Half Time at Hereford

[DavidRyder]

I like to relive on You Tube every now and then, and the goose bumps still rise to the surface! Quite simply the most tension I have ever felt in my entire life. At one point I made an excuse to go to the loo even though I didn't really need to go. When Robbie's goal went in, of course we all went loopy, but I was holding back on a full 100% celebration as I knew there was still too long to go. The final whistle though - BEST feeling in the world. Like other posters have said, you had to be there to truly understand what it was like. Having jumped around and hugged anyone and everyone, I'll never forget turning round and seeing one man, crumpled in a heap crying his eyes out - and who could blame him! Celebrating finishing 91st out of 92 can never be as good as it was that day!

 

[jimhigham]

God! Watching that YouTube video again you forget what a monumentally dreadful game of football that actually was.

I only get to see Brighton once or twice a season now. I wish it was more but work, living away from the city and the never ending cycle of belt tightening keep me from getting down as much as I would like. The odd thing is that when we were truly awful I was never more committed to the team. I attended marches, wrote letters and all of that stuff with gusto. I was "lucky" in that my wife was working in India for two months over the conclusion of the season. I was able to get to each match without an ounce of conflict or guilt. I wouldn't have it any other way now (sorry Mrs H ). When my team really needed me I was able to do my tiny little bit. We're fortunate that there are so many of us that cared enough to make a difference.

 

[Mowgli37]

I know I was only a few months old at the time but I still can't help but be weirdly jealous of missing out on the whole experience. I can read, watch and listen all I want about the war years but I will never experience exactly what it meant to the people who were there.

It is a tale that bears repeating down the years, lest we ever end up like that again.

 

[Hiney]

"The Crowd go mad, we go mad!"

Never gets old.

Crazy day

 

[Hiney]

But what I find more unbelievable than the great escape act of 96/97 is how did the Albion survive the Gillingham years without, finishing bottom of the league.
Gates of 2,000 with minimal income streams etc. to attract players.

In 97/98 we were bailed out by Doncaster Rovers.

Our records was P46 W6 D17 L23 F38 A28 Pts 35, i.e. 12 points LESS that we escaped with in 1997.

Grateful thanks to Doncaster Rovers in 97/98

P46 W4 D8 L31 F30 A113 Pts 20

 

[Easy 10]

In 97/98 we were bailed out by Doncaster Rovers.

Our records was P46 W6 D17 L23 F38 A28 Pts 35, i.e. 12 points LESS that we escaped with in 1997.

Grateful thanks to Doncaster Rovers in 97/98

P46 W4 D8 L31 F30 A113 Pts 20

We were also bailed out at Hereford by the fact that in that particular season, it was goals scored and not goal difference that counted.

Our goal difference was -17, Herefords was -15. But we'd scored 53 goals to their 50, showing just how MASSIVE that 5-0 on Fans United day turned out to be. It reverted back to goal difference in 97-98.

Unbelievable.

 

[darkwolf666]

God! Watching that YouTube video again you forget what a monumentally dreadful game of football that actually was.

I know, looked like a Sunday League match at times, didn't it - it was so frantic, nobody had any time on the ball, just welt it up front and see what happens.

 

[Easy 10]

Plus of course, if the FA had docked us 3 points instead of 2 that season, then a draw at Hereford would not have been enough...

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Plus of course, if the FA had docked us 3 points instead of 2 that season, then a draw at Hereford would not have been enough...

I'd forgotten about the two points deduction. Maybe it was only two points because it finally forced Ray Wilkins, just 44 years into his pro career, to finally make an attempt at a tackle?

I know we've been promoted four times, won three league titles, achieved our highest ever seasons point total, moved into an absolute belter of a stadium, finished in the championship play offs twice(and who knows how this season will end) since then but in a ****ed up way 96-97 is maybe my favourite season. Looking back it was absolutely mental. Regular pitch invasions, demonstrations, marches, boycotts and breaking into our own ground, chasing Belotti out the ground, fans united, that Leyton Orient game, Doncaster, the dismantling of the Goldstone and then Hereford. I can't see how any season could match that for emotion, drama, anger, passion,tension and sheer what the ****'s going to happen nextness.

 

[Easy 10]

I'd forgotten about the two points deduction. Maybe it was only two points because it finally forced Ray Wilkins, just 44 years into his pro career, to finally make an attempt at a tackle?

I know we've been promoted four times, won three league titles, achieved our highest ever seasons point total, moved into an absolute belter of a stadium, finished in the championship play offs twice(and who knows how this season will end) since then but in a ****ed up way 96-97 is maybe my favourite season. Looking back it was absolutely mental. Regular pitch invasions, demonstrations, marches, boycotts and breaking into our own ground, chasing Belotti out the ground, fans united, that Leyton Orient game, Doncaster, the dismantling of the Goldstone and then Hereford. I can't see how any season could match that for emotion, drama, anger, passion,tension and sheer what the ****'s going to happen nextness.

The points deduction was for the York abandonment I think.

Couldn't agree more with the rest of your post. It was truly epic.

 

[The Albion Roar]

Plus of course, if the FA had docked us 3 points instead of 2 that season, then a draw at Hereford would not have been enough...

Conversely, not deducting us two points, and Maskell finishing off that chance at the end would have meant we'd have finished 20th.

Additionally, not deducting us two points, and Hereford beating us would have meant Exeter City being relegated.

Fine lines.

