Class of '79

[The Large One]

I was yakking with one of the 1979 promotion-winning side last night, and we were talking about this and that, and he said something which I found a bit odd, and would like to have the opinion of the older NSC bods.

He said he feels that that squad is ‘under-appreciated’ and 'largely forgotten'.

Personally, I think they’re heroes (that word again - I mean in a football context here), and that they wrote a glorious chapter in the club’s history. When I asked him about it, I think we got to realise that he felt it’s the club who he thinks doesn’t appreciate them, rather than the fans.

So do the fans feel a sense of appreciation for that side? Over to you.

 

[Mackenzie]

I haven't forgotten them, but then I'm very old.

 

[burrish-gull]

I was yakking with one of the 1979 promotion-winning side last night, and we were talking about this and that, and he said something which I found a bit odd, and would like to have the opinion of the older NSC bods.

He said he feels that that squad is ‘under-appreciated’ and 'largely forgotten'.

Personally, I think they’re heroes (that word again - I mean in a football context here), and that they wrote a glorious chapter in the club’s history. When I asked him about it, I think we got to realise that he felt it’s the club who he thinks doesn’t appreciate them, rather than the fans.

So do the fans feel a sense of appreciation for that side? Over to you.

I'd say thats nonsense myself, any Albion fan like myself who was around at the time remembers those days with great fondness. The younger fans probably won't have a clue but generally I think those of us who were there know what a great achievement that was.

The first game at Falmer should include an appearance on the pitch from all of that team, the club itself I'm sure will honour them

 

[Mendoza]

I have a mental image of 15 naked men in a bath singing "we are sailing" arm in arm. That definately wont be forgotten.

 

[Gwylan]

I don't quite understand what you're asking. Are you looking for confirmation that the fans around then appreciate the team or are you asking whether we agree that the club should remember the heroes of the past more?

I think that anyone who was around in 1979 will have nothing but good memories of that team - they provided some of my best Brighton memories ever. But I do agree that the club could do more to remember some of the old players - they occasionally get stalwarts from the past over to Withdean but these are few and far between. I'd like it if every home game featured players from the past era, not just once or twice a season.

 

[BLOCK F]

I certainly remember and appreciate them.The excitement in the late 1970's culminating in promotion to the 1st Division was surely the most fantastic time to have been an Albion fan.
Today's younger fans ,sadly,can only imagine what it was like with a packed Goldstone every week and a genius like Wardy conjuring goals out of nowhere!Oh, for a skipper like Nobby Horton now.....what a boost that would be.
Fabulous times,fabulous team....it is sad if they feel under appreciated by the club;They are certainly not forgotten by me!

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

I was yakking with one of the 1979 promotion-winning side last night, and we were talking about this and that, and he said something which I found a bit odd, and would like to have the opinion of the older NSC bods.

He said he feels that that squad is ‘under-appreciated’ and 'largely forgotten'.

Personally, I think they’re heroes (that word again - I mean in a football context here), and that they wrote a glorious chapter in the club’s history. When I asked him about it, I think we got to realise that he felt it’s the club who he thinks doesn’t appreciate them, rather than the fans.

So do the fans feel a sense of appreciation for that side? Over to you.

fantasizing about grammer whilst masturbating. Also known as yakking. Urban dictionary sums it up again...

 

[Tooting Gull]

I think he had a point, but to some extent they were probably victims of the lesser coverage/exposure than today's media maelstrom. It was roughly the equivalent of Hull when they went up, and that got massive coverage, and I'm sure the players involved are treated accordingly by their club, and will continue to be in the future. Also the '79 boys were to some extent eclipsed by the Cup final team. Wrongly in my view, but that's what happened.

BTW, is there a 'Name-drop of the year' award?

 

[The Large One]

I don't quite understand what you're asking. Are you looking for confirmation that the fans around then appreciate the team or are you asking whether we agree that the club should remember the heroes of the past more?

I think that anyone who was around in 1979 will have nothing but good memories of that team - they provided some of my best Brighton memories ever. But I do agree that the club could do more to remember some of the old players - they occasionally get stalwarts from the past over to Withdean but these are few and far between. I'd like it if every home game featured players from the past era, not just once or twice a season.

That is precisely what he is hoping would happen.

But the odd Peter Ward appearance or '58 promotion winning team aside - so far, nada.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I'm guessing TLO had a bacon butty from Andy's cafe in Preston Park.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I certainly do appreciate that squad. I was never lucky enough to have been old enough to have seen them play in person. However, the achievements of Steele, Moseley, Williams, Rollings, Lawrenson, Cattlin, Horton, Clark, Ward, Maybank, Sayer etc deserve to be fondly remembered. I hope the Seagulls TV website that I do helps to stir the memories of fans and players who were there and offer a glimpse of better times for those who weren't. I was especially thrilled to hear on The Albion Roar a while ago that Peter Ward had seen his only England game for the first time from that clip I uploaded to YouTube.

Yes, I think it is true that squad of '79 do appear to be largely forgotten by the club. On the 30th anniversary of promotion to the top flight, what was ever done to celebrate that Albion team's achievements? It wasn't even acknowledged on the club website. I sometimes get the impression that the club remembers the 1983 FA Cup Final, Peter Ward and that's about it...

