Have you ever been 'in the know' on the Albion?

[woody12a]

That definitely happened at another club NOT BRIGHTON as far as I am aware. It was around the time that Poyet was at Brighton.

This may well have happened at another club, but it definitely happened at Brighton and I know who did it ..... they were instantly dismissed and nothing was ever mentioned in the media


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[dejavuatbtn]

I heard they had a tea leaf player when we played at Gillingham.

 

[Don Tmatter]

I heard they had a tea leaf player when we played at Gillingham.

Likewise at the Goldstone under Barry Lloyd, same person at the club at time of all 3 instances, coincidence I suppose.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Actually I've just remembered the best part of having my "in the know" at the time...

We played Millwall when Oscar Garcia was our manager. Awful match. We watched the match from the player's family area. I think my mate must have been given tickets by one of the players.

We got so drunk in the players lounge before the game that we never went back out of the second half and just watched it on the screens whilst talking to people not in the squad that day who, as can be expected during a crap game, were moaning that they should be playing and the manager isn't very good.. Then the players all got showered and came up. I got my program signed by the whole squad (I was 25 at the time, far too old, sure I just left it there afterwards in my wobbly state), continued to drink whilst telling Calderon that I loved his hair and then I tucked into the players post-match buffet sitting alongside Matthew Upson who didn't really want to talk to me but humoured me.

As to be expected, people like Inigo, Leo Ulloa and (especially) Orlandi were the nicest people. That was a relief.

We eventually got told to leave. Brilliant day.

 

[Henfield One]

OK. As this is almost 20 years ago now I reckon it's safe to share this...

Back in the summer of 1998 I was working out of a Central London immigration enforcement office. One weekend I went off to watch the Barnet match at Underhill and cheered to the rafters as one Emeka Ifejiagwa rose like an oversized salmon to head home the winning goal. I was all primed for some good solid gloating at work come Monday morning however; before I had a chance to get stuck in I found that somebody had popped a post-it note up on the team poster I'd placed in the office. It gave a file reference and telephone number. A quick call revealed that Mr Ifejiagwa was under enquiry by the marriage abuse team. The allegation went that he found getting married less burdensome than getting a renewed work permit. In any event, he had been asked to report back to the authorities... at 3 p.m. the following Saturday.

It gets better...

I asked the case working officer (once they'd stopped laughing) if they'd mind most awfully if I had a quiet word with somebody at the club to warn them what was coming down the track. They were happy enough for this, as it increased his chances of actually showing up for them rather than the Seagulls. I duly waded through a pile of "Scars and Stripes" to track down the number of somebody with the club's ear. I forget now but I think I initially spoke with Paul Samrah and passed word along. The next day when I went into work there was a further post-it note asking me to call "Mr Horton". Once I'd done hyperventilating at the thought of having to deliver bad news to this Albion legend I plucked up the courage to make the call and explain the situation. I can best describe Mr Horton's response as "colourful". I don't think he was entirely happy with my contribution but at least he took my assurances that I was a supporter at face value. I explained that, while I didn't presume to tell him his job, I rather assumed he would be in the starting line up for the next week and it might be a touch embarrassing if he was led off the pitch by rozzers.

And that was that. The mighty Emeka never played for us again.

A couple of weeks later my Dad and brother were at one of our Gillingham home matches when the PA announced "thanks to Mr Higham... you know who you are". I'd not told them at that time what had been going on and very quickly got a quizzical phone call asking what was up.

So that was my one time I was on the inside track and it was rubbish. All I did was deliver bad news. Sorry everybody. Forgive.

Gosh I'd forgotten that - I too had a call from Brian Horton on the Monday (extraordinary times!) - it was very strange to think that we were the only two fans to know for certain that Emeka Ifejiagwa would not be in the team 5 days later. My how things have changed. Well done Jim for the tip off and yes that was me on the PA that day saying thank you!

 

[Hampster Gull]

OK. As this is almost 20 years ago now I reckon it's safe to share this...

Back in the summer of 1998 I was working out of a Central London immigration enforcement office. One weekend I went off to watch the Barnet match at Underhill and cheered to the rafters as one Emeka Ifejiagwa rose like an oversized salmon to head home the winning goal. I was all primed for some good solid gloating at work come Monday morning however; before I had a chance to get stuck in I found that somebody had popped a post-it note up on the team poster I'd placed in the office. It gave a file reference and telephone number. A quick call revealed that Mr Ifejiagwa was under enquiry by the marriage abuse team. The allegation went that he found getting married less burdensome than getting a renewed work permit. In any event, he had been asked to report back to the authorities... at 3 p.m. the following Saturday.

It gets better...

I asked the case working officer (once they'd stopped laughing) if they'd mind most awfully if I had a quiet word with somebody at the club to warn them what was coming down the track. They were happy enough for this, as it increased his chances of actually showing up for them rather than the Seagulls. I duly waded through a pile of "Scars and Stripes" to track down the number of somebody with the club's ear. I forget now but I think I initially spoke with Paul Samrah and passed word along. The next day when I went into work there was a further post-it note asking me to call "Mr Horton". Once I'd done hyperventilating at the thought of having to deliver bad news to this Albion legend I plucked up the courage to make the call and explain the situation. I can best describe Mr Horton's response as "colourful". I don't think he was entirely happy with my contribution but at least he took my assurances that I was a supporter at face value. I explained that, while I didn't presume to tell him his job, I rather assumed he would be in the starting line up for the next week and it might be a touch embarrassing if he was led off the pitch by rozzers.

