[Albion] Division Four 1996/97 - where are they now

[Hiney]

Fulham - promoted to Premier League for 22/23
Wigan Athletic - promoted to Championship for 22/23
Carlisle United - League Two
Northampton Town - League Two (play-offs)
Swansea City - Championship
Chester City - Wound up 2010, phoenix club now in National League North
Cardiff City - Championship
Colchester United - League Two
Lincoln City - League One
Cambridge United - League One
Mansfield Town - League Two (play-offs)
Scarborough - Wound up 2007
Scunthorpe United - relegated from League Two
Rochdale - League Two
Barnet - National League
Hull City - Championship
Leyton Orient - League Two
Darlington - expelled from the FA in 2012, now in National League North
Doncaster Rovers - Relegated from League One
Hartlepool United - League Two
Torquay United - National League
Exeter City - Promoted from league Two
Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Hereford United - Wound up in 2014. Phoenix Club in National League North

Funny old game innit

 

[Brok]

We ain't done too bad, have we?

 

[GT49er]

Not surprisingly I suppose, it's much of a much-ness for most - up a division or down a division. Just six have hit the giddy heights of the PL, plus a couple more have gone to being phoenix clubs. The rest haven't moved far overall (although they're likely to have bounced around up and down a bit!)

 

[Icy Gull]

Rochdale have only been promoted three times in their history and four relegations, one of which was after a restructuring of the Two Third Divisions (presumably North and South) into Division 3 and 4

How bloody depressing must it be to be a lifelong Rochdale fan!!

Who would have thunk at the time that Albion would be so far ahead of all those clubs by 2022

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Phoenix club Scarborough Athletic have just been promoted to the National League North

 

[BiffyBoy100]

Wow! That's crazy to see.

Had history been different we could have potentially been one of the largest cities from a population/catchment area to not have a club? If that happened, do you think we'd now have an AFC Wimbledon-type resurrection and if so, where would we be now?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Rochdale have only been promoted three times in their history and four relegations, one of which was after a restructuring of the Two Third Divisions (presumably North and South) into Division 3 and 4

How bloody depressing must it be to be a lifelong Rochdale fan!!

Who would have thunk at the time that Albion would be so far ahead of all those clubs by 2022

Not nearly as depressing as fans of these clubs . . .

Chester, Scarborough, Scunthorpe, Barnet, Darlington, Torquay . . . & Hereford.

All of whom are now witnessing their clubs compete in non league football.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

I am sure Hereford fans think if only we had won that game we would be in the Premier Div.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Rochdale have only been promoted three times in their history and four relegations, one of which was after a restructuring of the Two Third Divisions (presumably North and South) into Division 3 and 4

How bloody depressing must it be to be a lifelong Rochdale fan!!

Who would have thunk at the time that Albion would be so far ahead of all those clubs by 2022

It's depressing for some of our fans that despite a 6th top flight season secured, there are not enough wins or goals at home. Poor old Rochdale have just 11 wins in 45 games in League Two.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I am sure Hereford fans think if only we had won that game we would be in the Premier Div.

The deluded ones perhaps, stranger things have happened of course, but a club the size of Hereford, with their resources and catchment area, l would have thought it amazingly unlikely.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

A pedant writes - Division 3

 

[Boys 9d]

I've been interested in Scunthorpe United ever since they were promoted in the last season of Division 3 North when Albion were promoted from Division 3 South.

http://www.rsssf.com/engpaul/FLA/1957-58.html

 

[Slum_Wolf]

I am sure Hereford fans think if only we had won that game we would be in the Premier Div.

Maybe the one across the border...Clwb Pêl-Droed Henffordd Unedig

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

A very good thread, the 1997/98 Vauxhall Conference teams:


