[Albion] Congratulations to G Potts and the Boys - Brighton's Greatest Team Ever!

[vagabond]

Congratulations to Tony Bloom, Paul Barber and Dan Ashworth for funding, planning and assembling this squad of players and appointing this manager to lead them. Some clubs are divided between football and business, but we're not - everything feels like it's working together.

This.

Best owner in the league, arguably one of the best CEOs, and given the transfer policy since joining have to say Ashworth is also a very shrewd addition to the club.

We are the definition of a club on the up.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Thanks for posting that, I like the entire club history context.

I’m a lucky soul, I started watching the Albion in Jan 76, so I’ve witnessed both Alpine ascents.

View attachment 136053

and the Barry Lloyd foothills

 

[CheeseRolls]

and the Barry Lloyd foothills

From Barry Lloyd through until Steve Coppell we didn't even register on the ELO ratings, although there are some very strong extenuating circumstances.It is also true of much of the period prior to Alan Mullery.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Excuse me if I refrain a little from the hyperbole. Magnificent and brilliant are words associated with the highest achievement. We are doing well. Our progress is steady and we look set for another season in the top division. We have much to be proud of, particularly reflecting on where we have come from. The foundation is solid and we have some talented players. We do, however, sit 16th in a division of 20 clubs and have won 7 games out of 32. Only the bottom three teams have won less. We also have a particularly poor home record. On the plus side, we are competitive in virtually every game we play and only a lack of cutting edge upfront prevents us from being a few places higher.
In our 120 year history, we have, thus far, spent 8 seasons in the top flight and probably about 20 in the second tier ( roughly ) So many of our older fans have spent the majority of their BHA supporting lives watching us in the bottom two divisions. So this is still something fairly new to many of us. We are enjoying the ride but not getting too carried away. Lets hope we continue to consolidate at this level, continue to improve and don't lose too many of our better players.

The best we have ever been in our history is deserving of some hyperbole. Our achievement may not be very great (we have, after all, won **** all) but it is the greatest for us. Given the alternatives, I'm very pleased.

If you are fitter now than you ever were in your life, even if you're still a bit porky, you'd feel pretty chuffed I'm sure. You'd not be castigating yourself about your fitness regime 'lacking cutting edge'

 

[vagabond]

Man, this thread title is going to be so triggering to certain people [emoji38]

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

I'm with you Pavilionaire . . . we're good but not that good

asides which you can't really maker a meaningful comparissonacross different eras and arguably a different game , its just some nerd statistician with a PC wasting his time.

It reminds me of the greatest driver arguments . . . . It's Jim Clark if you were wondering

I'm with you and Pavilionaire on the football front

But greatest driver?

Tazio Nuvolari

The greatest past,present and future

Not my words

Ferdinand Porsche's

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Working so not read it.

Mike Bailey’s team finished higher, I would say that remains the best statistically thinking.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blue-shifted]

Thanks for posting that, I like the entire club history context.

I’m a lucky soul, I started watching the Albion in Jan 76, so I’ve witnessed both Alpine ascents.

View attachment 136053

The think I like about this chart is that on the bit where you can't see the blue line, it demonstrates the truth, that we were off the chart bad

 

[Icy Gull]

Having watched Mullery’s Albion I am of the opinion that we have a much better squad and play infinitely better football these days, even if we don’t score enough

 

[Weststander]

Having watched Mullery’s Albion I am of the opinion that we have a much better squad and play infinitely better football these days, even if we don’t score enough

The sustained highlights for me as an Albion supporter:

- Jan 76 to May 79 under Taylor, then Mullery.
- Jan 15 to Easter 17 under Hughton.
- The EPL years, but only at times, but imho we're more pleasing on the eye under Porter and in recent months it's coming together nicely.

I would never detract from the first two, each were very special. A surging North Stand and a huge following home and away under Mullery. Hughton delivered incredible football in the Championship.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'm with you Pavilionaire . . . we're good but not that good

asides which you can't really maker a meaningful comparissonacross different eras and arguably a different game , its just some nerd statistician with a PC wasting his time.

