Whatever became of ex-Albion apprentices from 1970s and 1980s?

[Vegas Seagull]

Paul Gent broke my 11 year old football heart by leading Moulscoomb to a 4-3 Baker Cup final win against my Westdene team, 1975. We led 3-1 at HT and I'm sure he scored at least one.

Jack Dineen was seeing (and messing about) our secretary when I worked at SDG in Queens Square 1997-ish. He was always getting into scrapes, mostly of his own volition (allegedly).

PG

Unnecessary

 

[Harry H]

Unnecessary

Thread revival.

Paul Hubbard is alive and well and has lived in Spain for 15 years working as a teacher.
He tells me he was prettier than Nige (Mark Nye) .
I find that hard to believe.

 

[Shuggie]

Didn't see this first time round ... or at least I imagine I didn't.

Steve Ford: if memory serves, scored something like 69 of the 120-odd goals scored by Hove Grammar first XI (3rd year) in 1971/72 when he would have been about 13 or 14. He later played for England schoolboys and was allowed to wear the Three Lions on his school blazer instead of the Blatchington Mill emblem like the rest of us. He was an apprentice at the Albion. A few of us went to see him in a reserve team when he was about 18. God, he was awful that night. Later went on to play one or two games for Stoke in Div 1 (top tier) but that was it.

About 25 years later I bumped into him when he was employed at Withdean in a community role. I think he was subsequently squeezed out / chose to leave as AITC moved from well-meaning amateurs to well-meaning professionals.

Played against him in a few house matches ... he was playing a different game to the rest of us.

 

[el punal]

Francis Fraser is the Dad of Tommy. Tommy may have an idea what his Dad has been up to over the years.

And probably his granddad too.

 

[knocky1]

Didn't see this first time round ... or at least I imagine I didn't.

Steve Ford: if memory serves, scored something like 69 of the 120-odd goals scored by Hove Grammar first XI (3rd year) in 1971/72 when he would have been about 13 or 14. He later played for England schoolboys and was allowed to wear the Three Lions on his school blazer instead of the Blatchington Mill emblem like the rest of us. He was an apprentice at the Albion. A few of us went to see him in a reserve team when he was about 18. God, he was awful that night. Later went on to play one or two games for Stoke in Div 1 (top tier) but that was it.

About 25 years later I bumped into him when he was employed at Withdean in a community role. I think he was subsequently squeezed out / chose to leave as AITC moved from well-meaning amateurs to well-meaning professionals.

Played against him in a few house matches ... he was playing a different game to the rest of us.

I believe he spent a couple of years playing in the Hong Kong league at some point in the 80's either before or after Stoke.

Were you in his year? He ended up in ours as he repeated a year. Not sure if that was for educational or footballing reasons or both. Used to sleep next to him in Economics A-Level......

 

[The Birdman]

Mark Nye. Utter legend of the clubbing scene in the 80's. allegedly pissed in Mullers shampoo bottle whilst an apprentice. Was a big player at Worthing during their success in the early 80's with Edmonds, Cornwall, Rainsford, etc. reasonable at Horsham, Burgess Hill etc afterwards. During the early 80's, every birds bogs in the town had 'I've shagged Mark Nye' in lippy on the mirror!
Was the lucky recipient of a black blow up doll on his 21st birthday!

i always thought he wore eye shadow .I watched him play for Hangleton against the mighty Heath Sunday at Hambury Park. Great player.

 

[The Birdman]

Didn't see this first time round ... or at least I imagine I didn't.

Steve Ford: if memory serves, scored something like 69 of the 120-odd goals scored by Hove Grammar first XI (3rd year) in 1971/72 when he would have been about 13 or 14. He later played for England schoolboys and was allowed to wear the Three Lions on his school blazer instead of the Blatchington Mill emblem like the rest of us. He was an apprentice at the Albion. A few of us went to see him in a reserve team when he was about 18. God, he was awful that night. Later went on to play one or two games for Stoke in Div 1 (top tier) but that was it.

About 25 years later I bumped into him when he was employed at Withdean in a community role. I think he was subsequently squeezed out / chose to leave as AITC moved from well-meaning amateurs to well-meaning professionals.

Played against him in a few house matches ... he was playing a different game to the rest of us.

good basketball player as well.

 

[Emperor Tomato Ketchup]

Steve Breach? Joined the Albion from Arsenal, but never made the first team. Went on to be a legend at Crawley Town.

Sure I saw his name as manager of AFC Uckfield last season, last time I saw Paul Gent he was working in the Victor Chandler in Coombe Terrace, this was about 30 years ago though

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I used to play for Chesworth Rovers (very badly) but I was year below Franco at Forest and don't think I played with him, my team had Jason Cheater. Maybe we know each other?

This Jason Cheater? Ironically as a footballer... (start at 3m 20s)

https://youtu.be/vf0TtAsZaNk?t=202

 

[BigGully]

Thread revival.

