Goldstone crowds over 30,000

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

Same for me .
If Hiney is correct regarding the Chelsea game in 1973, it will be 16

Same for me I should imagine I honestly can't remember all of them but never missed games in those days so would have been at all from Darlington onwards

 

[sir albion]

Pretty sure some games we had 4/5k locked out
Amazing to think these crowds were in the 2nd and 3rd tier

 

[kevo]

No theories, ground capacity was reduced.

When we got promoted to Div 1? I don't think so (unless that was when the South Stand was converted to seats). In fact, they added the horrible 'lego' stand to increase capacity.

The main reason was fans wanted to see a winning team, not a team struggling at the foot of Div 1. We almost got 30k on a number of occasions (including the opener against Arsenal - although Liverpool at home came closest at 29,682).

It was also unfortunate that our years in the top flight coincided with the increase in football hooliganism - the violence put a lot of people off to the extent there was a massive nationwide dip in attendances in the 80s. I remember we always used to get around 25-30k against Palace, but that figure dropped back substantially as people were worried about going - or at least didn't want to take their kids.

 

[kevo]

Pretty sure some games we had 4/5k locked out
Amazing to think these crowds were in the 2nd and 3rd tier

Certainly remember a couple of games when the gates were locked at 1.30.

 

[BensGrandad]

Which was the Chelsea game when they turned up with about 2500 who didn't have tickets for the match which was all ticket and the police made BHA admit them.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I'm sure we did get a crowd of over 30,000 but like I said earlier a wee bit of fiddling me thinks used to go on .when mike Bailey took over as manager the crowds started to dwindle it was the 3rd season in top league the novelty had worn off & we were supposedly playing boring football under Bailey shame though that was our highest ever league placing in our history

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it. I remember thinking we were dull under Bailey but he must surely have been the most unfortunate Brighton manager as he was cementing our position in the top tier. Within a couple of years I regretted his sacking although perhaps the wonderful cup memories would not have been possible had he stayed.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Which was the Chelsea game when they turned up with about 2500 who didn't have tickets for the match which was all ticket and the police made BHA admit them.

I'd completely forgotten that!

 

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

I'm sure we did get a crowd of over 30,000 but like I said earlier a wee bit of fiddling me thinks used to go on .when mike Bailey took over as manager the crowds started to dwindle it was the 3rd season in top league the novelty had worn off & we were supposedly playing boring football under Bailey shame though that was our highest ever league placing in our history

Agree totally it just wasn't the same for some strange reason that I've never worked out. I can remember not bothering to go to games but I used to put it down to having a family growing up and having started my own business but thinking back it wasn't that. As you say the novelty had worn off and it just was not as much fun as being in the lower divisions.

 

[T soprano]

I agree with kevo on hooliganism affecting gates early 80s I remember when the fencing went up around the goldstone my headmaster at school saying" I'll never go to watch another game again all the time the fences are up I'll never be caged in like an animal " . And when you look back at hillsborough I guess his decision was right, if those fences weren't in place 96 people may still have been alive today

 

[catfish]

When we got promoted to Div 1? I don't think so (unless that was when the South Stand was converted to seats). In fact, they added the horrible 'lego' stand to increase capacity.

The main reason was fans wanted to see a winning team, not a team struggling at the foot of Div 1. We almost got 30k on a number of occasions (including the opener against Arsenal - although Liverpool at home came closest at 29,682).

It was also unfortunate that our years in the top flight coincided with the increase in football hooliganism - the violence put a lot of people off to the extent there was a massive nationwide dip in attendances in the 80s. I remember we always used to get around 25-30k against Palace, but that figure dropped back substantially as people were worried about going - or at least didn't want to take their kids.

Remember as well that the games against Liverpool, Manure, Spurs & Forest were all ticket. Had they not been I'm sure we would have topped 30k.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

night game in '77 was pretty packed ,not sure of the gate though,must of been close to 30k?

had a boxing day game at fratton in the 70's with 32k

heard some pompey got in the north before the game and got done! also a big pompey mob left before the end and walked down sackville road and came through the flats............. so i heard

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

I agree with kevo on hooliganism affecting gates early 80s I remember when the fencing went up around the goldstone my headmaster at school saying" I'll never go to watch another game again all the time the fences are up I'll never be caged in like an animal " . And when you look back at hillsborough I guess his decision was right, if those fences weren't in place 96 people may still have been alive today

that was nothing to do with football violence .

 

[Davemania]

Not old enough to have seen 30k crowds but i was at a 5th/maybe 6th round fa cup game vs scumhampton, circa '85/ '86 and the attendance was roughly 25000. What date was that? One for for the statisticians out there

 

[T soprano]

that was nothing to do with football violence .

Fences went up at Grounds because of violence to separate fans from fighting so if the fences weren't at hillsborough put in place to stop this people could of escaped onto the pitch, I know directly the deaths were not a result of hooliganism

 

[Weststander]

Hooliganism was rife in the 1970's too.

The reason for the reduced crowds was that almost every game was a struggle, as the gulf in class over Div 2 was vast.
Many fans simply liked the winning week-in week-out of the promotion years, and then lost interest.

There's a cautionery note there. I hope if and when we get to the PL, TB delivers a class squad.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

How do all you guys remember, do you keep diaries or just guess.

I know i done a handful of 30,000 games but i can't remember who we were playing.

 

[Working class pride]

Hooliganism was rife in the 1970's too.

The reason for the reduced crowds was that almost every game was a struggle, as the gulf in class over Div 2 was vast.
Many fans simply liked the winning week-in week-out of the promotion years, and then lost interest."

Hooliganism was rife in the 70s but look at all crowds in the 70s of all clubs and then compare to the 80s. It wasnt until the 80s that the crowds for everyone dropped off.

That is why its odd that some on here say we didnt get massive crowds when in top flight in the 80s. This is the time when clubs like Sunderland and Chelsea got between 8000-15000 and even Arsenal at times got 18000.

Brighton have always had a big support and even managed to take thousands to Gillingham week in week out when playing Hartlepool. 30,000 for a top flight Brighton in the modern climate is clearly not enough. Its enough for the second tier but not for a fixture list of Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and the like

 

[Captain Sensible]

Strange why we never got a 30,000 crowd when we got into the First Division yet we did in 78/79 for second division games. Anyone got any theories why?

Did they over price tickets as today?

 

[Captain Sensible]

Hooliganism was rife in the 1970's too.

The reason for the reduced crowds was that almost every game was a struggle, as the gulf in class over Div 2 was vast.
Many fans simply liked the winning week-in week-out of the promotion years, and then lost interest."

Hooliganism was rife in the 70s but look at all crowds in the 70s of all clubs and then compare to the 80s. It wasnt until the 80s that the crowds for everyone dropped off.

That is why its odd that some on here say we didnt get massive crowds when in top flight in the 80s. This is the time when clubs like Sunderland and Chelsea got between 8000-15000 and even Arsenal at times got 18000.

Brighton have always had a big support and even managed to take thousands to Gillingham week in week out when playing Hartlepool. 30,000 for a top flight Brighton in the modern climate is clearly not enough. Its enough for the second tier but not for a fixture list of Man U, Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and the like

Didnt a recession hit hard in the early 80's?

 

[T soprano]

Did they over price tickets as today?

If I remember rightly it was 75p for junior & £1.35 for adult