Every one was talking about it!!!

[Deleted User X18H]

Nothing!!! No other Albion goal ever (not even Reinelts) will ever compare with the way I celebrated Gordon Smiths goal at 3.13 on the 21st May 1983 the exhilaration of that moment will live with me forever!!

 

[Beach Hut]

Was a massive day and I remember heading up to London by train, drinkies at Victoria then on to Wembley.

Good mob of us around 30 however I am sure to this day the lower tier was manly Manure.

Time stood still when Smithy scored, I think most of us simply could not believe it then we were 2-1 down and I remember Ray Wilkins larged it but it was a quality goal. When we equalised elation and when we should have won we were too far to realise how close till we saw the TV pictures the next day.

We got to Brighton and the town was rocking, superb night out.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I know some people on here have a DVD of the BBC's build-up to the 1983 FA Cup Final (recorded from the telly by The Great Cornholio) - please, please, please share it!

 

[SpidersLegs]

Just seeing my club playing at Wembley in a FA Cup Final will live with me for ever, It made up up for all the piss taking I had to put up with at school just cos I supported my home town team. The build up all week was great. The atmosphere in the two towns was brilliant. everyone wanted to talk about the Albion. The day seemed to fly by. The helicopter coming down into the bowl of the stadium was awesome, I swear it almost landed on the pitch! Smithy's goal, Gary's equaliser was fantastic. I lived in Mile Oak then & our claim to fame that year was that one of our residents was man of the match in the F A Cup Final, Gary Stevens was awesome that day.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I was only five at the time, but I remember the tremendous buzz in the town in the week leading up the game, and watching the game on the Rediffusion telly at home. If only I was born a few years earlier....

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I was 16 at the time, still get goosebumps thinking about it.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

When the FA cup meant something Gutted doesn't even come close to how I feel.

Thanks a f***ing billion Sky/Premier League/FA

 

[Gully]

One of my abiding memories of the Cup Final run, apart from the game itself, was the bizarre things that fans did to celebrate us actually getting there. There was a bloke called Dave Longdon (RIP) who worked in the Post Office in Storrington, he said fairly early in the competition that he would dye his hair blue if the Albion made it to the Final...fair play to him because he kept his word!

 

[Gully]

When the FA cup meant something Gutted doesn't even come close to how I feel.

Thanks a f***ing billion Sky/Premier League/FA

...when teams like Brighton, Watford and Coventry could actually make it to the Final and occasionally win it...rather than perm any two of the big four...at least last year we had the rarity of two "unfancied" teams going all the way.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

...when teams like Brighton, Watford and Coventry could actually make it to the Final and occasionally win it...rather than perm any two of the big four...at least last year we had the rarity of two "unfancied" teams going all the way.

Exactly, not to mention the fact the competition is completely devalued in that teams(not necessarily fans) would rather finish 10th in the Premier League than win the FA Cup.

Least forgetting the stupidity of having the semi-finals at Wembley, talk about ruining the moment, eh!

 

[Gully]

Exactly, not to mention the fact the competition is completely devalued in that teams(not necessarily fans) would rather finish 10th in the Premier League than win the FA Cup.

Least forgetting the stupidity of having the semi-finals at Wembley, talk about ruining the moment, eh!

You are right, it is all down to money, teams probably get more for that 10th place than they do by winning the Cup.

As for the semis being held at Wembley, there is a pretence that it is done to allow more fans to attend, anyone who believes that is kidding themselves...it really boils down to money again.

Don't get me wrong, I love the FA Cup and get more excited by that as a fan than I do about any other footy competition, but for me the romance is about the early rounds...after about the fourth round it evaporates pretty quickly.

Some of my greatest memories as a fan have been in the early rounds of the cup, the Albion's cup run in the 87/88 season, four games never to be forgotton (The windy game at Northampton on the cricket pitch, Nelson's wonder goal at Brentford and giving Arsenal a good run for their money...and the other game against Division Two Bournemouth). Even games featuring teams lower down the pyramid, the qualifier between Bishops Cleeve and Eastbourne Borough...that lead to the internet vote to get Tucky a day out at Wembley...brilliant!