Garry Nelson's Left Foot
Well-known member
The Large One said:
Bellotti's left arm, De Vechi's black cat, Baker's, right leg and bill archer's head should just about cover it...
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Fans United - The Plymouth fan
- Thread starter Soul Finger
- Start date
Bellotti's left arm, De Vechi's black cat, Baker's, right leg and bill archer's head should just about cover it...
The History Man
Active member
You might like to read this "history" of the origin of Fans United which I wrote for an information booklet at the time of the event. Remember, this was 1997 and the Internet/www/email was not as ubiquitous as it is now, so some of it sounds a little dated!
Some the exact detail was incorrect after I checked with Ryan Harding (I also checked this with Warren and Gary), who sent me an email with the history of the Albion Web, which as far as I am aware was the first Albion-related site on the web. That follows my history below.
In fact there were two information packs for the press, one of background information about the event itself - what it was about, info about the principal "players", the history of the crisis, questions to put to Archer - and one specifically relating to the Internet connection, which is where the piece below came in. It also contained the full print out from the Campaign and Fans United Guestbooks. I supplied these files for Build a Bonfire.
This is actually still printable (I think) as the files still exist. It was laser-printed and "tape-bound" by the firm I used to work for.
If people are interested in a printed copy for a modest sum covering costs and say a £1 donation to the Collectors' & Historians' Society, then I could probably arrange for a small print run.
At last year's collectors' fair auction, the last spare background info book I had went for £6.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FANS UNITED: A Product of the Internet
For the first time in football history, a major event has come about purely because of the “information superhighway”, the Internet. This in itself makes a worthwhile story. The fact that the event itself is unprecedented makes it even more so.
In 1994 two brothers from Bexhill, Bryn and Ryan Harding, set up a site on the “World Wide Web” at college in Aberystwyth related to Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, the Albion Web. It was completely unofficial, but provided up-to-date information to exiled supporters and a means of discussion as the club descended into crisis.
Although the Hardings’ site closed when Bryn left Aberystwyth in 1996, Ryan had also set up the Seagulls Mailing List via the Teltec company in the Republic of Ireland in February 1995. This allowed any of the “Internet Seagulls” to send messages to all other subscribers for debate.
In the summer of 1996 a new web site was set up by Gary Crittenden, an Albion fan living on the Isle of Man. His Seagulls Server rapidly took over where the Albion Web left off, and quickly became a lively forum for debate and a noticeboard for protest action against the club’s directors as well as keeping exiled supporters all over the world informed of the ever-worsening situation.
In November 1996, John Palfrey from Worthing called a meeting of local Internet users to discuss how the new telecommunications technology could be used in the fight to save the club. Those present agreed to “e-mail” supporters of other clubs, particularly those with Focus DIY stores nearby (the chain belonging to the Albion’s owners), with a view to soliciting support for demonstrations, picketing, etc.
Unofficial club historian Tim Carder was one of those present, and was allocated the Lancashire area. Using the Soccernet web site (http://www.soccernet.com/links/index.html) to track down his allocated clubs, he asked followers of teams such Oldham Athletic, Preston North End and Manchester City if they would be willing to put links on their own web sites to a special campaign page, a site which would inform football fans all over the country how they could help a fellow club in its darkest hour.
The response was overwhelmingly in support of both the Brighton fans’ cause and the idea of providing the link to the special campaign pages.
When Tim Carder “e-mailed” Gary Crittenden to suggest the idea of a campaign site on the Seagulls Server, the Isle of Man computer wizard responded positively and set up the pages within a few days using data supplied by Tim. The site grew rapidly, providing information on the history of the crisis and the principal “players”; addresses and maps of all the Focus stores; suggestions on “How to Help Us”; and a “Latest News” section to keep enquirers up-to-date on the current situation.
Importantly, Tim also suggested a Campaign Guestbook, similar to the guestbook Gary already offered Albion fans, but intended for messages of support from followers of other clubs. In addition, graphic artist Roger Gray provided a simple but effective logo (see cover) that was offered to other web site maintainers to link to the Brighton campaign pages.
