[Albion] Your football ancestry

[essbee1]

All my relatives (Dad, Uncle, Cousin etc)......Cardiff City.
Dad moved to Brighton for work when I was young.....

 

[Silverhatch]

Hollingbury boy. Dad took me to Wolves in 1969. Properly hooked when Mullers got us going and Wardy was national (back page) news. Still bewildered watching my club (out)playing the behemoths of the PL.

 

[papachris]

Growing up in Redhill my family weren't into football at all. But when I was 12 I started helping the milkman at weekends and holidays. He introduced me to the Albion and I started going to the Goldstone with him and his mates as part of my wages.
Been supporting the Albion ever since, more than 50 years now. And now it's in ghe blood. My son is a STH and I (a former STH) come over a few times a year for matches.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

My dad was an Arsenal fan.
My mum’s family supported Luton Town, living just down the road in Harpenden
I was born in Kent - Beckenham, which is now part of London
My parents were living in Sydenham when I was born - prime Palace Country, I believe.

BUT

they moved to Worthing when I was 15 months old.
i used to go and watch Worthing as a small boy - Mick Streeter!
then one day they were losing 6-0 at half time so my group of friends left.
the next Brighton home game, we went, and continued going.
i had actually previously been once - 1967? QPR complete with Rodney Marsh, whom the debutant John Templeman marked out of the game!

 

[portlock seagull]

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Growing up in Redhill my family weren't into football at all. But when I was 12 I started helping the milkman at weekends and holidays. He introduced me to the Albion and I started going to the Goldstone with him and his mates as part of my wages.
Been supporting the Albion ever since, more than 50 years now. And now it's in ghe blood. My son is a STH and I (a former STH) come over a few times a year for matches.

I love this story especially! These days you could probably sue and a get a massive payout no doubt!

 

[AmexRuislip]

Born to family in Hove at the start of the 70's, and grew up off Sackville Road, a ten minute walk from the Goldstone..

Mum was chair or vice-chair(?) of the supporter's club in the early 90s, and with Liz Costa organised the away coaches for many years.

Myself and two brothers were all ball-boys at the Goldstone, then graduated to selling programs (the big blue gate at the SW corner was my pitch).

WSU these days with one or both of my sons - Mum, sister and nephews there too in different parts of the ground.

Thats where my dad used to watch the games before going back early to police the trains back to Hastings.
When I started to watch the Albion, I used to view the games near where those blue disabled cars used to park.

 

[beefypigeon]

I was born at Southlands and lived in Hove until I was 2 years old. Then, I moved to Worthing, where I've lived ever since.

Dad is a massive Brighton fan and I have fond memories of catching a few games at the Goldstone as a wee nipper, followed by not-so-fond memories of some long treks to Gillingham.

The Premier League team I followed when about 7 years old was Leeds. I then got scouted and played for the Brighton academy for a couple of years before losing it in my old age (10 ). I was always destined to be a Brighton fan and wouldn't change it for the world.

 

[GT49er]

Born in Brighton. First became aware of football (results and reports in Dad's paper, Sports Report on the radio) whist living in Polegate. Short glory-hunting flirtation with League champions and European pioneers Wolves, but always the Albion, my local team that won out for my affections.

Not in a football family, so didn't get to see the Albion until in my teens (I did have an uncle who supported the Albion - he knew somebody who lived in one of those houses in Goldstone Lane so he never had to pay to watch - and the old miseryguts never bothered to offer to take me either!)

 

[papachris]

[
I love this story especially! These days you could probably sue and a get a massive payout no doubt!

Different times. But I'm so glad I was introduced to the Albion. It's been a lifelong passion for me

 

[Comrade Sam]

Born in South London, moved to Shoreham when I was 4. All my mates would desert me for the Albion on a Saturday afternoon and although I wasn't interested in football I joined them for Barnsley at home the start of '85/86 and never looked back. Even went to Millwall away a week later.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Born in Eastbourne and grew up in Seaford. Even in the 70s the area was full of plastics and newly moved Londoners who mostly were Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea. I don't recall a single palace fan back then, unlike now as so many have seen sense and moved away from Croydon. Most of the plastics were Liverpool and Man U. Pah!

