What are your memories of your FIRST visit to The Goldstone Ground?

[Mr deez]

The first I can actually remember was a school trip, the only thing I can remember was that Dale Jasper scored.. Albion archives leads me to therefore believe it was versus Chesterfield, 2-2 draw 17/2/88 when I would have been 11, although those facts escape my memory... Attendance that day 8182.

Much clearer is Albion vs Gillingham, 2/4/88, we won 2 nil. Still cant' remember a great deal of the match but went with my old man so loved it so much more standing all game with the adults near the front and getting squished when we scored, great fun

 

[wallington seagull]

Brighton 3 Bristol Rovers 2, in 1967 I believe and Charlie Livesey (r.i.p) scored the winner. Was instantly hooked!

 

[Spiros]

Just about remember. My Dad, not really being a footie fan, took me and my brother to a game against Chelsea - which I assume now was a friendly. I am guessing it was early '70s sometime. We sat in the South stand - the one and only time I ever went in there ...

... and lost 2-0 I think.

That was my first game as well. I was about 6 or 7 at the time. My Dad was a West Stand season ticket holder and took me because his mate couldn't go. I mainly remember being scared out of my wits by the height at which we had to climb to get to our seast (2 rows from the back) and wondering why Chelsea were wearing such strange green socks. I must have enjoyed though because I was a regular on the South Terrace within about 18 months

 

[tedebear]

*anorakalert*

Right tedebear, The Goldstone pitch was 112yd x 74yd

Highbury was 101yd x 67yd - much smaller

Thanks Hiney!! It looked bigger in the pictures - maybe also due to the fact the stands at the Goldstone are further away from the pitch....

 

[Bigtomfu]

http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=5849


Not a great one to start my "career" with....

However, the excitement of being allowed to go mixed with the smells and sounds as we climbed the stairs into the West Stand- a joy to behold.

My dad was a season ticket holder in the West Stand, and got on so well with the gate man that for the first three years of following the albion I was let in for free under the turnstile.

19 years later and i'm still going strong.

 

[Charles 'Charley' Charles]

Right before I tell this you have to promise not to shout or get angry


1990-91 season

My Dad was never really a huge football fan (in fact all I ever wanted to do was go to a Brighton match with him. Thankfully I managed to do this the year he passed away, the match after we got promoted, Easter Monday 2001), so was left to me to find the Seagulls. It was going to take something like glory hunting to get me there. We drew Liverpool in the cup, but my mum said I wasn't allowed to go, and eneded up to late with my membership to gat a ticket for the replay. At least now though I had my Junior Seagulls membership.

The next match was against Palace in the ZDS Cup, now (don't hit me) all I knew about Palace was they had lost the Cup Final, beaten Liverpool (was cheering Palace that day ) and were a good Div 1 team, they had Wright (one of my favourite ever players, sorry have to admit this)and Bright. I knew nothing about the rilvary between the 2 clubs, but even so to me this was a big game. Went with a school friend, bunked the train from Fishersgate to Aldrington, and walked along to the match, I was so excited. Headed to the SW Terrace as you got a free programme in there and was hooked straight away, the noise form the North blew me away. Remeber there being snow pushed against the sides of the ground, and think the match had been postponed a couple of time because of this. From what I recall we were unlucky, but I was still dead impressed that we took them to extra time, till Wright and Bright scored, but by then it was too late, I was addicted.

The next match was against Leicester and I was determined to go to as many matches as possible. We spanked them 3-0, only goal I remember was Wilkins (I think) scoring from an indirect free kick inside the box, and the first time I saw 11 men on the line. You will be pleased to know my soft spot for Palace has hardened over, and ever since then have been

Just want to say this thread is great, well done TLO

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Vaguely, remember the journey but nothing of the match but I was only 6. My grandfather who'd been going since the late 1920s decided to take me along to the last match of our one season in the old second division, 1972-73. Clearly remember being exited getting on the train at Haywards Heath and arriving and having to change trains for Hove. Remember the walk to the ground from the station, down the steps to Conway Street under Fonthill Road bridge then turning into Goldstone Lane and being able to see the North Stand through the gap between the East Terrace and South Stand.

We played Notts Forest that day and all I remember of the game were the teams lining up before kick off and my grandfather pointing out Duncan MacKenzie telling me how good a player he was. I remember the kits, Forest wearing red shirts, white shorts and black socks and our stripes but absolutely nothing of the game or who scored.

However, I was hooked from that point and wanted to go each week and remembering being most upset when I wasn't allowed to go to an away trip to Aldershot the following season.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

it was dark and it snowed
thats ALL i can remember, it was 39 years ago and i was 7

 

[burrish gull]

Wagon Wheels and pipe smoke

 

[NMH]

Some time in the 50's, crawled under the corrugated East fence. Loads of old GITS with flat caps and miserable attitudes moaned at us kids running down the terrace trying to get a glimpse of the spectacle served before everyone.

Now I'm an old git, and....the kids are alright.

 

[smudge]

I remember my first trip to the Goldstone very well. I was only eight and had been given a Saturday detention at Brighton College Junior School, so I wasn't allowed to go to the game. But I cried and cried, and my teacher took pity on me and said I could go after all. I'd been waiting weeks for the match.

It was Albion v Liverpool on the 17th October 1981

I was a Liverpool fan at the time, cos they were the team that were winning everything. I'd play footy in my back garden wearing a red T-shirt, with the 'HITACHI' sponsor cut out of A4 paper, sellotaped onto the shirt. This was going to be my first Liverpool game...

My big bro was an Albion fan, though, so he took me into the North Stand and I stood at the front, behind the goal, leaning against the metal railings, standing on a milk crate, soaking up the atmosphere. 26,321 were crammed into the Goldstone that afternoon. I think it rained, cos my programme went all soggy. Either that or I wet myself!

I just remember how awesome the atmosphere was, the roar of the crowd, the closeness of the Liverpool fans in the NE floodlight corner. Brighton went 1-3 down, but pulled it out of the bag and snuck a 3-3 draw - the North Stand had done it for me, and I came out blue and white. That was it. No more Liverpool, I was a Brighton fan!

Marvellous memories.

I was there, great game...& you're right, it pissed down & the North Stand had no roof then.