Other clubs were contacted and most quickly adopted the logo and link. Even followers of Crystal Palace, the bitterest of local rivals, willingly supported the crusade to save a fellow club. As word of the campaign pages – and the logo – spread around the Internet, the messages of support came flooding in from all parts of the country and from all clubs. Indeed, football followers all over the world now know about the Brighton crisis – much to the embarassment of the Football Association.
Few football fans could fail to be moved by the genuine and heartfelt wishes of all those who have signed the Guestbook to see Brighton & Hove Albion survive. Any Brighton supporter who feels at the end of their tether need only look at the Campaign Guestbook for a few minutes to be bolstered once more to fight for their club.
Among those signing the Guestbook was 15-year-old Richard Vaughan from Salcombe, Devon, who wrote on 11th December: “It makes me sick what is happening to your club and it’s an insult to your fans. I’m a Plymouth fan and I think that one week when we’re away I’m going to come up and support your protest. I think it would be a good idea if LOADS of fans from different clubs turned up at Brighton (with their shirts on) and joined in. It would show that we’re all behind you 100%.”
This excellent idea was seized upon by Warren Chrismas, an “Internet Seagull” living in Bromley and working in London. In conjunction with Gary Crittenden, Warren designated Saturday, 8th February, when Brighton play Hartlepool United, for Fans United. (No Premiership fixtures are scheduled for that day because of international matches, giving many fans the opportunity to make a final visit the Goldstone Ground.)
The information was soon put onto the Seagulls Server, and a special Fans United Guestbook, opened for those intending to participate on the day, filled up quickly. The concept gained further encouragement when Warren delivered a copy of the Campaign Guestbook to an enthusiastic Danny Baker for his Wednesday night show on Radio 5 Live.
As support for the day came in from innumerable fans and clubs, Brighton & Hove Albion Supporters’ Club, together with BISA (the Brighton Independent Supporters Association), fanzine “Seaside Saga” and other groups and individuals, took up the task of organising events, attractions and accommodation for the big day, as well as liaising with the police and the Albion’s administration.
Fans United is a unique event born from the ideas of football fans using the Internet. Such is the power of the “information superhighway”, and such is the involvement of the money men in football these days, that it is unlikely to be the last.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email from Ryan Harding:
> FANS UNITED: A Product of the Internet
>
> For the first time in football history, a major event has come about pure=
> ly because of the "information superhighway", the Internet. This in itsel=
> f makes a worthwhile story. The fact that the event itself is unprecedent=
> ed makes it even more so.
>
> In 1994 two brothers from Bexhill, Bryn and Ryan Harding, set up a site =
> on the "World Wide Web" at college in Aberystwyth related to Brighton & =
> Hove Albion Football Club, the Albion Web. It was completely unofficial, =
> but provided up-to-date information to exiled supporters and a means of =
> discussion as the club descended into crisis.
>
> Although the Hardings' site closed when Bryn left Aberystwyth in 1996, =
> Ryan had also set up the Seagulls Mailing List via the Teltec company in =
> the Republic of Ireland in February 1995. This allowed any of the "Intern=
> et Seagulls" to send messages to all other subscribers for debate.
In fact, the email list started at about the same time as Albion Web
(which started in October 1994) and both sprung from the newsgroup
rec.sport.soccer where I got in touch with a number of Seagulls fans. I
think the list started a matter of weeks or months before Albion Web. At
that time it wasn't on a list server and I forwarded the messages
manually. When it had reached about 30 members, Liam Ward very kindly set
up the Seagulls listserver through Teltec and has been doing most of the
routine maintenance on it ever since.
As an aside, under the banner of 'Internet Seagulls' I arranged for 30
list members and Albion Web readers to jointly sponsor BHA captain Steve
Foster's kit for a season, concluding the arrangements just as the Argus
broke news of the Board's plans to sell the ground and share with Pompey.
