Mythbusting - Goldstone style

[Kalimantan Gull]

it's because we had 2 seasons at Gillingham and then the Withdean,that's why we looked back at the Goldstone with a teary eye

if we'd moved from the run down Goldstone directly into the Amex,I'm sure it would of been less painful

I think its be the opposite, we readily embrace the wonderful Amex because of where we've come from. Straight from the Goldstone, there would be a lot more threads about killing our atmosphere. Because despite what the miserable gits may write, the atmosphere in the North Stand when we scored, or were winning, or playing well, or in a grudge match, was better than anything I've experienced at the Amex, perhaps bar the Donnie game.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I used to catch the bus back to Portslade but don't remember having to wait very long for one.

 

[Stat Brother]

I used to catch the bus back to Portslade but don't remember having to wait very long for one.

Obviously it'll be impossible to find out, but I'd love to know how long we waited for trains and buses, back in the day.

 

[Fef]

xii) The fences. Remember the fences, and being caged in? just in case a player went on the rampage.
5h) The boiled beef(?)burgers - haute cuisine at its finest.
oo) Taking a dump. I never EVER recall taking a dump at the Goldstone. Having once looked in a cubicle, I decided that there were things living in there that I'd sooner not know about.

 

[Stat Brother]

xii) 5h) The boiled beef(?)burgers - haute cuisine at its finest.

haha you're right.
They were just in a vat of hot water, mmmmmmmmm.

I'd forgotten about that.

 

[teaboy]

Travel to the Goldstone WAS easier, because people could come from every direction very easily. People walked to games, got buses to nearby or trains into Hove with more platforms than Falmer. During my time visiting (last few years only) the 5-8k obviously made it easier than getting 30k into the Amex from a smaller station and restricted travel options.

 

[El Sid]

Mythbusting - Goldstone style

Westlers chopped onions were actually recycled flavoured cat litter.

 

[Mackenzie]

Travel to the Goldstone WAS easier, because people could come from every direction very easily. People walked to games, got buses to nearby or trains into Hove with more platforms than Falmer. During my time visiting (last few years only) the 5-8k obviously made it easier than getting 30k into the Amex from a smaller station and restricted travel options.

Usually a number 7 (Busy Bee) bus from St. Georges Road or Lower Rock Gardens to Hove Station, then either over the bridge or down the stairs by the bus station and on to the ground......oh the excitement when you turned the corner by the church (got a programme) and heard the North stand in full cry. And it never rained.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

last train from Brighton to Hove with the loon that used to climb out of the window
regards
DR

 

[somerset]

last train from Brighton to Hove with the loon that used to climb out of the window
regards
DR

Remember him.....we used to rush from the Railway Bell to get that train.....then watch the plank climb out of one window over the roof then back in the other side......complete nutcase.

 

[Tummy Burger]

1) We did not park easily next to the ground.

It was free and u could always find somewhere
ii) We did not leave and have a simple jam free journey home.
Generally I did

c) You did not get a seat on the train.
Yes I did always hove to hay Heath

5) If you ate a pie you're not reading this because it would have killed you!!
True
4) Yes we watched some great games, but we watched far more cack.
True
d) For most of the cack, we were over charged.
Nope. 3.50 as a kid. The good ole days

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Obviously it'll be impossible to find out, but I'd love to know how long we waited for trains and buses, back in the day.

It only seemed a short while, certainly not more than half an hour or so.

 

[Return of the Rev]

1) We did not park easily next to the ground.

ii) We did not leave and have a simple jam free journey home.

c) You did not get a seat on the train.

5) If you ate a pie you're not reading this because it would have killed you!!

4) Yes we watched some great games, but we watched far more cack.

d) For most of the cack, we were over charged.

Anymore?


It was great, it's now part of my/our DNA, I wouldn't change those memories for anything.
That ground has gone someway to making us what we are today.

That doesn't mean I want to go back, compared with what we have now.
And more importantly want we have now shouldn't be compared to our rose tinted memories.

