[Albion] Its Friday, so let's have your favourite Albion strange but true tales.

[Lenny Rider]

I will kick off going back to the inaugural Div One season 79/80, and this story was verified by both John Vinicombe and Tony Millard no less.

Mullers wanted to bolster the midfield and had agreed a deal with Bolton Wanderers to buy Peter Reid.

At the 11th hour, Mike Bamber pulled the plug, stating Reid was injury prone, and far too big a gamble (bearing in mind he signed Mickey Thomas less than 18 months later)

Reid went on to join Everton, won 2 league titles, an F A Cup, a Cup Winners Cup and played in the quarter finals of the 1986 World Cup against Argentina


Cheers Mike

 

[HeaviestTed]

They take the bottle tops.

 

[Withdean South Stand]

I having a wazz in The Font once, and Baldock and Stephens both came in and urinated next to me, which was strange because there were urinals any of us could have used. Both were on their phones and neither washed their hands. I didn't have a sneaky glance at what they were packing, or browsing.

 

[jcdenton08]

I having a wazz in The Font once, and Baldock and Stephens both came in and urinated next to me, which was strange because there were urinals any of us could have used. Both were on their phones and neither washed their hands. I didn't have a sneaky glance at what they were packing, or browsing.

No you didn’t you liar, no Albion fan has ever seen an Albion player in the flesh, especially not in a pub of all places. Footballers all go in those special VIP only pubs in secret places we plebs don’t know about…

 

[Chicken Run]

Mark Lawrenson played in my cricket team for a few games in the early 80’s along with Ron Pavey who was a regular

 

[POSKETT AT THE VALLEY]

Mid-week game at Tranmere in the League cup back in the day. Lawro got sent off with Bob Paisley watching on. Having a piss at services on the way back when half the QPR team walked in including Tommy Docherty, Steve Wickes and Tony Currie walked in. I think there was a nod of acknowledgement from all parties.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

No you didn’t you liar, no Albion fan has ever seen an Albion player in the flesh, especially not in a pub of all places. Footballers all go in those special VIP only pubs in secret places we plebs don’t know about…

They don't even get on aeroplanes that normal humans use...

 

[Arthur]

Gary Chivers was known as Big Chiv in the dressing room due to what he was packing in the trouser department.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

When Dale Stephens first signed for the Albion, we were sat on a table next to him & his family, at the Harvester down at the Marina.
Random place for a footballer to go out to eat we thought.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Mark Lawrenson played in my cricket team for a few games in the early 80’s along with Ron Pavey who was a regular

Ham Sports in Worthing?

 

[Chicken Run]

Ham Sports in Worthing?

Noel Bennett’s XI on Sundays

 

[Silverhatch]

Had a Friday night lock in with Maybank, Potts & Sayer in the Druids the night before a game.

 

[Mr Bridger]

I will kick off going back to the inaugural Div One season 79/80, and this story was verified by both John Vinicombe and Tony Millard no less.

Mullers wanted to bolster the midfield and had agreed a deal with Bolton Wanderers to buy Peter Reid.

At the 11th hour, Mike Bamber pulled the plug, stating Reid was injury prone, and far too big a gamble (bearing in mind he signed Mickey Thomas less than 18 months later)

Reid went on to join Everton, won 2 league titles, an F A Cup, a Cup Winners Cup and played in the quarter finals of the 1986 World Cup against Argentina


Cheers Mike

I heard they thought he had a monkeys head.

 

[junior]

I've mentioned this before but...

2006 and I'm in the pub 3 days before I'm due to go on my first tour of duty to Iraq. I get a phone call on my mobile from a number I didn't recognise. I nearly didn't answer it...

It was Micky Adams wishing me all the best and to stay safe. Had a chat for about 10mins. Turns out that a friend of mine had been doing some work for him and had got quite pally with him and a few of the players (who he also did work for). He'd seen him earlier in the day and mentioned that he was going to the pub for my going away drinks that night, and Micky asked for my number so he could call me.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I was regularly saying hello to a nice old bloke on Hove seafront before I finally realised it was Chris Cattlin.

