ewe2
Well-known member
What a team that was !!!
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Goldstone Memories - 1964/65
- Thread starter Spencer Vignes
- Start date
Spencer Vignes
Active member
- Oct 4, 2012
- 168
- Thread starter
- #22
You're right, it was an incredible team. I think the thing that really stands out is the number of players with top flight pedigree who were prepared to drop into the old Fourth Division to play for us. That simply wouldn't happen now. Players with a top flight CV tend to be financially set for life and don't need to continue turning out in the lower leagues later in their careers until, in effect, their bodies fail them. Bobby Smith coming to us from Spurs would be like Wayne Rooney signing for Portsmouth now. Can you imagine that?
Cadiz Seagull
Grey bearded old man
Spurs had a policy then that when a top player was coming to the end they would sell him for a knock down price so the player could negotiate a better deal with his new club than he would have been able to if they had to pay full price for him. From memory I think we paid 5,000 for Bobby Smith.
No doubt a fair amount of the deal he negotiated would have ended up on Brighton Racecourse.
But a fantastic season. We were promoted well before Easter and Champions with a few games still to go, and unbeaten at home all season.
But if I remember correctly we lost the first home game of the next season. Back down to earth again. Welcome to the Albion!
No doubt a fair amount of the deal he negotiated would have ended up on Brighton Racecourse.
But a fantastic season. We were promoted well before Easter and Champions with a few games still to go, and unbeaten at home all season.
But if I remember correctly we lost the first home game of the next season. Back down to earth again. Welcome to the Albion!
Spencer Vignes
Active member
- Oct 4, 2012
- 168
- Thread starter
- #24
Won 18, drew five and lost none; that was our home record for the 1964/65 season, scoring 68 goals and conceding just 10 in the process. That's a goal shy of three goals per game at the Goldstone. THREE GOALS PER GAME! No wonder people have such fond memories of that season.
Our HOME (League) record that season:
22 Aug v Barrow W 3-1
25 Aug v Oxford United D 0-0
5 Sep v Rochdale W 3-0
15 Sep v Newport County W 1-0
19 Sep v Bradford City D 3-3
3 Oct v Torquay United W 3-1
6 Oct v York City W 3-1
10 Oct v Notts County W 6-0
20 Oct v Lincoln City W 4-0
24 Oct v Doncaster Rovers D 1-1
7 Nov v Bradford Park Avenue D 2-2
24 Nov v Wrexham W 5-1
19 Dec v Hartlepool United W 5-0
26 Dec v Halifax Town W 2-1
9 Jan v Crewe Alexandra W 3-1
16 jan v Millwall W 2-0
6 Feb v Chester D 4-4
27 Feb v Chesterfield W 5-0
13 Mar v Aldershot W 2-0
26 Mar v Southport W 3-1
10 Apr v Tranmere Rovers W 2-1
19 Apr v Stockport County W 3-1
26 Apr v Darlington W 3-1
Great stuff.
22 Aug v Barrow W 3-1
25 Aug v Oxford United D 0-0
5 Sep v Rochdale W 3-0
15 Sep v Newport County W 1-0
19 Sep v Bradford City D 3-3
3 Oct v Torquay United W 3-1
6 Oct v York City W 3-1
10 Oct v Notts County W 6-0
20 Oct v Lincoln City W 4-0
24 Oct v Doncaster Rovers D 1-1
7 Nov v Bradford Park Avenue D 2-2
24 Nov v Wrexham W 5-1
19 Dec v Hartlepool United W 5-0
26 Dec v Halifax Town W 2-1
9 Jan v Crewe Alexandra W 3-1
16 jan v Millwall W 2-0
6 Feb v Chester D 4-4
27 Feb v Chesterfield W 5-0
13 Mar v Aldershot W 2-0
26 Mar v Southport W 3-1
10 Apr v Tranmere Rovers W 2-1
19 Apr v Stockport County W 3-1
26 Apr v Darlington W 3-1
Great stuff.
Garry Nelson's teacher
Well-known member
Was there as a youngster. Don't remember much other than that the crowd seemed huge. I'm guessing 29,000 (for some reason that figure is stuck in my head)...............anyone know?
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
I wasn't born until 1968, but I was coached by Mel Hopkins when I played for Shoreham Boys in my teens. Lovely man, with quite a temper!
Spencer Vignes
Active member
- Oct 4, 2012
- 168
- Thread starter
- #28
Mel Hopkins did a lot of work across Sussex involving grass roots football, sports centres, etc. Including, I seem to remember, in Horsham. Not sure about the temper, but he was from the South Wales valleys so probably didn't suffer fools gladly!
The crowds that season were huge, especially by Division Four standards (circa 20,000 for the opener v Barrow, over 31,000 for the last home game v Darlington). Bobby Smith's arrival from Spurs had much to do with that. But just look at the results that Hiney just posted; who wouldn't want to go and watch a team running up scores like that?
The crowds that season were huge, especially by Division Four standards (circa 20,000 for the opener v Barrow, over 31,000 for the last home game v Darlington). Bobby Smith's arrival from Spurs had much to do with that. But just look at the results that Hiney just posted; who wouldn't want to go and watch a team running up scores like that?
el punal
Well-known member
For the Darlington final home game it was 31,000+.
el punal
Well-known member
The story I heard was that Bobby Smith was sold to the Albion for £5000, but they had to also pay his gambling debts which were considerable. How true this is is anyone's guess. Can anyone confirm?
studio150
Well-known member
Call yourself a supporter surely it would have been the Junior Dolphins team shirt back in 64/5
Garry Nelson's teacher
Well-known member
Amazing! Thanks
sams dad
I hate Palarse
Call yourself a supporter surely it would have been the Junior Dolphins team shirt back in 64/5
A pedant writes : I'm sure we were known as The Shrimps back then
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
We were never known as "The Shrimps".
Seagull58
In the Algarve
Call yourself a supporter surely it would have been the Junior Dolphins team shirt back in 64/5
No, it would have been the Junior Shrimps. Dolphins were only around briefly and were chased away by The Seagulls.
Seagull58
In the Algarve
Yes, we were. I had a football card from a collection that had The Shrimps as the nickname.
studio150
Well-known member
1950s?
Seagull58
In the Algarve
We were the shrimps until the mid 70"s (although the name was hardly used).Then the club decided to rebrand to The Dolphins, partly because of the opening of the Dolphinarium. As they were doing that the fans decided on the Seagulls to counter the lot up the road. "Have you ever seen a seagull **** an eagle" was heard at The Goldstone for the first time. So the club threw away The Dolphins scarves and went with the flow.
AZ Gull
@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
You may not wish to believe me, but you should probably pay heed to Tim Carder (@The History Man on here), official club historian and leading authority on the history of the club:-
Previous Brighton nicknames and chants...
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
I don't remember us being called by a nickname apart from The Albion until Seagulls which came in over 10 years later.