February | 2014 | The Goldstone Wrap

Feb 08 2014

90 Minutes Live: Fans United, 1997

Seventeen years today, Fans United happened. It was a massive show of strength as supporters from all around the country, and the world, (including a young Richard Vaughan) came to the Goldstone Ground to support Brighton fans in their battle to save the club. From 90 Minutes magazine in February 1997:

Saturday 8 February will go down as the day the fans reclaimed the game. Against the backdrop of Brighton’s possible loss of league status and the threat of closure, over 8,000 fans from all over the country descended upon the Goldstone ground to show the money men who really runs things. 90 Minutes was on hand to witness the massive show of fan power in the fight to save Brighton and Hove Albion FC.

The Goldstone Ground was awash with shirts and scarves on supporters from all over the country. We asked some fans outside the Goldstone: “Your tea’s not playing today, so why are you here in Brighton?”

Ian Fennell supports Aldershot
Ian: “Aldershot went out of business which upset a lot of people, and I’d hate the same thing to happen to Brighton. Let’s hope today sends a statement that football fans from all clubs are standing together to stop, not only Brighton, but any other club from going out of business. We’ve simply all had enough of poor an untrustworthy management.”

Ros Constable & Sandra Jenner support Arsenal
Ros: “These people are buying into clubs cheaply in the lower Divisions and then, basically, raping them. These people at Brighton have to be stopped. If not, it’s like setting a legal precedent. If one bugger gets away with it, more will follow, and no club will be safe.”
Sandra: “These businessmen have looked to football clubs to make a fast buck. The fans should have a faster learning curve to outwit them and stop them in their tracks. We’ve come here today to support football and stop clubs in the lower Divisions being kicked out of existence.”

Graham Underwood & Steve Jones support Aston Villa
Graham: “I’m here today to show my support for the Brighton fans’ battle against some men who, thank God, are not in charge at Aston Vlla. It grieves me to say it, but, again, thank God we’ve got Doug Ellis, and not this lot down here, running our own club.”
Steve: “Who could sell a ground, before another one’s ever been found? The man’s a joke – it’s just a case of money before football. If one man gets control of a club, no one’s safe, not even Premiership sides.”

Miles Beecham supports Darlington
Miles: “I’m here today because Darlington football club are in a similar position to Brighton. We have directors who say one thing, do another, give promises and don’t deliver. It’s about time directors woke up to how fans feel, and respected them, because if the fans don’t turn up, there’s no club, no directors and no money for them.”

James Randall supports Derby & Richard Cole supports Liverpool
Graham: “Five years ago, Derby were playing Brighton. It could’ve been us that went down and down, and it’s important that these clubs continue to exist. Without them, there wouldn’t be any clubs anywhere in the long-term. We all rely on each other.”
Richard: “It’s about time the fans had a say in the running of clubs, not just the board and the business people. The game belongs to us, not to individuals with an eye to what the game can give them. It should be what they can do for the good of the game. Most of the top players are discovered by the smaller clubs (e.g. Keegan), so they must survive at all costs, or there is no long-term future for any club, big or small.”

Richard & Roger Vaughan support Plymouth
Roger: “There was a campaign page on the internet looking for ideas on how to protest about what’s going on at Brighton. There were loads of messages of support from supporters all over the country, even Europe, and it gave me the idea of organising a FANS UNITED day to help out Brighton. It shows football fans do care about other clubs. Richard put a message on the internet that started the ball rolling. The people organising Brighton Resistance thought it was a wonderful idea and put it into motion. We had to come today to see the end result and give our personal support. People are now coming from all over Europe and America to support the Brighton fans’ attempts to rescue their club. We’re here to show how people up and down the country are feeling about clubs that put money before fans. It’s a sport, not a money-making exercise.”

