[Albion] Your football ancestry

Barham's tash · Nov 4, 2024

Born in Brighton to Albion supporting parents and grandparents.

This being despite my dad being born in Oxford on VE Day as my grandfather was stationed there - he was a master carpenter and stonemason [Brighton trivia - he did majority of the masonry for the 'welcome to Brighton' pillars on the A23] & repaired planes.

BNthree · Nov 4, 2024

Posted this before but born up north. Dad into cricket and he couldn't stand football. Moved around loads for his work as a kid and I was never into football. Moved to Brighton as a young man and been here ever since. My son was into a football from an early age and was going to be a plastic for a London club but I knew that was crap so started taking him to the Amex. Converted him and myself into Albion fans.

jamie-oh · Nov 4, 2024

My Dad was an Arsenal fan, as it was the team with the most irishmen when he moved over in the early 70's. I'm a Spurs fan and have been for as long as i've had a hole in my arse, but as a kid wasnt allowed to go to london on my own - however Brighton was fine, said my parents! - so my formative football watching years were at the Goldstone seeing the most local side, with my mates.
Then when i was 16 and allowed up to london, i could go and watch Tottenham. Still used to happen along to Brighton 3 or 4 times a season though, and went to home games at Gillingham, Withdean and now Falmer as well. Not especially divided loyalties, because i want Spurs to smash Brighton to bits when we happen to play each other, and tend to go home very disappointed

I'm fairly happy to see Brighton beating pretty much every other team though, especially the more despicable depths of the prem - arsenal, chelsea, man united, the bad guys basically, of which there are many.

Why am i here? Well, the craic can be quite decent, and i like an alternative view to the very Spurs-centric view of Tottenham forums.

Mackenzie · Nov 4, 2024

No one in my family growing up bothered with any sports (always too busy working) so I started going on my own when I was 12/13 to the Goldstone ground. We lived in Upper Rock Gardens so it was a bus ride to Hove Station on a busy bee bus (number 7) from Lower Rock Gardens. Been going ever since

albionalba · Nov 4, 2024

What a nice thread with some great stories. My Dad took me to the Pilot Field for a Hastings Utd cup or important match of some sort when I was about 7. Sadly can't remember who we played. I can remember being quite scared by all the shouting (wimp)! He died not long after but somehow the experience stuck and I followed them for a few years as a teenager and then picked up football again at the Goldstone with my kids when I became a Dad. I thought I had no other football ancestry but recently discovered that a grandfather I never knew was a West Ham supporter and wrote football limericks every week for competitions in "Football Chat and Athletic World" newspaper.

Professor Plum · Nov 4, 2024

AmexRuislip said:
My dad (Sussex born), a Spuds fan took me to my first live footy match at the Goldstone in1976 v Swindon.
Most of my family are Sussex born, I was the exception, being born a scaley brat somewhere in Europe, so not actually Sussex born, I was hooked on the Albion drug from then on.
I also loosely follow Hastings Town, Wealdstone & QPR.

I have QPR associations too. They were my team growing up in London as a boy/youth and I still look out for their results. I married into a Brighton family (in-laws from Pevensey) in the 90s and used to get taken along to matches when we visited. Later moved to E Sussex and graduated to ST holder. But I confess I wasn’t a lifelong Albion fan.

portlock seagull · Nov 4, 2024

aolstudios said:
Boringly, I'm all of those ^
Although my Albion supporting Dad worked for Phillips, causing me to be born in Eindhoven. Giving me a vaguely interesting second team

You aren’t boring, you’re bonafide master race in that respect!

Sue1983 · Nov 4, 2024

Brighton born and bred! My grandad and my great Nan were Brighton Supporters. I went to the Goldstone with my Grandad one day when I was around 14 and was hooked!

Seagull on the Hill · Nov 4, 2024

Born in Sussex maternity hospital in Buckingham Road.
Maternal grandfather was a Brighton fan and it never occurred to me to support any other team.
Saw my first game in 1962 .

Cotton Socks · Nov 4, 2024

Brighton born & bred but literally no one in my family liked football (unless you count my dad doing the pools & spot the ball). The first time I watched Brighton was the '83 cup final, my family temporarily were Brighton supporters & there weren't any matches on our TV after that. I moved in '87 & my new neighbour & his whole family were massive Brighton fans & got me into it. Saw my first live home game in '91 & my first away game was to Millwall in '92. Worked at the Goldstone for a bit but didn't go to Gillingham.
I didn't lose interest but family life got in the way (and an ex who didn't like football), so I just followed results. My son started getting into football around the age of 6 & needed steering away from his Step Brothers Liverpool support, so I started occasionally taking him to Withdean & made a point of turning off the TV & listen to matches on the radio. He was being subconsciously programmed (I gave up trying with his older step brother). I later had a partner who also supported Brighton so when Jnr 2 came along, he had no choice! :lolol:

I think Jnr 2's 1st match was at the Amex when he was 4. He was mesmerised by it (thankfully) even though I'm sure we lost.
Both Jnr's have taken a lot of stick when they were young for supporting a 'crap team'. I'm proud to say they have never wavered in their support.
We've made so many amazing memories together that didn't happen with day trips to Drusilla's etc, as it's not the same.
Jnr 2's 1st experience of an escalator (I don't go into town) & the tube was at our 1st FA semi. The memories of that was funny enough but the whole thing was amazing! I'm not a STH & go to games as an when I can afford it. Jnr 1 has his own place & can't really afford to go often either. Matches atm are me & Jnr 2. Jnr 2 is starting to go with his mates, I'm soon going to be abandoned.

