HenryC
New member
That would be the one!!! 20 minutes left!!
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What made you a Brighton fan?
- Thread starter JBizzle
- Start date
That would be the one!!! 20 minutes left!!
Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!
Primary data is fact
Was brought up in near the Goldstone Ground in Livingstone Road. Remember my dad regularly going off "to football" on a Saturday afternoon and once waking us all up one night when he staggered in - I think he slept/passed out in the hall. I thought it was all quite funny and next day asked him where he'd been? FAC replay at Stamford Bridge vs Rotherham was the answer, and "The Albion" won 6-0! The year was 1960 and this 6yo asked his dad if he'd take me along sometime.
As the season rolled on Albion went out 2-1 at Preston NE in the next round (I think Tom Finney scored for them) but no obvious signs of me being taken to a game.
During the summer we went to stay with with grandparents, where I asked my grandfather what he was making in his shed - a box for you to take to the football was the answer, your gran's got something for you too. Off I went to see gran who gave me this blue and white scarf.
The big day arrives - August 23rd 1960, and it's Bristol Rovers at home. On with the scarf and off we go, turn left at the Exchange, under the railway line, dad lifts me over the turnstile and we're into the chicken run. More people in one place than I've ever seen, we move quickly down the front behind the retaining wall; I'm on my box, the pitch is so green, the excitement, the smell of dad's Woodbines (little did he know) and then the game starts. It's a blur, we score lots; 6-0 or 6-1, Adrian Thorne scores five and Bill "Hurry" Curry the other; dad likes Bill but who really cares, I've been to see the Albion and now I'm part of it all. I can't stop talking, we pick up fish 'n chips from the shop in Shirley Street and then it's home and an early night for me. Dad goes off to the Exchange (the mean sod never bought me a drink in a pub until my graduation).
That's how it all started for me, nearly 51 years ago; the scarf has travelled to every game since - Bobby Smith, Dawson scoring four at Hartlepool, Clough, Taylor, Wardy's debut (reserves and 1st team), Lawrenson, Newcastle in 1979, Carlisle (too many times), Saunders, Mortimore, Zamora, and now Gus - it's seen them all and now resides in WSU O96.
As the season rolled on Albion went out 2-1 at Preston NE in the next round (I think Tom Finney scored for them) but no obvious signs of me being taken to a game.
During the summer we went to stay with with grandparents, where I asked my grandfather what he was making in his shed - a box for you to take to the football was the answer, your gran's got something for you too. Off I went to see gran who gave me this blue and white scarf.
The big day arrives - August 23rd 1960, and it's Bristol Rovers at home. On with the scarf and off we go, turn left at the Exchange, under the railway line, dad lifts me over the turnstile and we're into the chicken run. More people in one place than I've ever seen, we move quickly down the front behind the retaining wall; I'm on my box, the pitch is so green, the excitement, the smell of dad's Woodbines (little did he know) and then the game starts. It's a blur, we score lots; 6-0 or 6-1, Adrian Thorne scores five and Bill "Hurry" Curry the other; dad likes Bill but who really cares, I've been to see the Albion and now I'm part of it all. I can't stop talking, we pick up fish 'n chips from the shop in Shirley Street and then it's home and an early night for me. Dad goes off to the Exchange (the mean sod never bought me a drink in a pub until my graduation).
That's how it all started for me, nearly 51 years ago; the scarf has travelled to every game since - Bobby Smith, Dawson scoring four at Hartlepool, Clough, Taylor, Wardy's debut (reserves and 1st team), Lawrenson, Newcastle in 1979, Carlisle (too many times), Saunders, Mortimore, Zamora, and now Gus - it's seen them all and now resides in WSU O96.
Comedy Steve
We're f'ing brilliant
Born in Brighton, as was my Dad, as was his Dad, as was his Dad, and as was his Dad. The Grants moved to St James' St in the early-mid 19th century.
I remember taking a friend's kid to watch Arsenal. She was a single-parent and hated football but the kid was mad on the game (the dad was a Scunny fan so I'm sure he was delighted that his son was a Gooner). That kid definitely was missing out on regular football so there may be something in that theory.
