Pat Saward's Brighton - please describe the players!

[Questions]

Brian Powney was one of my favourite players , used to wear the old green cloth gloves , my hero , i was only young . John Napier was nicknamed Kit Napier , wasn't Ian 'Spider' Mellor in the team as well ? Tall player who played up front and was great at scoring goals . This is only from memory so may be wrong on some of the things above . Pat Seward was a great man . Got a feeling Eddie Spearritte played more on the wing too.

Go to your doctors. You have early signs of dementia .

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Stewart Henderson - small and classy right back, good tackler and raided down right wing.
John Templeman (+midfield) - there's a fairly recent thread on him that say's it all.
Alex Sheridan - barely 1 season, left back. Sort of slim and well turned out, but don't you want a defender ugly & dirty?
John Napier - £25,000 record signing, big centre half and rock at the back. Anyone know where he is now?
Norman Gall - he was the div 3 version of Bobby Moore. Not too tall but worked off sweeping around Napier, always calm & in the right place.
Ian Goodwin (+midfield) - Not an instant hit as a big lump in midfield so soon lost his place only to come back some months later as a tough centre half. I suppose you could say he was a bit of an AEA.
Eddie Spearritt (+midfield) - Played most anywhere, even stand in goalie when needed. Classy player and long throw expert. Another of the blond haired, blue eyed boys and one of the few players to play in the top div (with Carlisle!) after leaving Albion. Uncle to Hannah Spearritt.
George Ley - Quite a signing as established left back with Pompey. Some class but never really looked interested.
Steve Piper - started from youth team as centre back but was later to have a big impact in midfield in mullery's side.Tall and slim, i'd liken him to a Dean hammond, somtimes controlled a game but sometimes invisible.
John Moore (loan signing from Luton) - experienced defender brought in to srore up a poor team so had good head but not the legs.
Mick Brown - hardly registered.
Graham Howell - right back and sometimes midfielder. tennacious but that's about all. not to be confused with Ronnie Howell from the same period.

Thank you for this. An excellent contribution - really enjoyable to read and digest.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Doh, don't confuse the napier brothers!

John was from Northern ireland and Kit (Chris) was from Scotland. Pure co-incidence we had them both at the same time. Bit like Dick knight & his lad, leon!

 

[Questions]

::

You are right about Walsall and, for a few years, there was quite a feice rivalry and many matches in which we never seemed to beat them'!

Thank God for 1976. Laid that ghost in the 2nd half somewhat.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I found this incredible article today in an old Football League Review. 'Already Brighton's appeal fund has raised £1,000 from a sponsored walk and held numerous big-prize draws. Future projects include an international bowling competition, a fishing contest and a variety night when the Pat Saward appeal fund take over the first night of the summer show on Brighton's Palace Pier.' This was a very, very different world...

Did the variety night, with its competition to find the top autograph hunter, ever happen?

 

[severnside gull]

Stewart Henderson - stocky fullback who probably wouldn't be considered big enough for the position nowadays. I guess he was no more than 5'7" at best He loved to maraud forward into the opposition half, had a good cross on him. My abiding memory though is of him covering back towards the North Stand and timing a slide tackle to absolute perfection taking the ball and the player almost into the front row beneath the west stand - he must have performed that tackle hundreds of times and I don't ever recall him being beaten. Left us for Reading where he played for a long time and then as a coach with Stains (I think he even had a spell as caretaker manager there). I tried to model myself on him because we were the same height - the similarity stopped there unfortunately.

John Templeman (+midfield) - there was a thread very recently about John after he was a guest at the Amex. Local lad from Yapton just outside Arundel who came through the reserves - he had near shoulder length blond hair and was an industrious midfield player who had a fair old shot on him. Took a lot of undeserved flack from fans as a "pretty boy" but it wasn't ever malicious . Left to go to Exeter if I remember right

Alex Sheridan - memory is a bit sparse but I think he was a fullback who was only with us for one season then went non league so I guess that maybe says enough

