The greatest Brighton manager we've had?

[bhaexpress]

Actually Bazza was not as bad as many say. He found some useful players (like Kurt Nogan) whilst working with his hands tied behind his back and whilst he wasn't doing too well at the end of his reign remember who his paymasters were .... Yep, Arseole and Bellend.

 

[cheeseroll]

slightly off topic, but talking of Maybank here is an interesting article.

"
Maybank, whose career ended in the Eighties at the age of just 25, said: `While I was at Chelsea I knew it was going on for other players but it was not until I moved on to Brighton that I found myself caught up in the old jab-and-play system. `I literally had my knee smashed in a tremendous impact between me and an opposing player going for the same ball. But we were pushing for promotion at the time and the club clearly didn't want to lose me for a few weeks. `So the routine was that they would draw blood out from the knee that had accumulate during the week and then jab me with the painkiller so I could play.

"I'm paying the price for it all nowadays, there 's still pain in my knee, ankle and foot"

`I knew the knee was really bad because if I tried to run left or right instead of straight up and down I would find myself collapsed on the ground.

`After the game, when the injection had worn off, I was in absolute agony and they would again have to draw off the blood.

`I played nine games in that condition. I was only 22 and just three years later I had to call it a day. I couldn't go on playing.

`I've got all the sympathy in the world for blokes like Ossie and Hutch. I wish them all the best but at least they had a pretty full career.

`There are so many others like me who had their careers and their dreams shattered almost before they had begun because we believed what we were told and played on with injuries that needed rest and proper treatment.' Maybank, who is now 43, was given chilling news about his damaged knee yesterday. He said: `I was at the hospital for an examination and the doctor told me I've got the knee of an 80-year-old"

and he did after all score our first two div 1 goals.

 

[bhaexpress]

If you read Mark Lawrenceson's autobiography he also mentions something about being forced to play while injured when he was with us. I imamgine that was part and parcel of the game in those days.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I think in Byrne and Small we had one of the best strike partnerships the club has ever had .I don't think Lloyd was that bad but it did get stale towards the end and we were desperate for a change...enter Mr ballotti.

 

[Icy Gull]

How many of you actually remember Chris Cattlin? I can't believe he doesn't feature with many. Looking at this " cut and paste" it is pretty clear that he did a formidable job as the wheels were coming off around him

The season 1983-84 saw the first league visit of Chelsea. The visiting fans rioted and football was threatened with destruction by the hooligan element that had no interest in the game.

New Manager Chris Cattlin built a good new team but there was no quick return to Division 1. For his first match in charge unbeaten league leaders Charlton Athletic visited the Goldstone and were dispatched 7-0.

Following the 1982-83 FA Cup Final season, Liverpool had to visit the Goldstone before an all-ticket crowd of only 19,057 (Liverpool did not take their full allocation) and the Chelsea riot had discouraged many fans. Brighton won comfortably 2-0 with Gerry Ryan playing well and scoring a goal. Financial problems because of the relegation and falling gates began to pose limitations from the free spending days. The nucleus of the team included Eric Young (replacing Steve Foster in the centre of defence), Steve Gatting, midfielder Danny Wilson, Irish international winger Steve Penney, prolific goalscorer Dean Saunders, and Gerry Ryan playing his best ever football in attack. Brighton went out in the Fifth Round in 1983-84 to the runners-up in Division 1 and finalists Watford 0-2.

Before the 1984-85 season Mike Bamber lost his position as Chairman of the Board, and was replaced by Bryan Bedson. Both Brighton and Portsmouth were in the promotion race and they both missed out narrowly, without really exciting the crowds. Albion with Graham Moseley in goal only conceded 34 goals in 42 League games, but only Terry Connor scored regularly. A new striker was needed.

Dean Saunders was signed on a free transfer from Swansea City.

In 1985-86, Brighton visited Division 1 Newcastle United , and came up against Peter Beardsley and Paul Gascoigne, and won 2-0. The FA Cup run ended in a disappointing 0-2 defeat in the Quarter-finals at home to Division 1 Southampton before an all ticket 25,069 crowd. League form was middle of the table, (below Crystal Palace and Portsmouth) and with falling crowds causing serious financial worries, the Directors felt compelled to take some action to bring about a resurgence of the glory years.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

i would totally agree about Cattlin .like i said above,if he had have had Byrne and Small up front we would have strolled the league.Connor was good but would only get about 16-20 goals a season and like you say we never really had anyone else except Mick Ferguson.( why did he play him against Southampton in the quarter final ).
Not only was Cattlin a bloody good manager he was and still is great to listen to in interviews.Top bloke.

 

[Captain Pugwash]

adams by a long way, he got all the players in and half are still playinhg 4 us

 

[Icy Gull]

How good would Adams team have been without BZ?

 

[NMH]

'The Cat' was also a stalwart defender too, among such early 70's players Gerry Fell and Graham Cross . This was the beginning of our 'Albion expectations' period really, with Binney, and Ward, and Mellor, and Poskitt as forwards banging them in with alacrity.
Tiger Tony and Sully in the middle, Steve Piper and then Brian Horton was the heroic Captain marshalling everything and 'Tank' Clarke was eeevil sorting out the opposition's 'enforcer' subs that were sent on just to crock Wardey. We need another Brian Horton now, actually.

I believe Chris Cattlin had a seaside fish 'n chippy or Brighton Rock shop or something didn't he?

