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Question for the over 42s...
- Thread starter The Large One
- Start date
Uncle Spielberg
Well-known member
Ok. Then by a country mile. The feel good factor at the moment is mainly about the stadium, fair enough. If we were still at Withdean it would still be " meh ", the football at championship level has been average from us, apart from a few great performances like last Friday but we have a long long way to go to get even close to the consistancy and team spirit we had from 1977 - 1983. I have experienced both and this time it is not even close ( at the moment ).
sydney
tinky ****in winky
midweek games against liverpool and man u are now coming back to me so on a personal not it has to be then.
The Maharajah of Sydney
Well-known member
Don't think the '70's will ever be surpassed , irrespective of any future promotions or trophies .
It wasn't just the football , it was all the ancillary stuff of that era , in particular the flexibility .
Match tickets - you just had to turn up at the turnstiles , Home or Away .
Away travel - Again , just turn up at the station on the day and buy a ticket - you didn't have to book weeks in advance to make it affordable .
Then there's the terracing , the chanting & singing , the inner city grounds - which together created those great atmospheres .
And of course the music . Two brilliant genres - Ska & Punk .
It wasn't just the football , it was all the ancillary stuff of that era , in particular the flexibility .
Match tickets - you just had to turn up at the turnstiles , Home or Away .
Away travel - Again , just turn up at the station on the day and buy a ticket - you didn't have to book weeks in advance to make it affordable .
Then there's the terracing , the chanting & singing , the inner city grounds - which together created those great atmospheres .
And of course the music . Two brilliant genres - Ska & Punk .
Lurker
62 years and counting ...
The big plus about now is without doubt the Amex.
The goldstone has magic memories, but as another poster has already said, it was a shithole.
I loved that shithole, but give me the Amex any day of the week.
Amex apart ... in my view there is no argument, it was way better back then.
The whole team had class from back to front and was exciting enough on its own, but to watch Wardy in his prime was absolutely incomparable, and I feel dreadfully sorry for our younger supporters who never had the joy of watching him live.
There are very few players in the history of the game who genuinely make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck with excitement when the ball comes near them, but Peter Ward was one.
The buzz of anticipation that went around the whole ground if the ball even just moved in his direction will stay with me until the day I die.
As his reputation grew you could also audibly hear the the intake of collective breath from the opposition supporters every time he received the ball as they shit themselves in fear of what he would do next.
I loved away trips, not least to listen to what the opposition fans used to say about the Wiz.
One game that always sticks in my memory was an evening game at the Valley.
We actually lost that night by 4-3, but it was a fantastic game, and Wardy was unplayable.
I stood on that massive terrace they had in those days, and standing just in front of us were a couple of elderly chaps, complete with cloth caps and overcoats, and after yet another mazy dribble from Wardy one of the old boys turned to the other and said "is he the best you've seen here this season?"
His elderly mate said "I reckon he's the best i've ever seen here".
The feeling of pride I got listening to those old boys I can still recall.
Wardy was OURS ... and everybody else wanted him!
They were truly magnificent days to be an Albion follower, we didn't wonder if we'd win ... we wondered how many we'd win by.
Even a draw was a shock in those days, let alone a defeat.
I don't get the same feeling of impregnability with the current team, although it's certainly moving in the right direction.
No, my vote is definitely for the old days.
The goldstone has magic memories, but as another poster has already said, it was a shithole.
I loved that shithole, but give me the Amex any day of the week.
Amex apart ... in my view there is no argument, it was way better back then.
The whole team had class from back to front and was exciting enough on its own, but to watch Wardy in his prime was absolutely incomparable, and I feel dreadfully sorry for our younger supporters who never had the joy of watching him live.
There are very few players in the history of the game who genuinely make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck with excitement when the ball comes near them, but Peter Ward was one.
The buzz of anticipation that went around the whole ground if the ball even just moved in his direction will stay with me until the day I die.
As his reputation grew you could also audibly hear the the intake of collective breath from the opposition supporters every time he received the ball as they shit themselves in fear of what he would do next.
I loved away trips, not least to listen to what the opposition fans used to say about the Wiz.
One game that always sticks in my memory was an evening game at the Valley.
We actually lost that night by 4-3, but it was a fantastic game, and Wardy was unplayable.
I stood on that massive terrace they had in those days, and standing just in front of us were a couple of elderly chaps, complete with cloth caps and overcoats, and after yet another mazy dribble from Wardy one of the old boys turned to the other and said "is he the best you've seen here this season?"
His elderly mate said "I reckon he's the best i've ever seen here".
