I seemed to remember a particularly low league crowd against Cheltenham. I have a feeling it was the first time we dipped below 5,000 at Withdean as I recall being surprised at how far it had fallen. So I just looked it up and it was:
Brighton 2-1 Cheltenham (Murray 80, Lynch 88)
19th February 2008
Attendance: 4,395
I'm not sure, but I wouldn't mind betting that was the lowest ever league crowd.
I seemed to remember a particularly low league crowd against Cheltenham. I have a feeling it was the first time we dipped below 5,000 at Withdean as I recall being surprised at how far it had fallen. So I just looked it up and it was:
Brighton 2-1 Cheltenham (Murray 80, Lynch 88)
19th February 2008
Attendance: 4,395
I'm not sure, but I wouldn't mind betting that was the lowest ever league crowd.
You could be right. Was that the game where we scored a last minute goal which was very debatable?
Shocking that the Withdean crowds dropped to nearly a half empty stadium.
That's why it is confusing to remember which game it was. Both teams begin with W and both games we scored 4 goals. Although one game was 4-1 and the other 4-0
and I actually quite liked Dean Wilkins as manager. You could tell he cared a lot about the club and it was great seeing loads of young local boys play for the club in a decent division and holding their own. The football wasn't exactly scintillating but they at least attempted to pass the ball a bit which should be commended on such a small budget. I feel that Wilkins should have been a proper "place holder" manager. He was unlikely to have been poached, he would have been fairly content with the budget given and results would have been ok. Sacking (or however the club dressed it up as) him was a big mistake in my view.
I played at Withdean in front of just under 13,000 people in the early 80s. They were stood and seated everywhere and anywhere around the (field) pitch though.
Was just wondering what the capacity of our Theatre of Trees was over the years.
I know the capacity was increased throughout out time there, but does anyone know which seasons and by how much. Unfortunately, I was too young to know the ins and outs of capacities at the time until the last couple of seasons.
Is it true that it was sold out for every game in the first couple of seasons?
Cheers
Well at the age of 29 may I congratulate you on being the first person to make me feel old!
Wolves was Ben Roberts' debut on loan from Charlton, after he was signed with the help of the Forty Notes Fund, unless I'm totally mistaken. Watford was a cracking game, and I thought we were in with a real shout of avoiding relegation. The atmosphere at those games was brilliant too. Then for some reason, we lost 3-0 at Gillingham, and 2-0 at home to Preston, and the momentum fizzled out. Saying that though, those were some of my favourite games at Withdean, and nothing like the dismal 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.
Wow your memory... I barely remember a thing... except i was there...
I think it was Boston United in a midweek LDV/Paintpot fixture