Trevor Hulstrop & Gaby Binstead support Southampton and Danny Blackmore supports Brighton
Trevor: “I’m protesting because I believe that if clubs like Brighton are allowed to go under, it’s the beginning of the end. Football clubs are part of the community and people shouldn’t be allowed to come in, buy the club, asset strip it, run it into the ground and then dump it. A club like Brighton belongs to the people that support it and made it what it is over the last 100 years. Not one or two individuals.”
Gaby: “If they get away with this, and clubs go out of business, who are we going to play? Football clubs are all inextricably linked, so when one’s in trouble, we all have to rally round to save it.”
Danny: “Today is a statement saying: Football will win. Football is a lot of people’s lives, and it’s great that fans from all over are here today to help us – so thanks to everyone who’s supported us.”

Toby Radenhurst supports Millwall, David Fordham supports Watford & Paul Chesworth supports Brighton
Toby: “With what’s going on at my club, Millwall, I’ve come here today to show solidarity with Brighton fans – to say enough is enough. Directors running clubs into the ground are not going to get away with it.”
David: “It’s critical that football clubs aren’t allowed to die because of the attitude of these directors who are only there to make money at the expense of football. What these people are doing is wrong and it has to be stopped.”
Paul: “Today is showing that people care about all football, not just their own club. It’s fantastic that fans from other clubs care about whether we continue or not.”

John Cotton & Paul Hilton support York City and Milena Radosavcjevic supports Red Star Belgrade
John: “Ot could happen to any club – to our club – if we let Brighton be destroyed. It could be the first of many. It has to be stopped so we’re here today to lend our support.”
Paul: “If someone tris to make a quick profit out of a club, he’s not only taking on the directors, but also the fans. If you’re fan of a club, you’re a fan of football and anyone destroying football has to be stopped. That’s why we’re here.”
Milena: “People need their football club because it’s part of the local community. Why should it be taken away from them, just so an individual can make a quick profit?”

Finally, to round off an excellent feature…

Gulls’ Eye view:
For the first time in living memory, Brighton, Chelsea and even Crystal Palace shirts stood united by one cause. Seagulls devotee Johnny Dee reflects on this event and the shock of seeing that ‘I’ll get me coat’ bloke off the Fast Show:

In the teary-eyed closing scene of It’s A Wonderful Life, hundreds of familiar faces save the fallen George Bailey from bankruptcy and giving him all their cash and joining in a rousing chorus of Auld Lang Syne.

Last Saturday, every Brighton fan must have felt like old George. Under the banner Fans United, football supporters converged on the Goldstone Ground from Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and beyond. They came to see Brighto play Hartlepool but, more significantly, to show solidarity with a group of supporters in their season of need. They swelled the gate to double the season’s average, learned the hosts’ songs, saw a pretty decent game and left, reminded of the true spirit of football. It was bloody ace.

The reason so many took part in Fasn united was simple: if it can happen at Brighton, it can happen to anyone. Bought for a pittance by chairman Bill Archer, Brighton have found their ground sold, their assets sold off and a ludicrous groundshare with Gillingham looming. Yet the FA still has no powers to legislate against such actions.

Albion fans have become expert protesters this season, ahtough, sadly it was only the ‘violence’ after the pitch invasion last season that received national media attention. Fans united remedied matters a little, but it still wasn’t enough.

Every fan should hope Brighto manager to oust the disgraced Archer, because if Brighton fall, then plenty will follow. Visit Goldstone while you can (it’ll be bulldozed in May), but check with Seagulls fans first – if Archer’s still in charge, chances are they’ll boycott the match.

Tagged Fans United, supporters

Feb 07 2014

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Media Coverage

Watching Forest at the Town Hall

From Football Handbook (part 25):

In a scintillating League Cup Quarter-Final, Alan Mullery’s men put on a great performance against the reigning English League champions and League Cup holders on 13th December 1978. The Seagulls succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against Clough’s side that retained the trophy and then also lifted the European Cup that season.

An estimated 5,000 Albion supporters cheered the Seagulls on at the City Ground. However, the support would have been even more if two of the three charter trains had not broken down en route.