And yes, my dad took me when I was 10, freezing cold day and we lost to Walsall - but couldn't wait to go again.
rcf0712
Out Here In The Perimeter
Born and bred in Hove barely a par 5's distance from The Goldstone. My Dad also took me in the early 70's and it turned my head forever away from those fancy dans at Stamford Bridge - I'll forever be indebted to him, if I ever returned to England there's nowhere else I'd want to live than Hove....
As for my 7 year old son, I've forced The Albion on him and he seems happy about it, although somewhat upset that I've sugegsted he takes down his signed photos of "the quietly spoken North enigma" he got from Junior Seagulls and for his birthday! He even enjoyed the drizzled frustration of the 2-2 home draw with Rochdale last season when we were over on holiday.
As for my 7 year old son, I've forced The Albion on him and he seems happy about it, although somewhat upset that I've sugegsted he takes down his signed photos of "the quietly spoken North enigma" he got from Junior Seagulls and for his birthday! He even enjoyed the drizzled frustration of the 2-2 home draw with Rochdale last season when we were over on holiday.
Seagull on the wing
New member
Born in Brighton,Nazi's tried to bomb us out. Moved to Coldean,8th family to move in,went to Stanmer secondary (Later to change to Falmer High). Dad hated football,he was a Billiard/Snooker fan,so I never got to see the Albion with him. Joined the Navy,May the 4th 1954,did training...went to the Suez canal debacle,posted to Portsmouth,was being sent out to the Far East,had leave,got to Brighton Station and it was packed,asked this fellow where everybody was going...to the Albion...so I went along to see Albion v Sunderland on 6th Dec 1958.We won 2-0 and I was hooked,came back Feb 1960 and quickly got back in the habit of all things Albion,still have boxes of programmes,including first floodlit match,most of the Testimonial games,started collecting old programmes and even have a reserve programme against Spurs which,come 4th of November this year is 100 years old.Missed one home game in 14 years(Oldham 3-0) due to being in hospital, even then took a radio in to listen to the match. At one time I had done every stadium bar two,then new stadiums pop up,so at my age it's a losing battle. 53 years in worship of the God that is Albion...let's hope the next 53 are just as amazing.
Sounds like my case a wee bit. I was a Man U fan when i was a kid and a family friend took me to see Brighton vs Man U. He was an Albion fan and sadly i celebrated the Man U victory. Moved to Sussex when i was five from London and all my family support London clubs including my brother who use to be a Palace season ticket holder. I then reached about thirteen years of age and went along with a mate to my first proper converting match - Brighton vs Stoke in the mid 80's. Hooked ever since.
Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Uncle started taking me 1970,he had been a fan since 1920's then big bruv would take me to the back of the north stand from then on it was a mixture of football and the unsavoury 70's football culture that got me hooked!
now its just the football and sense of history that connect me so deeply to the albion!
Also born in brighton
now its just the football and sense of history that connect me so deeply to the albion! Also born in brighton
Dorset Seagull
Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Born 1/2 mile from the Goldstone and was fotty mad so it all just sort of happened
Return of the Rev
Well-known member
Uncle started taking me 1970,he had been a fan since 1920's then big bruv would take me to the back of the north stand from then on it was a mixture of football and the unsavoury 70's football culture that got me hooked!
forgot my mum who i dragged along to away games on the old supporters coach for financial reasons,yep she got hooked and became a goldstone regular! bless my uncle and mum
Attachments
Growing up in Oxfordshire I naturally followed Man Utd when I first became aware of football, basically on the grounds that they were on the telly a lot and generally won. My favourite players were Eric Cantona and Andrei Kanchelskis, both of whom of course would come to have some relevance to Albion fans in one form or another.
One Summer we came down to visit family in Sussex, and my cousin took me along to the Goldstone for my first ever live football match. I think my first thought was probably that it didn't look quite as impressive as Old Trafford had done on the telly, but I enjoyed it anyway. From then on, most times we came down to visit I'd be taken to the Goldstone if there was a game on (incidentally, it became a bit of a running joke that we never lost when I went, it was about 10 games before I saw my first defeat), and every time I became less of a Man U fan and more of an Albion fan.
That first game was August 21st 1993, a 1-1 draw with Hartlepool United, and now here I am 18 years later getting excited like a kid on Christmas Eve about the official opening of The Amex (who needs Old Trafford anyway?) tomorrow, then Donny on the 6th and who knows what beyond that...