 

[The Albion Roar]

I'd forgotten about the two points deduction. Maybe it was only two points because it finally forced Ray Wilkins, just 44 years into his pro career, to finally make an attempt at a tackle?

I know we've been promoted four times, won three league titles, achieved our highest ever seasons point total, moved into an absolute belter of a stadium, finished in the championship play offs twice(and who knows how this season will end) since then but in a ****ed up way 96-97 is maybe my favourite season. Looking back it was absolutely mental. Regular pitch invasions, demonstrations, marches, boycotts and breaking into our own ground, chasing Belotti out the ground, fans united, that Leyton Orient game, Doncaster, the dismantling of the Goldstone and then Hereford. I can't see how any season could match that for emotion, drama, anger, passion,tension and sheer what the ****'s going to happen nextness.

It was anarchy. The police, for the most part, weren't interested. The stewards sided against the club. We were the kids who took over the sweet shop, and no-one tried to stop us. Which was just as well, because that would have made a volatile situation much worse.

Dick Knight coming along gave us a focus. If he hadn't been there, I shudder to think where we'd be at.

Actually - yes I do...

Martin Perry - c.2009: "People ask me 'where would we be without Tony Bloom?' And I say 'we wouldn't have a stadium without him'. But 'where would be without Dick Knight?' We wouldn't have a club without him."

 

[Gary1]

What a season and what a final game. It was so bloody tense and I seem to remember it was exceedingly humid and the whole day seemed surreal. Looking back at that footage it's amazing to see just how poor the football was but obviously none of us cared as the whole season was about saving the club and preserving our league status. For days after I kept hearing Tony Millard's commentary of the goal on the radio and every time I had shivers and goosebumps. Watching that just now and hearing the commentary as we scored I was again covered in goosebumps - something that I don't think will ever stop happening in the years to come whenever I hear it. We certainly got out of jail that day - a day that I don't think will ever be matched.

 

[The Wookiee]

The points deduction was for the York abandonment I think.

Couldn't agree more with the rest of your post. It was truly epic.

Think it was for a sit in pitch invasion v Lincoln

 

[Easy 10]

Think it was for a sit in pitch invasion v Lincoln

I don't think so. That held the game up a bit, but breaking the crossbar v York totally binned the game off, obviously.

Unless we got a suspended sentence for that, which was then enforced with the sit-in ?

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

I was on the verge of spewing and crying my eyes out when Robbie Reinelt scored, being behind that goal was the most emotional day of my life when that goal went in. It was eerie as hell for a split micro second, everyones head turned to the linesman to make sure the flag hadn't gone up, and then BOOOOM !!! The loudest noise I have ever heard at a football match.

Know what you mean. Remember feeling physically sick at half time and must have chain smoked about 4 fags at half time alone.

The greatest of great bundles when the goal went it, marvellous scenes (despite that dick who was hanging off the fence and blocked peoples views - and was outed by the Argus as the bloke who got Robbie's boot!!)

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I don't think so. That held the game up a bit, but breaking the crossbar v York totally binned the game off, obviously.

Unless we got a suspended sentence for that, which was then enforced with the sit-in ?

There was no points deduction for the York game. Pretty sure of that.

The points deduction was for the on the pitch sit in against Lincoln I think.

 

[Driver8]

In 97/98 we were bailed out by Doncaster Rovers.

Our records was P46 W6 D17 L23 F38 A28 Pts 35, i.e. 12 points LESS that we escaped with in 1997.

Grateful thanks to Doncaster Rovers in 97/98

P46 W4 D8 L31 F30 A113 Pts 20

We were absolutely dreadful that season.

 

[AnotherArch]

Nearly 19 years on and this still brings shivers and goosebumps. All my thoughts were summed up in the thread published in 'Build A Bonfire', when I was posting as Midlands Seagull.
Even after our goal, and Maskell blasting over, I can still see Adrian Foster running away from us towards our goal, clear of our defence, and then tamely chipping into Orm's hands. It does make getting soaked and hammered in Cardiff last Saturday feel a bit better.

 

[robinsonsgrin]

I'd forgotten about the two points deduction. Maybe it was only two points because it finally forced Ray Wilkins, just 44 years into his pro career, to finally make an attempt at a tackle?

I know we've been promoted four times, won three league titles, achieved our highest ever seasons point total, moved into an absolute belter of a stadium, finished in the championship play offs twice(and who knows how this season will end) since then but in a ****ed up way 96-97 is maybe my favourite season. Looking back it was absolutely mental. Regular pitch invasions, demonstrations, marches, boycotts and breaking into our own ground, chasing Belotti out the ground, fans united, that Leyton Orient game, Doncaster, the dismantling of the Goldstone and then Hereford. I can't see how any season could match that for emotion, drama, anger, passion,tension and sheer what the ****'s going to happen nextness.

I am proud to have been through those times, proud to have played my small, insignificant part yet so powerful when harnessed with all the other fans. Hereford remains my favourite Albion moment. From being told by the local plod that they had been told to make friends with us fans so we would be less likely to kick off.... to the bizarre bull parade.... to the despair of the own goal.... to being sooo wound up at half time that my coke went down and came right back up again.. to the sheer elation at the end of the match. All truly etched in my memory, important in so many ways, nonetheless because I shared it with my then partner who has now since passed away. Pride of place in my lounge is a photo taken post match by a friendly copper. Memories - perfect!