In the Brighton v Stoke programme from 1978/79, there is a nice piece on how the club in January that season made it up to the supporters who missed this exciting cup tie:

With all the recent bad weather there has been a lot of work for the Promotions Office with re-arranging trains, etc. But one event that we had to work particularly hard on was the film showing of the Notts Forest Albion League Cup quarter-final. It was, of course, staged for the benefit of our unlucky supporters who were stranded on the two special trains which didn’t reach the City Ground.

Just under 1,000 people attended Hove Town Hall for the evening last Tuesday and several of the players came along to the delight of the supporters. The row shown in the picture shows the lads really enjoying some of their glory moments.

Some of the comments from the players made commentator Hugh Johns’ sound almost an amateur. Naturally everyone hopes we would never again have a similar situation but we hope supporters will agree that we’ve done our very best to make up for the disappointment.

Each one of the audience at Hove Town Hall was even issued with a black and white copy of the matchday programme:

Update 26/12/15: Two of the goals (from John McGovern and John Robertson) made it into the recent ‘I Believe in Miracles’ film:

Tagged andy rollings, brian horton, chris cattlin, eric steele, john ruggiero, mark lawrenson, peter ward, supporters

Feb 06 2014

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Media Coverage

With Wolves visiting, Cup fever grips Brighton

The League Cup captured the imagination of Sussex in the autumn 1969. In August, Freddie Goodwin’s side put one over south coast rivals Portsmouth, with Alex Dawson getting the only goal, Then the Albion toppled First Division side Birmingham City, 2-0, in front of 24,232 supporters to set up a mouth-watering third round tie with mighty Wolverhampton Wanderers on 24th September.

With Brighton going well in Division Three, the level of interest in the floodlit match was such that the Evening Argus produced a four page A3 colour supplement as a preview to the game:

Back row: Mike Yaxley (coach), Terry Stanley, George Dalton, Barrie Wright, Bobby Smith, Mike Everitt, Dave Armstrong, Ken Blackburn, Joe Wilson (trainer);
Middle row: Tom E. Whiting (chairman), Brian Powney, Andy marchant, Stewart Henderson, Dave Turner, John Napier, Norman, Gall, John Templeman, Paul Flood, Geoff Sidebottom, Harold Paris (vice-chairman);
Front row: Howard Wilkinson, Alex Dawson, Kit Napier, Eddie Spearritt, Freddie Goodwin (manager), Nobby Lawton, Willie Bell, Allan Gilliver, Brian Tawse.
Sitting: Martin Tew, Keith Watkins, Michael Stanley, Garry Parsons.

Rather generously, the back page was mainly devoted to a colour photo of the visitors:

As you can see, Wolves’ skipper was Mike Bailey, who would go on to lift the League Cup trophy four and half years later, in an entertaining 2-1 victory over Manchester City in 1974. Unfortunately, injury kept him out of this match. Had he travelled to the Goldstone, he would have seen a huge crowd of 32,539 supporters. What a contrast to the falling gates when he took over as Brighton boss in 1981.

In John Vinicombe’s match report, the Argus writer declared:

Albion should have beaten Wolves out of sight at the Goldstone last night. For close on 70 minutes they were Wolves’ masters and thoroughly deserved a 2-1 lead with Hugh Curran, the player Albion tried hardest to subdue, won the game with a two-goals-in-eight-minutes burst. So Wolves entered the fourth round of the Football League Cup when it looked for so long like a major upset before a 34,000 crowd that set up a floodlit ground record.

The 3-2 skin-of-the-teeth success was highly flattering to a side standing fourth in the First Division. But in the final analysis they displayed their class by twice coming back to steal a place in the last 16. They owed it all to Curran whose stealth stamped him as a superb turner of half-chances into goals.

Yet Wolves were given a tremendous fright by an inspired Albion, and were unable to find their bearings without Mike Bailey supplying the drive and Derek Dougan his own brand of inspiration.

Napier (left) and Gilliver rise to head…

Dawson holds his hands aloft as Gilliver tumbles between the defenders, with ball in the net

On nineteen minutes, Albion took the lead when Kit Napier’s inswinging corner was missed by Wolves keeper Parker, who seemed more worried by big Alex Dawson. He seemed to push Dawson, which may have warranted a penalty, but Allan Gilliver showed his goal touch to squeeze the ball home at the far post.

