[Albion] When you’ve been in the wrong end and had to keep quiet!

[PeterT]

I was working in Athens in the late 90s and was there when Olympiakos played Ajax in the Champions League. There were 4 of us and we were the only 4 that didn’t look obviously Greek and therefore, by definition we must be Ajax fans.

The floodlights went as we were queuing to get in and the gates by us got stormed. The atmosphere was manic, about 80,000 in (officially)and every gangway was full as there were a few more in than had bought tickets! We bought Olympiakos scarves just to make it clear that we weren’t Ajax fans. One of the craziest football atmospheres I have been in.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Tuesday 18th October 2005, Palace away, McShane in 79th minute. We were in the Palace hospitality suite and bizarrely Steve Foster was one of the speakers. Proper sitting on hands moment when we scored, surrounded by very unhappy bunnies.

 

[The Mole]

Quite a few times - the last being at Burnley a few years ago with a friend who invited me to join him for their hospitality

One of the more memorable times was at Forest with my brother and niece (both Forest fans) and my dad who was neutral. But when Leo scored that goal I was definitely not quiet!

 

[hoveboyslim]

At Palace when Gerry Ryan had his leg broken. At Portsmouth when we lost 5-1. At Aldershot when we lost 3-0 in the cup, when we were two divisions above them. All around 84-85. All horrible experiences - the Palace one by a country mile though, as Ryan was my favourite player.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

The ultimate one for me was on May 3, 1997. Got the tickets through a relative who lived nearby as they weren’t selling to anyone from outside the area and I hadn’t managed to get any tickets from Albion. It got rather tasty in there more than once, more than a few proudly with bloodied shirts and noses and looking for anyone who they weren’t related to as by definition they couldn’t be locals!

It was mayhem when they scored, and when we equalised I half bit my lip off. We moved a couple of times for our own safety/sanity and although they knew around us where our allegiances were we did at last feel we had half a chance of making it out alive compared to if we’d stayed where we first stood.

Still worth it anyway, a great view of the Albion fans celebrating and we stayed a bit longer than most in that end who had trudged off as soon as the whistle went!

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Got tickets via a friends family in the West Country.

In the upper tier seats closest to the home end. When they scored the family at the front went mad whilst the rest of us looked at each other and realised we were mostly Brighton. There was a lot of sitting on hands when we scored.

TBH one of my least favourite games. The stress and the hangover after a skinfull before the game took its toll.


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[DanR]

I have this dilemma soon.

I've been invited into the Spurs end for the our upcoming FA Cup game.

 

[T.G]

I had to take a young lady to a Bournemouth match as part of my work. She choose the Brighton game and I had to sit in the home end with her. I have a loathing for Bournemouth at the best of times so this was doubly uncomfortable. It was the match when Barnes turned and smacked in a superb equaliser. I completely forgot I was a. at work with a vulnerable young woman, b. In the home end. Up I went with a '****ing get in there'. Not sure how I didn't get attacked by the young woman or the home fans. I was subjected to a few random swear words and mutterings, but given my indiscretion I thought I got away lightly without a probably deserved kicking......and I kept my job!

 

[PeakGull]

West Ham United v Brighton 29th August 1981 Result 1-1 (sounds familiar)

Went on the day and for some reason thought it would be safer standing in the West Ham end rather than with Brighton fans (probably to avoid trouble after the game and to get back to the car quicker).

Anyhow, I had really bad toothache and stood behold the goal with two mates and one of them brought their sister along (who didn't go to football that often!).

From what I can remember we went one nil down and then Michael Robinson got brought down in the penalty area right in front of where we were standing - up strode Neil McNab (I think) and slammed it in. My mates sister then jumped in the air and started clapping until she was jabbed in the ribs and told to keep quiet in no uncertain terms. The man standing next to me (who looked like he'd been 10 rounds with Roberto Duran before kick-off) just smiled at me thankfully and nobody else seemed to notice, or if they did just felt sorry for us having brought someone that didn't seem to appreciate where she was standing!!!

 

[Berty23]

Leeds 1 Brighton 1 December 2005. https://www.11v11.com/matches/leeds-united-v-brighton-and-hove-albion-29-january-2005-27432/

I was in the away end but not a particularly rough bit. When guy butters scored I leapt up and then quickly realised I had to hurl abuse at Leeds for letting him score. I was rumbled but I managed to deflect because that goal bust my mates acca so the angry meathead laughed at my Leeds supporting mate and told him about karma for bringing me.

It was a memorable match for an odd reason. It was the Yelldell match in a pink shirt. Plus there was a race between mark mccammon and Paul buttler that everyone laughed at. It was just the two slowest professional footballers having a jog off.

Fun match.

