An F A Cup nightmare.

[Freddie Goodwin.]

28th November 1973.

Brian Clough was still in his 1st month at Albion and so the sporting press was still vary much looking in on 3rd Div Albion.

Walton & hersham seemed a nice easy FA Cup 1st round tie and Albion fans were out in force to invade the leafy suburbs of Surrey, only to witness a drab 0-0 draw. Still, no problems in a replay at the Goldstone.....

The early 70's were a time of strife. Floodlit games were banned due to the energy crisis so the game had an afternoon KO. Having not missed a game in years, a stern warning from a teacher was not going to stop me bunking school to make the game.

The game was a nightmare. Inept though the Albion often seem now, this was woefull. Eventually Walton broke away and scored and the impossible now seemed likely.

Albion turned on the pressure and, in the last 10 mins laid seige to the Walton goal but never looked like scoring. Instead, 3 breakaways in the last 10 mins gave the final score of 0-4.

We were a laughing stock and, with the media on Clough, there was even a report and footage on the main evening news.

That was about my lowest point of supporting Albion up to then. Things could surely not get any worse....not until the following Saturday when we lost 2-8 at home to Bristol Rovers!

BTW, my teacher thought I had suffered enough and didn't make a big deal of me bunking off.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Freddie,Freddie.

Sad to say,I saw these as well,and though I sensed what the thread would be before I opened it,I did it anyway.

Will I sleep tonight?

Arggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[Fungus]

Yeah, I skived off school as well, and went to the 2-8. Ah, the good old days.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I did wonder wether it was right to infilct on the wider public but some youngsters on here need to know that albion did not always have a glorious past with 30,000+ gates.

And when it comes to misery, we can out do the kids of today!

 

[Fungus]

I did wonder wether it was right to infilct on the wider public but some youngsters on here need to know that albion did not always have a glorious past with 30,000+ gates.

And when it comes to misery, we can out do the kids of today!

Yeah, but this was the prelude to the 30,000+ gates. But the kids won't believe that!

 

[The Auditor]

There have been some bad ones..Kingstonian ...Sunbury....Canvey...
but the one I found I couldnt handle was Oxford at home 1982 (?)

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

I can't remember the whoile team for those games but legends like keeper Brian Powney and Norman Gall both played, although their days were numbered. Sully would have been another Albion legend to have played.

 

[GT49er]

I did wonder wether it was right to infilct on the wider public but some youngsters on here need to know that albion did not always have a glorious past with 30,000+ gates.

But hey! Banana Skins-R-Us - Walton and Hersham is far from being our only embarrassment in Cup competitions, I seem to remember an 8-0 thrashing at Northampton in a League Cup replay about 40 years ago.

Hope we can beat Rushden & Diamonds though (even if they both turn up!) - it would be nice to play in the third round without having to get promoted first...........................

 

[Knightsworld]

but the one I found I couldnt handle was Oxford at home 1982 (?)

That was bloody embarrassing. Keith Cassells (i think) scored a couple and ran our back 4 all over the place. My old man was offering all the Oxford fans out on the train at Hove Station, as it was departing, still makes me chuckle to this day.

 

[GT49er]

Keith Cassells (i think) scored a couple and ran our back 4 all over the place.

Yep, Keith Cassells, the goal-scoring postman. He got a contract at Southampton pretty much on the back of that perfoermance, but I don't think he ever did much for them.

 

[saltash seagull]

There have been some bad ones..Kingstonian ...Sunbury....Canvey...
but the one I found I couldnt handle was Oxford at home 1982 (?)

we beat canvey 4-0

 

[Peter Grummit]

Leatherhead 0-1 at home shortly after the W+H debacle. Chris 'the Lip' Kelly scored I believe. Made worse for me and my dad by watching on the East Terrace with a family friend who wasn't really in to football but came from Leatherhead...
PG

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Yep, Keith Cassells, the goal-scoring postman. He got a contract at Southampton pretty much on the back of that perfoermance, but I don't think he ever did much for them.

Keith Cassells used to play FOR Wembley. Does any one remember the awful monkey chanting when he got the ball, and at one point after scoring I think he gestured back.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Mansfield sticks in throat for me in the third round in 2008. A glorious chance to make round four for the first time since 1993. Joel Lynch playing at left back and being goosed all afternoon. Would have been Middlesbrough on the box as well.

 

[Horses Arse]

There have been some bad ones..Kingstonian ...Sunbury....Canvey...
but the one I found I couldnt handle was Oxford at home 1982 (?)

That was particularly difficult to stomach - made better by finding a fiver whilst queuing for a burger though! Wasn't yours was it?

 

[MORTY]

It's not all bad new chaps. Remember 8 - 0 against northwich victoria?? Where's the positive attitude!!

 

[Gully]

There have been some bad ones..Kingstonian ...Sunbury....Canvey...
but the one I found I couldnt handle was Oxford at home 1982 (?)

Kingstonian was indeed dreadful, probably my lowest point as an Brighton supporter...however, Oxford was my first home game!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Oh no....today we play another team with an "&" in their name! It's an omen!

 

[Questions]

Kingstonian was indeed dreadful, probably my lowest point as an Brighton supporter...however, Oxford was my first home game!

The Kingstonian day was also the day Worthing went to Bournemouth and took an early lead before succumbing 3-1.

Walton was dire, it really was but for me the Leatherhead defeat hurt more because there was a 20 thousand gate for that one and it would have been a premiership game next (Leicester I think)
The Leatherhead Lip

 

[Si Gull]

2-8 against Bristol Rovers....I can still feel the pain of humiliation now. I lived in Reading at the time and remember going to school and having the p*ss ripped out of me by one kid after another (for some reason they all supported Leeds, Everton or Man U, some things don't change). I threw my Albion scarf on the floor and stamped on it in disgust - imagine our team being so sh*t. Since then, of course, I've realised that it happens quite often! Let's hope not today, though, Gus needs some good news.