However, Wolves hit back twelve minutes later when Wagstaffe intercepted Nobby Lawton’s pass. The Wolves player ran on and on, and it became one on one with Geoff Sidebottom once John Napier slipped. He then fed Woodfield who slotted home the equaliser.

Eddie Spearritt plants his head onto the ball…

…which disappears in a mountain of toilet roll in the back of the net.

On the stroke of half-time, though, Brighton delighted the home crowd by retaking the lead. Kit Napier’s free-kick found Eddie Spearritt who guided a header just under the crossbar.

With Albion dominant, an upset was on the cards. But Wolves were not finished, and Hugh Curran raced on to a huge defence-spliting goal kick from Parkes to equalise with twenty minutes to spare. Curran then broke Albion hearts on 78 minutes, making the most of a mix-up at the far post. Sidebottom and Turner had left it for each other to deal with Wagstaffe’s harmless looking cross, allowing Curran to nip in.

Even so, Albion played stoutly during the evening, none more so than Stewart Henderson who had a storming match.

Henderson, a small and classy right-back, would go on to be voted by supporters as their Player of the Season.

Tagged allan gilliver, eddie spearritt, freddie goodwin, kit napier, mike bailey, stewart henderson

Feb 05 2014

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Media Coverage

Energy drinks, Albion’s secret weapon in 1969!

Skipper Nobby Lawton has his energy drink poured by manager Freddie Goodwin

An Argus piece in September 1969, by John Vinicombe and Alan Jones. It was published in the week before Brighton’s much anticipated League Cup tie against First Division giants Wolverhampton Wanderers:

How come they’re unbeaten in the first eight matches? What’s so special about the Goldstone outfit that Brighton’s start is a talking point all over the country?

The fact that Albion have drawn Wolves in the League Cup has set everybody talking. People who wouldn’t ordinarily go outside the back door to see Albion now want tickets. Residents half a mile from the ground have been offered money for use of their drives o the night of the match.

No doubt tickets will go at inflated prices on a mini black market. Suddenly it is the in thing to watch a side who were in danger of finishing Third Division chumps in the middle of last season.
Come Wednesday, September 24, and a 35,000 capacity crowd will see Albion battle with Wolves for the right to enter the fourth round of the competition. The fervour building-up is more on par with an FA Cup semi-final. That’s football for you, up one day, down the next.

The fundamental answer to all the questions about Albion’s current high-riding spot is, of course, that the club is jus beginning to benefit from the systematic preparation begun by manager Freddie Goodwin and his staff way back in the summer.

Goodwin believes in thorough, painstaking attention to detail. He’s not one for the instant method. But that isn’t to say Freddie scorns everything trendy, or that he is one of those ivory tower figures who conduct affairs from a remote office. He’s a players’ manager through and through, and one innovation may partly explain Albion’s fitness.

In America, Freddie discovered a product developed by the University of Florida for the Gemini space programme that has a sporting application. It is a powder form drink called Gatorade. A 2oz packet makes two pints of a delicious drink tasting something like sherbet. But it is the effect on footballers that impressed Goodwin.

“Quick replacement of salt has been a problem for ages, but Gatorade overcomes this. The salt lost in the first half is replaced almost immediately, and I think our players are all the better for drinking this during the interval. It is used at Wimbledon, and I believe Liverpool are trying it.”

The powder contains glucose, citric acid, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, gum acacia, sodium orthophosphate, potassium orthophosphate, chloride, flavourings, and colour. One swig and the players take on the aspect of cartoon characters in a speeded-up film…

The old ritual of a steak three hours before an away game has been replaced by Freddie introducing the players to a pre-match cup of tea, slice of toast, and honey.

“I have always felt that there is a tendency to eat too much, particularly when travelling. I changed our eating habits on the summer tour or Ireland, and the players say they feel better for it. I think sometimes there has been a little lethargy on the field as a result of eating steak. The lads seem to go much better on honey.”