 

[GoldstoneVintage]

I once messaged Mark Lawrenson on Twitter (back in the days when he predicted the PL results). I asked him to please keep predicting defeats for the Albion as it seemed to be helping us win games. I didn't expect him to reply but he did!

 

[el punal]

In 1972 my mate and I went to watch the Albion play away at Bradford City. To get there we travelled on the official supporters club coach, a journey so excruciatingly boring it beggars belief. We finally arrived at this golden hotspot of the north and quickly found a pub to drown the memories of the previous few hours.

After six or seven pints, and wallowing in a warm, fuzzy haze we entered Valley Parade. We positioned ourselves on the terrace behind the goal. After a few minutes my mate decided he needed a slash - me also. Where are the toilets I asked one of the cloth capped locals. “Ay up lad, at back o’ stand.” came the reply. So up the steps we went to find just a wall built into the terrace. This must be it we agreed and a volume of Bradford’s golden nectar was released. We returned to our original spot in the stand, to be followed by two streams flowing down the terrace either side of us.

“That’s mine and that’s yours, let’s see who wins the race to the bottom!” my mate enthused. It was a dead heat.

I believe, I truly do, that that act exorcised all the demons from our team. We lost 2-1. John and Kit Napier were then dropped from the team. We went on a twelve match unbeaten run to the end of the season culminating in our promotion to Division Two. Now that, my friends, really is taking the piss. Cheers!

 

[Peppermint Tea]

Took a cab to Lord’s a couple of years ago and started chatting to the cabbie, nice lad. Quickly ascertained that he wasn’t in to cricket so the chat moved to football. He told me he was a proud Gooner. I said that I was a Seagull. At which point he casually dropped that he’d “played a few games for Brighton once upon a time.”

It was Wayne Gray and I suspect I’m one of only a few here who saw him play for the Albion, back in 2002. Indeed I quoted to him a headline from a programme from back then which went: “Sunshine on a Wayney Gray.” He was a lovely guy and humbled that I’d seen him play.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Took a cab to Lord’s a couple of years ago and started chatting to the cabbie, nice lad. Quickly ascertained that he wasn’t in to cricket so the chat moved to football. He told me he was a proud Gooner. I said that I was a Seagull. At which point he casually dropped that he’d “played a few games for Brighton once upon a time.”

It was Wayne Gray and I suspect I’m one of only a few here who saw him play for the Albion, back in 2002. Indeed I quoted to him a headline from a programme from back then which went: “Sunshine on a Wayney Gray.” He was a lovely guy and humbled that I’d seen him play.

I remember him, scored at Colchester away.

https://www.11v11.com/matches/colchester-united-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-30-march-2002-11956/

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

In 1972 my mate and I went to watch the Albion play away at Bradford City. To get there we travelled on the official supporters club coach, a journey so excruciatingly boring it beggars belief. We finally arrived at this golden hotspot of the north and quickly found a pub to drown the memories of the previous few hours.

After six or seven pints, and wallowing in a warm, fuzzy haze we entered Valley Parade. We positioned ourselves on the terrace behind the goal. After a few minutes my mate decided he needed a slash - me also. Where are the toilets I asked one of the cloth capped locals. “Ay up lad, at back o’ stand.” came the reply. So up the steps we went to find just a wall built into the terrace. This must be it we agreed and a volume of Bradford’s golden nectar was released. We returned to our original spot in the stand, to be followed by two streams flowing down the terrace either side of us.

“That’s mine and that’s yours, let’s see who wins the race to the bottom!” my mate enthused. It was a dead heat.

I believe, I truly do, that that act exorcised all the demons from our team. We lost 2-1. John and Kit Napier were then dropped from the team. We went on a twelve match unbeaten run to the end of the season culminating in our promotion to Division Two. Now that, my friends, really is taking the piss. Cheers!

Kit wasn't dropped, he was moved out to the wing so Beamish and Irvine could play together I think. John was dropped in favour of Ian Goodwin. Our results after were very symmetrical - WWDWWDWWDWWD. But I can't remember what I did yesterday.

Nice story though.