When did you start supporting the Albion?

[rcf0712]

That was around the time time my Dad first started taking me and I too had previously been a Chelsea fan due in no small part because of one Peter Osgood who remains a hero of mine.

The early Albion teams I remember watching had the likes of Kit and John Napier, Fred Binney, Willie Irvine, John Templeman, Harry Wilson, Brian Powney etc playing for them. I later worked for a company alongside Jack Bertolini who became a good friend although I had missed out on his playing days.

memories, I even had a Chelsea kit with a 9 on the back, loved Osgood, he was a barn storming centre forward who was as hard as nails and lethal in the air - what Drogba could and should be like.

 

[Screaming J]

April 1969, last game of the season, we lost 2-0 to Gillingham, a win which kept them up. I still have the programme; their reserve goalie was called Bellotti (I wonder if he was any relation; that might explain one or two things!!...).

I have this vague memory that Alex Dawson missed a penalty by blazing it way over the crossbar in front of the South Stand (I was in the North down by the touch line with my Grandfather) but it was a long time ago and some recollections of games back then get muddled up - the memory is not what it was!!

 

[whitelion]

First game v Leeds United

First game in the old second division v Leeds 1960/61 season.

Didn't start going regularly until 1964/65 though. I was fortunate to see consecutive wins at the Goldstone 9-1 and 10 - something. Can't remember the exact details and not going to research but Southend rings a bell and one was a cup game.

 

[fleet]

1967-8 for me

 

[Spun Cuppa]

Forty years ago

 

[Padders]

1969 ish. No idea which game though

 

[Brownstuff]

First game 1984, not sue the particular season, it always annoys me that i can't recall the team we were playing or the score (i know we didn't win though)
Went with my old man after years of pestering him to take me, he wouldn't let me go before as he didnt want to subject me to the relentless swearing and potential violence at matches.
Watched it close to the top of the North East Terrace on a rockety old stool.
Remember being embarrassed standing next to my Dad as he used to constantly slag off the ref or our players bellowing at the top of his voice.
He was a tight arse too and never bought a programme, hence another reason couldn't remember the game.
He was right about the violence though as a few games later Birmingham or Leeds came down and there were fans fighting on the pitch and a few police horses were sent on to drive them off.
Hooked thereafter and then a few seasons later went with mates in the North Stand swearing like a trooper.

 

[SICKASAGULL]

1947 as a twelve year old, in the third division South the football was often open and exciting, end to end and many goalmouth incidences. I used to walk from Brighton Station to the Goldstone and back,as time went on I saw the Albion at places like Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, I had to see them on TV as well before I could believe I had not dreamed it.
I stopped attending when we had to play our home games at Gillingham but resummed when Withdean became our temporary home up to the time we were relegated to Div1,because the standard of play was so poor. I intend to visit Falmer when we are back in the Championship but am not holding my breath.

 

[coventrygull]

1968 but must admit the games I go to are becoming less and less.

 

[dje shoreham]

Struggling to remember year 68 or 69. Think first game was a reserve team game at Goldstone when attendances were fairly decent - also remember going to big boxing day games with grandad on chicken run.
Impressed with you guys who can remember first games and scores in 50/60s!

 

[Renns]

First game was the 4-4 against Oreint at the Goldstone, my dad wanted my first game ever to be there. So the 97 season?

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

1985. First game was at the end of 1984, against Wimbledon, won 2-1, but hadn't totally weaned myself off Spurs until the start of the next season. Went nuts over the win against Hull in the FA Cup (3-2 win I think, winner from Terry Connor) and was a gonner from then onwards. I passed my driving test at the beginning of 1988, and drove up to Bury and Preston in the next two following weeks, giving my poor mother kittens.

 

[Lincolnshire Seagull]

1958 -- first game uncertain.

I was there when Adrian Thorne banged in five goals to win our first ever promotion from Division Three South. Other memories include being among the 36,000+ record crowd when we played Fulham and Johnny Haynes. The open-mouthed astonishment when the god that was Brian Clough was seen actually walking towards the Goldstone home dugout -- imagine as if nowadays we'd suddenly secured the services of Arsene Wenger.

The era of Mike Bamber, and Alan Mullery, and all that followed. That purple patch from 1975 to 1983: coming to regard crowds of 25,000 as the norm; the incomparable Peter Ward -- as so many others have noted, the most exciting player ever to have appeared in the stripes. The awe-inspiring imperiousness of Mark Lawrenson; the utterly fantastic captaincy of Brian Horton. Travelling to Newcastle in 1979 for what remains, for me, the greatest moment in Albion history, and that pinch-me-I'm-dreaming moment as we secured our berth in the top division.

A few months later, sitting in the ridiculous but necessary Lego stand, as Arsenal thumped us 4-0 in front of 28,000 fans in our opening Division One game; feeling that, under Mike Bailey, a position of 13th in the top division was somehow underachievement -- how we would kill for that now.

Of course, the 1983 Cup Final. Helping my dad climb to the very top of Wembley's steps to join the 25,000 delirious dreamers. Another pinch-me moment as Gordon Smith put us in the lead to set the world's most famous scoreboard reading Manchester United 0, Brighton & Hove Albion 1. And then, the Gary Stevens, Gordon Smith and Gary Bailey moments all combining to create the most fantastic day out imaginable.

Of course the three promotions of recent years in the era of Dick Knight and Bobby Zamora have together created some wonderful memories to spur on a new generation of younger fans. But those of us privileged enough to remember the golden era now realise how incredibly lucky we were to witness such great days. We can only hope that, beneath the roof of our amazing new stadium, the present generation will be rewarded with even more spectacular achievements which they in turn will be able to claim as their own treasured memories of what it really means to be an Albion fan.

Excellent memories and sentiments. My first game was in 1958 too - a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers. I was lifted up to sit on a barrier but it made my bum sore. We hit the bar with a peno, and they had one which hit the roof of the stand, as my memory recalls it.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

I passed my driving test at the beginning of 1988, and drove up to Bury and Preston in the next two following weeks, giving my poor mother kittens.

Those were the games the celery came out if anyone can remember this.

 

[sullyshuffle]

First game October 18 1969 v Luton Town at the Goldstone. We lost 1-2 so things haven't changed that much over the years!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

First game was the 4-4 against Oreint at the Goldstone, my dad wanted my first game ever to be there. So the 97 season?

My lads first game as well.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Went "solo" for Albion 4 Middlesbro 6 in 1958.Does that make me pre Clough,or.......not?

Went with my dad for a few before that,and some pre season warm-ups,but 20th Dec 1958 I count as my first.

 

[Box of Frogs]

memories, I even had a Chelsea kit with a 9 on the back, loved Osgood, he was a barn storming centre forward who was as hard as nails and lethal in the air - what Drogba could and should be like.

Yep - my first ever footy kit was a Chelsea one with '9' on the back. Also had a blue and white rosette with Ossie's picture in the middle.

I remember a picture in the newspaper once comparing Ossies stance when heading the ball to that of a skiier jumping off the giant jump thingy - you know, legs straight down, upper body bent 45 degrees forward, in a sort of 'L' shape.