When and why did you start supporting Brighton?

[He Shot He Scored]

My first match was v Palace in Oct 76 1-1 draw. Massive crowd, great atmosphere, on the telly on Sunday afternoon. Great to see how seagull fans first got into it, and to see a whole new generation getting hooked who will hopefully fill our fantastic stadium for many years to come. I was a JCL in 1976, and I started supporting during a promotion season, so you could say I jumped on the bandwagon - but like most on here, it'll be a bandwagon for life!

 

[Worthingite]

Good on you fella!! Ignore the people on this forum banging on about "JCL's". Its hardly glory hunting supporting Brighton & if the grupmy gits on here got what they wanted, there will only be 5000 @ Falmer every week!!! Good luck with obtaining a ST next year!!!

Cheers mate! Was expecting a barrage of abuse!!!!

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Back in the early 70's when Pat Seward was manager my dad was an agent for an American company that specialised in primer and rustproofing products. He got the contact to put it on the north stand, and I went along one day (i was about 10) and the groundsman, Frankie Howard let me kick a ball around on the pitch and took me into the dressing rooms etc. Not long after that I went to my first game I think it was against Mansfield and I was hooked, so many good memories and stories.
my Dad also knew Eric Gill well and we sometimes stayed in his hotel (Simpsons, Madiera Drive) and we used to go to games.
I dont know why but a game that stands out for me, as a lad was a floodlit midweek game against Wolves, just walking through the tunnel and round into Goldstone Lane to see a floodlit full house 40 mins before kick off was special and, of course, Peter Ward special days.

 

[nomoremithras4me]

The old man seems to think it was against forest in the mid/late 70's, can't remember. I was about 7 or 8 at the time, east stand for us until I flew the football nest when I was about 14/15 and moved to north stand. Dads been going since the late 50's so born into the Albion really, f***ing glad I was, best roller coaster ride in the world. Had a little break due to family (had 2 kids inside a year 97/98)/work commitments thro the late 90's early 2000's but always there in spirit. I thought being at all the cup games in 83 would never be equalled but on 6/08/11 I had the hairs on my arms standing up just as back in 1983. Can't wait for the next 2/3 years and yet another ride on the Albion roller coaster

 

[sirbrian]

Around 73/74. Group of us getting bus from Crowborough to Lewes train to Brighton to Hove. Stood at front of south stand was mesmorised by north stand and ended up going in there. Loved the sights,sounds, smell. Now it's train to pub to ground, coach home still love it all. The Leeds, Palace, Burnley and Southampton games remind me of some of those storming games in the good old Goldstone days.

 

[Mancgull]

I went to the Leatherhead FA cup match but the memory which is most clear is listening to the radio when Wardy made his debut against Hereford and scored within the first minute. Then went to the Aldershot away game late that season and saw him...think he came on as a sub. Was hooked and the next season was filled with amazing games and memories of Wardy ripping defences apart game after game. Climax was the home game against Sheffield Wed in front of over 30,000 when we came from behind to win 3-2. I still have a commemorative shield from that promotion signed by all the team hanging in my study at home.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

My dad grew up supporting Brighton and got me into it when I was 8(ish). The first game which I remember was on the 28th of December 2002 against Burnley when Sidwell scored in the 88th and 89th minute to tie the game at 2-2.

 

[tweenster]

As a child I liked Chelsea; the Chelsea v Leeds FA Cup final in 1970 was immense, and for Christmas that year I received a Chelsea football kit and remember kicking a ball round my grandparents garden in the snow. Great memories. Our family roots are in Westminster so supporting Chelsea was not so unusual. However, a couple of years later I went with my uncle and cousins to watch The Albion at the Goldstone ground and my allegiance changed. We were living in Newhaven at the time so it seemed natural to support the local side, although 'that' result against Bristol Rovers in Dec 73 was tough as a youngster to get over, especially when all my school mates were Liverpool or Man Utd 'supporters'. Apart from one who was a loyal Luton Town fan, bless him! It was about 1979 that I attended my first Albion v Palace match and I had a scary post=match experience in the tunnel under Hove station where I had Palace fans on one side and snarling Police dogs on the other; more great memories! In the early 80s work took me away from the area. My parents then moved to Hove, just a stone's throw from the Goldstone! Why couldn't they have done that whilst I lived at home? Since then, I've followed the Albion from afar as work took me around the world, and now I find myself in Gosport that is close enough to allow me to get to The Amex once a month or so. Great memories in the making. And one of my sons has accompanied me to the Peterborough and Southampton games this year, and both my sons will be accompanying me to the Millwall match; maybe future Albion fans? They're not converts just yet, but I'm working on it.

 

[Jimmy Come Lately]

Doncaster Rovers, 2011.

Growing up in one of the rugby playing parts of Scotland (and with Scottish football being - whisper it - not all that good) I never really got into the game as a kid, but when I moved to England I tried to take an interest in whichever team was local at the time. Living in Shepherd's Bush I failed to get excited about QPR and living in Highbury I couldn't summon any real affection for Arsenal. I didn't expect to have any more luck with Brighton but checking the league tables each week for will-they/won't-they-be-in-the-relegation-zone was gripping and the whole Goldstone-to-Falmer saga was a rollercoaster.

So I've followed the results for a while but only really been a supporter for less than six months. Now I'm Albion till I die. I think I was after that first game against Donny, to be honest. It's amazing how quickly it can take you.