Well i had a garage space in goldstone lane so yes i could park 10 ft from the ground
The cost of watching was alot cheaper even when inflation was taken into account

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Remember him.....we used to rush from the Railway Bell to get that train.....then watch the plank climb out of one window over the roof then back in the other side......complete nutcase.

surprised he never killed himself to be honest, that's how it was though ,that last train was a lively place to be at the best of times
regards
DR

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Well i had a garage space in goldstone lane so yes i could park 10 ft from the ground
The cost of watching was alot cheaper even when inflation was taken into account

how much was the hire of the deck chair though
regards
DR

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

Obviously it'll be impossible to find out, but I'd love to know how long we waited for trains and buses, back in the day.

I do have the 1989 times if you really wanted to know !

 

[AnotherArch]

Car Parking.
Agree with previous posts that you could tell the size of the crowd by how far up Hove Park you had to park. For big games you ended up outside some of the most expensive houses in the town.

Attendances.
At the Amex the stated attendance is sometimes way higher than the number of empty seat suggest. Night games at the Goldstone were the opposite - packed in, Hove Park parking linear correlation checked, and yet the declared number was a lot fewer. Not so much 'optional payment' as in previous posts, but more like optional declaration of revenue to the taxman, with the extra money going via a similar route to the Cup Final money.

Going.
Some people could not only decide to go as late as 2pm, but also get in with no problems AND find and stand with your mates. Even if you could not find your mates (no mobile phones then) at least you were with people who you were probably on nodding terms with, due to standing on that general area game after game. I am sure that fewer people will go by themselves nowadays because having to sit with strangers.

 

[somerset]

Car Parking.
Agree with previous posts that you could tell the size of the crowd by how far up Hove Park you had to park. For big games you ended up outside some of the most expensive houses in the town.

Attendances.
At the Amex the stated attendance is sometimes way higher than the number of empty seat suggest. Night games at the Goldstone were the opposite - packed in, Hove Park parking linear correlation checked, and yet the declared number was a lot fewer. Not so much 'optional payment' as in previous posts, but more like optional declaration of revenue to the taxman, with the extra money going via a similar route to the Cup Final money.

Going.
Some people could not only decide to go as late as 2pm, but also get in with no problems AND find and stand with your mates. Even if you could not find your mates (no mobile phones then) at least you were with people who you were probably on nodding terms with, due to standing on that general area game after game. I am sure that fewer people will go by themselves nowadays because having to sit with strangers.

Sensible post.....a real reflection of the Goldstone era.

 

[trueblue]

People need to compare like with like. When crowds were over 20000, we used to park a 20 minute walk from The Goldstone. That would be even worse now as someone pointed out because of the far higher number of cars around. Onslow Road, for instance, used to be clear from bottom to top on a normal day. Now it is single lane with cars parked both sides.

And there were parking restrictions. The roads immediately around Hove Park and Woodland Drive area had police cones.

Even if the travel was quicker for some people, the whole experience took up just as much time because you needed to be in position for a big game about an hour before kick-off. And even then you couldn't necessarily see.

It was home but it wasn't better than The Amex.

 

[Bodian]

Travel to the Goldstone WAS easier, because people could come from every direction very easily. People walked to games, got buses to nearby or trains into Hove with more platforms than Falmer. During my time visiting (last few years only) the 5-8k obviously made it easier than getting 30k into the Amex from a smaller station and restricted travel options.

I think this is the key. When I first started going with my cousin, I'd walk quite a way through Hove Park to get there. Then I started going with school mates and we'd simply catch the bus from Southwick. I don't remember waiting a long time to get home again. Then I used to ride my bike along the Old Shoreham Road - if I was on my own I'd just lock it round the back of Hove Park Tavern - so I was away within minutes. If I was with mates we'd leave them in another mates' drive in Holmes Park Avenue.

When I grew up, we all used to meet first in the Stadium pub and walk along to the ground. We'd be back at my mates for a cup of tea and James Alexander Gordon. Must have done this for years.

Then later - when I was living away and would drive down from Haslemere on a Saturday morning I'd just find somewhere to park in the back streets before Sackville Road.

Basically, what I'm saying is that there were so many options, from wherever you were coming from. And I never actually caught the train - which was yet another choice!