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

They have not been forgottan and are very much appreciated by this fan (and most others I would think). When Falmer opens I am expecting there to abe a quite substantial History/Museum area where these men will get the recognition they deserve.

 

[Mendoza]

I certainly do appreciate that squad. I was never lucky enough to have been old enough to have seen them play in person. However, the achievements of Steele, Moseley, Williams, Rollings, Lawrenson, Cattlin, Horton, Clark, Ward, Maybank, Sayer etc deserve to be fondly remembered. I hope the Seagulls TV website that I do helps to stir the memories of fans and players who were there and offer a glimpse of better times for those who weren't. I was especially thrilled to hear on The Albion Roar a while ago that Peter Ward had seen his only England game for the first time from that clip I uploaded to YouTube.

Yes, I think it is true that squad of '79 do appear to be largely forgotten by the club. On the 30th anniversary of promotion to the top flight, what was ever done to celebrate that Albion team's achievements? It wasn't even acknowledged on the club website. I sometimes get the impression that the club remembers the 1983 FA Cup Final, Peter Ward and that's about it...

Taking away some of TLO's thunder, as I was there last night too. I have never seen these guys play, but they were regaling some brilliant stories of their time at the Albion.

I got some great photos too of them back together 30 years later, but will have to upload them tonight after the game.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Also, you have to say that in a proper stadium which we haven't had for a very long time there are much better opportunities to 'remember' people and teams. Suites, rooms, boxes, bars and even corridors can all have framed pictures of the glory days and high-achieving teams and players. We can't really do that at the moment, but hopefully it will happen at Falmer.

 

[Brovion]

I was yakking with one of the 1979 promotion-winning side last night, and we were talking about this and that, and he said something which I found a bit odd, and would like to have the opinion of the older NSC bods.

He said he feels that that squad is ‘under-appreciated’ and 'largely forgotten'.

Personally, I think they’re heroes (that word again - I mean in a football context here), and that they wrote a glorious chapter in the club’s history. When I asked him about it, I think we got to realise that he felt it’s the club who he thinks doesn’t appreciate them, rather than the fans.

So do the fans feel a sense of appreciation for that side? Over to you.

Well for some of us of course they will NEVER be forgotten, those years under Mullery were the best times of my football-supporting life and among the best years of my whole life. Brilliant, brilliant memories.

However I DO take his point. I think Tooting sums it up well when he said that in some ways they were eclipsed by the 1983 Cup Final team, hell, in some respects they've even been eclipsed by the team that played Hereford in 1997. Everybody still goes on about Peter Ward of course but there were some unsung footsoldiers in there, the likes of Williams, Rollings, Sayer, etc who have maybe slipped off the collective radar. I don't think there's ever been some sort of reunion has there? Would love to see one.

As a secondary point I don't think the players at the time felt appreciated by the club. After the promotion party there was a lot of hoo-haa about 1st division players on 2nd divison wages and over the summer a lot of ill-feeling developed between the players and the board and management. Indeed on the Friday before the Arsenal game Mullery only had three players who'd signed their contracts; consequently he told the 'rebels' that he was going to play the youth team and tell the press the reason why!

 

[Arthritic Toe]

I only missed about 2 home games from about 77-79, and these were about the only 2 we lost. What a team that was. If we won by less than about 4 goals, you went home disappointed.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

Those were the days! I remember so well the expectation of that year... it was like being on a crest of a wave... it was surely written that we would be promoted that year after what had happened the season before. This was the best year in football's history (for me) and I loved every minute of it and I agree with anyone who says that people remeber the 83 side more than the 79 side. However, the 83 side got relegated and won nothing. The 79 side created history.

To say that it was totall ignored by the media is not exactly true:

Caught in time: Brighton win promotion to the First Division, 1979 | Football League - Times Online

Giles Stille? That's a real blast from the past!

 

[Chief Wiggum]

Well for some of us of course they will NEVER be forgotten, those years under Mullery were the best times of my football-supporting life and among the best years of my whole life. Brilliant, brilliant memories.

Absolutely spot on. That trip to Newcastle in 79 was the highlight of my own Albion supporting life. More so than the 83 cup final.

 

[skipper734]

Taking away some of TLO's thunder, as I was there last night too. I have never seen these guys play, but they were regaling some brilliant stories of their time at the Albion.

I got some great photos too of them back together 30 years later, but will have to upload them tonight after the game.

There you have it. We are not in the same Home anymore, the boot room, Glen, Frankie etc. have all gone. Ray Bloom is the only Director left from those happy days and the fans by and large are pre and post Goldstone.
After all it was 30 years ago, and all clubs would have changed, the difference being there is a definite break in continuity from the Goldstone days.
That squad does however live in memory and stories, and will be given the place in Albion history they deserve.

 

[Danny-Boy]

I think he had a point, but to some extent they were probably victims of the lesser coverage/exposure than today's media maelstrom. It was roughly the equivalent of Hull when they went up, and that got massive coverage, and I'm sure the players involved are treated accordingly by their club, and will continue to be in the future. Also the '79 boys were to some extent eclipsed by the Cup final team. Wrongly in my view, but that's what happened.

BTW, is there a 'Name-drop of the year' award?

There was a book written about them, I've got it gathering dust somewhere....it was about the history of the Club, but then they basically (Mullery's team) WERE the history.