38 Years Ago - Our Previous Division 1 Debut

[Arthritic Toe]

I was 14 and stood behind the goal in the South Stand. I can remember being disappointed at the result and worrying if we'd be embarrassed every week but I can't remember there being anything like the build up there's been to this season and I certainly didn't feel as excited as I do now today, counting down the days until Saturday (even though I should now be old enough to know better). I guess the gulf between Division One and Division Two didn't seem so huge back then as it does now between the Premier League and Championship, there wasn't the huge amounts of money available and of course the only real media available for Albion news was the Argus. Not sure if it's just because so much has gone on since then that the memories have faded but it was just so different way back then.

I was there too, similar age. I'd managed to persuade my parents to buy me a season ticket for the South Stand, which I paid back in weekly instalments, as it was rumoured that following the huge crowds in Div 2 the previous season, that it'd be capacity every week in the 1st. It didn't quite turn out that way. There was never a problem getting in for non-ST holders. I seem to remember we were still one of the few clubs whose overall attendance figures increased that season. It was the start of a big downturn in crowd numbers over a decade for football as a whole.

 

[Barrow Boy]

My Father-in-Law and me had bought Terrace Season tickets and for the Arsenal game we stood in the South Stand. I remember Bang Bang by B A Robertson playing over the tannoy before the game started, I think it was an omen! As others have said we started really well and were all over Arsenal for he first 15-20 mins then it was literally Bang, Bang as they proceeded to take us apart, it was a very dejected drive home.

 

[ewe2]

0/4,remember us laughing at the Lego stand,and being very impressed with Arsenal but not impressed with only 28000. I seem to remember the first team were in dispute with the club over money and Mullery threatened to put the youth team out ,but hey we steadied the ship and stayed for 3 seasons.

 

[Hiney]

Not to mention the programme was over 150% dearer than the one previous!

In fairness, the Arsenal game meant a 32-page 'bumper souvenir' issue.

The programme reverted to 24 pages after that and the price went down to 20p again, the same as the previous season.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Best price 16-1 if you want to take out 0-4 insurance this time...

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I have to face facts. I was a regular from 1969, till I started working on Saturdays (age 15; 1973). Then it was as and when. Due to work, moving to Canada in 82, and circumstances (lack of time and money, and let's face it, inclination - 79-84 was very much an era when I had little empathy with the terrace zeitgeist, style, attitude etc), I never saw us play in the top flight, as far as I recall. Saturday will therefore be my belated baptism.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I was there aged 11, can't say I remember too much other than disappiontment

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I was working at the Royal Pavillion Tavern (Shades) during the Arsenal game (and indeed every home game, Saturdays and evenings, till I moved to Crawley in early 1980). I remember that when we played ManU I was slicing lemons at lunchtime with the bar near empty. Then I heard whispring behind me. I turned round and there was about 40 ManU gents at the bar, and all started ordering lager tops (etc) at once. I did an impression of Robert Smith startled by his own reflection, upon which the chaps all hooted with laughter, and we had a smashing time, with lots of friendly chat. The locals (which included the small but perfectly-formed sherry drinking chap from the gents outfitter on East Street) all legged it, and there was only me, a mass of mancunians, and a couple of deaf old ladies in the bar.

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

I was on the East Terrace. Got there for 1 pm so had two hours standing before the game. There was no alcohol allowed inside the ground then. We had some of the ball in midfield but did little with it. What did come over was how clinical their attack was and how we needed to strengthen the defence. Andy Rollings did not last for long and Steve Foster was soon brought in.

Whilst all the talk currently is the need for a striker it would not surprise me if there is soon change to concern about our defence.

 

[symyjym]

My friend got a couple of tickets from Chris Cattlin in the South Stand for that Arsenal game. It was certainly a baptism of fire and a reality check for a 13 year old.

 

[Lush]

I'm often one of the first people in their seats at the Amex. This is a habit carried over from when my Dad and I used to get to the Goldstone when the gates opened in order to get 'our spot' in the Chicken Run on the barrier just above the pathway.

I can't remember what time we actually got in, but I remember getting to the Goldstone at midday for the Arsenal game. It was a long wait until KO.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I'm often one of the first people in their seats at the Amex. This is a habit carried over from when my Dad and I used to get to the Goldstone when the gates opened in order to get 'our spot' in the Chicken Run on the barrier just above the pathway.

I can't remember what time we actually got in, but I remember getting to the Goldstone at midday for the Arsenal game. It was a long wait until KO.

