Things you miss about the Goldstone

[Grendel]

I keep having this recurring dream that the Goldstone was never demolished and that they are re-opening it.

I'm not the only one then!

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Getting to the North Stand early and seeing the East Terrace gradually fill up,the North Stand becoming more and more packed, anticipation rising, then the explosion of noise as Ward, Horton, Clarke and the rest ran on, and the even more defeaning noise as Ward banged in an early opener and we all spilled down the terrace. Going back down the steps to Old Shoreham Road to join the stream of people who knew the were living through special times. In my memories it was always an evening game.

 

[Dave the OAP]

My God. I was standing with my dad and watched you do that. I used to stand by you for years. There was always 2 blokes who stood directly in front of me and would shout at the linesman for 90 minutes even when his decisions were spot on. I used to listen to my Dad and his mates moan for 90 minutes about anything and everything, usually thier wifes.

I would say its a small world but as this is a Brighton message board, that's going overboard.

Your dad wasn't a copper by any chance was he?

 

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

I'm not the only one then!

phew

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I got elbowed in the face by a Pompey fan punching a brighton fan. It was when we beat them 1-0 in the cup in the early 90s, and a load of pompey fans had got tickets in the North Stand.

My friends Dad, who took me, was a 6' 6" engineer, who used to play ice hockey. He picked this pompey guy up and carried him out. What a legend. So much for us being Seaweed....

 

[Parson Henry]

Standing on the West Terrace, hearing the players bang the tunnel as they walked out, seeing the Chicken run erupt then the tickertape reception.

The smell of the linament on the players.

The chip shop at the top of the Droveway.

Boxing day games against Palace. Being allowed in with Hip Flasks.

 

[Dave the OAP]

anyone remember the Millwall game in the 70's when they all came down with surgical masks on and they were put under the west stand to the right of the tunnell ( as the players came out) I think we won 3-2.

At half time the Millwall thugs tried to get up into the west Stand seating area and the blokes in there kept punching them back down...it was a bit like Gandalf on the walls of Anderill!!

Bellotti being chased out of the west Stand when we all raced on the pitch when he appeared during the game ( darlington?) and headed over to the west Stand from the North stand.


Great days

 

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

Also, my earliest memories are with my dad on the east terrace, standing on a little blue chair we brought into the ground, and joining in with all the worng chants (the away fans) but being too young to care

 

[attila]

The memory of my father. Every time we played really well and had a great win just thinking how proud and happy he would have been if he'd been watching with me, and missing him: feeling so grateful that in the tiny bit of time we had together, the best thing he ever did was take me to see the Albion. Every bit of the Goldstone spoke to me of him.

And a proper terrace, a proper atmosphere, all the things that football is supposed to be about!!!

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Watching the quarter-final(?) against Norwich from the roof of one of the houses behind the East Stand. The ground was full by 2.15.

 

[Icy Gull]

Sitting on the East Terrace tea hut roof for 2nd half of the Tottenham game that we won with a Clark goal (I think)

 

[Dave the OAP]

The memory of my father. Every time we played really well and had a great win just thinking how proud and happy he would have been if he'd been watching with me, and missing him: feeling so grateful that in the tiny bit of time we had together, the best thing he ever did was take me to see the Albion. Every bit of the Goldstone spoke to me of him.

And a proper terrace, a proper atmosphere, all the things that football is supposed to be about!!!

Funny you say that John, my Dad used to take Paul and I and we stood on the East Terrace. After a while, we both met up with mates and moved to various parts of the East Terrace, but my Dad always stood in his spot! Anyway, we used to go up at half time and talk about the previous half. Aftre a season of barry LLoyd, Dad gave up on going, saying he would not go whist BL was in charge, but I felt a tad guilty as he would not come and stand with us. He died in 1991 and I was really sad and annoyed with myself that I didnt try and persuade him to stand with us.

When something like that happens you do realise how short your time is and how you must sieze the moment every day as you never know when that person will be gone.

In fact whilst writing this it occured to me that I forgot his anniversary on the 13th December. It was 14 years ago and I still miss him.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

The memory of my father. Every time we played really well and had a great win just thinking how proud and happy he would have been if he'd been watching with me, and missing him: feeling so grateful that in the tiny bit of time we had together, the best thing he ever did was take me to see the Albion. Every bit of the Goldstone spoke to me of him.

And a proper terrace, a proper atmosphere, all the things that football is supposed to be about!!!

That was poetic

 

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

 

[Bono]

The TV camera stand that looked just like the Subbuteo one.

Charlton & Blackpool, two 30,000+ crowds in a week.

Milk crates

GOSBTS

Players in flared suits, looking at the pitch an hour before kick off.

PC Beard

Seagull Lottery

The 'Next Match' sign

The striped goal nets

 

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

i can remember the game against mansfield (i think) when it was an official boycott. but with a 500 odd fans desperate to watch their beloved albion we broke into the east away terrace halfway through the game and ended up sitting with the friendly and probably quite scared mansfield fans. bizarre for many reasons, especially watching the game form the away view. anyone else remember that?

 

[Dave the OAP]

i can remember the game against mansfield (i think) when it was an official boycott. but with a 500 odd fans desperate to watch their beloved albion we broke into the east away terrace halfway through the game and ended up sitting with the friendly and probably quite scared mansfield fans. bizarre for many reasons, especially watching the game form the away view. anyone else remember that?

Yup.


We ended up in the West stand after charging across the pitch and thumping a few stewards on the way.....nasty bastards from london Belotti had drafted in...remember them?

 

[Johnny Byrne superstar]

yeah it was crazy seenig fans run across the pitch to literally get their hands on bellotti. he often made a quick exit. i can remember fans running across from the north stand against darlington i think. midweek when we lost 3-2 when case's days were numbered. the atmosphere was pretty dark that night. this was the era that i spent most time at the goldstone. even thought it was the worst time in the club's history and the ground was falling apart and capacity getting smaller seemingly every week, i have the fondest memories of the goldstone at that time.

 

[Hannibal smith]

Your dad wasn't a copper by any chance was he?

No, he was actually a Rates collector. You were always in the next group to us in the same spot every week. My Dad and his mates always had Flat caps, looked old and moaned. As I say the only other people I remember were 2 blokes, one of whom was a Plymouth fan who basically shouted at the lino for 90 minutes. Everything else has blurred in time.

I left during my later teenage years to stand with my mates in the North Stand and act 'ard

 

[East Staffs Gull]

1. Standing at the highest point of the East Terrace, looking down at the pitch.

2. The East Terrace being packed by 1.45 for big games.

3. After the game, standing on the corner of Fonthill Road, looking at the mass of humanity along Old Shoreham Road.

I'm probably one of the few people who likes Withdean's 'uniqueness' and I really believe that we could and should create a better atmosphere there.