John Napier - happy days - Big John was the very best centre back we had up until the Larenson/Stevens/Foster era in my opinion. Came at the same time as Kit and left at the same time but they weren't related - John was an Irishman and built like a brick outhouse - a giant of a man in my memory but probably no bigger than Gordon Greer and even looked a bit like him and was as influential. Could pass the ball and tackle but his strength was in the air - he was genuinely "commanding" in my memory and a good skipper edit: in answer to the question above, John was another of those who developed the coaching bug and ended up in the states teaching soccerball to the heathens - as far as I know e is still there in the San Diego area or was a few years ago when someone posted it on here

Norman Gall - Sir Norman played 400+ games for us without ever really threatening to be more than a journeyman - a hard worker and strong tackler alongside John Napier who didn't pretend to have much in the way of skills beyond the half way line. Limited maybe and perhaps I'm being a bit harsh but he was very very effective at what he did being close to an everpresent for nearly a dozen years.

Ian Goodwin (+midfield) I remember Ian best as a centre back the season after John Napier left (to Bradford) - up until then I think he didn't really break into the first team. I remember he came from Coventry only because I spoke to him when getting autographs and we both had family there and think he went back when he left us.

Eddie Spearritt (+midfield) - Long blond curly hair - a good footballing wing back who could score goals and had a great eye for a pass - as near as we got at the time to being called "cultured". He won a competition for the longest throw in league football (the Rory Delap of his day)

George Ley - a fullback from Portsmouth quite tall and I remember him as being quite classy on the ball- he got the coaching bug from Freddie Goodwin I think and ended up in the states coaching - I think he is still there

Steve Piper - tall central defender - he was a local lad who came through Brighton Boys and the reserves - didn't come into the first team until later than the Pat Saward era unless I'm mistaken and went on to play for Portsmouth. He was unusual in being someone who was homegrown (I only really remember him and Shirley Templleman)

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Thank you, severnside gull, for putting together your insights on our defenders in those days.

 

[severnside gull]

Thank you, severnside gull, for putting together your insights on our defenders in those days.

my pleasure - that really was "my time" as a fan - never missed a game home or away

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

You are right about Walsall and, for a few years, there was quite a feice rivalry and many matches in which we never seemed to beat them. And Eddie Spearritt did take over in goal.

There was the FAC tie vs Walsall that went to 3 replays before they finally knocked us out at Highfield Road. A very young Phil Parkes was their goalie and played a blinder every time - beaten by a cheeky back heel from Alex D in the game at the Goldstone.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Brian Powney was one of my favourite players , used to wear the old green cloth gloves , my hero , i was only young . John Napier was nicknamed Kit Napier , wasn't Ian 'Spider' Mellor in the team as well ? Tall player who played up front and was great at scoring goals . This is only from memory so may be wrong on some of the things above . Pat Seward was a great man . Got a feeling Eddie Spearritte played more on the wing too.

Spider came later with wardy...i don't remember John napier being nicknamed kit...i do remember knocking on kit nappies door in southwick asking for his autograph

 

[LamieRobertson]

Spider came later with wardy...i don't remember John napier being nicknamed kit...i do remember knocking on kit nappies door in southwick asking for his autograph

surprised no one mentioned spearitts hair..always well combed

 

[LamieRobertson]

There was the FAC tie vs Walsall that went to 3 replays before they finally knocked us out at Highfield Road. A very young Phil Parkes was their goalie and played a blinder every time - beaten by a cheeky back heel from Alex D in the game at the Goldstone.

i remember watching yur namesake..enjoyed watching the man play football

 

[LamieRobertson]

Stewart Henderson - stocky fullback who probably wouldn't be considered big enough for the position nowadays. I guess he was no more than 5'7" at best He loved to maraud forward into the opposition half, had a good cross on him. My abiding memory though is of him covering back towards the North Stand and timing a slide tackle to absolute perfection taking the ball and the player almost into the front row beneath the west stand - he must have performed that tackle hundreds of times and I don't ever recall him being beaten. Left us for Reading where he played for a long time and then as a coach with Stains (I think he even had a spell as caretaker manager there). I tried to model myself on him because we were the same height - the similarity stopped there unfortunately.

