[Albion] Anyone remember Coxy and Duffy? (Goldstone Ground)

[dennis]

Wasn’t Coxy the chap with the Stenhousemuir scarf?

That’s him!

He delivered a photocopier up there and they made him an honorary member

 

[Poojah]

Those pics are wrong. Horrible to look at.

I'll swore I would never set foot there. I live right round the corner and have stuck to it this far

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Anyone remember ' the Hat '
You will have to be of a particular vintage to remember him. Used to stand on the East Terrace, as it got shallower towards the South Stand. Remember him around in the early to mid 70's. Wore this giant topper and if you stood behind him, you struggled to see anything. He was well known for being a wag ( no....not the recent use...wives and girlfriends ) and would wait for it to go quiet before delivering his barbed quips...." Napier, you are like a bloody fairy "...." Stop all that jinking Sully, you're making me dizzy "...." do you train sheepdogs, ref ? " etc.
Last game of 71/72. Home to Rochdale. Promotion secured. At the final whistle there was a mass pitch invasion. We hurdled the perimeter wall alongside ' the Hat ' but we were younger and more agile and he didn't make it. " The Hat's down " someone shouted. I turned to see him sprawled on the cinder track, bereft of famous hat. No time to stop, we had to get to the tunnel area.

 

[Superphil]

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

It's a good question, there were options for the Goldstone to be improved, but the toerags were not interested, they had Toys'r'Us on their minds. I'd like to think in an alternative universe we'd have moved out under our own terms to Falmer, with the club benefiting from the sale of the Goldstone Ground.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

While I would concede that leaving the Goldstone may, with a lot of hindsight, have turned out to have been a butterfly moment, I am absolutely positive that, for me at least, looking at pictures like the ones in the OP gets no easier.

It was a punch in the gut opening this thread. For all its failings, and it had many, the Goldstone was the first ground I ever watched a professional game, the first time I saw us tonk the opposition, hosted the player I adored above all others, and was the place I most enjoyed watching football (by far). Some of this may be down to me being a teenager then and late 50s now, of course, but that does not change how I feel about the place.

I’ll never get over its demise. That, I know.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

Spent 30 + years watching the Albion there. Like losing a loved one, there is always a hole inside you that never quite repairs itself. Love the progress, love the Amex but the Goldstone was my first love and it formed the deepest impressions. I did my apprenticeship there. Small lad behind the North goal. One of ' the lads ' in the North Stand, further back. East Terrace and then, in later years, the West Stand. ( and yes, I stood and sat in the South Stand, as well ) In the ground two hours before kick off. Big evening games. 30,000. Sea fret rolling in. Crackling, sizzling atmosphere. Hair tingling stuff.
I know it fell to bits and was looking very shabby at the end but it had been our home for 96 years. I got my bit of turf and goal netting. Stood in both penalty areas and imagined being Wardy or Bobby Smith or Big Al or Robbo. Saw John Vinnicombe. Said to him..." Sad day "....he replied....." Terrible waste, shouldn't have been allowed to happen "
I will probably only ever have one seat at the Amex. Have sat in East Upper for a cup game, for the experience.

 

[Return of the Rev]

 

[blue-shifted]

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

On a logical level yes.

On an emotional level no

 

[Poojah]

It's a good question, there were options for the Goldstone to be improved, but the toerags were not interested, they had Toys'r'Us on their minds. I'd like to think in an alternative universe we'd have moved out under our own terms to Falmer, with the club benefiting from the sale of the Goldstone Ground.

While I would concede that leaving the Goldstone may, with a lot of hindsight, have turned out to have been a butterfly moment, I am absolutely positive that, for me at least, looking at pictures like the ones in the OP gets no easier.

It was a punch in the gut opening this thread. For all its failings, and it had many, the Goldstone was the first ground I ever watched a professional game, the first time I saw us tonk the opposition, hosted the player I adored above all others, and was the place I most enjoyed watching football (by far). Some of this may be down to me being a teenager then and late 50s now, of course, but that does not change how I feel about the place.

I’ll never get over its demise. That, I know.

Spent 30 + years watching the Albion there. Like losing a loved one, there is always a hole inside you that never quite repairs itself. Love the progress, love the Amex but the Goldstone was my first love and it formed the deepest impressions. I did my apprenticeship there. Small lad behind the North goal. One of ' the lads ' in the North Stand, further back. East Terrace and then, in later years, the West Stand. ( and yes, I stood and sat in the South Stand, as well ) In the ground two hours before kick off. Big evening games. 30,000. Sea fret rolling in. Crackling, sizzling atmosphere. Hair tingling stuff.
I know it fell to bits and was looking very shabby at the end but it had been our home for 96 years. I got my bit of turf and goal netting. Stood in both penalty areas and imagined being Wardy or Bobby Smith or Big Al or Robbo. Saw John Vinnicombe. Said to him..." Sad day "....he replied....." Terrible waste, shouldn't have been allowed to happen "
I will probably only ever have one seat at the Amex. Have sat in East Upper for a cup game, for the experience.

On a logical level yes.

On an emotional level no

Thanks for that - touching words. I've encountered most painful things a football fan can expect to face - last minute promotion fails, relegation in general, relegation to non-league (including another one queuing up now, play-off final penalty shootout defeats, just years and years of watching turgid shite, but I've never had my spiritual home stolen so it's hard to quantify in my head.

If the pain never goes away, I at least hope it makes the good times even sweeter.

 

[AZ Gull]

Genuine question; does it not get easier to look back at photos like this given where BHAFC finds itself today? Was leaving the Goldstone, albeit in absolutely brutal circumstances, not one of those 'butterfly effect' moments that has perversely played its part in the club finding itself at the Amex and in the Premier League?

I suppose you'll never truly know the answer.

My first Albion match was at the Goldstone Ground in November 1981 at the age of 13. I was a season ticket holder from the 1983-84 season onwards.

I grew up in Eastbourne, and only visited Brighton (Hove) for the footie. I've lived outside of Sussex since 1991.

As such, I think I have only ever driven (or been driven) past the site of the Goldstone Ground once (or maybe twice) since the ground was demolished. On those occasions I diverted my gaze and didn't see what the area now looks like.

I have seen some images of the bulldozers starting to move in on the ground, but in my mind's eye the place still exists as I remember it over the course of 16 (ever-more decrepit) seasons. When I opened this thread and realised what the photos were showing, I chose not to view them.

I have absolutely no desire to see what the place looks like now (or at any time since May 1997), and as I don't live in the vicinity it's not a reality I have to face.