And that was that. The mighty Emeka never played for us again.

A couple of weeks later my Dad and brother were at one of our Gillingham home matches when the PA announced "thanks to Mr Higham... you know who you are". I'd not told them at that time what had been going on and very quickly got a quizzical phone call asking what was up.

So that was my one time I was on the inside track and it was rubbish. All I did was deliver bad news. Sorry everybody. Forgive.

It was duty to put club before job and get that 3pm meeting moved....

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

About a month ago I found out that a friend of mine down here in deepest Cornwall is Christian Walton's mum. I haven't yet used this connection to get any inside information but I shall be working on it

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

This may well have happened at another club, but it definitely happened at Brighton and I know who did it ..... they were instantly dismissed and nothing was ever mentioned in the media


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Strange that no criminal charges followed (that I know of).

 

[PWA]

Sat with the owner of Brighton & Hove Jobs at Withdean.
Couldn't believe it when he told me the new away kit was Green and Black stripes, nobody believed me.

 

[Gritt23]

Anyone care to tell of times they've been ITK with Albion gossip, transfers and goings on? If so, what was it? Did you spill the beans at the time? How did you find out etc..?

I do occasional get some ITK information as the son of a friend of mine was making his way through the ranks of a Premiership academy about 10 years ago. He had an agent when he got to 17, and while he never quite made it - one brief pro contract in League One - guys he played with did, and of course he met other players socially etc. 10 years on, and he now works for his former agent, so there are still the odd nugget that comes my way.

As for sharing it, I remember hearing that the Coca Cola kid was seriously hacked off, and had told his agent to "just find me another club and get me out of here" towards the end of the season. There was no hint of it at the time and I stuck it on here, and you generally just get the usual calls for your source, and dismissing it as nonsense. If Kasim had calmed down, and stayed it would have looked like I'd made it up. As it was he did go, but I'm sure it still looked like a lucky guess to most.

I don't share everything I hear, but when I do, it's what I've genuinely heard. That doesn't mean it will definitely happen, as deals can fall apart for all sorts of reasons right up until the moment they go through, and that doesn't mean what you heard originally was false.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I worked with someone who went to matches in the directors box (with the daughter of a bigwig) who told me that people in the directors box were aware of this on the night.

Indeed. I would say I heard it maybe 2 days after the game.

I knew it was the palace coach driver who did the NAUGHTY MESS early on.

It was quite a period of time to know someone "in the know". Good stories.

How did the truth not come out till years after?

 

[Springal]

I knew quite a lot about Jurys Inn-gate due to a member of club door staff who was working that night and knew the 'victim'

 

[Springal]

Working at Amex, I accidently found out about the stadium sponsorship deal, before actual pen was put to paper. One of our VP's , now on the Albion board hosted a town hall. Usual snooze stuff. Then my ears pricked up when said he had met Dick Knight that afternoon. I looked at a mate, and I mouthed stadium, because there was no connection at the time between DK and Amex. .Knowing the VP was a footie fan, (Southend and Spurs) I asked him directly after he town hall, was his meeting with DK anything to do with the stadium. He nearly spat out his prawn sandwiches there and then. He then said I cannot confirm or deny that we are sponsoring the new stadium, but I can confirm we will never sponsor your shirts (obviously a bit wrong on that one). So that said to me it was defiantly on After that he fed me cryptic clues. Nothing concrete. In fact I think he enjoyed it. Then one day I was told he was coming down to visit our office. This was a Thursday. I asked my boss where he was, as it was a bit late, only to be told he had only come down for the game. We were playing Southampton at Withdean that evening. I knew then it was definite. So like a naughty school boy I hung around the directors lounge come crèche at Withdean. Saw our VP and TB together and as they walked out, I sprang out from behind a wall and walked with them to the directors area.He said he had toured the site in the afternoon with TB, but he also gave me a look of do not F**k this up. And I didn't. I never said a word until it was official . Still see him occasionally at the stadium and he always comes over and says hallo.

PG ?

 

[BBassic]

My dad used to live near to one of the current coaching staff and he'd get little bits of info about injuries and stuff like that. Nothing worth crowing about though.

 

[Springal]

My dad used to live near to one of the current coaching staff and he'd get little bits of info about injuries and stuff like that. Nothing worth crowing about though.

'Should be back in a few weeks' ?

 

[Jim D]

PG ?

Got any tips?

 

[elwheelio]

I used to work with a guy who was friends with a player liaison type at the club. Few little bits of info, all anecdotal. Did say that KLL was a nice lad but needed a lot of support day to day as he was not the shiniest penny in the fountain.

 

[BBassic]

'Should be back in a few weeks' ?

It was more along the lines of "Oh you know that player who's injured but the club have said 'hope to have him available' ? Yeah, he's definitely unavailable."

 

[SAC]

How did the truth not come out till years after?

I seem to remember that someone (not me) mentioned the Palace coach driver on the poogate thread at the time but it was lost amongst the 100s of posts from others in the know.

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

PG ?

I'd have thought so. He worked for Access when they were in Southend.