Goldstone Ground memories

[goldstone]

I walked over the railway bridge at Hove Station the other day, turned left along Newtown Road and stood at the corner of Goldstone Lane for a few minutes. Closing my eyes I could see the stands, the pitch, the floodlight pylons, and the crowds gathering for the game. And across the road in the church doorway was the programme seller. The memories came flooding back. What a wonderful and exciting period of my life that was, supporting the Albion in the Goldstone days.

Then I did something I have never done before .... went into the Goldstone Retail Park. I had heard a rumour that the centre spot was marked in one of the stores. DFS looked the most likely location ... a bemused shop assistant told me that she was standing where the goal had been, but no, they didn't have the centre spot marked. She even went to double check with her manager!

And, by the way, a Nandos is being built next to the Burger King.

 

[Return of the Rev]

 

[chimneys]

And so the end was near....

Look and learn young'uns!

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Ah, the smell from Clarks Bakery, the corregated iron players entrance, the old barn on the corner of Newtown Road, splinters in your bum from the south stand bench seats, the unfinished West Stand, dank dark smelly toilets, half time score markers, Fred the argus and the old boy going round after half time with the lottery placard. Ah happy days, a proper football ground.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Still looking for a photo of me from the last game at the goldstone. I was in the west stand with a seat in my hand that I'd just ripped out, and was draped in a Brighton Union Jack flag, remember someone taking a photo and then a few years later saw a black & white framed photo on the wall in a ( Bha) cafe in Hove ( Church rd). Always wanted that photo, so if anyone knows

 

[Return of the Rev]

I was watching a video the other week of the smoke bomb gate opening incident,very amusing

 

[chimneys]

The last couple from my Kodak disposal:

 

[el punal]

The last couple from my Kodak disposal:

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Top right corner of your first photo - is that some frightening looking alien about to dispense justice on Archer and Bellotti?

 

[bhawoddy]

I walked over the railway bridge at Hove Station the other day, turned left along Newtown Road and stood at the corner of Goldstone Lane for a few minutes. Closing my eyes I could see the stands, the pitch, the floodlight pylons, and the crowds gathering for the game. And across the road in the church doorway was the programme seller. The memories came flooding back. What a wonderful and exciting period of my life that was, supporting the Albion in the Goldstone days.

Then I did something I have never done before .... went into the Goldstone Retail Park. I had heard a rumour that the centre spot was marked in one of the stores. DFS looked the most likely location ... a bemused shop assistant told me that she was standing where the goal had been, but no, they didn't have the centre spot marked. She even went to double check with her manager!

And, by the way, a Nandos is being built next to the Burger King.

I'm certainly not boycotting the NANDOS!!!

 

[ewe2]

Not so much one special memory.....Just that i spent my all my youth watching us,from 10years old and Bobby Smith onwards.....So big moments in my life,is related to what BHA were doing at the time.The Goldstone was probably the worst stadium in the world,but hey it was home !!

 

[gripper stebson]

Turning round the corner by the church to see the North Stand with my Dad in the mid eighties... and sometimes seeing the scaffolding up on the East Terrace meaning we may be on MOTD or The Big Match.

I loved it there.

 

[Bruntburger]

Working at National Tyres at 17 and baggin a couple of West stand tickets from the burger van man who in return parked on our forecourt..... I'd stand outside the West and sell those tickets for bargain £3 to get in the North.

Proper football ground for proper fans. Not a theatre for customers!

 

[Monkey Man]

That first time climbing up the grass bank behind the chicken run and then seeing the turf from the top ... cousin dragging a milk crate through the crowd for me to stand on so I could just about glimpse the game. It's something that I don't think I will ever forget. Weirdly, I often leave the Amex having forgotten the half time score, the order in which goals were scored, and who scored them. And matches tend to blur into one. Age I suppose.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Turning round the corner by the church to see the North Stand with my Dad in the mid eighties... and sometimes seeing the scaffolding up on the East Terrace meaning we may be on MOTD or The Big Match.

Brilliant memory. Followed by "Can you 'ear us on the box?!".

 

[Prince Monolulu]

Standing on a home-made wooden stool (in the cosy West) my Dad created; being surrounded by sweet, aromatic pipe smoke; rancid toilets; bloke walking around with a tray of monkey nuts; half-times from around the country on metal sheets propped up against the corresponding Programme letter pitchside; sneaking in the West via a kindly steward with six others for the Man U Beckham debut; running on the pitch and grabbing a sweaty Nobby Horton; watching the 7 - 0 from the South Stand; watching Maybank and Clark messing about in training; my only visit to the East for the Palace cup match........
Jumpers for goalposts, isn't it, wasn't it?

 

[fat old seagull]

Abandoned at about 9-10 years of age by my forgetful uncle on my first visit. Who drove off to Eastbourne in his little Austin 7 box car leaving me on the chicken run. I was rescued by staff from the tea hut. And given a grand tour of lower west stand and secretary's office..... I loved it.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

and so the end was near....

Look and learn young'uns!

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quality snaps ,OB on the back foot
regards
DR

 

[Return of the Rev]

quality snaps ,OB on the back foot
regards
DR

Albion outside did not make the most of the opening gates

 

[Barry Izbak]

Walking across Hove Park around 1.30pm and wondering how long the queue for the North Stand would be today? In the heady days of the 70s you'd often need to be in the queue by 2.00 to make sure you got in, even though I don't ever recall being locked out.

No tickets in those days. Just pay on the gate 70p for adults 35p for juniors.

Pushing and shoving my way in to a vantage point and trying to keep it as the crowd pushed and heaved. Singing the songs of which I never really knew the words, and having a "lucky" fag which would always pre-empt a goal !

Then they decided to take the roof off the North and put cages at the front, so we figured we might as well stand on the top of the east terrace, and we did for a few years. Stood next to people whose names I never knew, not until 1996/97.
Once or twice when I felt a bit flush I might fork out a couple of quid to sit in the West Stand, with all the old blokes, smoking their pipes and drinking coffee from flasks. Never really felt at home in there, and didn't go back until the Mansfield game on my son's fourth birthday in 1996 (see Build a Bonfire chapter 25)

The Goldstone was a magical place. Dreadful compared to the Amex of course, but the memories of the atmosphere at the Derby County League Cup tie, the Liverpool FA Cup match and the second half of the Walsall game still make the hairs on my neck stand up.

We've had some extraordinary moments at The Amex, and I hope that particularly the youngsters, who were at the Amex for Buckley's dramatic late winner, or the Burnley fight back, for Spanish Dave's free kick and for all the amazing games yet to even kick off, will remember these with as much fondness as I do my memories of The Goldstone. I am quite sure they will.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Albion outside did not make the most of the opening gates

should have asked them politely to move out of the way , blocking an exit route
regards
DR