This is obviously extraneous to your story, though.
BTW, I might be able to check the details (dates etc) with Bryn this week
(he's just started work in Holland and will soon have email) or when I see
him this weekend.
> Importantly, Tim also suggested a Campaign Guestbook, similar to the gues=
> tbook Gary already offered Albion fans, but intended for messages of supp=
> ort from followers of other clubs. In addition, graphic artist Roger Gray=
> provided a simple but effective logo (see cover) that was offered to oth=
> er web site maintainers to link to the Brighton campaign pages.
Yes, the guestbook was vital to things turning out how they did. It's a
good job Gary's site came along, because Aberystwyth's system didn't allow
anything like guestbooks.
> Fans United is a unique event born from the ideas of football fans using =
> the Internet. Such is the power of the "information superhighway", and =
> such is the involvement of the money men in football these days, that it =
> is unlikely to be the last.
Sadly, I fear you're right.
Some the exact detail was incorrect after I checked with Ryan Harding (I also checked this with Warren and Gary), who sent me an email with the history of the Albion Web, which as far as I am aware was the first Albion-related site on the web. That follows my history below.
In fact there were two information packs for the press, one of background information about the event itself - what it was about, info about the principal "players", the history of the crisis, questions to put to Archer - and one specifically relating to the Internet connection, which is where the piece below came in. It also contained the full print out from the Campaign and Fans United Guestbooks. I supplied these files for Build a Bonfire.
This is actually still printable (I think) as the files still exist. It was laser-printed and "tape-bound" by the firm I used to work for.
If people are interested in a printed copy for a modest sum covering costs and say a £1 donation to the Collectors' & Historians' Society, then I could probably arrange for a small print run.
At last year's collectors' fair auction, the last spare background info book I had went for £6.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FANS UNITED: A Product of the Internet
For the first time in football history, a major event has come about purely because of the “information superhighway”, the Internet. This in itself makes a worthwhile story. The fact that the event itself is unprecedented makes it even more so.
In 1994 two brothers from Bexhill, Bryn and Ryan Harding, set up a site on the “World Wide Web” at college in Aberystwyth related to Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, the Albion Web. It was completely unofficial, but provided up-to-date information to exiled supporters and a means of discussion as the club descended into crisis.
Although the Hardings’ site closed when Bryn left Aberystwyth in 1996, Ryan had also set up the Seagulls Mailing List via the Teltec company in the Republic of Ireland in February 1995. This allowed any of the “Internet Seagulls” to send messages to all other subscribers for debate.
In the summer of 1996 a new web site was set up by Gary Crittenden, an Albion fan living on the Isle of Man. His Seagulls Server rapidly took over where the Albion Web left off, and quickly became a lively forum for debate and a noticeboard for protest action against the club’s directors as well as keeping exiled supporters all over the world informed of the ever-worsening situation.
In November 1996, John Palfrey from Worthing called a meeting of local Internet users to discuss how the new telecommunications technology could be used in the fight to save the club. Those present agreed to “e-mail” supporters of other clubs, particularly those with Focus DIY stores nearby (the chain belonging to the Albion’s owners), with a view to soliciting support for demonstrations, picketing, etc.
Unofficial club historian Tim Carder was one of those present, and was allocated the Lancashire area. Using the Soccernet web site (http://www.soccernet.com/links/index.html) to track down his allocated clubs, he asked followers of teams such Oldham Athletic, Preston North End and Manchester City if they would be willing to put links on their own web sites to a special campaign page, a site which would inform football fans all over the country how they could help a fellow club in its darkest hour.
The response was overwhelmingly in support of both the Brighton fans’ cause and the idea of providing the link to the special campaign pages.
When Tim Carder “e-mailed” Gary Crittenden to suggest the idea of a campaign site on the Seagulls Server, the Isle of Man computer wizard responded positively and set up the pages within a few days using data supplied by Tim. The site grew rapidly, providing information on the history of the crisis and the principal “players”; addresses and maps of all the Focus stores; suggestions on “How to Help Us”; and a “Latest News” section to keep enquirers up-to-date on the current situation.
