[Albion] 1st October 1988

[Lenny Rider]

Got our first points of the season on the board with a 2-1 win against Leeds United, managed by Billy Bremner, at the Goldstone after 8 straight defeats 6 in the League, and two League Cup defeats home and away to Southend.

34 years on, is there a boardroom in the 92 clubs in the country that would tolerate 8 losses on the bounce?

Never a big Dudley Sizen fan back then, but we did later have a beer and a laugh at a Charity do 20 years later, but fair play to him for sticking with Barry Lloyd back then.

Incidentally it was Bremner that got the sack as a result of this defeat.

 

[Yes Chef]

Didn't Barry become a board member at some point, or am I not remembering properly? That's a pretty good strategy for avoiding the old tin tack!

 

[Lenny Rider]

Didn't Barry become a board member at some point, or am I not remembering properly? That's a pretty good strategy for avoiding the old tin tack!

In his defence he became CEO and Manager before Belotti, was all set to take the club into administration but was stopped by Bill Archer on the steps of the High Court when he came up with Foray 585 deal.

Barry later told me that whilst he knew that administration would have almost certainly got him sacked it would have effectively ‘ ring fenced’ and saved The Goldstone.

If only Archer had got held up in traffic?

I’ve no doubt we’d have eventually moved to the Amex but the club would almost certainly been better off financially before the ground move.

 

[Yes Chef]

In his defence he became CEO and Manager before Belotti, was all set to take the club into administration but was stopped by Bill Archer on the steps of the High Court when he came up with Foray 585 deal.

Barry later told me that whilst he knew that administration would have almost certainly got him sacked it would have effectively ‘ ring fenced’ and saved The Goldstone.

If only Archer had got held up in traffic?

I’ve no doubt we’d have eventually moved to the Amex but the club would almost certainly been better off financially before the ground move.

Fascinating insight Lenny, thanks for that.

My memory is patchy as I was still at school when much of this was going on, but I remember Barry as a bit of a panto villain at the time, and it's interesting that as the years have passed he has emerged with a fair amount of credit.

Apologies for derailing your original post though

 

[Monkey Man]

Fascinating insight Lenny, thanks for that.

My memory is patchy as I was still at school when much of this was going on, but I remember Barry as a bit of a panto villain at the time, and it's interesting that as the years have passed he has emerged with a fair amount of credit.

Apologies for derailing your original post though

I still harbour a lot of affection for Barry, and for that era with all its ups and downs, and wish he was a more visible figure in and around the club these days.

 

[Dinner with Gotsmanov]

Didn’t ‘Barmy’ Lloyd once call Albion fans ‘Village idiots’?

 

[Frankworthington]

Yep

And he discovered Mark Farrington and Johnny Dixon!!

 

[Lenny Rider]

Didn’t ‘Barmy’ Lloyd once call Albion fans ‘Village idiots’?

After the BISA “Spring Uprising” of 1992 a former club official described the fans to me over the phone as “A bunch of w******”, to his credit and many years later in a funeral arrangement of all places he did apologise.

Naturally I reciprocated as looking back some of my more extreme actions as an agitator/fanzine editor during those times were that of a complete ****

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Whilst others may disagree, I feel Lloydy was one of the most underrated managers in the clubs history.

Somehow got us to the play-off final, some really astute signings.
Also got us up from Div 3 (League 1), with some solid pro’s, Rougvie etc…

 

[Icy Gull]

Whilst others may disagree, I feel Lloydy was one of the most underrated managers in the clubs history.

Somehow got us to the play-off final, some really astute signings.
Also got us up from Div 3 (League 1), with some solid pro’s, Rougvie etc…

Dropping Gary Nelson was a ricket of massive proportions though. Playing Richard Tiltman was another

I will give him credit for Sergei Gotsmanov though, absolute quality

 

[Lenny Rider]

Whilst others may disagree, I feel Lloydy was one of the most underrated managers in the clubs history.

Somehow got us to the play-off final, some really astute signings.
Also got us up from Div 3 (League 1), with some solid pro’s, Rougvie etc…

Couldn’t agree more Teddy, after our ‘battles’ began nearly 35 years ago, Barry and I enjoy a genuine friendship.

