I was made-up when Brighton moved to a permanent home at the stylish Amex. Our first visit being in 2014. (More details below).
Brighton away is probably still the first fixture I look out for when the fixture list comes out. I used to always hope it would be early season or early May to catch a bit of sunshine, but our pre-match ritual of beers in Lewes is more conducive to winter days. Roll on 8th March.
The aforementioned games…
(Bad) A 1-6 home defeat in the Sherpa Van Trophy (27 October 1987). My dad and I arrived a little late. I’m sure we were about 4-0 down after 20 minutes. Mickey Mouse Cup, maybe, but it still hurt.
(Good) A 2-0 victory at the Goldstone, 28th November 1992. We had got to Brighton early and had waited for the Lord Nelson to open. My Fulham mates at the time were generally a few years older than me. I tried to keep up. Light and bitters, hardly premium strength but on an empty stomach, not wise. I couldn’t face seeing my Fulham hero, Clive Walker in an opponents shirt. I sat on the terraces for part of the game, but managed to sober up for the two late goals. Hails and Pike, (Martin, not Chris).
(Good) Another 2-0 victory, this time in the League Cup. I was just about to return to university in Derby. Me and a couple of former school mates made a day of it, including a swim much as the Wolves fans had done some fifteen years earlier. Supergrass, the band were huge at the time and I recall it forming the tune to one of the terrace chants.
(Good) During Fulham’s bleakest period, we managed to beat Brighton again at the Goldstone in an FA Cup replay. It was 4-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Our keeper, Tony Lange, stroking home the winner. I watched with some of my university mates as well as Alan, a Fulham fan who resided in nearby Nottingham. We had met on the train coming back from a northern away match. Perhaps Carlisle. So few fans travelled away in those days that we had recognised each other and wondered why each other was on a service to Nottingham rather than returning to London. The landlord of the Olde Spa Inne in Derby must have been confused to see a gaggle of (some temporary) Fulham fans in his pub that night and more confused to see us celebrating a rare win!
(Good) 29th November 2014. Our first visit to the Amex. Former Fulham ‘striker’ Darren Bent ignites the touch paper by scoring the first goal and sarcastically acknowledging the Fulham faithful. (I don’t blame him, he was getting some stick!). Fulham go on to win 2-1.
(Bad) A Friday night horror performance. We lose 5-0 at the Amex. A 92 year old Brighton fan loses his life after the game whilst waiting for a train. RIP.
(Good) 29th January 2019, Mitro 4 Brighton & Hove Albion 2. Two nil down at half time. The turning point of our season, we believed. We’re going to survive. On the following Saturday we lost away to Crystal Palace without a whimper. We didn’t stay up.
(Good) 18th February 2023. Smash and grab. Shithousery etc. Manor Solomon’s inch perfect shot finds the back of the net in front of the away fans. The most undeserved Fulham win I’ve seen since Orient away back in April 1992.
One final mention to The Goldstone Wrap website. Unfortunately it is no longer updated, but there is enough content on there to keep you entertained.
Happy Doug Loft day.
Paul, Colchester. 4.12.2024.
