[Albion] ITV 4 Big match revisited

[Eeyore]

I still hate Southampton and Tottenham for their manufactured draw at the Dell. A team that scored in every home game against a team that scored in every away game and yet they managed to produce a 0-0 borefest.

There is no evidence of this. Why would Southampton not have gone for the win towards the end ? They would have won the league and had to have lost by 6 or 7 goals for Albion to get past them ? If there was a reason for a slackening off at the end of the game it would have been due to the Tottenham Hotspur fans who had been causing trouble and folk worrying about the implications of it. If I was a player on that pitch I would have settled for things as they were. As one Southampton fan said 'it seemed that Saints were opting to take a point and see Spurs go up and in doing so still have a stadium to play in the next season'.

In his autobiography Glen Hoddle said the match was more tense than any cup final he had played in.

It's one of those cases of 'confirmation bias' and the stories have grown taller. I'm pretty sure Spurs were angry during the game when a cast iron penalty was turned down, for example. But, in short, whilst there wasn't a case of agreement, there may have been a damage limitation approach.

If you really want a case of collusion in Albion matches then take a look at the Albion draw with Rochdale in 1972. One of the Albion players admitted since that instructions went out to both teams to cease and desist.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On now, Big Match Revisited featuring Brighton v Blackpool 1978. We won but the contrived draw at the Dell robbed us of promotion.

I was in the North for that. The day I learned that the North is addicted to fake news.

 

[British Bulldog]

Was in the North Stand for that game, when the news came through of a 0-0 the girl in front of me cried. When I watched Match of the day you could see how it ended up 0-0.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

When I watched Match of the day you could see how it ended up 0-0.

Did neither team score?

 

[Questions]

I remember Chris Jones for Spurs hitting the post.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Photo from 1977 when it had also had seats in the upper tier.


View attachment 169990

Edit: hallucinations. There was seating behind the standing. Posh wankers. I must have put them on ignore.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I don’t remember the South stand being all standing ( it looked that way ). When did it go to an all seater ?
Remember sitting there in late 80’s

See post above.

 

[el punal]

There is no evidence of this. Why would Southampton not have gone for the win towards the end ? They would have won the league and had to have lost by 6 or 7 goals for Albion to get past them ? If there was a reason for a slackening off at the end of the game it would have been due to the Tottenham Hotspur fans who had been causing trouble and folk worrying about the implications of it. If I was a player on that pitch I would have settled for things as they were. As one Southampton fan said 'it seemed that Saints were opting to take a point and see Spurs go up and in doing so still have a stadium to play in the next season'.

In his autobiography Glen Hoddle said the match was more tense than any cup final he had played in.

It's one of those cases of 'confirmation bias' and the stories have grown taller. I'm pretty sure Spurs were angry during the game when a cast iron penalty was turned down, for example. But, in short, whilst there wasn't a case of agreement, there may have been a damage limitation approach.

If you really want a case of collusion in Albion matches then take a look at the Albion draw with Rochdale in 1972. One of the Albion players admitted since that instructions went out to both teams to cease and desist.

Of course there’s no evidence, just a load of non-objective, fan biased hearsay. Every Albion fan that day was as bitter as could be and if it meant venting their spleen on the dubious outcome further down the coast so be it. If Tottenham had got their act together and gone all out for the win they would have ended up as champions, rather than Bolton, because of their better goal difference. The same could be said of Southampton as they also had a superior goal difference to Bolton. I still stand by that Southampton were safely promoted at the start of the day so the pressure was not as great as it was for Spurs who desperately needed a point.

Regardless of any lack of evidence, the whole episode still rankles.

 

[Eeyore]

Of course there’s no evidence, just a load of non-objective, fan biased hearsay. Every Albion fan that day was as bitter as could be and if it meant venting their spleen on the dubious outcome further down the coast so be it. If Tottenham had got their act together and gone all out for the win they would have ended up as champions, rather than Bolton, because of their better goal difference. The same could be said of Southampton as they also had a superior goal difference to Bolton. I still stand by that Southampton were safely promoted at the start of the day so the pressure was not as great as it was for Spurs who desperately needed a point.

Regardless of any lack of evidence, the whole episode still rankles.

