Travelling Away to Watch The Albion - Pre 1975

[pork pie]

Anyone remember the Albion fans going on the pitch during the away game at Cheaterfield in the 1978-79 season when we went up.

Before and after the game - straight into their end! Wrong season though.

 

[AnotherArch]

Aldershot in the 3rd round - 1967 ?

That was in our FA Cup run - Newport County away (complete with removeable matting corners to the pitch as it had a speedway track around it), then non-league Bath City away. When we beat Aldershot at home in the replay, we had already been drawn against Chelsea at home. The Albion sold the Chelsea tickets at a reserve game on a Saturday but the first team was playing at Peterborough. So the travelling fans did not miss out, we had to find the Albion director, Len Stringer, outside the ground and acquire a token from him. This then entitled us to buy a ticket at leisure duuring the next week at the Goldstone. That's how things worked then.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

A few memories there.

On the Lincoln game, as the team travelled up on the Special train, we had all afternoon to do very little and, back then, pubs were not open in the afternoon. (Isn't that an awful thought?) We trudged around Lincoln until a pub near the railway line eventually opened.

At least the game was a cracker. A really thrilling 2-2.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

What year was it we went to Portsmouth when it was still possible to walk around the ground. Which the locals did at half time. We got on the platform at Fratton, the train arrived and then the platform was invaded. How that train got back (I couldn't say in one piece) I do not know. I have no idea what the score was.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

A few memories there.

On the Lincoln game, as the team travelled up on the Special train, we had all afternoon to do very little and, back then, pubs were not open in the afternoon. (Isn't that an awful thought?) We trudged around Lincoln until a pub near the railway line eventually opened.

At least the game was a cracker. A really thrilling 2-2.

You are a real memory man. Incredible.

That makes sense now - the team was on the train.

 

[Dave the OAP]

was that the mid week cup game?

yes I think it was

 

[Return of the Rev]

Anyone remember the Albion fans going on the pitch during the away game at Cheaterfield in the 1978-79 season when we went up.

copper got dropped kicked on the half way line!

 

[Return of the Rev]

Remember getting stuck on train for 12 hours going to Notts Forest for a League Cup game, about 1975 I think.
Never did get there, think we lost 2-1, and even after the game had finished, good old British Rail were still sending us north so that they wouldn't have to give us our money back.
Got as far as Kettering and there were loads of police lined up on the platform and wouldn't let us off the train. They finally managed to get another engine on the back to get back to Brighton. Arrived at the station at 12.15am, exactly 12 hours after we'd left!!!
Not a good day by any stretch.

3-1 74 coaches made it to forrest

 

[severnside gull]

Had to queue for ages outside the ground in the rain not sure whether game was on

Ha ha!

Sounds like a man who was there. Absolutely bloody day and the match was no better

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Didn't that start when we played Leatherhead in the cup and they brought a few into the South Stand.

Anyone remember when we played Fulham in the Archer days when we were protesting outside the West Stand after the game and their mob came running around by wadham Stringer .....

One of the best away days I remember was Ipswich in the late 70's when we were escorted through the town and a couple of us ducked out of the main group and went and sat in a sandwich shop just as it all kicked off..after the game there were tales of rucks and we blagged it!!

Fulham with a firm in those days , do behave !

 

[Nottseagull]

I seem to remember on the Seagull Specials in the mid 70's it was a 50/50 chance either the train would break down or there would be a suicide on the track which meant it would be touch and go whether or not we got to the game on time and afterwards the train getting bricked on the way home.

More like a 50-1 chance. The only times I can remember the train getting bricked was at Blackburn, although it was once stoned as it pulled into Ninian Park Halt over an hour before kickoff. Sometimes we were advised to pull down the blinds as a precaution.