Always a good view before 10 minutes too 3 when the pubs emptied and big heads suddenly ruined the view

 

[Cheshire Cat]

East terrace seemed very full at the time. We were given a severe sharp lesson in "you're playing with the big boys now", and firmly put in our place. The concensus afterwards was that it was going to be a very long, cold, lonely winter

 

[portlock seagull]

My Father-in-Law and me had bought Terrace Season tickets and for the Arsenal game we stood in the South Stand. I remember Bang Bang by B A Robertson playing over the tannoy before the game started, I think it was an omen! As others have said we started really well and were all over Arsenal for he first 15-20 mins then it was literally Bang, Bang as they proceeded to take us apart, it was a very dejected drive home.

Bloody hell, forgotten all about thy great song! Just looked it up on iTunes and played it! Thanks fella!!

 

[wellquickwoody]

I was 13 and stood in the North West. All I remember was that we played well for the first 20 minutes, the rows and rows of Doc Martins outside the North Stand - the police told people to take them off to stop trouble, but it did not stop the North Stand being invaded 4 times. Also, the lady I stood next to had a large bag of aniseed balls, some she gave to me, the rest she threw at Sammy Nelson!

Hopefully someone on here can post the photo of HUNDREDS of pairs of DM's lined up on Old Shoreham Road?

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Me too. I didn't think Cornwell was joking, just thought he was a tw@t. "If you're a Brighton fan, they just lost 4-nil," was what he said if I recall.

Wouldn't have been so bad, but it was one of only two times he spoke during a very uninspiring performance (the other was in response to some minor scuffling in the crowd, along the lines of: "If you want to fight, go to a football terrace..." or somesuch).

Could it have been a sly comment said to the crowd, but actually aimed at Brightonian keyboard player Dave Greenfield?

 

[Nobby]

Moved to Bedford when I was 10 so I couldn't get down to many games til I was old enough to travel. Was 18 when we won promotion.
One of my mates was at Sussex Uni and had digs in Preston Drove. So I came down for the Arsenal game on the train the night before but his landlord kicked me out. Had a few beers and couldnt contact relatives in the area so tried to get some sleep in the back of my mates Hillman Imp in Preston Park Avenue. Bloody impossible so I was knackered but made it into the chicken run for kick off.
Losing by less than 0-4 will be a better memory than the Arsenal game was[emoji2][emoji2]

 

[Peter Grummit]

I'm often one of the first people in their seats at the Amex. This is a habit carried over from when my Dad and I used to get to the Goldstone when the gates opened in order to get 'our spot' in the Chicken Run on the barrier just above the pathway.

I can't remember what time we actually got in, but I remember getting to the Goldstone at midday for the Arsenal game. It was a long wait until KO.

...and I stood about 5 yards to your right for about 5 years if I remember correct.

That season was my transition to the North with my mates (age 16). I think I was still in the chicken run for that match, but have little recollection of it aside from the crushing sense of anticlimax, and how clinical Arsenal were.

PG

 

[Mr Bridger]

I'm often one of the first people in their seats at the Amex. This is a habit carried over from when my Dad and I used to get to the Goldstone when the gates opened in order to get 'our spot' in the Chicken Run on the barrier just above the pathway.

I can't remember what time we actually got in, but I remember getting to the Goldstone at midday for the Arsenal game. It was a long wait until KO.

I was in the chicken run that day next to the Arsenal fans. Can't remember much about the actual game other than disappointment. Do remember some good banter between the Arsenal fans. Especially an extremely tall skinhead in their end and various combes being held aloft and the crowd singing, no hair, no hair, no hair.
After the game my dad decided to walk back to my nans flat in Sackville Rd though the Arsenal supporters, and me being only 14 with a big blue and white scarf tied round my Gregory followed him without taking the scarf off. Ended up getting nutted by some p!ssed up gooner and my dad offering him out in the middle of them. Oh how we laughed after it....
Have hated Arsenal ever since.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I'm often one of the first people in their seats at the Amex. This is a habit carried over from when my Dad and I used to get to the Goldstone when the gates opened in order to get 'our spot' in the Chicken Run on the barrier just above the pathway.

Same here. East terrace North, second set of barriers down from the top, next to the aisle was our little group. My family, a taxi driver called Keith and his son whose name I forget, a bloke from Eastbourne called Richard who used to come over on his old motorbike and got nicknamed the vicar after he was mistaken for a man of the cloth by a steward doing the searches one day and finally a steward called Vernon Pratt. We would usually be in place by 13:30 at the latest and I would read the programme (sat on my box) while my Dad would listen to the racing on the radio.

Of course, for the Arsenal game we were not there. My mum had booked us a family holiday in Brixham and that was the day we came home. As we didn't drive, we were stuck on the weekly train from Exeter to Worthing desperately trying to keep the signal on my old radio as the commentary was on national radio 2 (no 5 Live in those days).