 

[catfish]

My dad took me to see us play Cardiff in Nov 1972 & that was it - I was hooked.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I was born in beckenham, too, and my parents lived in Sydenham and so i should be a Palace fan on that count. but they moved to Worthing when I was 15 months old. Was football mad as a kid and used to go to watch Worthing (Mick Streeter) until one saturday afternoon they were losing about 8-0 at half-time so walked out at half-time and went to the Goldstone the following week and remember players like Kit Napier, John Napier, Ken Beamish, Alex Dawson, Dave Turner, brian powney, John Templeman, Brian Tawse, Howard Wilkinson. had previously through my brother been interested and aware of Div 4 championship and the Bobby Smith/Mel Hopkins time.

Live near outhampton now, and have done for a long time, but......... I guess I am prejudiced because I can still remember the local television coverage being all about Southampton, with the occasional "Oh by the way, Brighton have just won Div 4 at a canter. And I never liked Terry Payne - Southampton and England - always thought he was the dirtiest player in the league..... and those sideburns!

 

[CPFC1234]

Isnt it obvoius Gents, they were waiting to pounce for the SHAMEX, over 10,000 werent Goldstone and Withdean regulars.

 

[Dan Gleeballs]

1983 v Man City in the 4th round of the FA cup. 4-0 victory & loved it. Plenty of games since but my first season as a season ticket holder though which in the eyes of CPFC1234 makes me a very bad person... I mean how dare I...

 

[airman]

When and why? I'm not even sure that I do, but just recently my interest has piqued a little.

My Dad's a big Seagulls fan, he was brought up in Brighton. From an early age he would sing various Brighton football chants at me (horrendously out of tune as he's tone deaf bless him). I never caught the bug, not even the football bug really. Growing up in the 70s and 80s I'd collect the panini stickers etc but never really got into the sport. I've been to three football games in my life, but funnily enough two of them were Albion away games. The first sometime late eighties, a friends Dad was taking him to a Leicester game and asked if I wanted to come ... I forget the score. I must have been twelve or thirteen, I seem to remember Barry Lloyd (?) was manager. All my friends were Forest fans (I lived in that part of the country) but I recognised my affinity with the south coast club. I think at that stage I even had a wooley Seagulls hat. Interested in other things soon after (mostly music, girls, trying to get with girls, getting over being blown out by girls etc), football didn't ignite my passion and what had been a fad faded away...

Fast forward to the nineties, I'm in the RAF and stationed near Lincoln. A bunch of the guys are off down town to watch Lincoln City, guess what, they're playing Brighton. Again, I cant remember the score, I think Seagulls won but cant be sure. All I really remember is how vocal the Brighton fans were! I remember enjoying the atmosphere.

Skip ahead again. Dad lives in Canada now, has done for around 10 years. We speak every now and again on the phone ... he ALWAYS brings up how the Seagulls are doing. He follows religiously online. He was so excited about the new ground, and tried to get over for the first game there but it didn't work out. I managed to get him one of the souvenir shirts on-line, he was made up with that! I guess I'm forcing myself to try and pay more attention to the Albion, so that I can keep up with the Old Man when he rings.

Couple that with the 'Gullys Girls' I came across on twitter thanks to one of them being a fine sort and supportive of the Forces ... more interest in the club piqued!

It's an ambition to have one of those father and son moments before it's too late and go to a Brighton home game with the Old Man, it's got to happen as it'd make him so happy.

I don't think I'll ever be 'die hard', I've got rugby and ice hockey for that. But the Seagulls have been a constant background thread to my life and I guess that's why now as an adult, I recognise the affilliation and if I'm to wish any team well it's Brighton and Hove Albion. Its 'my team' by association and therefore deserving of my support. I suppose that makes me a supporter of sorts ...
I hope that makes sense to you, oh, and hello all!

 

[Biscuit]

Can't remember ever not. Went to a primary school full of the usual Arsenal, United, Liverpool crowd that took the piss. Glad to say most of them are season ticket holders now that saw the light. Started going to the Withdean so wouldn't call them JCL's.

 

[Dan Gleeballs]

[MENTION=23304]airman[/MENTION] top story mate. Great read although be careful having a life outside of football some Palarse forum trolls may hold this against you

 

[Brighton247.com]

Born in Brighton, the old man used to take me down the goldstone, supported Brighton from day one. Born in 1987, Brighton have been the team i've followed ever since well for as long as I can remember. Had trials as a school boy know a few of the old brighton produced players still. Over the moon with the way the club has progressed the struggle for falmer was a long one but every time I see it, theres an un-describable feeling of satisfaction and almost unbelief. New to the forum but not new to BHA. I'ld like to introduce myself to the nsc forum been browsing the content for a while feel like now its time to get involved and contribute, really good community here with loads of valid content, i'm new to forums aswel and I know some people get arsey if it goes off topic. Still hello everyone. Brighton247

 

[Chris0979]

First game was in the early 90's at the Goldstone with 2 of my Uncle's, I missed out Gillingham and started going to Withdean I stopped about 10 years ago as I just didn't have the money anymore. At one point I was 17 and it was cheaper going to an away game at Bournemouth than to get into Withdean. I now have a house, family and reasonable job so I'm hoping for a season ticket next season! Once a Brighton fan always a Brighton fan!

 

[Slough Seagull]

Since the moment I was born in the late seventies. My dad started going in 1955 with my grandfather and despite me not being born in, or having ever lived in, Sussex it has been and will be the only football team I'll ever support.

 

[Mutts Nuts]

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

79-80 season went with mates we were 11,because they are our local team and because we could go to most home games.All of us now have st`s at Falmer