Return of the Rev
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A PALACE MEMORYCan't find the picture but when them Pikey bastards broke Gerry Ryan's leg ....
With the return of the Palace Brighton grudge match, it got me thinking about all the games i've been to against them. One of the most controversial had to be the home game in 1985 when Henry Hughton ended Gerry Ryan's career, breaking his leg(s?) with an over the top tackle.
It was never on film and i've never seen any pictures of the incident but here is my recollection of it - for any of you that were there that night at Selhurst too, is it similar to yours or is my memory failing me?
It was an evening game that ended in a 1-1 draw. Brighton were attacking the Whitehorse End and Ryan was on the right wing by the Arthur Waite just inside our half. Hughton - like a raging bull - went diving into the tackle very high and took him out completely. All hell then broke loose. I recall at least 3 Brighton players actually physically assaulting Hughton out of indignant rage over the tackle. I have a memory of Neil Smilie (for them) literally jumping into Hughton studs up. Wasn't big Frank Worthington around too?
I don't remember Hughton reacting to the outbursts, and to me seemed embarrassed by the tackle. I'm sure he was then sent off, but checking my programmes and Palace complete record a sending off isn't noted
I remember there being quite a fall out in the days after the game with their manager Chris Cattlin saying it was the worse challenge he'd seen in football. Didn't Ryan break both his legs or was that the legend that grew over the years? I remember he tried to recover but in the end called it a day and so Hughton was responsible for ending the career of Brighton's longest serving player at the club at that time..........stop sniggering at the back
I was at the training ground a couple of days later and a reporter was sniffing about. We had a chat with him and he said he was there because of the Hughton incident and said what a nasty challenge it was. Not sure if he was from Brighton but he didn't seem too enamoured about our Henry. Looking back, Hughton seemed to me very quiet at that training session and i think was trying to avoid the reporter.
Not sure Coppell was too impressed either because he only played a handful of games after that and was sold to Brentford a year later.
This incident has always been mentioned over the years but i'm sure i've never really heard or seen anyone go into detail about it on here or Hol.
Anyone? In true Crimewatch fashion, this might jog a few memories, and our line up that evening was: Wood, Hughton, Sparrow, Finnigan, Droy, Cannon, Taylor, Stebbing, Aylott, Gray, Lindsay