Last floodlit Goldstone match.

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Had slipped under my radar but today's the anniversary of the last game under lights at the Goldstone. (Thanks to the 'On This day' for reminding me.

I think all footie fans find there's something special about night games, much more a sense of theatre & drama. The Goldstone had many magic moments under lights.

I remember my 1st night game, v Torquay in 1968 (Hiney's 1st?), the league Cup games v Portsmouth, Birmingham & Wolves under Freddie Goodwin, the LC games v Ipswich & Derby and promotion nights v Rochdale & Sheffield Wednesday and so many more.

This last night game was v Barnet. You coundn't trust the attendence figures in those days but the parts of the ground that were open were ram packed. Albion were fighting for survival and that was the bigger picture and the 1-0 win was vital but it was also an emotional night knowing we'd never be back for one of those special Goldstone nights.

Funny thing is, even after all these years, writing this brings a tear.

RIP Goldstone, fondly remembered.

 

[Southwick_Seagull]

 

[Hercules Rockerfeller]

Had slipped under my radar but today's the anniversary of the last game under lights at the Goldstone. (Thanks to the 'On This day' for reminding me.

I think all footie fans find there's something special about night games, much more a sense of theatre & drama. The Goldstone had many magic moments under lights.

I remember my 1st night game, v Torquay in 1968 (Hiney's 1st?), the league Cup games v Portsmouth, Birmingham & Wolves under Freddie Goodwin, the LC games v Ipswich & Derby and promotion nights v Rochdale & Sheffield Wednesday and so many more.

This last night game was v Barnet. You coundn't trust the attendence figures in those days but the parts of the ground that were open were ram packed. Albion were fighting for survival and that was the bigger picture and the 1-0 win was vital but it was also an emotional night knowing we'd never be back for one of those special Goldstone nights.

Funny thing is, even after all these years, writing this brings a tear.

RIP Goldstone, fondly remembered.

This was the last piece in the jigsaw of my wathcing a game from every part of the ground. I was in the South West Terrace, just by the tunnel and it was rammed. I felt a bit bad as we thought we might have been standing in someone's "spot" that maybe they'd had for years. There was an atmosphere of almost denial and euphoria as our promotion form contiuned to drag as back from the brink.

 

[Notters]

I've often heard it said that the attendence figures couldn't be trusted, but i'd love to see some evidence of this?!

 

[pishhead]

Very sad leaving the ground that night, looking back and realizing that we would never see those lights against the black of night.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Thanks for the reminder FG. I was a regular on the North West terrace in those days and I couldn't get in 15 minutes before kick-off! This led to a sprint round to where the East terrace (where the away fans normally stood).
Atmosphere was great but in a way it was as sad as the Doncaster game being the last evening match.

1-0 I remember but who scored? Maskell, Baird?

 

[Hercules Rockerfeller]

Thanks for the reminder FG. I was a regular on the North West terrace in those days and I couldn't get in 15 minutes before kick-off! This led to a sprint round to where the East terrace (where the away fans normally stood).
Atmosphere was great but in a way it was as sad as the Doncaster game being the last evening match.

1-0 I remember but who scored? Maskell, Baird?

Baird I think. Was it quite an early goal, that meant we had to cling on?

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Spot on.I will never forget the Barnet game and it sticks in my mind how packed it was and the attendance was given out at 9,000!.The last game against Doncaster looked half empty and had to be given out at 12,000(or whatever the capacity was) because it was an all ticket sell out.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I've often heard it said that the attendence figures couldn't be trusted, but i'd love to see some evidence of this?!

No hard evidence, but pretty much everyone's account that we were jammed in. From behind the goal in the north stand I used to go and talk to a mate who stood to the left at half time. I couldn't even move at the barnet game.

I can still see Ian Baird chesting the ball in like it was yesterday.

 

[Stoichkov]

Evening games at the Goldstone - brilliant

I used to love rounding the corner at the bottom of the Droveway and seeing the flood lights across Hove Park and hearing the muffled music wafting over on the wind. A goose-bump moment everytime!

 

[Statto]

It was deffo baird who scored. A diving chest-trap right infornt of the north stand. Never forget that night.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Cheers for the memory jog - I can remember the goal now!

9,000 crowd

 

[Deleted User X18H]

I lived on the seafront in these days opposite what is now The Babylon Lounge I rushed back from the game and stood out on the fire escape looking at the haze of the four pylons in the distance with The Gasometer in the foreground to my left, until the lights were extinguished about 10.30. I will never forget that! In 2005 whilst my mum was in hospital for a couple of nights (and attended to by krispies) I went to her place in Hangleton to fetch her some stuff, when I walked back down Poynings Drive I saw four lights in about the same place as where the Goldstone R***** P*** is now, I stopped in my tracks and remembered seeing the same view as a kid walking to night games at the Goldstone............alas Sussex were playing a day night game that evening.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Who remembers the first floodlit game at the Goldstone? Against a German team called Worms if memory serves.

before that, midweek matches such as cup replays were played in the afternoon, and we'd sneak out of school early

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Who remembers the first floodlit game at the Goldstone? Against a German team called Worms if memory serves.

before that, midweek matches such as cup replays were played in the afternoon, and we'd sneak out of school early

We had a little bit of that in the 70's power strikes. I bunked school, despite a servere warning from a teacher who knew I would, to see the Walton & Hersham game.

Boy, was that a bad decision!

 

[Marc]

this was my last game at the Goldstone, if I remember correctly there was also a passing Comet (the Space one not the shop!) that could be seen in the night sky at the same time.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Does anyone rememnber an evening game at the Goldstone Vs Liverpool - Graeme Souness went off after about 20 mins - I'm sure we won and the place was packed to the rafters.

I'm sure a stato can tell us the date, score and attendance - would have been about '83 '84 ??

 

[wolfie]

Have some good pics of this match (Barnet) - can anyone tell me how to post them ?

 

[mona]

Who remembers the first floodlit game at the Goldstone? Against a German team called Worms if memory serves.

It was Frem Copenhagen. I reach for my anorak. I was there.