This is it. Fifty Years of (mostly) pain !

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Many congrats Wolfie, I too remember many of these players and there's nothing controversial about having Kit Napier as your favourite - a good choice imo.

It's my 49th anniversary of watching the Albion next weekend so see you in August 2010!

PS Was it Hove CGS - if so, do you remember the Speech Day boycott in around 1970 when a large number of the 5th & 6th form went to the FLC game against Wolves instead?

 

[wolfie]

Many congrats Wolfie, I too remember many of these players and there's nothing controversial about having Kit Napier as your favourite - a good choice imo.

It's my 49th anniversary of watching the Albion next weekend so see you in August 2010!

PS Was it Hove CGS - if so, do you remember the Speech Day boycott in around 1970 when a large number of the 5th & 6th form went to the FLC game against Wolves instead?

Sorry but no - i was BH&SGS. I remember the Wolves game though. It was in 1969 (L Cup 2-3) I had just done my A Levels and returned from Yugoslavia (backpacking) Somebody at the game told me that my favourite teacher had just died and ruined the game for me) He didn't die at the game though !!

 

[£1.99]

I remember seeing Kit Napier standing on the corner of Hove Park at the top of the hill just past the Goldstone smoking a cigarette

 

[wolfie]

Then he used to run back on to the pitch and score a hat trick !

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Then he used to run back on to the pitch and score a hat trick !

I don't remember Kit Napier ever waving at the fans at the end of the game though.

 

[Storer68]

I see that Ken Aston was the ref.

At the 1962 World Cup he reffed the notprious "Battle of Santaigo"

He refereed the 1960 European Nations Cup final and the 1963 FA Cup Final, but he is best known for refereeing the notorious Battle of Santiago, the match between Chile and Italy in the 1962 World Cup. The atmosphere of this match had been inflamed by Italian journalists' derogatory descriptions of the beauty and morals of Chilean womanhood, of the condition of the Chilean capital, and by the Chileans' dislike of the Italian practice of using South American players with Italian passports.

The match got off to a vigorous start, with the first player cautioned within seconds of the game beginning. After 12 minutes Italy's Giorgio Ferrini had to be escorted off the field by Aston and armed policemen, who were required twice more later in the match, for hacking down the Chilean centre-forward, Landa. Later, Aston sent off David for a retaliatory kick at the head of the Chilean outside-left, Leonel Sánchez, although Sánchez himself was allowed to stay on the pitch despite breaking the nose of the Argentine-born Italian inside-right, Humberto Maschio, with a left hook.



The younger ones might be interested to know that he was England's premier referee at that time and came up with the idea of red and yellow cards after the England v Argentina World Cup quarter final in 1966.

 

[severnside gull]

Well done Wolfie... we have something in common as 22nd August 1959 was also my first match and I similarly remember little except the atmosphere. We were down on holiday with my nan who lived in St Paul's Rd having just moved up to London. That season I saw several Charlton games because we lived close to the Valley but for some reason Brighton were always my team and when we moved down to Brighton shortly after I was a regular for many years up to the mid 70s' when I moved to the midlands. I used to start out at the halfway line under the west stand and move round to the north stand where the atmosphere was better (but the view not so good because I spent half the game being pushed down the terrace.

Happy memories

 

[severnside gull]

I remember seeing Kit Napier standing on the corner of Hove Park at the top of the hill just past the Goldstone smoking a cigarette

he had the yellowest/most nicotine stained fingers I had ever seen and, imitating my hero, he was one of the reasons I started smoking!

 

[Easy 10]

Linesman with the yellow flag - a Mr DD Juggins.

What a FABULOUS name.

 

[Superphil]

In 20 years time I too will be able to post a thread like this, wow, has it been 30 years? Good on yer Wolfie

 

[Storer68]

only 16 years for me Phil.:US:

 

[Spun Cuppa]

Good on ya Wolfie...

Congratulations

I'm ten years behind you, and guess I always will be...

Was just a twinkle in '59 and arrived in '62...

First visit to TGG in '69 if my memory serves

 

[wolfie]

Brilliant. 50 years on Saturday and that was the first-ever 7 (SEVEN) against (I think) Wish I'd gone now - just for the record ! I've seen every score up to 10 by the Albion, but only as many as 5 against.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Nice to see there are a few old fogeys on here - some even older and fogeyer than me. My 50th anniversary of stripeitis comes around at the beginning of November this year.

 

[Danny-Boy]

I see that Ken Aston was the ref.

At the 1962 World Cup he reffed the notprious "Battle of Santaigo"

He refereed the 1960 European Nations Cup final and the 1963 FA Cup Final, but he is best known for refereeing the notorious Battle of Santiago, the match between Chile and Italy in the 1962 World Cup. The atmosphere of this match had been inflamed by Italian journalists' derogatory descriptions of the beauty and morals of Chilean womanhood, of the condition of the Chilean capital, and by the Chileans' dislike of the Italian practice of using South American players with Italian passports.

The match got off to a vigorous start, with the first player cautioned within seconds of the game beginning. After 12 minutes Italy's Giorgio Ferrini had to be escorted off the field by Aston and armed policemen, who were required twice more later in the match, for hacking down the Chilean centre-forward, Landa. Later, Aston sent off David for a retaliatory kick at the head of the Chilean outside-left, Leonel Sánchez, although Sánchez himself was allowed to stay on the pitch despite breaking the nose of the Argentine-born Italian inside-right, Humberto Maschio, with a left hook.



The younger ones might be interested to know that he was England's premier referee at that time and came up with the idea of red and yellow cards after the England v Argentina World Cup quarter final in 1966.

I noticed that too. WE certainly had some character "refs" in those days. Does anyone remember Roger Kirkpatrick, a bit later on?

 

[rcf0712]

Thanks for all the congrats. Hope I don't spoil it (by being at Withdean on Saturday - causing us to lose) ! To answer a few points: I don't really remember Fryco, went to BH&SGS and it seems more like 100 years ! And Watneys bleeding Red Barrel was awful.

top effort mate, you've got over 10 years on me and haven't you just loved every minute of it?

 

[Gwylan]

WE certainly had some character "refs" in those days. Does anyone remember Roger Kirkpatrick, a bit later on?

I do...looked like Mr Pickwick. Can't imagine him reffing these days (and I don't mean because he'd be about 85 now)

Congratulations Wolfie. I still have 8 years to go before I reach the golden landmark.

 

[countrygull]

Great post, nice to see a true fan meeting triumphs and disasters and treating those two imposters just the same. It makes me proud to be a fellow Albion fan

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I noticed that too. WE certainly had some character "refs" in those days. Does anyone remember Roger Kirkpatrick, a bit later on?

Best referee I ever saw. Or, to be more precise, did the best bit of refereeing I ever saw.

At the Goldstone, in the south west corner. Some player had just kicked another, it was all about to start and the ref runs about 20 yards and confronts said player - and Kirpatrick was - shall we say - a large gentleman. Big zapata moustache and the only referee as far as I know ever to have been compared with Mr Pickwick.

Everyone was expecting him to at the very least bollock and book the player, most referees would have sent him off. Instead, our Rog puts his face right in the players face, stares him out for a few seconds, then takes a step back and a huge grin appears right over his by now rather florid face.

Collapse of offending player in a fit of laughter, he puts his hands up and says "Sorry ref".

Everyone in that corner laughed as well and the game went on with no further trouble.

Brilliant bit of man management IMHO.

Mind you, the player could have decked him!

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I do...looked like Mr Pickwick.

See? I told you so