John Templeman (+midfield) - there was a thread very recently about John after he was a guest at the Amex. Local lad from Yapton just outside Arundel who came through the reserves - he had near shoulder length blond hair and was an industrious midfield player who had a fair old shot on him. Took a lot of undeserved flack from fans as a "pretty boy" but it wasn't ever malicious . Left to go to Exeter if I remember right

Alex Sheridan - memory is a bit sparse but I think he was a fullback who was only with us for one season then went non league so I guess that maybe says enough

John Napier - happy days - Big John was the very best centre back we had up until the Larenson/Stevens/Foster era in my opinion. Came at the same time as Kit and left at the same time but they weren't related - John was an Irishman and built like a brick outhouse - a giant of a man in my memory but probably no bigger than Gordon Greer and even looked a bit like him and was as influential. Could pass the ball and tackle but his strength was in the air - he was genuinely "commanding" in my memory and a good skipper edit: in answer to the question above, John was another of those who developed the coaching bug and ended up in the states teaching soccerball to the heathens - as far as I know e is still there in the San Diego area or was a few years ago when someone posted it on here

Norman Gall - Sir Norman played 400+ games for us without ever really threatening to be more than a journeyman - a hard worker and strong tackler alongside John Napier who didn't pretend to have much in the way of skills beyond the half way line. Limited maybe and perhaps I'm being a bit harsh but he was very very effective at what he did being close to an everpresent for nearly a dozen years.

Ian Goodwin (+midfield) I remember Ian best as a centre back the season after John Napier left (to Bradford) - up until then I think he didn't really break into the first team. I remember he came from Coventry only because I spoke to him when getting autographs and we both had family there and think he went back when he left us.

Eddie Spearritt (+midfield) - Long blond curly hair - a good footballing wing back who could score goals and had a great eye for a pass - as near as we got at the time to being called "cultured". He won a competition for the longest throw in league football (the Rory Delap of his day)

George Ley - a fullback from Portsmouth quite tall and I remember him as being quite classy on the ball- he got the coaching bug from Freddie Goodwin I think and ended up in the states coaching - I think he is still there

Steve Piper - tall central defender - he was a local lad who came through Brighton Boys and the reserves - didn't come into the first team until later than the Pat Saward era unless I'm mistaken and went on to play for Portsmouth. He was unusual in being someone who was homegrown (I only really remember him and Shirley Templleman)

agreed with everything u said about those players

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Right, here's a list of Midfielders...

Nobby Lawton
Bert Murray (+ defence in 1971/72)
Bobby Smith (II)
Terry Stanley
Dave Turner
Brian Bromley
Colin Dobson
Alan Boorn
John Boyle
Ronnie Howell

and Wingers
Howard Wilkinson
Peter O'Sullivan
Mick Conway
Tony Towner

Again, I'd be fascinated in knowing what they were like as players.

(I suppose, one question that I think might be worth asking is, did O'Sullivan and Towner significantly change from when they were starting our for the Albion to the players they were under Mullery?)

Thanks to everyone who has contributed on this thread so far...

 

[LamieRobertson]

Right, here's a list of Midfielders...

Nobby Lawton
Bert Murray (+ defence in 1971/72)
Bobby Smith (II)
Terry Stanley
Dave Turner
Brian Bromley
Colin Dobson
Alan Boorn
John Boyle
Ronnie Howell

and Wingers
Howard Wilkinson
Peter O'Sullivan
Mick Conway
Tony Towner

Again, I'd be fascinated in knowing what they were like as players.

(I suppose, one question that I think might be worth asking is, did O'Sullivan and Towner significantly change from when they were starting our for the Albion to the players they were under Mullery?)

Thanks to everyone who has contributed on this thread so far...

Sully definitely did...got better

Bert Murray ..o my mum loved him....was he the player bought with funds raised by supporters or is my memory failing me

 

[Box of Frogs]

One of my earliest memories at the Goldstone was a game where John Napier and another Albion player both went up for a header and clashed heads, knocking them to the ground for a good couple of minutes to receive attention.

Would love to know if anyone remembers which game it was as that would pinpoint my earliest game at the Goldstone. Got a feeling it was around 1971/2?

Oh and I remember Kit Napier too, terrific winger with interesting facial hair at times. Powney is the first keeper I remember at the Albion and even though I was only 5 or 6 I remember thinking then that he was small for a keeper! Can just about remember Murray, Spearritt and Templeman.

