[Albion] What was your first Brighton away game?

[wellquickwoody]

Here’s a weird one, just 15, and my cousin chose to drive to ****ing Barnsley away on a Tuesday night for a League Cup game. It sowed a seed mind.

 

[Comrade Sam]

Millwall about '86. They hadn't lost at home for over a year and we won 1-0. Terrifying, with a conveyor belt of coppers wading in, then backing out without their helmets and clutching their faces. I was enthralled and a lifetime of away adventures began.

 

[origigull]

Pompey away 72/73 season

This was mine as well. Did you go by train? I got to Portsmouth 12ish and spent a lot of time getting chased. A real eye-opener for me. I remember 3 trains coming in from Brighton rammed full of Brighton but each train had a welcoming from the locals.

 

[Hampden Park]

Mini bus up to cheaterfield 1974, I think. raided the market on the way. Went in their end

 

[bhanutz]

Is it bad to say... I honestly don't have a clue...

 

[Return of the Rev]

This was mine as well. Did you go by train? I got to Portsmouth 12ish and spent a lot of time getting chased. A real eye-opener for me. I remember 3 trains coming in from Brighton rammed full of Brighton but each train had a welcoming from the locals.

Young lad and went by car, greyhound track in the evening. Uncle got tickets off a player and it was kicking off whilst waiting outside for comps

 

[Return of the Rev]

Millwall about '86. They hadn't lost at home for over a year and we won 1-0. Terrifying, with a conveyor belt of coppers wading in, then backing out without their helmets and clutching their faces. I was enthralled and a lifetime of away adventures began.

Ferguson scored for us, chose he games well to score the sod

 

[GREASED WEASEL]

Ferguson scored for us, chose he games well to score the sod

Scored at Fratton too

 

[Return of the Rev]

Mini bus up to cheaterfield 1974, I think. raided the market on the way. Went in their end

Was that the 1-1 last game of the season if so not 74

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Aldershot March 1974

 

[Hampden Park]

Was that the 1-1 last game of the season if so not 74

cannot remember tbh, was a little worse for alcohol. it was warm

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

First trip away on my own:
Manchester City 2 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
23rd February 1985
15 years old

First trip with my uncle who was visiting us when we lived in Aldershot.
Aldershot 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 1
3rd March 1974
4 years old, don't recall diddle squat about it, other than straw bales of hay around the edge of somewhere, am I wrong ?

That was my first away game*. I also went to the 'Shots' one with the pitch invasion. One of my old school pals, BK, for those who know him, on the pitch in his Sta Prest, scarf tied to his wrist

*Chelsea vs Leeds, 1970, presumably doesn't count

 

[Insel affe]

That was my first away game*. I also went to the 'Shots' one with the pitch invasion. One of my old school pals, BK, for those who know him, on the pitch in his Sta Prest, scarf tied to his wrist

Harry, am I right about some bales of hay ? I thought around the edge of the stadium or the way up..

So long ago, I would have set them alight had I been 14 not 4

 

[portslade seagull]

Palace in the early 70s with my Dad

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Harry, am I right about some bales of hay ? I thought around the edge of the stadium or the way up..

So long ago, I would have set them alight had I been 14 not 4

I'd forgotten, but when you mentioned it I saw them again in my mind's eye. Yes, bales of hay. And of course the train track yards from the pitch.

One or other of the Aldershot games I went to (my dad drove us) was an early KO, possibly played on a Sunday, owing to power cuts (floodlights banned). I'll check to see which one that was....

Edit, Sunday March 3 1974. What a memory!

(Strikes, three day week, power cuts, bath by candle light, Edward Heath powerless to deal with Scargill and the NUM.....the reason why Thatcher vowed to destroy the miners as soon as she got the chance)

 

[fosters headband]

Brentford 1 Brighton 0 the penultimate game in the 1957/58 promotion season
Albion’s first ever promotion was gained in the final game when Watford were beaten 6-0 with local boy Adrian Thorne scoring 5 goals. I was 14 years old

 

[zefarelly]

I thought I'd already posted . . . .

Steyning 1981 or 82, pre season friendly! got loads of autographs

proper game was Chelsea away, 1988, with Comrade Sam and Hippy. lost 2-0

 

[Seasidesage]

Palace away 76

 

[Jeremiah]

I am grateful for this thread as it prompted me to google details of my first away game when I was 14. It was at Palace in 1975 with my father. It was held in heavy rain and due to the large crowd we queued at the least lengthy queue and ended up in the Palace grandstand (which was much like the Goldstone West stand - hard wooden seats etc). We took our seats about 10 minutes after kick off and it became apparent from comments hurled around us that the score was not 0-0.

My father asked the person sitting next to him what was the score and he said "1-0 to Brighton" - where upon my father rather unwisely turned to me and shouted "we're 1-0 up !!! " . Throughout the game we took some stick but the Albion managed to hold on despite heavy Palace pressure.

I remember Barry Butlin scored the games only goal but what I didn't know until I just read John Vinicombe's write up was that Palace and Albion were described as "deadly rivals" . This was in the era of managers Alison and our own Peter Taylor prior to Venables and Mullery. Seems we were never friends

https://thegoldstonewrap.com/2013/05/10/barry-butlin-scores-the-winner-at-selhurst-park/

 

[AnotherArch]

Gillingham - of all places!
Oct 1963 - season before Bobby Smith.
Roy Jennings was sent off, and he was the first player I had seen sent off live. I thought the ref was going to call him back on!