 

[Surf's Up]

2nd September 1978, Cold Blow Lane and we won 4-1. Teddy Maybank scored a brace, including a superb volley for the fourth goal whereon he stripped his top off and flexed his muscles in front of the Milwall faithful. I kept a very very very low profile throughout and particularly when Teddy was performing his homoerotic strip!!!

 

[Gwylan]

Tuesday 18th October 2005, Palace away, McShane in 79th minute. We were in the Palace hospitality suite and bizarrely Steve Foster was one of the speakers. Proper sitting on hands moment when we scored, surrounded by very unhappy bunnies.

I've only been in a hospitality suite once and it was at Reading - the day when we won 2-1 and Kitson scored. I went fully bonkers in the suite but it's not really the same as being in an away end - I suspect that a good many people in the room weren't Reading supporters either and were just there for booze and scran

 

[Falmer Flutter ©]

Done a couple. Reading away in the top-of the-table game in League Two. Was 0-0, Gary Hart had a late goal ruled out if I recall. So many "hidden" Brighton fans in our area jumped up when we "scored". Also the 6-0 West Ham away game with a Hammers mate. Think it was pretty obvious to those around me that I was a Brighton fan when I reluctantly got to my feet again for the third time in the first 10 minutes. It's never fun but sometimes needs must.

 

[junior]

First game of the season away to Southend in about 2001 I think. Mickey Adams was in charge and it was the game Kuipers got subbed in at half time. I was in the away end with about 5 others. Sat in the front row behind the goal and as the game kicked off we unfurled a massive seagulls flag and hung it over the advertising boards. They scored early on I seem to remember and we got some shit from the home fans. Stewards came over and removed us but fair play because they walked us around the pitch/touchline and deposited us in the away end with the 3500 albion fans. Always sticks in my mind because as we walked past the dugouts Mickey Adams gave us a nod and said good try lads.

Seem to remember it all going off in town afterwards on some big grassy area.

Ironic thing is now I've grown up a bit I spend my weekends ejecting people from stadiums for doing similar things and always feel a bit tight!

 

[AnotherArch]

In the 60's and 70's going away with the Albion was a bit different. There was no segregation, so that meant the 'home end' invariably found us!
With terracing normally on at least three sides of grounds, it was sometimes possible to even change ends at halftime. At least the freedom of movement on terracing enabled you to sidle away from any 'hotspots' that were forming.

 

[Moaty]

Ibrox early 70's,now this was before segragation came in,so it wasn't strictly the Hun end but it was.Think it was the Copeland Road end.The idea was Hibees stand at this end,Huns everywhere else.It would be my first time at Castle Greyskull,with my dad and elder brother.We had got there early and my dad had said 'think we'll stand here'.Then the place filled up and we realised our grave error.We never let on, but the fans cottoned on,we were being spat at, had piss thrown at as,all sorts of dog's abuse.No idea of the result,all I know is we made a sharp exit at the end my dads mac covered in gobbings.

 

[babyshambles]

Brentford this season, was very difficult to contain myself I can tell you.

 

[amexer]

Just taking PL years have many business contacts in UK and many who have STs have invited ( not hospitality ) me when playing Brighton. Helps I am with some I know and a bit of a social occasion but not at all same sitting with opposition supporters. Last few years have been to Chelsea, Spurs. Arsenal.Southampton,Leicester,,Villa,Wolves and Brentford. Maybe this is why I am not keen on sharing scheme because for years was able to reciprocate and always able to get seat near me. Had mad situation against Leicester where I had my seat empty and paid for 2 seats in another part of ground.

 

[Bodian]

I'm watching the Spurs match at my mates house. Lifelong Spurs fan. Will that count?

 

[The-Libertine]

Brentford 1987 FA Cup

The cup game at Brentford in 1987 when Garry Nelson scored THAT goal. I didn’t imagine that I’d punch the air if Albion scored, but it was such an amazing goal that it just happened. Luckily other Albion fans nearby broke cover too when that goal went in. There was a lot of tension for a moment. One Brentford fan declared in a loud voice, ‘They are lucky BIG Den ain’t here today.’ I was certainly glad he wasn’t there lol.

 

[heathgate]

Three of us from the west country headed to Upton Park for an FA Cup game(lost).. cant remember the exact year.... we got tickets in the home end, so were undercover for the day.. .. at half-time we headed back into the concourse to buy a pint and a pie when I spied two fellow Albion 'secret agents' I knew from my Lancing days... stealthily I made my way through the throngs of cockerney meat heads, sidled up to the lads and quietly said "you two are Brighton fans, aren't you" .... well, the first fella coughed into his pint and went pale instantly... the other disappeared into the crowd sharpish.....

I guess I should have introduced myself first...... lesson learned.


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