One Summer we came down to visit family in Sussex, and my cousin took me along to the Goldstone for my first ever live football match. I think my first thought was probably that it didn't look quite as impressive as Old Trafford had done on the telly, but I enjoyed it anyway. From then on, most times we came down to visit I'd be taken to the Goldstone if there was a game on (incidentally, it became a bit of a running joke that we never lost when I went, it was about 10 games before I saw my first defeat), and every time I became less of a Man U fan and more of an Albion fan.
That first game was August 21st 1993, a 1-1 draw with Hartlepool United, and now here I am 18 years later getting excited like a kid on Christmas Eve about the official opening of The Amex (who needs Old Trafford anyway?) tomorrow, then Donny on the 6th and who knows what beyond that...
brighton terra
Well-known member
From the age of 12 I have supported Weymouth through all their many ups an downs!! I moved to Brighton when I was 20 and went to the Goldstone as a casual fan in the mid-80s. After a couple of JCL seasons I bought a season ticket and have been a regular ever since.
rocker959
Well-known member
Taken by my Dad a fan since after the war, to Barrow at home 1963 aged 5 and as another stated I had never seen so many people, the build ups of noise, the smells of pipe tobacco, the colours etc, hooked.
My dear Sister Maxine came to a pre season friendly v Gibralta 6 - 0 in 1968 aged 6 and hooked ever since.
The 3 of us attended '' Brighton till I die '' on Wednesday eve and what a reminder of the rollercoaster journey of a Brighton fan that was. Excellent.
My dear Sister Maxine came to a pre season friendly v Gibralta 6 - 0 in 1968 aged 6 and hooked ever since.
The 3 of us attended '' Brighton till I die '' on Wednesday eve and what a reminder of the rollercoaster journey of a Brighton fan that was. Excellent.
bhaexpress
New member
Next door neighbour took my brother and myself to watch us beat Birmingham City in the old League Cup in 1969, been a fan since.
Meade's Ball
Well-known member
I doubt i have an eloquent tale of how i first fell in love, but i'll go on anyway. I'd been a good few times as a child, particularly when Barnsley visited, thanks to my family having been roughly raised in that area before finding finer, purer lands to inhabit in the south. But i never felt a part of things at that age. I had a childhood filled with comics and skateboards and hip-hop and sometimes sorry tidings. I don't read enviously of others' cause of fandom, but my dad dying wheni was 10 probably had something to do with me being a late-seagullian developer. It wasn't until April of '91, i think, off to a game to celebrate my friend's birthday, a 0-0 draw i believe, that i suddenly felt the urge to individually return as many weeks as possible. In the northstand with the oddly-shaped and weird-faced males perhaps i felt i belonged, or simply didn't look the weirdest.
The slow walks over and the normally slightly saddened strolls home again. The unwanted waves for attention past Chris Eubanks' home were noted and remembered. The deliberate lighting of cigarettes with my friend Sir Charles in unison to make the time and air they infected fortunate for the Albion. The no-no no-no-no-no's. The sprinting onto the field to occupy the centre-circle in protest until Brady talked us off. The Dickov 93rd minute winning whizzbang to conquer Plymouth 2-1. The running in fear from the 9 Portsmouth scummers that came onto the pitch to rival our thousand or so.
It was a magical place, the Goldstone, and i thank some sort of lord for being allowed to enter it and remember it warmly.
The slow walks over and the normally slightly saddened strolls home again. The unwanted waves for attention past Chris Eubanks' home were noted and remembered. The deliberate lighting of cigarettes with my friend Sir Charles in unison to make the time and air they infected fortunate for the Albion. The no-no no-no-no-no's. The sprinting onto the field to occupy the centre-circle in protest until Brady talked us off. The Dickov 93rd minute winning whizzbang to conquer Plymouth 2-1. The running in fear from the 9 Portsmouth scummers that came onto the pitch to rival our thousand or so.
It was a magical place, the Goldstone, and i thank some sort of lord for being allowed to enter it and remember it warmly.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
That is my answer too.
Slough Seagull
Bye Bye Slough
- Nov 23, 2006
- 743
Born in Cambridgeshire, brought up in Scotland but was thankfully shown the way by my Sussex born and bred, father & grandfather...no chance of me supporting anyone else...