Importantly, Tim also suggested a Campaign Guestbook, similar to the guestbook Gary already offered Albion fans, but intended for messages of support from followers of other clubs. In addition, graphic artist Roger Gray provided a simple but effective logo (see cover) that was offered to other web site maintainers to link to the Brighton campaign pages.
Other clubs were contacted and most quickly adopted the logo and link. Even followers of Crystal Palace, the bitterest of local rivals, willingly supported the crusade to save a fellow club. As word of the campaign pages – and the logo – spread around the Internet, the messages of support came flooding in from all parts of the country and from all clubs. Indeed, football followers all over the world now know about the Brighton crisis – much to the embarassment of the Football Association.
Few football fans could fail to be moved by the genuine and heartfelt wishes of all those who have signed the Guestbook to see Brighton & Hove Albion survive. Any Brighton supporter who feels at the end of their tether need only look at the Campaign Guestbook for a few minutes to be bolstered once more to fight for their club.
Among those signing the Guestbook was 15-year-old Richard Vaughan from Salcombe, Devon, who wrote on 11th December: “It makes me sick what is happening to your club and it’s an insult to your fans. I’m a Plymouth fan and I think that one week when we’re away I’m going to come up and support your protest. I think it would be a good idea if LOADS of fans from different clubs turned up at Brighton (with their shirts on) and joined in. It would show that we’re all behind you 100%.”
This excellent idea was seized upon by Warren Chrismas, an “Internet Seagull” living in Bromley and working in London. In conjunction with Gary Crittenden, Warren designated Saturday, 8th February, when Brighton play Hartlepool United, for Fans United. (No Premiership fixtures are scheduled for that day because of international matches, giving many fans the opportunity to make a final visit the Goldstone Ground.)
The information was soon put onto the Seagulls Server, and a special Fans United Guestbook, opened for those intending to participate on the day, filled up quickly. The concept gained further encouragement when Warren delivered a copy of the Campaign Guestbook to an enthusiastic Danny Baker for his Wednesday night show on Radio 5 Live.
As support for the day came in from innumerable fans and clubs, Brighton & Hove Albion Supporters’ Club, together with BISA (the Brighton Independent Supporters Association), fanzine “Seaside Saga” and other groups and individuals, took up the task of organising events, attractions and accommodation for the big day, as well as liaising with the police and the Albion’s administration.
Fans United is a unique event born from the ideas of football fans using the Internet. Such is the power of the “information superhighway”, and such is the involvement of the money men in football these days, that it is unlikely to be the last.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email from Ryan Harding:
> FANS UNITED: A Product of the Internet
>
> For the first time in football history, a major event has come about pure=
> ly because of the "information superhighway", the Internet. This in itsel=
> f makes a worthwhile story. The fact that the event itself is unprecedent=
> ed makes it even more so.
>
> In 1994 two brothers from Bexhill, Bryn and Ryan Harding, set up a site =
> on the "World Wide Web" at college in Aberystwyth related to Brighton & =
> Hove Albion Football Club, the Albion Web. It was completely unofficial, =
> but provided up-to-date information to exiled supporters and a means of =
> discussion as the club descended into crisis.
>
> Although the Hardings' site closed when Bryn left Aberystwyth in 1996, =
> Ryan had also set up the Seagulls Mailing List via the Teltec company in =
> the Republic of Ireland in February 1995. This allowed any of the "Intern=
> et Seagulls" to send messages to all other subscribers for debate.
In fact, the email list started at about the same time as Albion Web
(which started in October 1994) and both sprung from the newsgroup
rec.sport.soccer where I got in touch with a number of Seagulls fans. I
think the list started a matter of weeks or months before Albion Web. At
that time it wasn't on a list server and I forwarded the messages
manually. When it had reached about 30 members, Liam Ward very kindly set
up the Seagulls listserver through Teltec and has been doing most of the
routine maintenance on it ever since.
