BHAFC The Glory Years Part 1 - Who went to Newcastle V BHAFC 1979

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Spooky AD. Who did you stay with and where? I was in my final year at Leicester University and just about to start my finals. Three mates and my brother drove up and arrived at where I was staying at 7am; I made them bacon butties and we drove up from there. Arrived nice and early and parked very close to the ground. Fantastic atmosphere and I don't think anyone doubted that we would get the win we needed. And so it proved. Stopped in a pub just outside of Chesterfield on the way back for a few beers. I had to take some stick from two different people as I missed both wedding and a 21st birthday party. But hey, ho, you only get one opportunity to see your team win promotion to the top flight of English football for the first time.

Stayed in one of the halls of residence on the friday night, but can't remember which one; felt very old whilst we were in the bar though (I was 25 at the time). Our "host" was the cousin of my flatmate but can't remember the name of either now - just the important events of that weekend.

 

[brighton bluenose]

18 years old went on a coach with Bosun lads, stopped by police at Durham on way in to prevent bovver around Newcastle.

Kicked off at half-time as geordies tried to get in our end, something hit me in eye and had claret running down my face - realised it was ketchup as I looked down to see plastic tomato sauce bottle on terrace thank f***!!

At final whistle ran on the pitch and got right up the tunnel to get the dressing room door literally slammed in my face - was inches from being in there celebrating with the team!!!

Happy days!

 

[ewe2]

My best football day......although i do remember hiding my colours,with some fear !

 

[waleseagull]

swapped a seat ticket for the terrace. Remember singing Good old Sussex by the sea as it snowed. Was on the players train, that was the party to end all parties, remember Mullers coming through the carriages with bottle of Champange in hand. HOPE WE GET TO DO IT ALL AGAIN WITH GUS ONE DAY

 

[honey boy zimba]

what a day

stayed in caterick the night before but met albion team at post house and had breakfast with them .got into dressing room afterwards had some of teddy maybanks champagne was 12 at time.Mullery was friend of my grandad so we were well looked after, a day I will never forget

 

[Jamon Jamon]

I was mightily relieved when the train pulled out of Brighton station.....

were you in the corner of the ground, I thought I saw you on ITV4


Re: HB&B I was 11 at the time, also at that churned up Goldstone on the sunday, missed 'The Big Match' due to video recorders not being invented/in their infantcy, didn't see the match until last year



PS wheres Paxo Didlos tales of drinking on the seagull express?(despite not being born)

 

[KNC]

What an amazing day that was. I went up on the Seagulls Special. I think it cost a £5!!!!
I remember we had every type of weather, sunshine, rain, I think it even snowed.
Being 3 up at half time was just incredible. Going on from that thread last night about the 79 squad, they were just superb. Every one of them. What a team.
The journey back, with the players on board, was fantastic. They came through the train giving us champagne. Chris Cattlin spoke to me, he was saying this was the best day in his life. And he meant it. Mullery was going mad.
Marvelous scenes when the train pulled into Brighton. The noise reverberating around the station was deafening.

 

[gonefishing]

i woz 15 and basically ran away from home on the friday afternoon so i cld go up with a couple of older lads. one a hong kong born karate black belt who got so pissed he got smacked up by an old geezer in a bar.i had my first taste of ale and the hiding i got when i got home sunday was well worth it, happy days or what!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

were you in the corner of the ground, I thought I saw you on ITV4


Re: HB&B I was 11 at the time, also at that churned up Goldstone on the sunday, missed 'The Big Match' due to video recorders not being invented/in their infantcy, didn't see the match until last year



PS wheres Paxo Didlos tales of drinking on the seagull express?(despite not being born)

I was not so much in a corner but was to the left of the goal (looking from pitch) Was a lot slimmer back then too!

 

[Spearritt of the Albion]

Although getting to the FA Cup Final in '83 was probably the greatest achievment in the club's history, that fantastic day in Newcastle has to be my greatest memory of supporting the Albion.

Left Rustington at 3am on Saturday morning and got back at 3.30am on Sunday. Then 4 hours sleep before setting off for the Goldstone and all those celebrations. Fantastic!

On the way up we turned off the A1 at Scotch Corner and using the Good Pubs Guide managed to find a pub selling Theakston's Old Peculiar. The pub was in the middle of nowhere and we arrived there in heavy snow.

Once in Newcastle found a pub full of Geordies and had a great time. Although it was their local they were quite happy for us to be there and were even wishing us luck for the game. I think they probably wanted us to win as it was still possible for Sunderland to get promoted in our place and the thought of that was worse than losing for them.

I remember being scared after the game as the Police were expecting trouble. Sunderland were in Wales so many of their supporters had made the journey to Geordie land instead and were looking for trouble. As it was, we never saw a thing, got in our car and drove home. Never seen so many Blue and White scarves hanging out of car windows as on that journey home! 10,000 supporters travelling all that way was a superb effort and, although there were more at our visits to Wembley and Cardiff this support has never been surpassed.

Looking forward to Falmer now, it will take several years to build up that kind of support again but, when we do, it'll be great to be there. Let's just hope we are able to get back to those dizzy heights again!

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I really can't believe it was 30 years ago!!!

I went with two mates on one of the Specials - we got there late - and we were two nil up when we got in the ground!

By half time it was all over - I remember Mullery on the pitch with Nobby - I seem to remember Lawrenson didn't play - broken arm?

Fantastic day out - will we ever see Brighton promoted to the top flight again?

 

[Fef]

Three mates and I stayed overnight in Whitley Bay, in The Towers hotel I seem to remember. What a dump! Great weekend though!

Hiding our colours, and keeping quiet on the way from the station to the ground - people trying to find out if we had southern accents!

Us too - I think we finished up sounding like Larry Grayson.

... Anyone else remember David Bobin(?) from Southern ITV getting some serious abuse when he tried to conduct a pre-match interview in front of the Brighton fans?

That was hilarious - "We're all agreed, David Bobin's a " As the feeling was that Southern TV were so Southampton biased (nothing has changed), it seemed like sweet revenge.

 

[Return of the Rev]

tomatoe aggro hello

our coach left 11pm friday night arrived 7am stayed outside newcastle for brekkie and refreshments,the guy in the cafe was looking after it for his mate for the hour and served us up loads of scram but didnt charge. his mate went ballistic when he looked in the till. at the ground there was a kerfuffle at the back of the stand and ketchup was sprayed everywhere. yeah free food and a sauce fight thats what i recall! happy days!

 

[Fungus]

Us too - I think we finished up sounding like Larry Grayson.

And that didn't suggest you were from Brighton? :safeway2:

 

[Return of the Rev]

Salad or fruit

18 years old went on a coach with Bosun lads, stopped by police at Durham on way in to prevent bovver around Newcastle.

Kicked off at half-time as geordies tried to get in our end, something hit me in eye and had claret running down my face - realised it was ketchup as I looked down to see plastic tomato sauce bottle on terrace thank f***!!

At final whistle ran on the pitch and got right up the tunnel to get the dressing room door literally slammed in my face - was inches from being in there celebrating with the team!!!

Happy days!

THE OLD KETCHUP KERFUFFLE,THAT WAS BIG BROV WITH THE KETCHUP,MET SOMEONE YEARS LATER WHO HAD LENT HIS JACKET TO A MATE UP THERE STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT KETCHUP ALL OVER IT! SMALL WORLD