Paul Hubbard is alive and well and has lived in Spain for 15 years working as a teacher.
He tells me he was prettier than Nige (Mark Nye) .
I find that hard to believe.

You might ask him about his own conduct whilst an apprentice or young professional, Hubby was, lets just say a character at this time, his current persona belies what a rascal he used to be, whereas Mark Nye was timid in comparison, not sure that Mark ever did wee in Mullers shampoo but I wouldnt put it past Hubby and a few other things that happened at the time !!!

 

[Gritt23]

Ah, Jack Dineen. My mate Big Chris and I used to have a terrible song for him, that through our beery haze, we just couldn't believe wasn't catching on around us.

Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Jaaaaaaack Dineen.

Oh, happy, drunken days on the North Stand.

 

[rool]

Don't know if the link works but Jack Dineen contributed to this Irish Times article earlier this year.

Thought he sounded a bit disrespectful towards Alan Shearer seeing as he was such a great footballing talent himself but that's probably just the usual anti Brit stuff you hear constantly in the media over here.



https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/english-soccer/boys-in-green-and-blue-the-irish-at-brighton-1.3183847

 

[timbha]

You might ask him about his own conduct whilst an apprentice or young professional, Hubby was, lets just say a character at this time, his current persona belies what a rascal he used to be, whereas Mark Nye was timid in comparison, not sure that Mark ever did wee in Mullers shampoo but I wouldnt put it past Hubby and a few other things that happened at the time !!!

What’s he teaching? I suspect he’s got no plans to return to the UK!!!

 

[Harry H]

What’s he teaching? I suspect he’s got no plans to return to the UK!!!

He teaches PE, PSHE and is in charge of pastoral care.
From some of the stuff he has told me he was a total menace.
I suspect he hasn't told me the worst bits!
He's grown up a bit now

 

[Jello]

This Jason Cheater? Ironically as a footballer... (start at 3m 20s)

https://youtu.be/vf0TtAsZaNk?t=202

yep that's him, still acting

 

[Guerrero]

It wasn't Mullers shampoo.
It was his tea !
He thought someone had put salt in it.
It also wasn't Mark Nye !

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Ah, Jack Dineen. My mate Big Chris and I used to have a terrible song for him, that through our beery haze, we just couldn't believe wasn't catching on around us.

Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Dineen, Dineen, Di-neen-neen-neen.
Jaaaaaaack Dineen.

Oh, happy, drunken days on the North Stand.

Surely there was a Dolly Parton song in there somewhere? Don't give the ball away, just because you can.

 

[Guerrero]

You might ask him about his own conduct whilst an apprentice or young professional, Hubby was, lets just say a character at this time, his current persona belies what a rascal he used to be, whereas Mark Nye was timid in comparison, not sure that Mark ever did wee in Mullers shampoo but I wouldnt put it past Hubby and a few other things that happened at the time !!!

"Rascal" is a good word.
Must have driven Glenn Wilson , George Aitkin and Ken Guttridge insane
Not to mention Mullers and Craggsy.
Big Gully .
Whatever you have heard is probably true....then some.
Supplying booze and partying with Slade when they were supposed to be kept "dry".
"Hiding" the chairmans car.
Wearing Wardys scoring boots for Sunday kickabouts.
Playing against a team of dustbins organised into a 4-4-2 formation at the Goldstone at 3am.
Going straight from a party after a stranglers concert into training with three senior pros. Mullers sussed it and there was some vomit on the training ground that morning .
Lots,lots more .
Much of which couldn't be put on an open forum.
Maybe a chapter in a book one day!

 

[BigGully]

"Rascal" is a good word.
Must have driven Glenn Wilson , George Aitkin and Ken Guttridge insane
Not to mention Mullers and Craggsy.
Big Gully .
Whatever you have heard is probably true....then some.
Supplying booze and partying with Slade when they were supposed to be kept "dry".
"Hiding" the chairmans car.
Wearing Wardys scoring boots for Sunday kickabouts.
Playing against a team of dustbins organised into a 4-4-2 formation at the Goldstone at 3am.
Going straight from a party after a stranglers concert into training with three senior pros. Mullers sussed it and there was some vomit on the training ground that morning .
Lots,lots more .
Much of which couldn't be put on an open forum.
Maybe a chapter in a book one day!

How about the tampering/stealing a directors coat/hat or the daubing on the fence at Hove Park where they trained with 'Mullers is a c**t', or did I dream that

 

[Guerrero]

How about the tampering/stealing a directors coat/hat or the daubing on the fence at Hove Park where they trained with 'Mullers is a c**t', or did I dream that

I believe the word "Fat" was in there somewhere.
It was there for years.
Of course with the offending rude word painted over.

To be fair the directors hat and coat was "borrowed", taken on a night out and returned anonymously on the Monday morning.

I have to say that the Boss ( Mr Bamber ) had a great sense of humour .
Mullers didn't !
Nor did club captain Nobby Horton.