The feeling of pride I got listening to those old boys I can still recall.
Wardy was OURS ... and everybody else wanted him!
They were truly magnificent days to be an Albion follower, we didn't wonder if we'd win ... we wondered how many we'd win by.
Even a draw was a shock in those days, let alone a defeat.
I don't get the same feeling of impregnability with the current team, although it's certainly moving in the right direction.
No, my vote is definitely for the old days.
APACHE
LONGTIME DIEHARD
To me , it must be then. To be young with money in your pocket in those days in the 70's with everything that was happening, the music, the night-life and the great football was something really special. Home and away the Albion was something to be longed for at the end of the working week, but times more on and if this club can make the jump to the top level it will equal that time. Enjoy the good times, forget the bad.
Uter
Well-known member
Our home league record from 74/75 to 78/79 was bloody awesome. 82 wins and just 8 defeats in 5 seasons. 246 goals in 111 games. For every defeat we notched up ten wins. Even allowing for rose tinted specs it was clearly a really special time.
I think the overall standard is much better now though. When I see repeats of The Big Match what strikes me is how poor the football generally was.
I think the overall standard is much better now though. When I see repeats of The Big Match what strikes me is how poor the football generally was.
As I was a kid then, I can say pretty categorically it's better to be a jnr Seagull now.
But that's all about the 'match day experience' instead of what's happening on the pitch.
But that's all about the 'match day experience' instead of what's happening on the pitch.
SIMMO SAYS
Well-known member
I am having 'different' experience now--I do not have the fear I used to have at away matches in the late seventies/eighties. The Amex is just different gravy compered to the Goldstone. But I still remember Wardy & Mellor turning over the Palace as if it was yesterday!! Mind you I will be on my toes tomorrow at the Den if we fecking get there!! 
Gregory2Smith1
J'les aurai!
We rarely lost at home in the late 70's,remember Bolton & Wrexham winning at the Goldstone,that's how unusual it was
Come 79-80 and seeing the likes of Liam Brady & Kenny Dalgleish grace the turf at the Goldstone was a little surreal
After a few games in the big time ,it looked like we were going straight back where we came from,but we lasted 4 seasons
Thrown in,the glorious cup run of '83,and only 2 years later we had saints at home in the 6th Round and most thought we'd be going back to Wembley
In terms of football,yes,been here before
But it's the Amex that changes everything,very exciting times to be an Albion fan
We have the stadium,now we need the success to follow
Come 79-80 and seeing the likes of Liam Brady & Kenny Dalgleish grace the turf at the Goldstone was a little surreal
After a few games in the big time ,it looked like we were going straight back where we came from,but we lasted 4 seasons
Thrown in,the glorious cup run of '83,and only 2 years later we had saints at home in the 6th Round and most thought we'd be going back to Wembley
In terms of football,yes,been here before
But it's the Amex that changes everything,very exciting times to be an Albion fan
We have the stadium,now we need the success to follow
Daffy Duck
Stop bloody moaning!
At this moment in time,it would have to be the glory days at the Goldstone. There was such a buzz about it and some of the football we played then was amazing with Wardy, Spider and all. It's quite difficult now to explain to people who didn't experience it.
But, now is so exciting in quite a different way. Maybe it's because we're a bit older now.
I think that in a year or two's time we will have the same buzz after getting to the promised land that is the Premiership, except this time, I really believe we'll stay for a few years longer.
We are now a club that has almost everything in place to be one of the top clubs in the country and remain so.
But, now is so exciting in quite a different way. Maybe it's because we're a bit older now.
I think that in a year or two's time we will have the same buzz after getting to the promised land that is the Premiership, except this time, I really believe we'll stay for a few years longer.
We are now a club that has almost everything in place to be one of the top clubs in the country and remain so.
Seasidesage
New member
I enjoy the football more now, but the day out, the atmosphere, travelling and the culture of being a football fan were all much better in the late 70's early 80's even if they were a lot more dangerous too!
Eddiespearritt
Well-known member
For me it's about pride in being an Albion fan. For so long between 83-96 it was often difficult to admit you were still interested. The late 70's and early 80's were just as magical as now for a team that had always languished somewhere outside the prospect of any glory days at all. Now we can potentially smell the success again from our current healthy position, and if I recall the distant past of about two months ago (when the failure to sign an international player every week left many NSC'ers bemoaning the strategic skills of Poyet / Bloom etc) I think the mood swings are too dramatic. We have a long road to get promotion to the Premier League, and if we get there a longer road still to reach the top echelons of that division and Cup Finals / Europe. I thought the world was simply unbelievable the night we beat Southampton 2-0 at the The Dell to go 6th in the old First division - I'd be happy to reach that level of pride again some time soon. We're not there yet.
happypig
Staring at the rude boys
We're far worse now than we were then. In the late 70's/early 80's we were always after Southampton and Portsmouth on the local news, these days we're second fiddle to poxy Gillingham for christ's sake.
el punal
Well-known member
This is a difficult one. 1971/72 was a great season because promotion was unexpected until later on.