As an aside, under the banner of 'Internet Seagulls' I arranged for 30
list members and Albion Web readers to jointly sponsor BHA captain Steve
Foster's kit for a season, concluding the arrangements just as the Argus
broke news of the Board's plans to sell the ground and share with Pompey.
This is obviously extraneous to your story, though.
BTW, I might be able to check the details (dates etc) with Bryn this week
(he's just started work in Holland and will soon have email) or when I see
him this weekend.
> Importantly, Tim also suggested a Campaign Guestbook, similar to the gues=
> tbook Gary already offered Albion fans, but intended for messages of supp=
> ort from followers of other clubs. In addition, graphic artist Roger Gray=
> provided a simple but effective logo (see cover) that was offered to oth=
> er web site maintainers to link to the Brighton campaign pages.
Yes, the guestbook was vital to things turning out how they did. It's a
good job Gary's site came along, because Aberystwyth's system didn't allow
anything like guestbooks.
> Fans United is a unique event born from the ideas of football fans using =
> the Internet. Such is the power of the "information superhighway", and =
> such is the involvement of the money men in football these days, that it =
> is unlikely to be the last.
Sadly, I fear you're right.
Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
This seems a tad inadequate - but it was quite a thing to have the vision and then to execute it. It was an important day in lots of ways - not least in terms of goals.
CoventrySeagull
New member
Cheers Tim, I've read the book (Build a Bonfire) and it's a must for any Albion fan.
Any Albion supporter who was at the game will remember the atmosphere, although the game wasn't the best despite the "WALkOVER" result (5-0 I believe). I think Hartlepool were a bit travel weary & shell-shocked by the size of the crowd & support from other clubs to Albions plight.
I was in the North Stand and couldn't help but join in with the singing/chanting. Absolutely electric performance by the fans/supporters off the pitch. It almost certainly gave the Brighton players the biggest morale boosting lift they had during those difficult times. No co-incidence that the result turned out to be the factor at the end of the season that kept us in the Football League. Thoughts/comments please.
Any Albion supporter who was at the game will remember the atmosphere, although the game wasn't the best despite the "WALkOVER" result (5-0 I believe). I think Hartlepool were a bit travel weary & shell-shocked by the size of the crowd & support from other clubs to Albions plight.
I was in the North Stand and couldn't help but join in with the singing/chanting. Absolutely electric performance by the fans/supporters off the pitch. It almost certainly gave the Brighton players the biggest morale boosting lift they had during those difficult times. No co-incidence that the result turned out to be the factor at the end of the season that kept us in the Football League. Thoughts/comments please.
Last edited:
mona
The Glory Game
Thank you for this thread. It has cheered me up as we still face a long battle against a well-organised cabal led by that lying fraudster friend of Bellotti.
There are some great people who support the Albion.
There are some great people who support the Albion.
On the Left Wing
KIT NAPIER
CoventrySeagull said:
Agree, it was a defining moment for our club.... I'll never forget it.
Those who were at the Fans United days at Wrexham and Cambridge a couple of years ago will know that feeling was replicated for those clubs - a mix of euphoria, unity and challenge and real lump in the throat time ...
Herne Hill Seagull
Well-known member
What Harveys said. I wanted to f***ing cry at the end when we were all singing 'thank you for coming', I swear.
I went to the Wimbledon v. Forest game when Wimbledon asked for other fans to attend aswell, and the atmosphere, despite the numbers being lower, was much the same. A brief moment of euhporic hope and belief during one long shitstorm basically - I never felt as good again during that season until the final whistle went at Hereford.
I went to the Wimbledon v. Forest game when Wimbledon asked for other fans to attend aswell, and the atmosphere, despite the numbers being lower, was much the same. A brief moment of euhporic hope and belief during one long shitstorm basically - I never felt as good again during that season until the final whistle went at Hereford.