Without wishing to patronise anyone on NSC but in the main as fans we only get a fraction of the truth and it was only on speaking with Barry and others years later that I discovered his contribution to the Albion.

To reiterate he was one of the few that cottoned on to Archer early doors, unfortunately by then Barry’s reputation was somewhat ‘pigeon holed’ amongst the fans, myself included, and back then with Greg Stanley on the charm offensive would we have believed him?

Bruno’s gone but Barry remains an Albion legend ️

 

[Icy Gull]

Couldn’t agree more Teddy, after our ‘battles’ began nearly 35 years ago, Barry and I enjoy a genuine friendship.

Without wishing to patronise anyone on NSC but in the main as fans we only get a fraction of the truth and it was only on speaking with Barry and others years later that I discovered his contribution to the Albion.

To reiterate he was one of the few that cottoned on to Archer early doors, unfortunately by then Barry’s reputation was somewhat ‘pigeon holed’ amongst the fans, myself included, and back then with Greg Stanley on the charm offensive would we have believed him?

Bruno’s gone but Barry remains an Albion legend ️

Greg Stanley did charm? I must have missed that day. I didn’t miss his drunken waffle at the Concorde (?) one evening though, or his smashing a shop window in Doncaster (?)

 

[Lenny Rider]

Greg Stanley did charm? I must have missed that day. I didn’t miss his drunken waffle at the Concorde (?) one evening though, or his smashing a shop window in Doncaster (?)

In between Doncaster and The Concorde Icy, there’s even a picture of him and Attilla ‘arm in arm’ at Glastonbury.

I hope it makes the Stand or Fall edit, but Ken Bates, another marmite figure, told the 1995 Gulls Eye summer outing to Ascot, that Stanley was, quote, ‘A likeable Buffon who can’t be trusted with his own money’, about half an hour later and more Vino Ken clarified his comment by adding ‘If Stanley was down to his last fiver, he’d still have more money than sense’

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Dropping Gary Nelson was a ricket of massive proportions though. Playing Richard Tiltman was another

I will give him credit for Sergei Gotsmanov though, absolute quality

IMO the whole Tiltman thing is always taken out of context, sure he struggled in a poor team, but wasn’t as bad as perceived.

He was a prolific forward at non-league level, had done well in the reserves and deserved a chance, there weren’t many others knocking on the door, he did score as well, at championship level (which is no mean feat).

As for Nelson, (seriously), I can’t remember if he played in the Millwall demolition, (I don’t think he did), but on that basis should you change a winning team?

All I remember is Mike Small, Codner and Clive Walker being outstanding.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Yep

And he discovered Mark Farrington and Johnny Dixon!!

Jonny Dixon only ever played about half a dozen games for the Albion, and they weren't until our Withdean years. so many years after Barry left the club.

Or am l missing something? was he a scout for a while?

 

[durrington gull]

Whilst others may disagree, I feel Lloydy was one of the most underrated managers in the clubs history.

Somehow got us to the play-off final, some really astute signings.
Also got us up from Div 3 (League 1), with some solid pro’s, Rougvie etc…

100% - did an amazing job considering the circumstances

 

[Frankworthington]

Jonny Dixon only ever played about half a dozen games for the Albion, and they weren't until our Withdean years. so many years after Barry left the club.

Or am l missing something? was he a scout for a while?

He was chief Scout at the time of Dixons signing. He was also instrumental in the signing of Graeme Smith!!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

He was chief Scout at the time of Dixons signing. He was also instrumental in the signing of Graeme Smith!!

Ahhhh fair enough, l had a sneaking feeling that he came back to the club in some capacity, long after his managerial days were over.

 

[Tony Le Mesmer]

He was chief Scout at the time of Dixons signing. He was also instrumental in the signing of Graeme Smith!!

That he was but to give him his due he was the one who scouted Glenn Murray.
Swings and roundabouts.....

Sent from my SM-A715F using Tapatalk

 

[Braggfan]

Yep

And he discovered Mark Farrington and Johnny Dixon!!

And Gary Nelson, Kevin Bremner, Mike Small, John Byrne, Kurt Nogan, Mark Gall, and later on Glenn Murray when he was working as a scout for us. Yep Farrington and Dixon were anomalies, but largely I always thought Barry had a good eye for the strikers.