blue-shifted
Banned
Great forward line for the division, but some proper dross in behind it. Livermore Hawkins, Thompson, Richards. How were we top?
[Football] Alex Revell
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Great forward line for the division, but some proper dross in behind it. Livermore Hawkins, Thompson, Richards. How were we top?
stewart12
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2019
- 1,919
It helped that it was a friday night, before everyone else played.We'd drawn with Bristol Rovers (so 0-0 it was almost -1 to both rubbish teams) on my 21st the weekend before, then went to Southend and played brilliantly. Back to back clean sheets with Colin Hawkins at the back was sensational and we actually saw some quality from David Livermore on the left wing. Adam Virgo carrying on as a box to box midfielder alongside the marmiteman, Thomson. I never rated him, but so many did.
easy to forget how good Hawkins was when he first arrived. VERY rapidly declined though
Thomson was an ok League One midfielder. Definitely a downgrade on Hammond but wasn't a poor player, just a bit 'meh'
stewart12
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2019
- 1,919
I think the names you've listed (apart from Richards who was a decent left back) were part of the reason as to why we quite quickly plummeted down the table
Feel like we didn't get a huge amount of game time out of the Forster/Murray combo that year either although I may be re-writing history there
blue-shifted
Banned
So easy to forget, approx. 6000 withdean sth's all did it!
stewart12
Well-known member
- Jan 16, 2019
- 1,919
my final straw that season was in the cup replay at Hartlepool (after The Hawk's bullet header own goal had gifted Hartlepool a draw in the home game)
I lived in Newcastle at the time so begrudgingly made the trip down the coast, probably knowing that we'd be shit
Went 1-0 with Forster, but then threw it away and lost 2-1. It was dross
No trains out of Hartlepool after 9pm so had to bunk a lift off someone to Darlington to get a train back home. Took me absolutely ages
A season that will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons- probably one of the more memorable Withdean seasons
I lived in Newcastle at the time so begrudgingly made the trip down the coast, probably knowing that we'd be shit
Went 1-0 with Forster, but then threw it away and lost 2-1. It was dross
No trains out of Hartlepool after 9pm so had to bunk a lift off someone to Darlington to get a train back home. Took me absolutely ages
A season that will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons- probably one of the more memorable Withdean seasons
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
The difference between the fit and confident Colin Hawkins and then the catastrophic confidenceless mess he became was incredible. We'll generally remember him as being something of a caricature but there was a player in there, once.
Murray spent a lot of the season injured - remember him getting bawled out by Tommy Fraser for not chasing back against Leeds in the build up to their third goal? He missed all of the run in under Russell Slade which was a massive loss for us.
Murray spent a lot of the season injured - remember him getting bawled out by Tommy Fraser for not chasing back against Leeds in the build up to their third goal? He missed all of the run in under Russell Slade which was a massive loss for us.
Postman Pat
Well-known member
Alex Revell has appointed Russell Slade to join his team as a Managerial Consultant.
Another ex-Albion link.
Second goal (it was 2-0). Murray was never catching young Fabian Delph, even if he hadn't been struggling (with an diagnosed hernia, as it turned out).
Looking at the respective midfields, it a wonder we only lost by two! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/7816001.stm
Fraser / Virgo / Birchall / McLeod v Bradley Johnson / Jonathon Douglas / Andy Hughes / Fabian Delph (plus Jonny Howson off the bench)
Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo
I believe in Joe Hendry
- Oct 4, 2003
- 12,055
Murray and Forster missed a majority of the run in. Murray only played 23 games that season, his last game was the 28th March against Tranmere. Forster played in 30 games that season, he played on 21st March and was out until he came back to score the only goal of the game as a sub in the final game of the season against Stockport.
We were massively reliant on Lloyd Owusu for the last few months of the season, his record of 7 goals in 14 games saved us from the drop no doubt about it. Gary Hart hardly played that season and came back for the run in and struck up a real understanding with Owusu, although Harty didn't score that season his industry up front helped too.
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
I remember it as the third, right at the end. I'm happy to be corrected though. Murray was obviously injured, he was in absolutely no condition at all to be on the pitch. He didn't crumble emotionally in the same way that The Hawk did, but it was a massive black mark against him for a long period of time.
It wasn't unreasonable to lose that game under any circumstances at all - we were nowhere at that time. Impressive that we were able to get Kevin McLeod on the pitch.
A little contribution from Calvin Andrew, too (nice of Palace to help rescue us), including the late winner in the rearranged game at Bristol Rovers. In 35+ years, that match remains an absolute highlight of my Albion-supporting life.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/8001993.stm
I note from the report that a young Kevin Friend was the ref - he was probably shit.
albionalex
Well-known member
Paul Trollope the manager too.
I will always think fondly of Revell after that Bournemouth game, even all these years on and considering the level we’re now playing at, that remains one of my all time favourite games.
Always remember someone on here describing him as that guy who works at a gym and spends too much time working out on the equipment. That made me laugh.
Always remember someone on here describing him as that guy who works at a gym and spends too much time working out on the equipment. That made me laugh.
London Irish
Well-known member
Those middle years of the Withdean era were well..., I’m sure some games fell into the 4-5,000 attendance level. Withdean started great, stayed good for a fair while and ended wonderfully. The bit in between that was no doubt a by product of the struggle in the board was baaaad
I know what you’re saying and yet there were still some really memorable bits in the middle. Like Revell’s hat trick, Bas Savage, Owusu and Gary Hart, Nicky Forster, the Northwich game, Man City. Wasn’t all bad.
The season of 1,000 loanees as well. Remember looking at the team sheet wondering who about 3-4 players were at points.
We definitely didn't get to see enough of a really great Murray/Forster partnership.
That Southend away and a couple of Wycombe aways they were superb together - back when I was actually able to go to away games...
Wycombe 4 - 4 Brighton
Wycombe 2 - 5 Brighton
Murray and Forster were unstoppable this game.
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Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Alex Revell has appointed Russell Slade to join his team as a Managerial Consultant.
Another ex-Albion link.
He was at Hereford with Andrew Whing as a coach.
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
That is the most sick from nerves I have ever been at a game for some reason. Whenever I feel stressed at a game or in life I always say to myself, its not as bad as being 0-1 at Bristol Rovers away.
Gary Hart was amazing in the second half. It took me hours to recover.