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

[Originunknown]

Yes many over the decades, the worst was West Ham or Palace.

 

[East Staffs Gull]

So many. Liverpool, Leeds, Man Utd, Forest, Spurs, Colchester, Hereford, Arsenal, Bristol City, Millwall, Villa, to name a few. Either cos mates supported the home team or because I couldn’t get a ticket in the away end.

 

[Barry Izbak]

I took my nephew to Wembley to see the first FA Cup semi final played at the stadium.
He was about 13 and had joined Junior Gunners.
I was obviously neutral but we were in the Arsenal end.

When Paul Gascoigne hit that fantastic free kick directly at us and in to the top corner, I was the only person who jumped out of his seat !

Sat down quickly.

Teenage nephew explained to the Gooners. Got away with it...

 

[origigull]

Cardiff 76, Mellor scored so 15 of us celebrated which attracted the attention of several hundred home fans. Took a few clumps and made a tactical retreat

One time at Cardiff late 70s myself and a couple of others made a hasty retreat down the players tunnel after the game and was escorted out onto the street. We thought we made it ok but another mate saw us walking and came over to talk about the game . . .he only had a couple of BHA scarves showing, one round his wrist and one wrapped around his neck, crikey! a red flag to a bull came to mind.

 

[Barry Izbak]

About ten years ago when we drew Villa away in the FA Cup.
Away tickets sold out, so we went in the home end. For the only time in my life I invested in a half and half scarf. Excellent disguise.

Lost 3-2. Managed to not cheer any of the goals

 

[melias shoes]

West ham away at the old boleyn ground......just a bit wary of looks when I couldn't resist celebrating our goal although we lost eventually.

83?

 

[robinsonsgrin]

forgive me.. but used to 'date' a palace chap. once ended up at the rioch for palace away... there was a feck all away attendence and indeed home, i wore my bha hat throughout... apart from pre match when HE didnt fancy having a drink at the ground, so we somehow ended up at a working man's club type place near.... well, he clearly had a london accent, mine is 'posh sussex' so the coventry-based austrailian had to do all the talking.. never felt so uncomfortabe in all my life..

Same chap left me a vmail asking i i fancied going to paris... wow!! on hearing again, it was palace.. hm.. away at blackpool. seeing as my bha blackpool trip was a mare due to motorway accidents, i thought id go.. but.. refused to sit with palce and wore my bha hat with pride in with the pool..

went to watford v sunderland with friend's hubby and son who were watford.. my ex was sunderland at heart, but bha adopted... told him to sit on his hands.. which he did when the mackems scored, only to find 10-15 sunderland fans leap up and cheer sat next to us... needless to say... the atmosphere wasnt great after that. he chatted away to them.. but when the stewards oved them all, we stayed as oiur companions were in the same stand.. all a bit tense.. no bha hat as too hot!

 

[colinz]

Millwall away Jan. 78, Peter Ward scored the winner.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Most recently at St Mary's last month.

As we left the singing was " 1-0 and you fmucked it up". A 'fellow' Stains supporter looked to me and said "you can't argue with that". I had to cough to hide the chuckle as I agreed with him. Hehe.

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Same for me. It was *£&*#@% cold, I didn’t take a hat. You realise how much heat you lose through your head. Opposite end to where away fans were, with Mrs DiS. Trossard down. Stretchered off. Wheeled in front of us - I was close to tears, but to be fair the Saints fans clapped him off. Then added time put up how many minutes? Can’t we go now? Down to 10 men.

Then Maupay 90+8. I ……… smiled broadly.

 

[Glawstergull]

Withdean v Swindon 2002 away end. Promotion celebration party. Mate of mine got me 2 tickets as his dad was their supporters club organiser. Home tickets had sold out.
One of their supporters commented that he had come to smash the place up but said it looked like someone had beaten them to it!

 

[Brightonfan1983]

The Hereford ticket office were selling tickets to anyone who called. I got one to my home in Brighton directly from them.

I had to give a friend's address in Stockport of all places, to get tickets for the home family stand. Went with three people of varying allegiances who wanted to experience the "winner takes it all" game, Before kick-off, there were some scuffles in the 'Ronnie Radford' end, and I saw people being escorted out, so stayed schtum - there's still a small bit of me that wishes I had just listened to it on the radio and enjoyed it properly.

Stood alone on the Kop for Johnny Crumplin's display of football genius, 1991. Still smile recalling my screams "Come on, COME ON" for Clive Walker quickly morphing into "Come on, COME ON...Tackle him!" I'd be a terrible undercover MI5 agent, I can tell you. Paid on the gate from what I can remember. And my fellow travelling fan paid a local kiddie 20p to make sure his car was still there when we got back.

