[Albion] The Goldstone Ground - model

[BN9 BHA]

Very impressive, love the attention to detail

 

[WATFORD zero]

I would pay a lot of money for that model. Exactly as I remember it in the late 60's/early 70's and if I put a bowl of two week old piss in the middle, some old rancid pipe tobacco and some dodgy bodily fumes, it would be perfect in every aspect.

When my son started coming with me to withdean, I used to tell him stories of how wonderful the Goldstone was on a midweek night match.

Against Donny, in that first match in a half built Amex, I felt I had to be honest with him and admitted it was a complete shithole when we left. Would still like that model though

 

[The Wookiee]

I’ve often wondered why they built a main stand that didn’t cover the whole of the west side of the ground ?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And we always ran out to GOSBTS as far back as I can remember except a very brief period (1 game?) when Bellotti stopped it.

Didn’t we briefly use that Rocky music during our first Div 1 games in 1979 instead of GOSBTS?

 

[WATFORD zero]

Had somehow the Goldstone retail park land became available again and the Amex as it is now lifted on to the site any view on how the travel infrastructure would cope with 32,000 crowds these days?

Obviously you have Hove and Aldrington stations near by, but can’t remember what they used to do with coaches was there a carpark at the Goldstone, I was an early teenager so never paid attention?

We walked there and back from Mile Oak, nobody could afford Bus and entrance

 

[robinsonsgrin]

Since Albion left the Goldstone Ground I have driven past the site on only two occasions (I think I was driving on one occasion and I was a passenger the other). Both times I averted my eyes and I have no idea what the site looks like now (I have also managed to avoid seeing any pictures of the retail park).

In my mind's eye the site is now and will forever be the home of a football ground - a bit of a crappy and decrepit ground, for sure, but the home of my adolescent hopes and dreams and some of my fondest memories.

I am the same...

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Incredible, i even watched a floodlit cricket match there

There wasn’t many of us though

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Didn’t we briefly use that Rocky music during our first Div 1 games in 1979 instead of GOSBTS?

First match of the 80/81 season v Wolves

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Didn’t we briefly use that Rocky music during our first Div 1 games in 1979 instead of GOSBTS?

We did after Bamber had gone to the states. That's when he announced the new ground would be a dome

 

[Eric the meek]

I wonder what happened to all the old turnstiles. I would have loved to have one of those in my shed.

 

[Cheggers]

A thing of beauty. So many memories. To think, Bernie Gallagher once graced that pitch...

 

[jackanada]

I wonder what happened to all the old turnstiles. I would have loved to have one of those in my shed.

They're at one of the dorton salvage yards.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I wonder what happened to all the old turnstiles. I would have loved to have one of those in my shed.

We have two from the South Stand at Gorings Mead, home of Horsham YMCA. Still serviceable although we haven't used them since the pandemic. We have no fans lol.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I am getting old now and losing my memory, but that stadium model in the Albion museum at the Amex, was that of the Goldstone, or Withdean? Been a good few years since l saw it. Impressive whatever it was.

 

[pigmanovich]

I am getting old now and losing my memory, but that stadium model in the Albion museum at the Amex, was that of the Goldstone, or Withdean? Been a good few years since l saw it. Impressive whatever it was.

Both!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Fantastic model , can almost walk through it .

Yes. Some of the sightlines in the video are practically identical to the memories of the ground that I have. that view from the NW looking towards the West end of the South is soooo evocative.

Similar to the model that Alan Budgen created

 

[Brovion]

Evening games at the Goldstone were certainly better, atmosphere wise, than afternoon ones. I remember some unbelievable BIG nights where the place was buzzing - Rotherham, our second last home game of 1971/72 season with Ken Beamish scoring the winner (2-1) right at the death in front of 28,000. That Palace game in February 1976 when we won 2-0 with a crowd of 33,000 - thank you Sammy Morgan. Derby County in the League Cup, also 1976, again 33,000 plus fans.

...

Oh yes, evening games were special and yes, like the Amex, on the right occasions the Goldstone could generate an amazing atmosphere. Remember Ipswich in the League Cup? Everyone, players , journalist, etc remarked on how loud it was, indeed when we played Derby in the next round one of the match reports started with: "Derby came face-to-face with Brighton and their famed crowd last night".

Didn’t we briefly use that Rocky music during our first Div 1 games in 1979 instead of GOSBTS?

Yes. It's safe to say it wasn't popular and resulted in the quite weird scenario where the Albion were roundly booed when walking out! "Blimey, they're booing their own team and the match hasn't even started!" is what the opposition fans must have thought.

It was quickly dropped.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yes. It's safe to say it wasn't popular and resulted in the quite weird scenario where the Albion were roundly booed when walking out! "Blimey, they're booing their own team and the match hasn't even started!" is what the opposition fans must have thought.

It was quickly dropped.

So I didn’t imagine it !

 

[Brovion]

So I didn’t imagine it !

No! The current change to GOSBTS (being played before kick-off instead) has been met with universal acclaim by comparison.

EDIT: I would like to know how many games it was done for. It wasn't many.

 

[Weststander]

I’ve often wondered why they built a main stand that didn’t cover the whole of the west side of the ground ?

Probably a very Albion lack of money. When built in 1958, at first it only occupied the middle third.