I'm not one to go on my own, so I've decided I'm going to borrow my God Daughter. Rebalance her life from Barbies & glitter to some tribalism. If she decides to start playing football, she can learn the dark arts from Veltman.

Albion my Albion · Nov 4, 2024

Albion my Albion said:
Hand raised. I had a roommate at Uni in St Louis in the 1980's who lived in Hove but was originally from Singapore. He was my impetus for becoming a BHAFC fan.

I found my friend. It doesn't show his time in Hove but his father worked in London as a banker just before he came to St Louis for Uni.

Alan Ho - Business Entrepreneur | LinkedIn

Area of Expertise: Business Development<br>Focus: Non-alcoholic RTD beverage… · Experience: Business Entrepreneur · Education: Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business · Location: Singapore · 78 connections on LinkedIn. View Alan Ho’s profile on LinkedIn, a professional community of 1...

www.linkedin.com

BrightonCottager · Nov 4, 2024

Eric the meek said:
Born in Osborne road, Fiveways and bred in Preston Park.

Dad supported Arsenal (but we don't like to talk about that).

What number? Asking for a friend.

hans kraay fan club · Nov 4, 2024

hans kraay fan club said:
Born to family in Hove at the start of the 70's, and grew up off Sackville Road, a ten minute walk from the Goldstone..

Mum was chair or vice-chair(?) of the supporter's club in the early 90s, and with Liz Costa organised the away coaches for many years.

Myself and two brothers were all ball-boys at the Goldstone, then graduated to selling programs (the big blue gate at the SW corner was my pitch).

WSU these days with one or both of my sons - Mum, sister and nephews there too in different parts of the ground.

Oh - and my Great Uncle, was this legendary, record-breaking Albion goalkeeper.

Harry Baldwin (footballer) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Penalty expert who rode his good luck

Harry Baldwin will be 81 in July and is the oldest Albion survivor from the post-war era.

www.theargus.co.uk

Frutos · Nov 4, 2024

Born in Chichester, grew up all over the place (Dad was in the RAF). When I got into football, I considered myself a Man U fan basically on the basis that Eric Cantona played for them and he was my hero.

On 21st August 1993 (I was 9) I was taken to the Goldstone by my cousin for my first ever live football match, and I was hooked straight away. As time went on, I lost interest in United and had eyes only for the Albion.

Eric the meek · Nov 4, 2024

BrightonCottager said:
What number? Asking for a friend.

94. It was my grandmother's house. The family were actually living in Herbert Road, off Balfour Road.

Badger · Nov 4, 2024

I was born in Cuckfield. Neither of my parents have much interest in football, although my mum does follow the Brighton scores and she's been to a couple of matches at The Amex.

It was my three older brothers who really got me into football. Two of them are Brighton supporters and quite well known on here. It was actually the Southampton supporting one who took me to my first Brighton match at The Goldstone when I was about 7.

I had a couple of years when I kind of followed some PL teams in the 90s - Everton (because my granny bought me the shorts and socks) and Leeds (I think it was because of those Tony Yeboah goals) but I didn't really get into football properly until the late 90s. It was only Brighton from that point forward. Those first few seasons at Withdean and the promotions were what got me hooked.

BN9 BHA · Nov 4, 2024

Born in Buckingham Road near Brighton station, grew up and lived in Brighton until 1998.
Mums side proper Brightonians but I don’t remember my grandparents liking football.
Dad came from Somerset and liked football, he took me to The Goldstone when I was about 7, he wasn’t really an Albion fan but would get behind them when watching.

JonnyCLately · Nov 4, 2024

Born in Brighton with only a passing interest in football (rugby in our house) until my now 18 year old lad came home insisting on a Wayne Rooney Man U shirt. In an attempt to avoid spending any money and indeed plumping the coffers of THAT club I explained that he couldnt, that it was against the rules. That he had to support Brighton as that was his local club. We were in the Championship at that stage and only just. I imagined he would balk at this and walk away. Instead he argued that we never went to games and if we did it would be only fair etc etc

Long story short, went to see Middlesboro play us at the Amex - was hooked. More so than the kids. Now we all try and go when we can.

The Oldman · Nov 4, 2024

Guinness Boy said:
Similarly to an infamous NSCer I was born in Brighton and bred in Hove. My blood is pure, baby.

Me too. Buckingham Road born, Bred in Hangleton. Parents and in laws all Albion

portlock seagull · Nov 4, 2024

Albion my Albion said:
Hand raised. I had a roommate at Uni in St Louis in the 1980's who lived in Hove but was originally from Singapore. He was my impetus for becoming a BHAFC fan.

I’m not sure whether that’s lucky or unlucky. Brilliant either way!

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