clippedgull
Hotdogs, extra onions
from vitalfootball
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The rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace was recently voted 10th in the 'Football Rivalries Report 2008'. It is one of the fiercest, most intense rivalries in football yet it is baffling for many outsiders...partly due to the geographical distance and partly the fact that the clubs have player each other only a handful of times in the last 18 years.
We look at the history of the rivalry:
Part 1 - How it started.
The teams first met in the 1906/07 in a Southern League fixture which saw the Albion win 2-1, the clubs would go on to meet many times in both the Southern league and then division 3 (south) with honours fairly even but although there were some great matches the teams never really considered each other as their main rival until the mid seventies.
There were quite a few reasons why things intensified, the clubs were neck and neck footballing wise, the legendary Alan Mullery (Brighton) and Terry Venables (Palace) did not like each other (to say the least!) and the upsurge in hooliganism but it was an FA Cup first round tie in 1976, which really stoked the fires.
In 1976-77 season the teams met no less than five times: twice in the league and three times in an F.A Cup tie. After stalemates at the Goldstone and Selhurst Park the FA Cup Second Replay was held at Stamford Bridge that Palace narrowly won. Mullery was incensed by some diabolical refereeing decisions from Ron Challis including a penalty that had to be retaken and a disallowed goal! After provocation from the Palace fans he justifiably flung down five pound notes change into a puddle and screamed 'You're not worth that, Palace' whilst gesticulating at them.
He instantly became a legend with the Brighton and a villain in Croydon and it was then that the rivalry really kicked in, both on and off the field, quite often reaching boiling point.
It was also around this time that the Albion changed their nickname from 'Dolphins' to 'Seagulls' in response to Palace's 'Eagles'. Over the next few years the rivalry would get even stronger and Boxing Day would gain greater significance for both clubs.
At the end of the 1976/77 season both Brighton in 2nd and Palace (somewhat luckily) in 3rd place were promoted from the old 3rd division. The next campaign saw the Seagulls narrowly (and controversially) missed out on promotion to the old 1st division by goal difference but they went one better in 1978/79 as they reached the lofty heights for the first time in their history finishing up as runners up...to Crystal Palace!
The intensity of encounters between the two sides increased with every game on and off the pitch where there were quite often running battles between fans...and both sets of supporters had an ever-increasing plethora of not so complimentary songs and chants about their counterparts. Quite often these were the same songs with just the words changed round to suit the purpose.
Playing in the top flight only increased the tensions further....fixtures between the clubs were now held on Boxing day and at Easter and always drew large crowds, intimidating atmospheres and off pitch battles between the fans. There were four top-flight games in total between the teams, the Seagulls won 3 and drew one of them.
After an initial false dawn, the Croydon side spent most of their stay in the Division 1 flirting with relegation on a regular basis, the hilariously and ironically dubbed 'team of the eighties' were eventually relegated in 1980/81...Brighton would show their superiority by staying on in the top league for another 2 seasons, managing a cup final appearance in the process.
Alan Mullery O.B.E. had quit the Seagulls in 1981 following a bust up with the board... and after a brief stint at Charlton, amazingly was appointed the Palace manager! It was a truly bizarre appointment as he had been number one villain with the Selhurst faithful, some of whom even defected to Chelsea as a result of the appointment...needless to say, he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms and within 2 fruitless years he had left to be replaced by Steve Coppell who went on to become an Eagles legend and would much later provide another strange twist in the story.
The Albion were relegated from the top flight in 1983 and once again found themselves in the same league as their Croydon counterparts and agent Mullery completed his mission as Palace boss by ensuring that Brighton completed the double in the two fixtures that season. Serious crowd trouble at the Easter Goldstone match only increased tensions even further.
1984/85 saw the Seagulls complete their customary Goldstone win but the game at Selhurst saw Palace take a rare point in a 1-1 draw. Sadly, the result was overshadowed by a horrendous tackle from Henry Houghton on Albion stalwart Gerry Ryan, which ended the Irish, mans career. It was a tackle that was condemned by many, including Albion`s then manager Chris Cattlin, but never by Ryan himself.
Brighton`s dominance continued over the next 2 seasons, with 4 victories in the 5 meetings between the two clubs. The latter of the two seasons had also seen the brief return of Alan Mullery as Seagulls manager...sadly it didn't work out second time round and they were relegated at the end of the 1986/87 campaign.
Once again there was violence at the Goldstone fixture in the 1987 Easter clash between both sets of supporters.
After gaining instant promotion back to the old 2nd division at the first attempt the clubs renewed acquaintances in 1988/89 and of course the Seagulls trounced the Eagles 3-1 in the Boxing Day game at the Goldstone. The return match at Selhurst, which the Eagles won 2-1 saw referee Kelvin Morton award 5 penalties (4 to Palace of which they missed 3! and 1 to Brighton which they scored!). Hilariously, that season also the Eagles trounced 9-0 at Liverpool, a score line that caused much amusement in Sussex.
Unfortunately, Palace were promoted to the top flight and the sides would not meet again competitively for quite a few years as the Seagulls slid gradually down the leagues and nearly going out of existence before the new Dick Knight/Mickey Adams regime revived the club. The Eagles meanwhile remained in the 2nd tier with the odd foray into the top flight that would inevitably end in swift relegation!
