[Albion] The Goldstone Ground - model

[el punal]

Absolutely, 100% agree. Atmospheric the Amex certainly isn't.

I refer you to the following matches - Doncaster Rovers, first ever League match, any Palace fixture, all the wins against Man Utd, Sheffield Wednesday 2nd playoff leg, Chelsea 4-1 thrashing, any of our Europa League games, Burnley when we had two players sent off, Liverpool 3-0 win followed by 2-1 in the cup. Need I go on?

 

[Invicta]

Excellent model. Loved the place but was a dump by the end. First game in 1979 on terrace in front of Lego stand.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Don't remember the box on stilts on the East Terrace

 

[Poyningsgull]

Fantastic model. Only error I can spot us the colour of the grass. It was mostly brown from memory.!

 

[Eeyore]

Don't remember the box on stilts on the East Terrace

Looks like Match of the Day were there when the modeller made it. They used to put one of those things up.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Looks like Match of the Day were there when the modeller made it. They used to put one of those things up.

Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Hill,
Wank wank wank, wank wank wank

(etc.)

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Looks like Match of the Day were there when the modeller made it. They used to put one of those things up.

Hmmm probably the Big Match actually, ITV used to delve into the lower divisions more than the Beeb ever did.

 

[Brovion]

Absolutely, 100% agree. Atmospheric the Amex certainly isn't.

.... nor was the Goldstone. I saw hundreds of games there from 1966 and for the vast majority of them the atmosphere never came close to a 'normal' Amex atmosphere - which admittedly isn't very good either.

I too look back at the Goldstone with affection. It was our home and we had some great times there, but you can't sugar-coat the pill, it WAS a dump. Like rickets and child chimney sweeps it's not an era I want to go back to.

 

[AZ Gull]

Magnificent. I may have asked this before but does anyone have a photo of the inside of the portacabin club shop on the site of the old lego stand (was it just there the last few years?) and/or the smaller old club shop which became a ticket office? Would just love to see it again and all the wonderful merchandise on display.

This is the best I can do (a few pics taken from programmes).

This first is from the 1984-85 season:-

And then a couple from 1982-83 (with the Gerry Ryan pic you get a second Albion player for free, as he's holding Darragh)!

 

[Deadly Danson]

This is the best I can do (a few pics taken from programmes).

This first is from the 1984-85 season:-
View attachment 189335

And then a couple from 1982-83 (with the Gerry Ryan pic you get a second Albion player for free, as he's holding Darragh)!



View attachment 189337

Thanks. I'm assuming that must have been the smaller one towards the south end. I have no recollection of everything being stacked in shelves like that at all. If I'm reading correctly, looks like £3.50 for a scarf - pricey!!

 

[el punal]

.... nor was the Goldstone. I saw hundreds of games there from 1966 and for the vast majority of them the atmosphere never came close to a 'normal' Amex atmosphere - which admittedly isn't very good either.

I too look back at the Goldstone with affection. It was our home and we had some great times there, but you can't sugar-coat the pill, it WAS a dump. Like rickets and child chimney sweeps it's not an era I want to go back to.

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.

But you’re right, the Goldstone was a dump. In all the years that I’ve been watching the Albion at the Goldstone, from 1965 to 1997, not one bit of ground improvement took place unless it was structurally unsafe. The West Stand was never extended, the South Stand had to be renovated because it caught fire, the North Stand roof was rusted through and to be replaced 2/3 years later. Blimey, even the bogs were open to the elements in all that time. When we got to Division One we still had a Third Division gaff. So those of you looking back with rose tinted glasses think again - what we have now compared with we had then. Nostalgia? Pah!

 

[AmexRuislip]

Wonderful stuff.
The original Field of Dreams

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Does it include the stench of the gents for added atmosphere?

 

[Gabbafella]

Slightly off topic but not, me and the Mrs went mattress and sofa shopping yesterday and she suggested DFS and Sofology, both in the Goldstone retail park.
I said I'd drop her off and wait in the car, not setting foot on that ground at all. She's spent the last day calling me a saddo and saying I should get over it. I just can't can't bring myself to go into any of those shops.
Am I the only one or do others still feel that way?

 

[Triggaaar]

Hello Boys

Well hello Eva

 

[AZ Gull]

Slightly off topic but not, me and the Mrs went mattress and sofa shopping yesterday and she suggested DFS and Sofology, both in the Goldstone retail park.
I said I'd drop her off and wait in the car, not setting foot on that ground at all. She's spent the last day calling me a saddo and saying I should get over it. I just can't can't bring myself to go into any of those shops.
Am I the only one or do others still feel that way?

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.

 

[el punal]

Slightly off topic but not, me and the Mrs went mattress and sofa shopping yesterday and she suggested DFS and Sofology, both in the Goldstone retail park.
I said I'd drop her off and wait in the car, not setting foot on that ground at all. She's spent the last day calling me a saddo and saying I should get over it. I just can't can't bring myself to go into any of those shops.
Am I the only one or do others still feel that way?

I know what you mean, it would have been pertinent just after the last Goldstone game and during the Gillingham and Withdean eras. But time marches on, it’s now 27 years ago that we said goodbye and we’ve been at the Amex now for the last 13 years. Our ‘new’ home is something that we would never have dreamed of back then. Out of adversity and all that . . .

 

[jackanada]

Slightly off topic but not, me and the Mrs went mattress and sofa shopping yesterday and she suggested DFS and Sofology, both in the Goldstone retail park.
I said I'd drop her off and wait in the car, not setting foot on that ground at all. She's spent the last day calling me a saddo and saying I should get over it. I just can't can't bring myself to go into any of those shops.
Am I the only one or do others still feel that way?

Even if it wasn't on the site of the goldstone dfs is a terrible shop, and I suspect sofology little better.
Admittedly I've never bought a sofa as pretty decent ones are being thrown away all the time.
Currently sitting on an Italian leather number I passed outside a house on ditchling road.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

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?

 

[timbha]

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?

I think the coaches used to park at the Greyhound Stadium. For some matches the coaches would pick up and drop off outside the Goldstone in OSR.

Not sure how the Goldstone would’ve coped with 32,000 given the current parking restrictions within the whole of B&H, and the frequent train cancellations.

Park on my drive would have been a nice little earner.