I think the momentum started with Peter Taylor in 1975/76 and Wardy coming in at the end of that season. When Mullery took over in 1976 there was a buzz, an expectation that we would do well from the off. And so it was, with some superb football (7-2,7-0 wins), huge crowds and the rivalry with Palace and finally promotion.
This momentum continued through Div.2 until we reached the promised land of Div.1 in 1979. I loved every minute.
Compare that to our progress over the last 3 years and the similarities are remarkable:
The 70s we had a new, ambitious chairman in Mike Bamber who had the audacious foresite to hire Alan Mullery who had no management experience but was successful from the start.
In 2009 we had Tony Bloom in charge, gambling (he's good at that!) on bringing in Gus Poyet, also no management experience. And look what Gus has achieved!
In both decades we became media darlings, the football superb, the crowds getting bigger by the week, expectation and excitement growing all the time.
So, to answer the original question,fantastic as the late 70s were I feel that there is more of a buzz on all levels now, particularly with a new stadium,and a brilliant board and management team, that the sky's the limit.
I hope I'm right because being an Albion fan now is like being on a stairway to heaven!
I think the momentum started with Peter Taylor in 1975/76 and Wardy coming in at the end of that season. When Mullery took over in 1976 there was a buzz, an expectation that we would do well from the off. And so it was, with some superb football (7-2,7-0 wins), huge crowds and the rivalry with Palace and finally promotion.
This momentum continued through Div.2 until we reached the promised land of Div.1 in 1979. I loved every minute.
Compare that to our progress over the last 3 years and the similarities are remarkable:
The 70s we had a new, ambitious chairman in Mike Bamber who had the audacious foresite to hire Alan Mullery who had no management experience but was successful from the start.
In 2009 we had Tony Bloom in charge, gambling (he's good at that!) on bringing in Gus Poyet, also no management experience. And look what Gus has achieved!
In both decades we became media darlings, the football superb, the crowds getting bigger by the week, expectation and excitement growing all the time.
So, to answer the original question,fantastic as the late 70s were I feel that there is more of a buzz on all levels now, particularly with a new stadium,and a brilliant board and management team, that the sky's the limit.
I hope I'm right because being an Albion fan now is like being on a stairway to heaven!
BensGrandad
New member
I think that we are looking back and saying how good those times were but for me having supported the club for over 60 years the potential now is more exciting just remains to be seen whether or not we realize our potential.
Started supporting in 1975. I would opt for that period...........just. However, I love the whole Amex thing and the fact my son gets to enjoy it with me makes this time very special.
dejavuatbtn
Well-known member
We thought it was then! What the hell did we know? You never know what's round the corner.
70/80s for me and all the plaudits for Lawrenon are true - the sight of him taking the ball forward fron defence was just something else - but you've still got a long way to go to beat 64/65 season when we got hold of Bobby Smith not that long after he had played for England and we scored over 100 goals.
Then, that's just at the moment though.
There's a lot of potential, and it could be different if we carry on as we are at the moment. Remember last time we actually got to the top division, and the Cup Final. THE F.A.CUP FINAL...
We're doing really well, but we need to actually get promoted again before you can compare it. When we got promoted, the whole town completely went blue and white - flags at the windows etc., they opened the Goldstone specially just for a lap of honour.
Gus has put together a great team, but that question can only be asked in a couple of year's time.
I would add (without opening the debate) that I prefer standing, and the mosh pit that was a goal on the North Stand is just not the same nowadays.
There's a lot of potential, and it could be different if we carry on as we are at the moment. Remember last time we actually got to the top division, and the Cup Final. THE F.A.CUP FINAL...
We're doing really well, but we need to actually get promoted again before you can compare it. When we got promoted, the whole town completely went blue and white - flags at the windows etc., they opened the Goldstone specially just for a lap of honour.
Gus has put together a great team, but that question can only be asked in a couple of year's time.
I would add (without opening the debate) that I prefer standing, and the mosh pit that was a goal on the North Stand is just not the same nowadays.