[Albion] This Saturday the first ‘behind closed doors’ Albion game since Mansfield 1996.

[Notters]

We were amongst those who entered the East Stand at half time - my only time on the East Stand sadly. I'd love to hear from anyone who ignored the boycott and watched the game as normal, I believe there were a thousand or so?

 

[nicko31]

The OP (Ian) led the charge across the pitch at half time from the East Terrace into the West Stand, you possibly had a megaphone in hand, memory isn't what it was. Massive respect to the Mansfield fans who travelled down and stood outside in solidarity with us, a million miles removed from the concept of a football fan that is a Liverpool fan sat on an armchair in Surrey with Sky Sports, legends every one those fans. We equalised second half to make it 1-1 I believe.

Never knew that about the Mansfield fans, to come all that way and make a stand, that's impressive

 

[Arthur]

So what we saying......?

Storm the Amex gates at half time Saturday?? *








































* before anyone takes this seriously I am only joking! Please don't go to the Amex on Saturday or for any other game at the moment

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Stood outside the north for the first half then in through the gate in to the east at half time. On the pitch, over to the mansfield fans for a quick clap and chat then over to the west. I think I stood in the no go zone.

I know they were the darkest days for the club but as a 15/16 year old they were the most exciting times I've had supporting the Albion. Possibly because in my youthful naivety I always assumed it would eventually end up o.k. I couldn't comprehend that it possibly couldn't. apart from half time at Hereford. It hit me like a sledgehammer then.

 

[andy1980]

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.c...senal-bt-match-pass-for-season-ticket-holders

 

[Palacefinder General]

Never knew that about the Mansfield fans, to come all that way and make a stand, that's impressive

Incredible stuff. To travel 200 miles down from the north of England for the highlight of your sporting week and not go into the game. Shaking their hands wasn’t really enough for that gesture of support. Just glad they got in for one half of football at least, even if the only second half goal was our equaliser.

 

[METALMICKY]

Not behind closed doors, it was a boycott

In the thread title Ian uses punctuation for a good reason.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Fair play to the Manfield fans.......we should thank them in some way. Anyone got any pics?

 

[Lenny Rider]

We were amongst those who entered the East Stand at half time - my only time on the East Stand sadly. I'd love to hear from anyone who ignored the boycott and watched the game as normal, I believe there were a thousand or so?

That's what Bellotti said, but I firmly believe he counted all the season ticket holders that day even if they didn't turn up.

It was a strange situation, one long time GE reader by then well into his late 70's went in, because he felt a boycott wasn't the answer, I virtually had to steer him through the baying mob.

Whilst I didn't agree with him, I couldn't see him get a load of abuse, he naturally had an Albion themed coffin when he went 'upstairs'.

Clearly we'd never be in that situation now but I wonder how a boycott would work at the Amex?

 

[Peter Grummit]

I picketted outside the North, then went in through Goldstone Lane at HT and across the pitch to the West Stand.

Remember celebrating a soft penalty that Denny Mundee put away. Kept us up in the end, of course.

It felt like a key moment: the end of the beginning of the way back.

Solidarity with all those that have shared the adventure, 23 years+ on.

Sent from my SM-A105G using Tapatalk

 

[Lenny Rider]

I picketted outside the North, then went in through Goldstone Lane at HT and across the pitch to the West Stand.

Remember celebrating a soft penalty that Denny Mundee put away. Kept us up in the end, of course.

It felt like a key moment: the end of the beginning of the way back.

Solidarity with all those that have shared the adventure, 23 years+ on.

Sent from my SM-A105G using Tapatalk

That and the 3,000 whistles against Hull City.

 

[Superphil]

Yup, me and the wife bundled in through the side gate and stayed on the terrace for the remainder of the match, much kudos to the Mansfield fans for joining in, saved them (and us) the entrance fee too I guess. Didn't the people in the directors box scarper as soon as the gate was pushed in?

 

[Lenny Rider]

Yup, me and the wife bundled in through the side gate and stayed on the terrace for the remainder of the match, much kudos to the Mansfield fans for joining in, saved them (and us) the entrance fee too I guess. Didn't the people in the directors box scarper as soon as the gate was pushed in?

When we 'occupied' the directors box just before the start of the second half we let the Mansfield contingent retake their seats, funnily enough no-one from the Albion came out for the second period.

You will recall Phil, Bellotti's 'PB' in the directors box was 72 seconds at the Darlington game, which Steve Foster later named as one of his all time great Goldstone moments.

 

[Giraffe]

No boycott this time though, and unfortunately we won’t be breaking into the ground just before half time.


Many other boycotters still posting on NSC?

Yes I was there. Standing outside listening to the commentary. As the gates opened, someone next to me threw a bottle, and I heard the commentator say " a bottle has just landed on the pitch on the far side". Surreal moment.

Great times though in a perverse way.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Isn't it better everyone is talking about Albion's game on Saturday and not the other unmentionable topics

 

[Giraffe]

Isn't it better everyone is talking about Albion's game on Saturday and not the other unmentionable topics

Palace?

 

[AmexRuislip]

Palace?

Trust you to ask

BLM, CV19, Brexit and above

 

[kevo]

No boycott this time though, and unfortunately we won’t be breaking into the ground just before half time.


Many other boycotters still posting on NSC?

I initially came up with the idea of boycotting the match, by suggesting it on the old Albion Campaign Pages (the precursor to NSC). It was then taken up by BISA, who doscussed it at their next meeting.

Most of the Mansfield fans went in (although some refused - I remember one saying 'I didn't cross picket lines during the miners' strike and I'm not going to start now').

The problem was the boycotters were mostly in the north (I heard only 88 people paid to get in the North Stand), but fans still went in the other parts of the ground. The official attendance of 1,933 was still the lowest for a first team game at the Goldstone since the Second World War, and possibly the lowest of all time.

I remember when we forced the gate open and stormed onto the East terrace chanting 'Archer Out!', that the players momentarily stopped playing. They must have wondered what the **** was going on! Marching across the pitch at half-time and fans sitting in the directors' box for the remainder of the match felt like 'the reclaiming of the Goldstone'.

 

[atfc village]

I worked in Australia from September to December that year *. [MENTION=236]Papa Lazarou[/MENTION] boycotted on my behalf.


(* - on the day I left I saw us beat Scarborough and on the day I returned we beat Hull 3-0. In over three months in between we didn't win a single home fixture.)

Hull were poor that day ,i was in the away end with some Hull exiles i know . Fish out.