Happy Birthday Fans United

[Gazwag]

12 years ago today, to those five goals that kept our club alive

 

[Stoo82]

What a day. Happy Birthday indeed.

 

[Taybha]

Fans unite
On 8th February 1997, Albion fans called on supporters of all clubs to stand with them and show their disgust at what was happening. “Fans United” was a unique show of solidarity and an outstanding success (not least because of the 5-0 demolition of relegation rivals Hartlepool United).

 

[Superphil]

Football
United
Will Never Be Defeated

 

[Statto]

I was there and will never forget it. A great turn out by fans of all clubs. If it hadnt been for that day I dread to think where we would be now. Happy Birthday.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

This was a day that anybody who was there will never forget. There are alrady many pages on this so I won't go on at great length but it was one of those days when tears came easilly to the eyes and to read the mesages and see all those real football fans, many who had given up watching their own mastches to come and show their supporet for us.

The day was surreal and showed the fellowship of football folk on so many levels. I think the police & authorities must have been cacking themselves at all these football rivals, many sworn enermies, turning up in their own colours, how could they be segregated?

I think the day showed that football fans are better than that. Virtually every rivalry you could think of stodd shouldder to shoulder, Celtic/Rangers, Millall/WHU/Chelsea/Spurs Palace & all although it was more the 'smaller' clubs with fans who known hard times who gave the best support. I felt very humble to be a Albion and proud to be a football fan and that that day meant so much to football on so many levels.

Other little asides from that day. Albion were still bottom 6 points fron safety and 10 points behind Hereford. In our division we had Scarborough, Torquay, Cambridge & mansfield, all now out the league and a fair few more who have been out & back, certainly hereford, Donny & Exeter. but there's always hope and there were 3 teams who are now playing in the premiership, easy guesses?

Feb 8th has been a good day to play with only 1 defeat and 38 goals scored in 12 games.

 

[Taybha]

Hull?

 

[Stoo82]

Hull, wigan and bolton?

 

[Taybha]

Wigan n Fulham .

 

[Cantona's Flying Dropkick]

If we only won by 1-0 that day, BHA would have been relegated at the end of season if all the other results had stayed the same!

 

[Notters]

It must have been close to being called of, it as soooo foggy!

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Hull, Wigan & fulham are the prem teams who were in the bottom division in 1997.

Wigan & Fulham were promoted but Hull struggled on for a few more years and then....they got a new ground!

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

I wish I was there

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I wish I was there

It was special but let's hope we don't NEED another, although maybe it would be nice to have one once crowds have settled at Falmer and send an open invite to those fans that helped us way back when.

 

[KNC]

It was special but let's hope we don't NEED another, although maybe it would be nice to have one once crowds have settled at Falmer and send an open invite to those fans that helped us way back when.

Great idea, FG. What a day that was. Great section in 'Build a Bonfire', on the day.

It's the BHA bible. Buy it at all costs.

 

[Harty]

Following day was 'Goodbye Goldstone' the carve up on Meridian.

Ironically those studios are derelict now.

 

[Armchair Loyalist]

If we only won by 1-0 that day, BHA would have been relegated at the end of season if all the other results had stayed the same!

Its easy to forget just how close it actually was (the goal difference i mean)

Nationwide Division 3 1996-97
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A Pts
1 Wigan Athlectic 46 17 3 3 53 21 9 6 8 31 30 87
2 Fulham 46 13 5 5 41 20 12 7 4 31 18 87
3 Carlise United 46 16 3 4 41 21 8 9 6 26 23 84
4 Northampton Town 46 14 4 5 43 17 6 8 9 24 27 72
5 Swansea City 46 13 5 5 37 20 8 3 12 25 38 71
6 Chester City 46 11 8 4 30 16 7 8 8 25 27 70
7 Cardiff City 46 11 4 8 30 23 9 5 9 26 31 69
8 Colchester United 46 11 9 3 36 23 6 8 9 26 28 68
9 Lincoln City 46 10 8 5 35 25 8 4 11 35 44 66
10 Cambridge United 46 11 5 7 30 27 7 6 10 23 32 65
11 Mansfield Town 46 9 8 6 21 17 7 8 8 26 28 64
12 Scarborough 46 9 9 5 36 31 7 6 10 29 37 63
13 Scunthorpe United 46 11 3 9 36 33 7 6 10 23 29 63
14 Rochdale 46 10 6 7 34 24 4 10 9 24 34 58
15 Barnet 46 9 9 5 32 23 5 7 11 14 28 58
16 Leyton Orient 46 11 6 6 28 20 4 6 13 22 38 57
17 Hull City 46 9 8 6 29 26 4 10 9 15 24 57
18 Darlington 46 11 5 7 37 28 3 5 15 27 50 52
19 Doncaster Rovers 46 9 7 7 29 23 5 3 15 23 43 52
20 Hartlepool United 46 8 6 9 33 32 6 3 14 20 34 51
21 Torquay Utd 46 9 4 10 24 24 4 7 12 22 38 50
22 Exeter City 46 6 9 8 25 30 6 3 14 23 43 48
23 Brighton & Hove Albion 46 12 6 5 41 27 1 4 18 12 43 47
24 Hereford United 46 6 8 9 26 25 5 6 12 24 40 47

 

[Gazwag]

Its easy to forget just how close it actually was (the goal difference i mean)

If it was goal difference we would have gone down, for some reason that season (and maybe others) it was goals scored that was important

 

[Frutos]

Great idea, FG. What a day that was. Great section in 'Build a Bonfire', on the day.

It's the BHA bible. Buy it at all costs.

Couldn't agree more, should be compulsory reading for Albion fans.

I really wish I'd been there on FU day, but at least that book gives me some small idea of what it was like.