There was only a Zenith Data Systems cup match and occasional friendlies (one of which was moved to a Friday night on Police advice!) between the sides that kept the rivalry going until the new millennium.
It should be mentioned that despite the fierce rivalry, many Palace fans turned up to show their support at the 'fans united' day game against Hartlepool in 1997 when the Seagulls were at the height of their troubles.
You will find that October 26th 2002 will probably be among many Brighton fans worst days ever as a supporter....after 13 years apart the Seagulls and Eagles would finally meet in a competitive fixture and the fierce rivalry would be rejuvenated....around 7,000 Albion fans made the trip to Selhurst in anticipation and watched in disbelief as their side performed appallingly and suffered a 5-0 drubbing, much to the delight of the Palace faithful. It is a result that hurts, even to this day.
Just weeks prior to the game Brighton had spiced things up by appointing Steve Coppell as their manager and then had signed another ex Palace favourite Simon Rodger!
The return fixture, which was the first meeting between the two sides at Withdean saw the Albion outclass their opponents but unfortunately they could not manage to score and it ended 0-0. Perhaps if they had won that match they would have been able to avoid an instant return to the 3rd tier of English football.
Life was never boring as a Brighton supporter at this time though and just a season later they were back in the Championship, via a play off final victory over Bristol City...frustratingly, Palace had also been promoted themselves via the play offs....to the premiership.
The 2004/05 season saw the Seagulls survive in the championship by the skin of their teeth and the Eagles were relegated back to the 2nd tier....so the teams would get to meet again.
The first match was at Selhurst Park in October 2005 and it saw Brighton gain revenge for the 5-0 reverse by beating the Eagles with a solitary goal from defender Paul McShane. The return match, just over a month later was televised on Sky TV and saw Palace win 3-2 with a last minute goal after being behind twice. Recording their first competitive win in Sussex for 42 years
...and that`s where it ended....for now.
The rivalry is not quite as strong as it was in the 1970's and 1980's but it is still very much there and the majority of supporters from both clubs still consider the other to be their main rivals despite the attentions of Charlton and Millwall for Palace and the likes of Orient and Reading for Brighton.
Both sets of supporters still chant about each other, take great pleasure in the others downfalls and look to claim bragging rights wherever possible.
Ironically Current Eagles boss Neil Warnock insinuated recently in the national press that Brighton might well be 'sleeping giant`.
Falmer could see Brighton step up to a more level playing field with Palace and then the rivalry can truly recommence.
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The rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace was recently voted 10th in the 'Football Rivalries Report 2008'. It is one of the fiercest, most intense rivalries in football yet it is baffling for many outsiders...partly due to the geographical distance and partly the fact that the clubs have player each other only a handful of times in the last 18 years.
We look at the history of the rivalry:
Part 1 - How it started.
The teams first met in the 1906/07 in a Southern League fixture which saw the Albion win 2-1, the clubs would go on to meet many times in both the Southern league and then division 3 (south) with honours fairly even but although there were some great matches the teams never really considered each other as their main rival until the mid seventies.
There were quite a few reasons why things intensified, the clubs were neck and neck footballing wise, the legendary Alan Mullery (Brighton) and Terry Venables (Palace) did not like each other (to say the least!) and the upsurge in hooliganism but it was an FA Cup first round tie in 1976, which really stoked the fires.
In 1976-77 season the teams met no less than five times: twice in the league and three times in an F.A Cup tie. After stalemates at the Goldstone and Selhurst Park the FA Cup Second Replay was held at Stamford Bridge that Palace narrowly won. Mullery was incensed by some diabolical refereeing decisions from Ron Challis including a penalty that had to be retaken and a disallowed goal! After provocation from the Palace fans he justifiably flung down five pound notes change into a puddle and screamed 'You're not worth that, Palace' whilst gesticulating at them.
He instantly became a legend with the Brighton and a villain in Croydon and it was then that the rivalry really kicked in, both on and off the field, quite often reaching boiling point.
It was also around this time that the Albion changed their nickname from 'Dolphins' to 'Seagulls' in response to Palace's 'Eagles'. Over the next few years the rivalry would get even stronger and Boxing Day would gain greater significance for both clubs.
At the end of the 1976/77 season both Brighton in 2nd and Palace (somewhat luckily) in 3rd place were promoted from the old 3rd division. The next campaign saw the Seagulls narrowly (and controversially) missed out on promotion to the old 1st division by goal difference but they went one better in 1978/79 as they reached the lofty heights for the first time in their history finishing up as runners up...to Crystal Palace!
The intensity of encounters between the two sides increased with every game on and off the pitch where there were quite often running battles between fans...and both sets of supporters had an ever-increasing plethora of not so complimentary songs and chants about their counterparts. Quite often these were the same songs with just the words changed round to suit the purpose.
Playing in the top flight only increased the tensions further....fixtures between the clubs were now held on Boxing day and at Easter and always drew large crowds, intimidating atmospheres and off pitch battles between the fans. There were four top-flight games in total between the teams, the Seagulls won 3 and drew one of them.