 

[Taybha]

the eclipse awaydays were jolly good fun , after a few coach trips those jolly nice people at southdown coaches decided the way forward was to lease us a coach with wooden seats , probably saved themselves a few bob in retrospect . Happy days

 

[bhaexpress]

took four coaches from the heath only one caME BACK WITH A WINDOW AT THE BACK

Yep, thanks West Ham. I was on that coach as were you.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I remember going to a (2nd round?) FA Cup tie some time in the late 60's. Travel wasn't as straightforward and I recall several train changes and a long old journey to arrive at a ground with a tin shed covering a narrow terrace and standing watching a fairly desultory 0-0 draw in mist, rain and hail followed by a lengthy journey back to Brighton. The sort of matchday experience that makes you wonder why you bothered. I'm pretty sure we won the replay and I think that might have been the year we nearly beat Chelsea at home - but then again my memory is not what it used to be and I am more likely to be wrong

Had a number of away trips like this in 1969/70:
Halifax - overnight trip on the Supporters' Club Coach from St Peter's Church, absolutely pissed down all game, we were dreadful and lost 1-0. The Shay was an absolute wreck of a place making Withdean, Priestfield and Selhurst appear state of the art; it had a standing terrace behind one of the goals that seemed to be built on a mining spoil heap. Only other memory of the day is Howard Wilkinson's bowed legs.
Rochdale - same transport arrangements except that we stopped off at Old Trafford en-route to have a nose. United were playing away so we just wandered in and on to the pitch. Someone had brought a ball and a good few had scored a goal in the Stretford End before we were spotted and asked to leave. Spotland was OK except that we lost 2-1 to a late, late goal; from memory, Sir Norman didn't have a good day. Had my first, and last ever, cup of Bovril and it rained, of course. Attempt at chatting up some local "talent" resulted in being called a Southern Pansy.
Hartlepool - went by train to this and didn't get back to Hove until after lunch on Sunday. 5-2 to the Albion including four from Alex Dawson - an awesome display from the Black Prince. It rained as well.
Torquay - Supporter's Club coach again, rained all the way down to Devon but cleared as we arrived. Mad game of footie in the Plainmoor car park before the match; Alun Duffy looking hungover as he got off the team coach and trying to avoid some bird who'd driven down from Brighton to see him. 2-1 to them, Andy Donnelly in goal for Torquay (top bloke), Sir Norman scoring with a header from way outside the penalty area; one fella from the coach was arrested after going on the pitch to argue with the ref. Depressingly, the heavens opened during the second half.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Yep, thanks West Ham. I was on that coach as were you.

recall mr packham saying i thought west ham were hard! next moment lunatics running across the service station with axes and hammers!

 

[Return of the Rev]

Fulham with a firm in those days , do behave !

recall young mr s getting his neck cut behind the west stand by a fulham fan with a knife in each hand,two cuts for the price of one!

 

[severnside gull]

Had a number of away trips like this in 1969/70:
Halifax - overnight trip on the Supporters' Club Coach from St Peter's Church, absolutely pissed down all game, we were dreadful and lost 1-0. The Shay was an absolute wreck of a place making Withdean, Priestfield and Selhurst appear state of the art; it had a standing terrace behind one of the goals that seemed to be built on a mining spoil heap. Only other memory of the day is Howard Wilkinson's bowed legs.
[
Torquay - Supporter's Club coach again, rained all the way down to Devon but cleared as we arrived. Mad game of footie in the Plainmoor car park before the match; Alun Duffy looking hungover as he got off the team coach and trying to avoid some bird who'd driven down from Brighton to see him. 2-1 to them, Andy Donnelly in goal for Torquay (top bloke), Sir Norman scoring with a header from way outside the penalty area; one fella from the coach was arrested after going on the pitch to argue with the ref. Depressingly, the heavens opened during the second half.

