Did You Ever Sit In The Old West Stand?

[Oscar]

First and only time was for our last ever match there against Donny. Only ticket I could get.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Twice. Once for a reserves game against....somebody who I've forgotten. The other time was for a 1st team game against...somebody else who I can't remember. The reason for being in there for the 1st team game? A mate in the motor trade had sold Mark Farrington a car & he sorted a few comps as thanks for such a good deal !

 

[rcf0712]

f*** yeah, twas my Albion initiation with the old man at the start of the 70's, I think my first game was Sheffiled Wednesday followed by Millwall - to this day the smell of pipe tobacco takes me back there in seconds, ah the memories....

 

[T soprano]

Like a lot of you it was only one time for me as well I think it was in the last ever season at the goldstone when we drew 4-4 v Orient (I think) when it all kicked off with Ray Wilkins on the bench the atmosphere in the ground that day was absolutey amazing

 

[Lurker]

In our peak seasons in the top league I watched nearly every game from the West Stand ... and I didn't pay once!

The company I worked for at that time had a branch in Newtown Road with a very large forecourt.
We allowed the players to park their cars on our forecourt, and in return we would get two complimentary tickets in the West Stand for every home game.

I pulled rank and made sure I always had one of the tickets.
Happy days!

The arrangement also helped me get tickets for the semi-final at Highbury in '83, plus of course the final!!

Had to pay for those though ....

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Yes, had a season ticket for the last few seasons, front row, just to the right of the tunnel (as you looked at the pitch) and more or less in front of the Directors box. Used to sit next to the 'Lion Man'.
Seat was a handy location from which to bait Belotti, almost got thrown out during the infamous Darlington game, was giving him the usual early game verbals just as the pitch invasion started - on the tv pictures I can be clearly seen, arms aloft, gesticulating at him - as I had my back to the crowd I didn't see the charge from the north to recapture the west terrace. He could and the look on his face was one to cherish. At half time I was cornered by some of his security, they were convinced I was an interloper from the north, but the rest of the faithful in the west started a distraction and they gave up. It was rather anarchic at the time!

 

[binky]

Never sat at the Goldstone.
Stood in the west, at the front. Stood in the east, Stood mostly in the North, behind the goal.
Never went in the South at all, from my first game in 1975 through to the last game.

I did sit sometimes though, on the little ledge above my door of 23 Goldstone lane. The best "season ticket" I ever bought.

 

[DavePage]

I went in the executive club quite a lot so sat there quite often in the latter years.

Ditto

 

[topbanana36]

First and only time was for our last ever match there against Donny. Only ticket I could get.

likewise, peter smith gave me mine.

 

[Twizzle]

Once, but it rendered the game forgettable.
The fat knockerboys and snake-oil (used car) merchants mumbled about their latest dodgy deals, huffed ropey cigars and mulled over what Spurs were doing that week and who they saw in the Kings' Club or Bonsoir.
Rather stand anywhere but be with those bastards.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Steve Foster's testimonial and a reserves match vs Palace.

 

[Mew]

A friend of mine got me a ticket for the last home game in the early 90s as he played for the county. Had Garry Nelson and family sat behind me. I had my radio with me, so he kept asking for score updates.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

I had a season ticket with my late Dad in the old West stand through the late seventies and the eighties. We sat in the same seats year in, year out through my childhood & teens. Happy days!

Ditto. What a wonderful childhood i had. In the early seventies i stood on an old milk create in the chicken run, then sometimes in the South before we had season tickets in the West. Someone mentioned pipe smoke. Yes, that brought it back to me, the smoke hung in the air. The club had tickets behind me and immediately in front. People such as Dave Sexton, Ron Greenwood, Des Lynham, Mark Lawrenson and hosts of other players sat there. It was awkward when Graham Mowsley's wife (who often sat in front) started carrying on with his best friend, some people have no shame. Wardy's neighbor, an old gent, also sat behind me, he reveled in giving us snippets about Ward's everyday life as you can imagine. The funniest moment i recall was when Terry Connor had just joined the club from Leeds. My dad saw who he thought was Terry and took his hand and enthusiastically welcomed him to Brighton. Needless to say it wasn't Connor, he replied quite crossly 'I'm not Terry Connor, I'm Eric Young!' Happy days indeed.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

never sat in the west stand.
used to go in the chicken run with my grandad til i was old enough to go by myself, then it was north stand

 

[Seagull58]

For all my 25 years of visiting the Goldstone,having long spells of standing on the North & South Stand,even stood on the Chicken Run from time to time,and certainly sat in the Lego Stand on a few occasions,but i can only recall one occasion when i actually sat in the West Stand,Brighton Res v. Newhaven in the Sussex Senior Cup!

What about you?

Season ticket in the West Stand with my Dad from '67 to mid '70's. 6 quid for the season in "67. Next to the Directors Box. Used to see Alan Weeks there now and again. He was also a BH&S Grammar School boy. We moved over to the South Stand when it got too expensive, went up to about 20 quid a season. Was sat in the West for the Bristol Rovers Warboys and Bannister game with Cloughie in charge. 2-1 down after about 5 minutes, 5-1 at half-time, 8-2 at the end. Sticks in the memory.

 

[Jam The Man]

My grandad took me to my first 4 or 5 games in the West Stand... before I jumped ship for the North!

 

[APACHE]

Had a season-ticket there in the glory days of the 70,s into the 80,s. A fanastic view of the game and the atmosphere but inside of the stand was a right dump, the Amex is like going to another planet but they were great days.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Yes, had a season ticket for the last few seasons, front row, just to the right of the tunnel (as you looked at the pitch) and more or less in front of the Directors box. Used to sit next to the 'Lion Man'.
Seat was a handy location from which to bait Belotti, almost got thrown out during the infamous Darlington game, was giving him the usual early game verbals just as the pitch invasion started - on the tv pictures I can be clearly seen, arms aloft, gesticulating at him - as I had my back to the crowd I didn't see the charge from the north to recapture the west terrace. He could and the look on his face was one to cherish. At half time I was cornered by some of his security, they were convinced I was an interloper from the north, but the rest of the faithful in the west started a distraction and they gave up. It was rather anarchic at the time!

Once, and it was that Darlington game when my dad got sponsors tickets from Sandtex. After the game in the sponsor's "lounge" was interesting with a lot of scared people running around and holding the doors shut from the inside to keep the massed crowds outside from breaking in.

 

[Lady Gull]

Used to stand by the tunnel with a few mates from school - boyfriend at the time used to stand in the North with his mates - did go in the North a few times with him - sat up in the Lego stand a few times - remember sitting next to an elderly couple - looking back they probably weren't that elderly but seemed that way to me as I was only 15 or so - she used to bring hand warmers in her pockets!!! Not like the ones you get these days though - these were metal ones!!! They were really nice people though.

Then I got a job on match days at the back on the west stand in the tea kiosk.

Also sat up in the west stand a fair few times - complimentary tickets and stuff.

We only lived a stones throw from the goldstone and it was great to be able to walk home and be indoors within five mins - great place and holds lots of happy memories for me.

I remember the St. John's ambulance ppl who used to walk round the pitch - they look a lot different now!!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Only once, because some girl I was with insisted on sitting in the stands. It just didn't feel right at all, far too quiet and un-football-like. Spent the whole game pining for my spot in the North Stand. It was a bit like the feeling at an NSC-sponsored game used to be at Withdean when you were getting the meal, the seat by the directors, easy access to beers, low down view of the game. Felt really odd, and couldn't wait to get back to H Block.