How Danny Baker saved Brighton & Hove Albion - The inside story of Fans United

[Seagull]

Great article thank you. Can't believe it's 20 years, brings a tear to the eye. I had random friends ringing up customer care at Focus DIY to lodge complaints vs Archer at the time.
There was a banner that read "Real Madrid Want Archer Out" and that bloke getting everyone singing, was he a Chelsea fan on someone's shoulders? Those 5 goals kept us up.
Build a Bonfire ... put Belotti on the top ... put Bill Archer in the middle etc

 

[Brovion]

So there wasn't an Eintracht fan? And the Real Madrid fans were fake... man, I need to re-write my intro. ;-)

Naa. Not sure if you're a fan of The Simpsons but there's an episode where Lisa is about to expose the town's much-loved and respected founder, Jebidiah Springfield, as a fraud. She ultimately doesn't as she realises that although what everybody believes about him is a myth, the myth itself 'has value'.

So yeah, there was an Eintracht Frankurt fan there and a couple of Real Madrid fans. Brilliant.

 

[hopkins]

I liked that piece i have one small request-please.......i feel the title to the thread needs changing to include the word "Helped" .

Totally agree. But I suppose "helped" isn't so media friendly.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Stop rewriting history Rory!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

A fantastic read. That whole season is a bit of a blur in a lot of ways (especially the last half hour at Hereford, which has to be the longest of my life). Given the situation he joined in, it cannot be over estimated what an amazing job Steve Gritt did in keeping us.

If people ask why we need to support teams like Charlton and Plymouth when they are having issues, this thread should be forwarded to them. So many fans of clubs in the UK (and all over the world) came together that day to support Albion. We owe it to them to support them if they are in their hour of need.

Corrected for you . . .

 

[aftershavedave]

Great write up Warren. Enjoyed reading that, how time flies!

 

[Eeyore]

Splendid read.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Great piece. Well done EVERYONE.
Gonna raise a glass to the memory of my old mate Roy tonight.
I always knew we'd get there in the end

'The battle's only just begun, but we have won the war.
Our club, though torn asunder, will survive.
And I salute each one of you who stood up and said NO!
And fought to keep the Albion alive.
And one day, when our new home's built, and we are storming back
A bunch of happy fans without a care
We'll look back on our darkest hour and raise our glasses high
and say with satisfaction: we were there.'

That takes me back to the Scars and stripes end of season dinner, and a room full of seasoned lags blubbing. How long ago was that [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION]?

Hope all's well John! Love the autobiog

 

[Raphael Meade]

Cracking piece, great to read (and send around to a few newer fans i've converted that weren't around then)

Thanks Wozza!

 

[LlcoolJ]

Bloody hell. Been a pretty emotional day for me for other reasons but that's nearly tipped me over the edge again.

Superb.

 

[Paul Reids Sock]

https://medium.com/@warrenchrismas/...-brighton-hove-albion-11c1be4aaacb#.t637t5cfp

It's still work in progress really but as it's the anniversary and all that... enjoy!

I have just spent an hour after working sitting and reading through that, enlarging images to read them properly and take it all in. That is an absolutely spectacular piece of work documenting the most important time in our history. I was 9 at the time and in South London so didn't get down to games until Withdean but have always loved to read as much as I can about what people like you did to save the club I now love and have the pleasure of taking my son to.

Thank you to everyone that fought for the club in any way shape or form. It is quite simply breath taking what has been achieved. I like to think I did my bit at Withdean as a 14/15-twenty odd year old with change in buckets, buying the we want Falmer single, post cards etc. but lets be honest - that was a small battle at the end of a superbly fought war.

 

[veuve]

Not sure Baker saved the Albion,think there are a lot more people that played a bigger role but very gratefull for his support.

 

[Jeep]

I vividly remember Baker going crazy on air about an enormous pack of documents. Now how can I find an audio from just over 20 years ago?
Erm, I can't.

 

[Wozza]

Not sure Baker saved the Albion,think there are a lot more people that played a bigger role but very gratefull for his support.

There were many saviours.

 

[Saladpack Seagull]

There were many saviours.

Indeed there were, some of whom are no longer with us. Thanks to the efforts of the fans against the Board and even those in authority in the game, we now have a thriving and successful Club. Those of us who were there at the time MUST encourage those who were not to study this chapter of our history. My daughter and step-sons have grown up with it and have a sense of pride in what was achieved, and a belief that it IS possible fight against the odds and WIN!

 

[Peter Ward]

Enduring Respect to you all. What a story, what a Great Club. Thanks to all of you.

 

[indy3050]

Walked into work today to find a 27 year old Gooner having downed tools just to read this very article (I had read it earlier) and he had no idea about the whole situation. I took great pride in explaining what went on during those years and how the fans went above and beyond to get our message out. It really was something else and credit to those who fought the hardest!

 

[LlcoolJ]

Indeed there were, some of whom are no longer with us. Thanks to the efforts of the fans against the Board and even those in authority in the game, we now have a thriving and successful Club. Those of us who were there at the time MUST encourage those who were not to study this chapter of our history. My daughter and step-sons have grown up with it and have a sense of pride in what was achieved, and a belief that it IS possible fight against the odds and WIN!

Likewise, my son who is ten (and has therefore only been old enough to see us go from strength to strength) is well versed in the reasons why supporting this great club in these good times is such a special thing. He understands.

 

[kevo]

Excellent piece. Sounds strange, but this was probably one of the first real social media campaigns. Proud to have played a very small part in it!

 

[portlock seagull]

I reckon that season has knocked a fair amount off my life total. Not the just the football, but the protests marches demos and the sheer physical and emotional investment made...it was exhausting!! Explaining continually to anyone who would listen that an enormous social injustice was happening and they had to get involved and this was how to. And then the fight to Bring Home the Albion...my god, how we ploughed the troughs of crushing despair in the mid to late 90s. I felt utterly utterly dejected at times like we were never going to wake up from the longest nightmare imaginable. And then on matchdays you'd see thousands of others weren't going to take it lying down either, that we could do something together. Just muck in. The supporter leaders of that era should be cast in bronze on the walk up from the station at the Amex. Proper heroes. The Few, just without the spitfires!