My dad, who took me to the Goldstone in the early 70s to sample the delights of the chicken run, had family from Salop, so he supported Shrewsbury and Brighton. But living in Littlehampton as a kid, he also went to support Pompey so maybe I had a lucky escape. He is not in the least interested in football rivalries, I don't get it as I am very partisan. But each to their own, and I am so grateful he took me and eventually my little brother along to the Albion.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Born in Birmigham - Dad was a huge Blues fan - he used to take me to St. Andrews when I was very young - we saw Trevor Francis make his debut, and saw the likes of the Latchford brothers, Gordon Taylor, Bob Hatton and Kenny Burns - the era of the 'penguin' shirt.

We moved south when I was 11 and a couple of years ater I got dragged along to The Goldstone by some friends - never looked back.

I still have a soft spot for Blues and follow their results, but we've played each other many times over the years, and my loyalty is very much with the Albion.

 

[portlock seagull]

Born in South London, moved to Shoreham when I was 4. All my mates would desert me for the Albion on a Saturday afternoon and although I wasn't interested in football I joined them for Barnsley at home the start of '85/86 and never looked back. Even went to Millwall away a week later.

Love that only your 2nd game was away at Millwall - in mid 80’s!!!!

 

[AIT76]

Born in Shoreham though only lived in Sussex for the first six months of my life before my Fathers's job meant we moved to Hampshire.

Said Father is an Albion supporter and took me to my first game.

None of my Grandparents liked football.

As a youth I would go with schoolfriends to The Dell or Fratton Park as a neutral. Passing my driving test meant Saturday afternoons at The Goldstone.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I was born at Southlands and lived in Hove until I was 2 years old. Then, I moved to Worthing, where I've lived ever since.

Dad is a massive Brighton fan and I have fond memories of catching a few games at the Goldstone as a wee nipper, followed by not-so-fond memories of some long treks to Gillingham.

The Premier League team I followed when about 7 years old was Leeds. I then got scouted and played for the Brighton academy for a couple of years before losing it in my old age (10 ). I was always destined to be a Brighton fan and wouldn't change it for the work.

This must be waaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaaaay before @AZ Gull started his academy project

 

[Comrade Sam]

Love that only your 2nd game was away at Millwall - in mid 80’s!!!!

It was their first home defeat in over a year. There was a conveyor belt of police into their end and out again covered in blood. They chucked concrete at the train and bricks at the coaches. I certainly don't miss playing Millwall away (except in playoff semi finals).

 

[aolstudios]

Like players called up for international duty, I think fans choice of pro team should only really be allowed on similar basis i.e.

Local team(s), when getting into football
Parent supports
Grandparent supports

How many of us have ended up following the Albion outside this criteria I wonder? I.e. just for the "Glory"? LOL!!! (you poor sods, but fair play to you!)

Boringly, I'm all of those ^
Although my Albion supporting Dad worked for Phillips, causing me to be born in Eindhoven. Giving me a vaguely interesting second team

 

[ozzygull]

I was born in Brighton and spent the first 10 years living there, and then the next 12 years living in Hove. The goldstone ground was very close to my school, Hove Park, well the upper school part anyway.

 

[Chicken Run]

Forgetting for one moment my support for BHA, if the worst had happened in the 90’s i’d have bailed from foolsball forever, I don’t particularly get excited by international’s and i wouldn’t have been interested in non league. My support for Brighton is purely tribal, Dad took me to my first game in 1976 and i only wished he was alive to see us at the Amex.

 

[beefypigeon]

This must be waaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaaaay waaaaaaaaaay before @AZ Gull started his academy project

Almost certainly yes! Would have been about 1996-1998 or something like that. I was in the same group as Danny Taylor who I think got to the higher echelons of the Youth setup but I don't believe got as far as making a first-team appearance. I once paraded with the rest of the youth team around the Priestfield stadium... that's some claim to fame