Things you miss about the Goldstone

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

we're a club that is looking forward not back. agreed. but i've been thinking about the Goldstone recently and how much I miss it.

I used to love the buzz of tumbling down the north stand when we scored and trying to get the south stand to sing us a song. what do you miss?

 

[Pavilionaire]

The credibility of supporting a team with a proper ground.

 

[Simster]

we're a club that is looking forward not back. agreed. but i've been thinking about the Goldstone recently and how much I miss it.

I used to love the buzz of tumbling down the north stand when we scored and trying to get the south stand to sing us a song. what do you miss?

The climb up the North Stand steps, the quick peak at the away corner to see how many they've brought and then the stroll along the back of and behind the North stand, before taking my place at the back of the stand just to the right of the goal - just left of where the kids liked to be.

 

[Icy Gull]

I got to find the place depressing the last few seasons there. More and more parts of the terracing got closed down whilst the crowds dwindled and the atmosphere, which had been fantastic on our rise through the leagues, was on a par with Withdean.

Don't miss much about it all to be honest, was no better than Withdean by the end, except for the last few games as we fought relegation from the league. That was pretty memorable.

 

[culvers]

Feeling enormous pressure while sitting on the bar behind the advertising hoardings in the North West terrace after the northstand tried to get us to sing. I used to feel quite embarrased that i wasnt giving the northstanders a song.

The walk accross Hove Park.

 

[surrey jim]

Having an atmosphere, The Northstand and a place we could call Home

 

[Barrel of Fun]

My Dad has a dicky back from rowing days, and used to like standing in the West Stand terraces. I used to love seeing the sea of blue and white jumping up and down when we scored.

Peversely, I also kind of miss the "sack the board" business. It felt quite satisfying fighting for a cause we believed in.

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

The buzz of getting my Albion Mebership card from the ticket office....waiting for ages just to get the lovely bit of red plastic!

 

[Simster]

I got to find the place depressing the last few seasons there. More and more parts of the terracing got closed down whilst the crowds dwindled and the atmosphere, which had been fantastic on our rise through the leagues, was on a par with Withdean.

Don't miss much about it all to be honest, was no better than Withdean by the end

Ah but I prefer to remember the mid '80s when you could guess whether it was going to be 13,000 or 18,000 depending on the population of the East terrace - which you could see as you strolled down OLD SHOREHAM ROAD.

 

[On the Left Wing]

night games

 

[Dave the OAP]

did you know, the bit at the front of the East Terrace that was closed ( just along from the centre line) was actually closed because I fell down the terracing ( Blackburn at home - celebrating the 2nd goal fell over) and was carted off to hospital. I buggered by ankle ( not literally) and the safety officer sited this as an example of why it should be closed.

Do you remember the stand finished by the walkway with huge boards up stopping people from going down there.

 

[Jonathon Livingstone]

The mass surge down the North Stand when we scored

 

[Barrel of Fun]

did you know, the bit at the front of the East Terrace that was closed ( just along from the centre line) was actually closed because I fell down the terracing ( Blackburn at home - celebrating the 2nd goal fell over) and was carted off to hospital. I buggered by ankle ( not literally) and the safety officer sited this as an example of why it should be closed.

Do you remember the stand finished by the walkway with huge boards up stopping people from going down there.

With grass appearing from the cracks in the concrete....

 

[Simster]

So dave, what you're saying is that YOU are the reason only 11,500 were able to pay their last respects to the place at that Donny game.

Disgraceful.

 

[Dave the OAP]

It is my eternal shame


having said that a builder friend told me they had quoted to replace the concrete with new stuff quite cheaply and the owners said that they were not spending any more money on the place.

 

[Icy Gull]

Ah but I prefer to remember the mid '80s when you could guess whether it was going to be 13,000 or 18,000 depending on the population of the East terrace - which you could see as you strolled down OLD SHOREHAM ROAD.

Those were great days and the crowd figures were always manipulated down by a few thousand, although there was a rumour that we had the fattest fans in the land, hence the ground looking full but the crowd beng smallish

 

[On the Left Wing]

also running past the ground on school cross country runs .... the only bit of the agonising winter sport at Hove County Grammar that was enjoyable

 

[Brighton till i die]

The mass surge down the North Stand when we scored

yep - thats my biggest miss of all those surges!!

 

[withdeanwombat]

also running past the ground on school cross country runs .... the only bit of the agonising winter sport at Hove County Grammar that was enjoyable

Strewth!You had it easy.When i was there it was up through the copse to yhr top of Snakey Hill,then down and along past the Nevil (Arms?) and back in via Frant Road.

When you grew up you had to walk up Snakey Hill,where the run would go down to Waterhall,then back up alongside the golf course returning to the start along Devil's Dyke Road.

Now,that was a cross country!

But the Goldstone.........ahh,the massed thousands for games against the likes of Darlington and Tranmere,and "Tiptoe through the northstand....",swaying down the terraces for corners and close shots as well as the goals,Wardy,Kit,Spider et al,the walk home with match analysis along the Old Shoreham Road.

We will never see its like again.



(blows nose,wipes eyes.Be strong......be strong!)

 

[Brighton till i die]

bring back terraces and we'll be half way there!! you KNOW it makes sense!