 

[brighton terra]

My first ever Brighton away game was at Selhurst Park for the notorious Kelvin Morton 5 penalties game. My boss was a Palace fan and he got us both tickets in the Holmesdale End. At the time I was too naive to realise the strength of feeling between the two fan bases! After 90 odd minutes I was left in no doubt!!

 

[The Rattler]

Will let you know after Watford. Guessing won’t be the only one?!


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[The Optimist]

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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I started in the home end but the bit I was in shared some toilets with the Brighton fans (I think they it was a bit that was normally for home fans but was given to us). I went to the toilet and when I came out just walked straight into the Brighton end.

 

[PeterT]

I had to give a friend's address in Stockport of all places, to get tickets for the home family stand. Went with three people of varying allegiances who wanted to experience the "winner takes it all" game, Before kick-off, there were some scuffles in the 'Ronnie Radford' end, and I saw people being escorted out, so stayed schtum - there's still a small bit of me that wishes I had just listened to it on the radio and enjoyed it properly.

Stood alone on the Kop for Johnny Crumplin's display of football genius, 1991. Still smile recalling my screams "Come on, COME ON" for Clive Walker quickly morphing into "Come on, COME ON...Tackle him!" I'd be a terrible undercover MI5 agent, I can tell you. Paid on the gate from what I can remember. And my fellow travelling fan paid a local kiddie 20p to make sure his car was still there when we got back.

I think that was all happening around me. One guy who came and stood next to me - “ orroight, lads. Sorry oi’m late, gart into a foight with some Broighton farns arrn the way in…..”

 

[Poppett63]

Twice

Once, in the Old Den - interesting

Second time at Emirates three years ago. It was so funny as Brighton were playing well and there was a very vocal Gunners Fan. Halfway through the second half he shouted out, “FFS we need some good YOUNG defenders with some energy and pace, look at that BRUNO from Brighton, that’s who we should be signing.” I think BRUNO had just celebrated his 38th birthday and was the oldest outfield player in the Premier League

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Palace, several times due to unable to get tickets. Most memorable, a mate that supports them got me one in the Holmsdale and I was actually in the section with the black jacket gang.. I was well pissed, I just kept my mouth shut. (We drew 1-1 6/7 years ago)
Another time, my 3 year old son got “ejected” for wearing a Brighton hat in the Sainsbury end family stand, I sort of protested our innocence claiming we’re doing nothing wrong, minding our own business etc thinking we were getting slung out, but we simply got moved to the away end so it worked out better (although we lost 3-0)

As a Peacehaven fan, every away match is in the wrong end, generally it’s a good day out however, in my experience Hastings are the most ‘orrible, so on the non league scene I treat them with the same contempt as I treat Palace

 

[Eeyore]

Millwall away for our FA Cup quarter final.
For the first half (before I moved) I was in a block full of singing nutters most of whom I reckon had been snorting powder before kick-off.
I even joined in with a chorus of 'No One Like Us' to avoid any suspicion.

I've been in with the MIllwall fans on three occasions. I don't seem to visibly celebrate Albion goals, although most joyful internally, so I'd often go in the centre line seats at away games when you could. I found it easier to get away at Millwall and would walk to New Cross for the train.

The moment I almost gave myself away was at Huddersfield a few years back when, I think, Bruno scored. My right arm made a sharp upward movement, my brain stopping it in motion, and proceeded to scratch my head.

That was the same game that I took a picture of Ulloa scoring, tweeted it, and didn't find out until half time that the goal had been disallowed because I was too busy uploading the picture. It was only by chance that I noticed we hadn't scored as I was looking at the TV monitors on the concourse... I wouldn't have noticed because I was too high up in the stand to see the scoreboard above the Albion fans.

 

[Mackenzie]

I’ve done this a few times over the years. Home end at Hereford was stressful, home end at Ninnian was stressful, home end at Swansea was alright.

It’s much better being in with your own fans, but some games you just can’t miss.

 

[Eeyore]

Palace, several times due to unable to get tickets. Most memorable, a mate that supports them got me one in the Holmsdale and I was actually in the section with the black jacket gang.. I was well pissed, I just kept my mouth shut. (We drew 1-1 6/7 years ago)
Another time, my 3 year old son got “ejected” for wearing a Brighton hat in the Sainsbury end family stand, I sort of protested our innocence claiming we’re doing nothing wrong, minding our own business etc thinking we were getting slung out, but we simply got moved to the away end so it worked out better (although we lost 3-0)

As a Peacehaven fan, every away match is in the wrong end, generally it’s a good day out however, in my experience Hastings are the most ‘orrible, so on the non league scene I treat them with the same contempt as I treat Palace

Do come and join Hawks upstairs, I like a trip to Peacehaven.

I knew a lot about them when Pooky was in charge as I played cricket with him. I saw them knocking Bognor out the cup. 1991, I think.