After an initial false dawn, the Croydon side spent most of their stay in the Division 1 flirting with relegation on a regular basis, the hilariously and ironically dubbed 'team of the eighties' were eventually relegated in 1980/81...Brighton would show their superiority by staying on in the top league for another 2 seasons, managing a cup final appearance in the process.
Alan Mullery O.B.E. had quit the Seagulls in 1981 following a bust up with the board... and after a brief stint at Charlton, amazingly was appointed the Palace manager! It was a truly bizarre appointment as he had been number one villain with the Selhurst faithful, some of whom even defected to Chelsea as a result of the appointment...needless to say, he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms and within 2 fruitless years he had left to be replaced by Steve Coppell who went on to become an Eagles legend and would much later provide another strange twist in the story.
The Albion were relegated from the top flight in 1983 and once again found themselves in the same league as their Croydon counterparts and agent Mullery completed his mission as Palace boss by ensuring that Brighton completed the double in the two fixtures that season. Serious crowd trouble at the Easter Goldstone match only increased tensions even further.
1984/85 saw the Seagulls complete their customary Goldstone win but the game at Selhurst saw Palace take a rare point in a 1-1 draw. Sadly, the result was overshadowed by a horrendous tackle from Henry Houghton on Albion stalwart Gerry Ryan, which ended the Irish, mans career. It was a tackle that was condemned by many, including Albion`s then manager Chris Cattlin, but never by Ryan himself.
Brighton`s dominance continued over the next 2 seasons, with 4 victories in the 5 meetings between the two clubs. The latter of the two seasons had also seen the brief return of Alan Mullery as Seagulls manager...sadly it didn't work out second time round and they were relegated at the end of the 1986/87 campaign.
Once again there was violence at the Goldstone fixture in the 1987 Easter clash between both sets of supporters.
After gaining instant promotion back to the old 2nd division at the first attempt the clubs renewed acquaintances in 1988/89 and of course the Seagulls trounced the Eagles 3-1 in the Boxing Day game at the Goldstone. The return match at Selhurst, which the Eagles won 2-1 saw referee Kelvin Morton award 5 penalties (4 to Palace of which they missed 3! and 1 to Brighton which they scored!). Hilariously, that season also the Eagles trounced 9-0 at Liverpool, a score line that caused much amusement in Sussex.
Unfortunately, Palace were promoted to the top flight and the sides would not meet again competitively for quite a few years as the Seagulls slid gradually down the leagues and nearly going out of existence before the new Dick Knight/Mickey Adams regime revived the club. The Eagles meanwhile remained in the 2nd tier with the odd foray into the top flight that would inevitably end in swift relegation!
There was only a Zenith Data Systems cup match and occasional friendlies (one of which was moved to a Friday night on Police advice!) between the sides that kept the rivalry going until the new millennium.
It should be mentioned that despite the fierce rivalry, many Palace fans turned up to show their support at the 'fans united' day game against Hartlepool in 1997 when the Seagulls were at the height of their troubles.
You will find that October 26th 2002 will probably be among many Brighton fans worst days ever as a supporter....after 13 years apart the Seagulls and Eagles would finally meet in a competitive fixture and the fierce rivalry would be rejuvenated....around 7,000 Albion fans made the trip to Selhurst in anticipation and watched in disbelief as their side performed appallingly and suffered a 5-0 drubbing, much to the delight of the Palace faithful. It is a result that hurts, even to this day.
Just weeks prior to the game Brighton had spiced things up by appointing Steve Coppell as their manager and then had signed another ex Palace favourite Simon Rodger!
The return fixture, which was the first meeting between the two sides at Withdean saw the Albion outclass their opponents but unfortunately they could not manage to score and it ended 0-0. Perhaps if they had won that match they would have been able to avoid an instant return to the 3rd tier of English football.
Life was never boring as a Brighton supporter at this time though and just a season later they were back in the Championship, via a play off final victory over Bristol City...frustratingly, Palace had also been promoted themselves via the play offs....to the premiership.
The 2004/05 season saw the Seagulls survive in the championship by the skin of their teeth and the Eagles were relegated back to the 2nd tier....so the teams would get to meet again.
The first match was at Selhurst Park in October 2005 and it saw Brighton gain revenge for the 5-0 reverse by beating the Eagles with a solitary goal from defender Paul McShane. The return match, just over a month later was televised on Sky TV and saw Palace win 3-2 with a last minute goal after being behind twice. Recording their first competitive win in Sussex for 42 years
...and that`s where it ended....for now.
The rivalry is not quite as strong as it was in the 1970's and 1980's but it is still very much there and the majority of supporters from both clubs still consider the other to be their main rivals despite the attentions of Charlton and Millwall for Palace and the likes of Orient and Reading for Brighton.
Both sets of supporters still chant about each other, take great pleasure in the others downfalls and look to claim bragging rights wherever possible.
Ironically Current Eagles boss Neil Warnock insinuated recently in the national press that Brighton might well be 'sleeping giant`.
Falmer could see Brighton step up to a more level playing field with Palace and then the rivalry can truly recommence.