I would argue that whilst it is true that comparisons are subjective between players and teams who played at different times, as we build up video and statistical data then YES you can make meaningful comparisons.

It is impossible to prove that Pele was better than Maradona, or that Maradona was better than Messi, but I think it will be possible to measure the performance of today's greats - Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo - against the next generation.

There is also the personal recollection of watching players in the flesh: I remember watching Lawrenson and Gary Stevens and thinking they were pure class. I get the same feeling when I watch Lewis Dunk. Similarly, Ward and Robinson were of a higher class than Maupay.

 

[Goldstone1976]

...Ward and Robinson were of a higher class than Maupay.

Amen to that...

 

[Mo Gosfield]

The sustained highlights for me as an Albion supporter:

- Jan 76 to May 79 under Taylor, then Mullery.
- Jan 15 to Easter 17 under Hughton.
- The EPL years, but only at times, but imho we're more pleasing on the eye under Porter and in recent months it's coming together nicely.

I would never detract from the first two, each were very special. A surging North Stand and a huge following home and away under Mullery. Hughton delivered incredible football in the Championship.

Taylor gets largely forgotten when comparisons are being made and I firmly believe that he laid the foundations for Mullery's subsequent success. Indeed, had Clough and Taylor actually stayed longer together, then our history would have been re-written. They would have reshaped us with players they knew and trusted, particularly one or two from Derby. Bamber would have made money available. Taylor got Ian Mellor to drop two levels and found Wardy at Burton Albion. I'm not saying we would have become Forest Mk2 but I feel we would have been in the top flight sooner.
Others will argue that Cloughie was never interested in us but I think he would have stayed longer had the Leeds offer not emerged.

 

[marcos3263]

In 1982 we were below Swansea, Southampton and Ipswich. Crowds tailed off and the manager was sacked for playing boring football. This is Brighton and it is as good as it gets. It doesn't mean it can't get better, or we can't dream of biger and better.

If you want to put up an argument. How about the 1911 team? You can't really compare the stats and there is no one old enough to have been able to see both teams with their own eyes. Judging from your grumpy response, you may be closer than most though.

View attachment 136049

Too many draws back then as well. Bamber OUT

 

[Weststander]

Taylor gets largely forgotten when comparisons are being made and I firmly believe that he laid the foundations for Mullery's subsequent success. Indeed, had Clough and Taylor actually stayed longer together, then our history would have been re-written. They would have reshaped us with players they knew and trusted, particularly one or two from Derby. Bamber would have made money available. Taylor got Ian Mellor to drop two levels and found Wardy at Burton Albion. I'm not saying we would have become Forest Mk2 but I feel we would have been in the top flight sooner.
Others will argue that Cloughie was never interested in us but I think he would have stayed longer had the Leeds offer not emerged.

Totally agree.

Taylor was outstanding for us, that 1975/76 squad had alot of quality, many played key roles in that first relegation. A lovely mix of some local heroes and great value signings.

I've never forgotten Taylor, thinking of those glorious first seasons as the Taylor-Mullery period.

Digging out my first game's programme, cost 10p and weighing a couple of ounces, for Brighton 6-0 Colchester 17 Jan 76, the squad was:

** Grummitt
** Tiler
** Wilson
Machin
** Rollings
Burnett
** Fell
** O'Sullivan
** Binney
** Morgan
** Mellor

Martin
** Towner
Beal
** Piper
Butlin
Winstanley - father of Paul (not really)
Kinnear

Ward was then signed by Taylor.

** Played in the May 77 promotion squad.

Horton, Ward, Steele & Cross the later recruits.

Happy memories.

I see that the club used to charter trains to away games. We drove. Were the train journeys boisterous fun?

 

[AlbionBro]

Most of us older fans will know this without a graph, Mr Potter has been doing a fine job. Long may it continue.

 

[Jeremiah]

This thread might get bounced if we go down - which is still a possibility.

Let's get to Prem mid table safety and a good cup showing (semi or final) before we start congratulating . IMO