Oh, it rankles. But having read about the actions of the Tottenham fans that day I really don't have any issues withe clubs themselves. Well, the Tottenham fans that year really because I read about all the problems in the Goldstone win.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

There is no evidence of this. Why would Southampton not have gone for the win towards the end ? They would have won the league and had to have lost by 6 or 7 goals for Albion to get past them ? If there was a reason for a slackening off at the end of the game it would have been due to the Tottenham Hotspur fans who had been causing trouble and folk worrying about the implications of it. If I was a player on that pitch I would have settled for things as they were. As one Southampton fan said 'it seemed that Saints were opting to take a point and see Spurs go up and in doing so still have a stadium to play in the next season'.

In his autobiography Glen Hoddle said the match was more tense than any cup final he had played in.

Oh, it rankles. But having read about the actions of the Tottenham fans that day I really don't have any issues withe clubs themselves. Well, the Tottenham fans that year really because I read about all the problems in the Goldstone win.

Other than McMenemy and Burkinshaw celebrating prior to the game, there’s a picture somewhere……

As for Hoddle….. meh!

It was also goal average I believe rather than goal difference.

 

[el punal]

Edit: hallucinations. There was seating behind the standing. Posh wankers. I must have put them on ignore.

View attachment 169997

Did you, by any chance, consume too many pints of Watney’s Red Barrel, otherwise known as cat’s piss, when observing the South Stand in 1969?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Edit: hallucinations. There was seating behind the standing. Posh wankers. I must have put them on ignore.

View attachment 169997

 

[el punal]

Other than McMenemy and Burkinshaw celebrating prior to the game, there’s a picture somewhere……

As for Hoddle….. meh!

It was also goal average I believe rather than goal difference.

Goal average was replaced by goal difference the season before - 1976/77.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Goal average was replaced by goal difference the season before - 1976/77.

Just read it was 78/79?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Did you, by any chance, consume too many pints of Watney’s Red Barrel, otherwise known as cat’s piss, when observing the South Stand in 1969?

No. I was eleven

I didn't start on the Red Barrel for a further three years, FFS! Seventeen pence a pint.

 

[el punal]

No. I was eleven

I didn't start on the Red Barrel for a further three years, FFS! Seventeen pence a pint.

Pah! My dad ran a pub and I used to ‘bottle up’ the shelves when I was seven. The old man would reward me with a baby bottle of Guinness.

P.S. A baby bottle in those days was about a third of a pint in liquid terms - marvellous!

 

[kevo]

Other than McMenemy and Burkinshaw celebrating prior to the game, there’s a picture somewhere……

Indeed. They walked on to the pitch together - holding each other's arms aloft I believe. There is definitely a picture. They were old mates. It was obvious from that moment how the game would pan out.

 

[London Irish]

There is no evidence of this. Why would Southampton not have gone for the win towards the end ? They would have won the league and had to have lost by 6 or 7 goals for Albion to get past them ? If there was a reason for a slackening off at the end of the game it would have been due to the Tottenham Hotspur fans who had been causing trouble and folk worrying about the implications of it. If I was a player on that pitch I would have settled for things as they were. As one Southampton fan said 'it seemed that Saints were opting to take a point and see Spurs go up and in doing so still have a stadium to play in the next season'.

In his autobiography Glen Hoddle said the match was more tense than any cup final he had played in.

It's one of those cases of 'confirmation bias' and the stories have grown taller. I'm pretty sure Spurs were angry during the game when a cast iron penalty was turned down, for example. But, in short, whilst there wasn't a case of agreement, there may have been a damage limitation approach.

If you really want a case of collusion in Albion matches then take a look at the Albion draw with Rochdale in 1972. One of the Albion players admitted since that instructions went out to both teams to cease and desist.

One of best mates at work was actually at the game (Saints fan) and adamantly denies it was a stitch-up, no matter how drunk I get him to reach the truth, says it was a competitive game with chances for both teams. I tend to believe him as he'd have no problem saying they'd got one over on us, he just says it didn't happen here

 

[raymondo]

Photo from 1977 when it had also had seats in the upper tier.


View attachment 169990

Rediffusion... remember them?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

One of best mates at work was actually at the game (Saints fan) and adamantly denies it was a stitch-up, no matter how drunk I get him to reach the truth, says it was a competitive game with chances for both teams. I tend to believe him as he'd have no problem saying they'd got one over on us, he just says it didn't happen here

Not what was reported at the time from memory, knocking it around aimlessly etc….

I guess if the boot had been on the other foot etc…..