Night games - what was your first?

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Night time matches are special. The floodlights, the atmosphere: they just have an added something. I'm reminded about this today because Ipswich was my first ever night-time match, as a young kid, way back in 1976 in the League Cup. We won 2-1 and Fred Binney scored in front of 27,000 at The Goldstone. Unbelievably exciting. Anyone else on their first night matches?

 

[highway61]

Night time matches are special. The floodlights, the atmosphere: they just have an added something. I'm reminded about this today because Ipswich was my first ever night-time match, as a young kid, way back in 1976 in the League Cup. We won 2-1 and Fred Binney scored in front of 27,000 at The Goldstone. Unbelievably exciting. Anyone else on their first night matches?

I've not got records to hand but my first Albion game was a night game, either barrow or York I think and around 62/63. If course may be wrong

 

[Icy Gull]

Albion 2 Palace 0 mid seventies. 30,000 crowd I believe and we were in the South Stand with loads of Palace fans. Harry Wilson marking Peter Taylor out of the game. Early 1976 and a fantastic atmosphere.

 

[goldstone]

My first evening floodlit game was Brighton's first game under the new lights at the Goldstone, a friendly against Frem (Copenhagen) in 1961.

 

[highway61]

Albion 2 Palace 0 mid seventies. 30,000 crowd I believe and we were in the South Stand with loads of Palace fans. Harry Wilson marking Peter Taylor out of the game. Early 1976 and a fantastic atmosphere.

I so remember that game and the atmosphere electric

 

[Bruntburger]

Always loved the Goldstone evening games. People say that it's just nostalgia talking but for me there was definitely a better atmosphere than the Amex especially the night games

 

[Gwylan]

League cup tie with Wolves (1969?). We lost 3-2 to a team that was then in Div 1. Cracking game and can never really forget the first sight of the Goldstone with the floodlights on

 

[LamieRobertson]

1968 (I think) At home to Torquay

 

[Paskman]

Brighton v Rochdale 1972 - the night we got promoted after a 1 -1 draw. Totally hooked on night games from then on. The view of the ground, as you walked past the church near the south east corner - floodlights, a fug of smoke and the North Stand already in full voice - magic, just magic

 

[Dave the OAP]

Can't remember the first evening game at the goldstone, but I remember my first away game was Watford in 1974/5. Won I think.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

1968 (I think) At home to Torquay

Impressive memory

What time was the kick off

 

[Jack Straw]

My first ever game. The evening of 17th October 1965. York City. 3-1 win. Just over 14,000 for this division 3 game. That was me hooked.

 

[AnotherArch]

My first evening floodlit game was Brighton's first game under the new lights at the Goldstone, a friendly against Frem (Copenhagen) in 1961.

The same for me. These new-fangled floodlight thingys were truly wondrous at the time. I winder how bright they really were compared to today's HD-TV standard lights? I remember at the Goldstone always counting how many lamps were not working on each pylon, and the expectation when they fickered into life when turned on at half-time in winter.

 

[Dick Swiveller]

The first one I can remember was an FA Cup replay against Man U - probably around 80-81. Going to have to look it up now. I remember Stapleton playing.

Edit - 7/1/1981

 

[Barry Izbak]

I cannot be 100% certain of my first Albion match, but I know my first night match was against Bradford City.
It would have been around 1970 and I remember as a kid thinking that their orange and claret stripes were amazing under floodlights.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

If you can remember your first evening game, you probably weren't there.

 

[HAILSHAM SEAGULL]

My first night game was my first ever match..
8 years old with my dad and against Millwall in 1964.
Couldnt believe all those big blokes from London going into the East Terraces using words I'd never heard before

 

[kevo]

Albion 2 Palace 0 mid seventies. 30,000 crowd I believe and we were in the South Stand with loads of Palace fans. Harry Wilson marking Peter Taylor out of the game. Early 1976 and a fantastic atmosphere.

That was mine too! 34,300 attendance, in the third tier... and Palace were only mid-table at the time. I believe. It was March 1976. I was in the East Terrace, probably standing on a crate! It was my second Brighton game - and the one that got me hooked.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

16 April 1975 may not have been my first, but it is the first I remember, because it was a disappointing dull 0-0 vs Halifax Town

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Brighton v Rochdale 1972 - the night we got promoted after a 1 -1 draw. Totally hooked on night games from then on. The view of the ground, as you walked past the church near the south east corner - floodlights, a fug of smoke and the North Stand already in full voice - magic, just magic

Oh yeah, I was at that one, too. Must have been to lots of night games 69-76, but its all a blur now. I remember the smell of pipe smoke and wintergreen ointment, and the lights reflecting off Stewart Henderson's well-greased thighs.