When and why did you start supporting Brighton?

[Seagulls4life]

My story is...

Most of my family is filled with Chelsea and Arsenal fans and i'll admit to following Arsenal I was a late starter when it came to watching the local team. My uncle offered me a seat at Withdean to see a friendly and I took his offer. Ever since that day I've loved the Albion. In the middle of my 3rd year as a season ticket holder and i'm loving the ride! One thing that did annoy me was that my (now converted) Chelsea supporting mate had his first Brighton season ticket last year and we managed to win the league. I have one for two year prior to that and I watch us just about staying up 2 seasons in a row! Obviously its not all about winning the league, its about watching the team I love. I know plenty of people my age (17) that support many of the bigger premier league clubs and not 1 of them has been to the grounds of their teams but when I offer them a chance to come with me to watch the Albion I get "Why would I want to watch that shit?" Thrown back at me, really annoys me. Probably a very boring thing to read! Sorry

 

[JBizzleBeard]

1978 - The moment I was born.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

My older mate who had a car and was a regular at the Goldstone took me to the 'chicken run' in the mid - eighties. I enjoyed it, then they finished the North Stand roof and I fell in love with the surging, singing insanity of it all. Then I started to go to as many away games as possible and really liked the mixed crowd of hard core nutters! RICE CRISPIES LA LA LA!

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

It was a father and son thing to start. Dad has watched Brighton through the 50s and when I was aged 8 to 11 he took me to some reserve games. Then came the first team in 66-67 versus Bristol Rovers. Howard Wilkinson was on the right wing and we were 2 nil down with 15 minutes left. We scored 3 in those last 15 minutes (2 to Turner), the atmosphere was terrific and I was hooked. So many ups and downs since then and certainly no regrets.

 

[severnside gull]

My father wasn't a football fan at all but took me to a few games at Charlton and at Welling Utd and Dartford where we lived. We were in Brighton on holiday with family in August 1959 when Brighton happened to be playing Aston Villa in the first game of the season in the old division 2 and for want of something to do with me he took me along (one of only two Albion games we ever saw together, the other being Aldershot away in the cup years later) - the rest is history. Why Charlton never hooked me in the same way I will never know because I kept watching them for another five years before eventually moving down to Brighton permanently but I have always been a Dolphins (as we were then)/Seagulls fan

 

[Basil Fawlty]

1987- When I was just 18 Months old. My mum and dad are huge Albion fans, since early 60's. So basically I was born to be a Brighton fan.

 

[maidstoneseagull]

A friend of my dad had had season tickets, we borrowed them for a couple of games the first a 2-1 win over Port Vale in March/April 1988. Next season we were season ticket holders and the rest is history.

 

[Phoenix Arrow]

Umm. When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to Southampton games in the 90s. It was weird. I kind of liked the players, but I didn't like the other fans. Obviously not the case anymore, but they used to have a team mostly made up of homegrown players who liked playing with each other and that team play led them to overachieve. But I didn't feel like a Southampton fan. I still went to watch football and spend time with my dad though.
My mum told me about her team, Albion, who she used to go and watch with her brother. Told me about the stadium problems and all that I didn't like that. I used to look for their results and wish them to do well. Eventually, my interest in Brighton eclipsed my interest in Southampton. 1999 or something. Southampton had a great escape year which was fun, then it was like whatever.

 

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

about 2007 when I really started to attend games, I had a neighbour I was helping out who was terminally ill, and he stressed the importance of watching more and more games, obviously, I had no job when I was 15 back then, and he paid me cash in hand, and that went on the albion.

 

[Gritt23]

1978/79, because it was my local side.

 

[LukeOwen]

Plymouth away 3-3 2003/04, Dad took me along. Loved it ever since

 

[pasty]

Feb 9th 1974 - my 9th birthday. Barnsley supporting Dad (he was originally form there) took me to The Goldstone. Hooked there and then.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

My first visit to the Goldstone must have been around 1982, East Stand. Remember being pushed to the front by my dad, and standing on the milk crates with the other kids so we could see over the side. Milk Crates, they would be band by health and safety these days lol.

 

[chucky1973]

Dad took me to Brighton v Everton in our first season in the old div 1, May 1980, a 0-0 draw. Stood in the west stand on a stool and loved every single second of it. Have never watched another team (apart from Crawley) since, dont follow the premiership, dont watch the premiership, it means nothing to me. Its Brighton all the way for me, the wife, 2 kids.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Dad took me to Brighton v Everton in our first season in the old div 1, May 1980, a 0-0 draw. Stood in the west stand on a stool and loved every single second of it. Have never watched another team (apart from Crawley) since, dont follow the premiership, dont watch the premiership, it means nothing to me. Its Brighton all the way for me, the wife, 2 kids.

Stools along with Milk Crates are no longer allowed due to h&s lol.

 

[kip]

1983 cup final - first game I remember that I gave a shit about. I was about 9 or 10 and being from Brighton and all that - only one team from then on.

 

[rool]

1974. I supported Arsenal because my favourite uncle did but my nan told me off for not supporting my local team. So I switched because she was much scarier than my uncle.

 

[Hiney]

28th August 1968

Dad took me to The Goldstone to see my Godfather's brother play.

Hooked from then on.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Started as a ball-boy at the GG, 1982 onwards. Great times.

 

[spongy]

I only really started following football in the mid 90s when I was a late teenager (now I'm 33). I was much more into rugby and ice hockey then.

I only started following football then because I wanted to join in with conversation. Most my friends are premiership supporting clubs but I chose Brighton, went to my first game and have been hooked forever after.