I managed to get to the Halifax game because I was attending a training course (worked for the eponymous building society at the time) which coincided with the game. More memorable for getting my leg over with a local girl up a side alley after a night out at a disco than for the football

The Torquay game - me and a mate from work drove down in his mini. I swear that my arse was scraping on the ground all the way there and back and although I'm pretty short I could barely walk once we got there and almost fell out of the car when we got back. I remember being very glad that I wasn't driving because the windscreen wipers were next to useless! Got back into Brighton late and got pulled over and breathalysed - thankfully we hadn't stopped for a beer because the weather was so bad. I only remembered it now because of your description of Sir Norman's goal! Happy days

 

[Storer 68]

Remember getting stuck on train for 12 hours going to Notts Forest for a League Cup game, about 1975 I think.
Never did get there, think we lost 2-1, and even after the game had finished, good old British Rail were still sending us north so that they wouldn't have to give us our money back.
Got as far as Kettering and there were loads of police lined up on the platform and wouldn't let us off the train. They finally managed to get another engine on the back to get back to Brighton. Arrived at the station at 12.15am, exactly 12 hours after we'd left!!!
Not a good day by any stretch.

1978 old thing and we lost 3-1 . I know cos I was there on the most bizarre school trip I ever had

 

[APACHE]

N. Forest in the LC, went by car,was standing in the away section along the side in the old stand and it was packed. Then we heard that the trains were all held up and won't get there.Christ we thought, how would they have got them in cause it was heaving. What a night that was and didn;t BR pay to have the match shown at the flicks for those that didn't get there.

 

[AnotherArch]

Had a number of away trips like this in 1969/70:
Halifax - overnight trip on the Supporters' Club Coach from St Peter's Church, absolutely pissed down all game, we were dreadful and lost 1-0. The Shay was an absolute wreck of a place making Withdean, Priestfield and Selhurst appear state of the art; it had a standing terrace behind one of the goals that seemed to be built on a mining spoil heap. Only other memory of the day is Howard Wilkinson's bowed legs.
Rochdale - same transport arrangements except that we stopped off at Old Trafford en-route to have a nose. United were playing away so we just wandered in and on to the pitch. Someone had brought a ball and a good few had scored a goal in the Stretford End before we were spotted and asked to leave. Spotland was OK except that we lost 2-1 to a late, late goal; from memory, Sir Norman didn't have a good day. Had my first, and last ever, cup of Bovril and it rained, of course. Attempt at chatting up some local "talent" resulted in being called a Southern Pansy.
Hartlepool - went by train to this and didn't get back to Hove until after lunch on Sunday. 5-2 to the Albion including four from Alex Dawson - an awesome display from the Black Prince. It rained as well.
Torquay - Supporter's Club coach again, rained all the way down to Devon but cleared as we arrived. Mad game of footie in the Plainmoor car park before the match; Alun Duffy looking hungover as he got off the team coach and trying to avoid some bird who'd driven down from Brighton to see him. 2-1 to them, Andy Donnelly in goal for Torquay (top bloke), Sir Norman scoring with a header from way outside the penalty area; one fella from the coach was arrested after going on the pitch to argue with the ref. Depressingly, the heavens opened during the second half.

That Halifax game was a complete contrast to the day before (Good Friday) when we had beaten Reading at the Goldstone with Alan Duffy making his impact with 2 goals. we then got stufed at Fulham on the Easter Monday.
The Hartlepool game was actually !968-69 (March 69) and as you say it was impossible to catch a train back to Brighton and arrive on Saturday night (last train from Victoria was 23.59, splitting at Haywards Heath). We were fortunate that Doug Glennister and his Mrs were going to stay in Newcastle afterwards, so not only did 3 of us get a lift up to Hartlepool but he also went in the opposite direction afterwards to drop us at Stockton where we caught a train out of Middlesbrough to Darlington. The last train left Hartleppol at around 4.25pm and a Brighton football journalist actually caught this train, so that he could get home on the Saturday night.
The classified paper that night carried the news of Dawson's 4 goals in the 5-2 win (how is another story) but when he left it was only, I think, 3-2. When we all met up on Darlington station for the London train, he simply did not believe us. it was only when the team arrived and he asked them that he believed it! It must have been a period when he fell out with the club, otherwise he would normally cadge a lit on the team coach in these situations.