Halifax Town Dissolved in 2008, reformed as FC Halifax Town (National League) (fifth tier)
Cheltenham Town: League One (third tier)
Kettering Town: National League North (sixth tier)
Hayes F.C: Dissolved in 2007 merged into Hayes & Yeading: Southern League Premier Division South (seventh tier)
Rushden & Diamonds: Dissolved in 2011 phoenix club AFC Rushden & Diamonds: Southern League Premier Division Central (seventh tier)
Yeovil Town: National League (fifth tier)
Stevenage FC (Borough): League Two (fourth tier)
Northwich Victoria: North West Counties League Premier Division (ninth tier)
Kingstonian FC: Isthmian League Premier Division (seventh tier)
Woking: National League (fifth tier)
Hednesford Town: Southern League Premier Division Central (seventh tier)
Dover Athletic National League (fifth tier) relegated to National League South, on 0 points
Forest Green Rovers: League Two (fourth tier) champions promoted to League One
Hereford United Dissolved in 2014, reformed at Hereford FC now in National League North (fifth tier)
Morecambe League One (third tier)
Kidderminster Harriers National League North (fifth tier) in the playoffs
Telford United Dissolved in 2004 Phoenix AFC Telford United formed and currently play in National League North (fifth tier) with chance of being relegated
Southport National League North (fifth tier)
Barrow AFC League Two (fourth tier)
Welling United National League South (fifth tier)
Leek Town Northern Premier League Division One West (ninth tier)
Farnborough Southern League Premier Division South (sixth tier) promoted via the play offs to National League South (fifth tier)
Gateshead National League North (sixth tier) promoted to National League
Stalybridge Celtic Northern Premier League Premier Division (seventh tier)

Incredible sliding doors moment for us, there is no way we would have survived in that at Gillingham.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Great thread.

Never forget where you came from.

Personally I am still traumatized by the cup final defeat and The Fall. I have had nightmares on and off since 1984. The sun in my eyes from the Rainham end, first game at Priestfield, some sort of cup..... . It will take some more seasons in the EPL, and possibly some sort of trophy before I get over it.

Douglas Adams wrote "survival, inquiry, sophistication". We are somewhere between survival and inquiry, in my mind.

 

[jackalbion]

Fulham - promoted to Premier League for 22/23
Wigan Athletic - promoted to Championship for 22/23
Carlisle United - League Two
Northampton Town - League Two (play-offs)
Swansea City - Championship
Chester City - Wound up 2010, phoenix club now in National League North
Cardiff City - Championship
Colchester United - League Two
Lincoln City - League One
Cambridge United - League One
Mansfield Town - League Two (play-offs)
Scarborough - Wound up 2007
Scunthorpe United - relegated from League Two
Rochdale - League Two
Barnet - National League
Hull City - Championship
Leyton Orient - League Two
Darlington - expelled from the FA in 2012, now in National League North
Doncaster Rovers - Relegated from League One
Hartlepool United - League Two
Torquay United - National League
Exeter City - Promoted from league Two
Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Hereford United - Wound up in 2014. Phoenix Club in National League North

Funny old game innit

Scarborough’s Phoenix club (I think) got promoted to National League North on Monday Afternoon

 

[Eeyore]

How much does change though ?

40 years on from our best ever season. 12 teams still upstairs.



Hopefully the team third from bottom will do their best to show little has changed this year...

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

We ain't done too bad, have we?

Well you know, sort of ok l suppose.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Great thread.

Never forget where you came from.

Personally I am still traumatized by the cup final defeat and The Fall. I have had nightmares on and off since 1984. The sun in my eyes from the Rainham end, first game at Priestfield, some sort of cup..... . It will take some more seasons in the EPL, and possibly some sort of trophy before I get over it.

Douglas Adams wrote "survival, inquiry, sophistication". We are somewhere between survival and inquiry, in my mind.

It all depends on how one defines sophistication l suppose, do not displaying our silky skills in the Premier League qualify?

 

[Brovion]

It is incredible to think about it. And yeah, it's all very well for us old farts to sound like the 'Four Yorkshiremen' reminiscing about the Bad Old Days, but we now have a whole generation of fans who not only didn't go to the Goldstone or Priestfield - they didn't even go to Withdean. They have only known the club in the Amex area and for them 1997, Steve Gritt, Archer, Hereford, etc is all ancient history, probably even from before they were born. Indeed I wouldn't bank on them knowing the details of that era any more than they know about the Black Death or the Repeal of the Corn Laws. (Especially so if their parents weren't Brighton fans such as is the case with my neighbours).

And assuming we last another couple of seasons in the Prem there will be a younger set of fans whose only experience of Brighton and Hove Albion will be as a Premier League club. For them this is our 'natural' home. Blimey.