Met Steve Piper in the BUPA lounge earlier in the season - lovely fella who obviously enjoyed his time at the Albion. He was there with Tony Vessey and Chris Cattlin - also smashing fellas - possibly one of my season highlights was getting my programme signed by the three of them!

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Sully definitely did...got better

Bert Murray ..o my mum loved him....was he the player bought with funds raised by supporters or is my memory failing me

Did your mum have an 'I Bought Bert' badge as mentioned in that Football League Review article?

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Sully was the surviver from 70-71 to Div 1 glory, and his loyalty unquestionable. In the days pre internet, news was sometimes hard to come by and to my surprise in, I think 80-81, Sully suddenly reappeared at Villa Park for the stripes having 'gone' to the NASL. I must have forgotten to dial 8049.

 

[APACHE]

Tony Towner, if I remember rightly, made his debut in the match that broke our long losing run in the 2nd div. and was always a 100% for the Albion. Gave a great performance in the game at Spurs when we drew 0-0.

 

[mune ni kamome]

Stewart Henderson - stocky fullback who probably wouldn't be considered big enough for the position nowadays. I guess he was no more than 5'7" at best He loved to maraud forward into the opposition half, had a good cross on him. My abiding memory though is of him covering back towards the North Stand and timing a slide tackle to absolute perfection taking the ball and the player almost into the front row beneath the west stand - he must have performed that tackle hundreds of times and I don't ever recall him being beaten. Left us for Reading where he played for a long time and then as a coach with Stains (I think he even had a spell as caretaker manager there). I tried to model myself on him because we were the same height - the similarity stopped there unfortunately.

John Templeman (+midfield) - there was a thread very recently about John after he was a guest at the Amex. Local lad from Yapton just outside Arundel who came through the reserves - he had near shoulder length blond hair and was an industrious midfield player who had a fair old shot on him. Took a lot of undeserved flack from fans as a "pretty boy" but it wasn't ever malicious . Left to go to Exeter if I remember right

Alex Sheridan - memory is a bit sparse but I think he was a fullback who was only with us for one season then went non league so I guess that maybe says enough

John Napier - happy days - Big John was the very best centre back we had up until the Larenson/Stevens/Foster era in my opinion. Came at the same time as Kit and left at the same time but they weren't related - John was an Irishman and built like a brick outhouse - a giant of a man in my memory but probably no bigger than Gordon Greer and even looked a bit like him and was as influential. Could pass the ball and tackle but his strength was in the air - he was genuinely "commanding" in my memory and a good skipper edit: in answer to the question above, John was another of those who developed the coaching bug and ended up in the states teaching soccerball to the heathens - as far as I know e is still there in the San Diego area or was a few years ago when someone posted it on here

Norman Gall - Sir Norman played 400+ games for us without ever really threatening to be more than a journeyman - a hard worker and strong tackler alongside John Napier who didn't pretend to have much in the way of skills beyond the half way line. Limited maybe and perhaps I'm being a bit harsh but he was very very effective at what he did being close to an everpresent for nearly a dozen years.

Ian Goodwin (+midfield) I remember Ian best as a centre back the season after John Napier left (to Bradford) - up until then I think he didn't really break into the first team. I remember he came from Coventry only because I spoke to him when getting autographs and we both had family there and think he went back when he left us.

Eddie Spearritt (+midfield) - Long blond curly hair - a good footballing wing back who could score goals and had a great eye for a pass - as near as we got at the time to being called "cultured". He won a competition for the longest throw in league football (the Rory Delap of his day)

George Ley - a fullback from Portsmouth quite tall and I remember him as being quite classy on the ball- he got the coaching bug from Freddie Goodwin I think and ended up in the states coaching - I think he is still there

Steve Piper - tall central defender - he was a local lad who came through Brighton Boys and the reserves - didn't come into the first team until later than the Pat Saward era unless I'm mistaken and went on to play for Portsmouth. He was unusual in being someone who was homegrown (I only really remember him and Shirley Templleman)

Excellent descriptions and more or less how I remember them. Remember Sully arrived as an out and out winger before he moved into midfield and became our main playmaker for all those years.

Strange the things that stick with you. I always remember Steve Piper having a rather strange way of running. His back seemed to stay very straight while his legs were moving which gave him an odd looking gait. Great servant though