[Football] 43 Years Ago Today- That Match At The Dell- 29.04.1978

[Eeyore]

So Albion beat Blackpool 2-1 in front of 33,000.

Southampton need to beat Tottenham Hotspur to win the title, or avoid defeat to be totally sure of going up.

It ends 0-0.

Albion fans fume it was a fix, evidence and counter evidence is offered. It's always been a fascination of mine.

Collecting verifiable accounts together, I have come to the conclusion it wasn't fixed. But, there may have been circumstances that led to the draw.

Going into the match Southampton have a +7 goal difference of a buffer against us should we win. Even then, they have scored more goals than us.



As the match wears on it becomes apparent we have only dented that by one. There needs to be an impossible swing to turn things around.

So the questions I would ask are:

If the match was fixed, there was no need for it and:

Why did Spurs get very upset when a penalty appeal was tuned down ?
If Southampton could not go down come mid-way through the second half, why did they not make any effort to try and win the title with Bolton Wanderers only drawing ?

I do wonder if those watching Match of the Day that night were looking for reasons. But I think the blame for any perceived tameness in the match lay on the terraces.

Spurs fans had caused a lot of trouble that year (including at The Goldstone). They were no less hostile at The Dell. There had been trouble in the ground.

I don't believe there was any fix but do wonder if the prospect of trouble may played on players minds.

Thoughts from those old enough to remember ?

 

[Bodian]

So Albion beat Blackpool 2-1 in front of 33,000.

Southampton need to beat Tottenham Hotspur to win the title, or avoid defeat to be totally sure of going up.

It ends 0-0.

Albion fans fume it was a fix, evidence and counter evidence is offered. It's always been a fascination of mine.

Collecting verifiable accounts together, I have come to the conclusion it wasn't fixed. But, there may have been circumstances that led to the draw.

Going into the match Southampton have a +7 goal difference of a buffer against us should we win. Even then, they have scored more goals than us.

View attachment 136239

As the match wears on it becomes apparent we have only dented that by one. There needs to be an impossible swing to turn things around.

So the questions I would ask are:

If the match was fixed, there was no need for it and:

Why did Spurs get very upset when a penalty appeal was tuned down ?
If Southampton could not go down come mid-way through the second half, why did they not make any effort to try and win the title with Bolton Wanderers only drawing ?

I do wonder if those watching Match of the Day that night were looking for reasons. But I think the blame for any perceived tameness in the match lay on the terraces.

Spurs fans had caused a lot of trouble that year (including at The Goldstone). They were no less hostile at The Dell. There had been trouble in the ground.

I don't believe there was any fix but do wonder if the prospect of trouble may played on players minds.

Thoughts from those old enough to remember ?

The results that would get them both promoted would have been a draw, or a Spurs win.
Why did Spurs get very upset when a penalty appeal was tuned down ? - because Spurs winning 1-0 would mean they both went up, but would remove the possibility of a fluky Southampton accidental goal keeping Spurs down.
If Southampton could not go down come mid-way through the second half, why did they not make any effort to try and win the title with Bolton Wanderers only drawing ? - because that would have resulted in Spurs losing, and not going up - and therefore any deal done would be broken?

 

[studio150]

Shame it wasn't three points for a win that season.

Th days of radios to the ear and false rumours circulating.

 

[Eeyore]

The results that would get them both promoted would have been a draw, or a Spurs win.
Why did Spurs get very upset when a penalty appeal was tuned down ? - because Spurs winning 1-0 would mean they both went up, but would remove the possibility of a fluky Southampton accidental goal keeping Spurs down.
If Southampton could not go down come mid-way through the second half, why did they not make any effort to try and win the title with Bolton Wanderers only drawing ? - because that would have resulted in Spurs losing, and not going up - and therefore any deal done would be broken?