 

[Captain Pugwash]

How good would Adams team have been without BZ?

mid table, tops

 

[Easy 10]

Yes, but who was it who spotted BZ and gave him his chance ? Its a bit churlish to cast doubt on how much success Adams would have had were it not for Zamora, when it was Adams who brought such a gem of a player to the club in the first place.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Yes, but who was it who spotted BZ and gave him his chance ? Its a bit churlish to cast doubt on how much success Adams would have had were it not for Zamora, when it was Adams who brought such a gem of a player to the club in the first place.

I think you'll find Adams faxed all the lower league teams to get a striker in on loan and Ian Hollaway said he had a lad in the reserves who could come on loan.So it wasn't actually Adams 'scouting 'as such it was a bit more like luck.Not that i don't rate Adams.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

Chris Cattlin, also the most under rated manager. Sacked for saying the club was underachieving. At the time we were 6th in the old 2nd (now 1st) division. He also inherited all the player problems of a relegated side and had started to turn it into a fine footballing side

Never given the time to prove himself and by all accounts still an Albion fanatic now. Unlike Mr Adams, who did an exceptional job but was only here to use us as a stepping stone.

I couldn't believe it when Cattlin got sacked. Didn't it all go a bit pear-shaped from then on? Mind you, I never liked Barry Lloyd. Remember how he treated Garry Nelson?

 

[Easy 10]

I think you'll find Adams faxed all the lower league teams to get a striker in on loan and Ian Hollaway said he had a lad in the reserves who could come on loan.So it wasn't actually Adams 'scouting 'as such it was a bit more like luck.Not that i don't rate Adams.

Maybe so, but I don't believe Adams would have taken BZ on loan without going to watch him first. He saw a rough diamond there and acted on it, where other managers hadn't. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

[FG aka Football Genius.]

no contest ALAN MULLERY

 

[perseus]

Chris Cattlin, by quite a long way. The worst: Barry Lloyd.

Chris Cattlin would have been a greater success if there were play-offs back in those days.

Chris Cattlin was not right all the time. He made some terrible boobs. He was not particularly lucky but he was Manager when we had some superb results like the 1984 home win over Liverpool and a win at St. James Park over Gascoigne, Beardsley and Newcastle.

 

[Exiled in Exeter]

Mickey Adams no 1

Steve Gritt no 2

I’d agree with that.

 

[Lord Cornwallis]

Mullers
Taylor I
Adams
Gritt
All did a good job for our beloved Albion, in their own way and in their own circumstances.

 

[Woodingdean Gull]

This is turning into a very good thread, but I believe you also need to include the era and the circumstances at the time when discussing a particular manager. Also, what makes “the best” manager. Success in the shape of number of promotions and games won? By balancing the books of a club that is going out of business? By staving off relegations? By great signings, Peter Ward, Mark Lawrenson, Danny Wilson, Bobby Zamora, all later sold for profit, (or in the case of Deano, almost given away after being turned from a Swansea reserv into a full international).
Ibelieve five managers stand out – Peter Taylor, (the first), Alan Mullery, Chris Cattlin, Mike Bailey and Micky Adams.
I place Mullery at number 5. I believe that, although Mullery took us up to the old Div. 1, and made two excellent signings, (Lawrenson and Fozzie), he inherited a team that was always going to go places. This was put in place by the first Peter Taylor.
I place Taylor at number 4. After Clough went for more money, Taylor promised promotion or he would leave. When this was missed only because of goals, he showed his integrity and left. But what he left was a club with masses of potential, especially with Wardy, who was Taylor’s own protegy.
I place Mike Bailey at number 3. He took over, consolidated the defence, took us to the highest position we have ever been, with one of the meanest defences in the old first division, and was pushed because we weren’t entertaining enough. What the morons didn’t appreciate was that with a bit of patience, the entertainment may have arrived after we’d stopped leaking goals.
Now for the controversial bit. I sincerely believe that, these days, there is a much more level playing field between the first, second and third divisions, than there was 20,30,40 years ago between the old second, third and fourth divisions. When Adams came, he seemed to think that getting big ‘hoofers’ and playing route 1 was enough. Remember donkeys like Campbell ? Only when we started to play the ball around did we start to look any good. I am not decrying or belittling the back to back championships, but I do believe it would have been harder to accomplish 20 years ago. Also, Adams left us for the lure of better things, and only gained one title.
At number 2, my selection is Micky Adams.
Why Chris Cattlin at number 1? The team had been relegated. Players had left. Obviously morale was somewhat low. Cattlin, no mean player in his time, got the team back on track, made some shrewd signings, made one or two mistakes, but got the place buzzing again. We were scared of no-one at the time, and I sincerely believe that we would have gone back up and stayed. Even now, catch Chris at one of his businesses, (check out the rock shop on the front between West street and Ship Street), and he will still talk football to you with a passion that hasn’t diminished after being stabbed in the back by the board at the time. I’m still not sure why he had to go.
So, my final order:-

5. Alan Mullery

4. Peter Taylor, (the first)

3 Mike Bailey

2 Micky Adams

1 Chris Cattlin

 

[The Wookiee]

Mickey Adams - Making us proud again
Alan Mullery - Taking us to Div 1
Jimmy Melia - Taking us to Cup Final
Peter Taylor - Laying the foundations
Steve Gritt - Hereford (nothing else!)