Why did Southampton not a agree on a 1-0 Spurs win as part of the deal ? If Spurs were annoyed at not getting the penalty it would have been factored in, surely ? Not difficult to give a goal away. A better score would have been 1-1 to avoid doubt anyway.

Why would Southampton agree to forfeit a tilt at the title ?

Why has no-one ever opened their mouth about it in the 43 years since ? There would have been at least 30 people involved at a minimum.

 

[Official Old Man]

Penalty disallowed, don't worry, one day we'll have cameras everywhere and a foolproof system to ensure 100% that every real penalty is given.
Meanwhile, I of course was there on the East terrace lapping up rumour after rumour. My everlasting memory of that day was BBC Brighton/Sussex playing 'Johnny Mathis Deniece Williams, Too Much Too Little Too Late' on the way home. So close but we will try again.
Oh, and 33,000! And the rest.

 

[rocker959]

Remember it like yesterday

 

[Javeaseagull]

I'm nearly over it, I think.

 

[Robinjakarta]

Remember it like yesterday

Same here. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise as we were probably more ready the following season. Still stinks though and can't stand Burkinshaw and McMenemy to this day.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I remember it - but some details are unclear.

I do recall it was rammed in the North Stand that day.

(blue) Smoke bombs from the South Stand.

Did we miss an early penalty?

Rumours that someone at The Dell had scored...

I think what grated was later on seeing the pictures of the Spurs and Saints manager walking round the pitch together...

 

[carlzeiss]

Gerry Armstrong was asked about this match on SCR many years later as he was playing for Spurs that day . All I can remember him saying was that when he was about to take a direct free kick near the end of the game his captain Steve Perryman tapped on the shoulder and reminded him to stick the ball near the corner flag . Was that a subtle hint ?

 

[Jack Straw]

If my memory serves me correctly, McMenemy and Burkinshaw came from the tunnel leading their teams out on to the pitch, side by side, cup-final stylee.
This never happened for any league matches? This meant only one thing. The result was going to be a foregone conclusion, and indeed it was. FIX!
I've managed to overcome a few horrible moments in my life, but I still can't with this one.

 

[Javeaseagull]

Seem to remember Mullery having a rant about the highest scoring home side against the highest scoring away side having a nil nil draw. OK!

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

An Eastbourne lad called Funnell hit the post for Southampton

 

[Barrow Boy]

I was in the middle of working night-shift but got up early to go and watch the Blackpool game, great result for us but then totally pissed off when I found out what had happened at the Saints v Spurs game. To make matters worse, where I stood at the top of the North East terrace meant I got the sun directly on the right side of my face. When I got into work that night one half of my face was bright red the other snowy white, it looked like I'd been an extra in Close Encounters, I've had better days!

 

[Seasidesage]

Remember all the rumours flying around during the game 1-0 Southampton 2-0 Southampton etc. In those days unless you had a radio with you there was no way of knowing.

 

[colinz]

I think the fix was in. Southampton become the only South Coast team in the top flight.

The previous season when being a guest radio commentator at a Brighton home game, McMenemy was quite negative about Brighton.
Also Southampton probably went into the last game thinking they wouldn't lift the title, expecting Bolton to beat Fulham at home in their last game.

 

[Silverhatch]

Lost my Ravel moccasins in the North Stand (surges were unbelievable that day) and had worn holes in my socks by the time we got into Brighton for some commiseratory beers. Always remember Mullery's rousing speech from the Director's box - he promised we'd get promoted next year and we did.

 

[daveinprague]

The score was announced seconds after the final whistle at the Goldstone. Didn't even get the chance to dream

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I'm nearly over it, I think.

I’m not, one of the biggest disappointments in my nine years then and still dislike both teams because of that.

 

[Eeyore]

I’m not, one of the biggest disappointments in my nine years then and still dislike both teams because of that.

I was 9 too. I'm not sure what my biggest disappointment was that month, let alone in my life. I was still smarting from Cocoa failing to win the Eurovision Song Contest the week before.