And left over from the Ireland trip, appropriately from the land of superstition, is the story of Freddie’s lightweight tan suit. Freddie didn’t wear it for the last match of the tour at Limerick, and Albion lost. He started the season wearing it, and now each match day will touch no other. “I don’t believe in these sort of things, lucky charms and all that, but the players feel more comfortable going out there to see me wearing it. Mind you, I’ll freeze to death in winter…”

To see how Goodwin’s side, aided by Gastorade and a tan suit, fared against Wolves, tune in to The Goldstone Wrap tomorrow…

Tagged freddie goodwin, nobby lawton

Feb 04 2014

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Media Coverage

Peter and the pelvis

In September 1974, Peter Taylor’s Brighton side lost 1-0 at Ewood Park. Blackburn Rovers had ex-Albion strikers Ken Beamish and Pat Hilton in their side but their performance disappointed the Evening Argus’ correspondent John Vinicombe. It was a match where Roger Jones’ professional foul on Dave Busby prevented the Dolphins’ centre-forward from giving the visitors the lead. Vinicombe saved his praise for Albion’s own number one, Peter Grummitt, who pulled off a sparkling save just before half-time to deny Graham Oates’ header:

Peter Grummitt, rising 32, has well over 470 first-team appearances behind him and is currently one of the best goalkeepers in the League. That view is not only held by Albion manager Peter Taylor but, week by week, by more and more people who should know.

During the course of his career with Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Albion, Grummitt has experienced all the traumatic setbacks of his peculiar calling.

Towards the end of last season his pelvis was cracked by Ricky Marlowe, now a colleague at the Goldstone. And, in pre-season games only a month or two ago, the normally reliable Grummitt looked far from his old self.

Inevitably, there were rumours about the ability of the man over 30 retaining his nerve and reflexes. But, from the start of real business, Grummitt silenced his critics. His most fervent admirers are those who play in front of him and are charged with providing as much cover as possible.

At Ewood Park, amid torrential rain and buffeted by a howling gale, Albion marvelled at Grummitt. He defied Blackburn Rovers, and a point was on the cards until11 minutes from time when one goal was enough to send Albion back empty-handed.

“We battled well, and I am pleased with the way we fought,” said Taylor. “A point was there for the taking and I thought we would do it. But I have no kicks at how the defence played.”

Then Taylor made his assessment of Grummitt: “The way this man is playing he must be one of the best in the country.”

Centre-back Steve Govier echoed that summing up, and added: “They say you have to be daft to be a goalkeeper. The way Peter goes down at feet is crazy. I know I wouldn’t. What a player, though. We owe him a lot. We are starting to pull things together, and all I hope is that we justify the confidence the boss has placed in us.”

Grummitt’s tremendous ability continued to impress for the next few seasons. However, his career was brought to an end in the 1-1 draw at home to Tranmere in March 1977, when he suffered a knee injury. Together with his arthritic hip, he was not able to regain full fitness and retired in December 1977. Nevertheless, he played in his own benefit match in May 1978. It was a match where Brighton beat Alan Mullery’s All-Star XI side 8-7 with Poskett (3), Sayer (2), Ruggiero (2) and Moseley (pen) getting the goals. Certainly not a good game for keepers, even one as good as Peter!

Even with the brilliance of current first choice Tomasz Kuszczak, thirty five years on, Grummitt is still revered by many Albion supporters as the best goalkeeper the club has ever had.

Tagged peter grummitt, peter taylor

Feb 03 2014

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Media Coverage

Memory fades, but the passion still burns in Alan Mullery

I hope you’ve had a chance to hear Alan Mullery, club ambassador, speak so eloquently at the North West Sussex Seagulls (NWSS) meeting last Thursday:

He is, for many supporters including me, by far the greatest manager Brighton have ever had. Certainly the most successful. When he speaks, it is full of passion and candour. For someone known for his fiery temper, he seems to have significantly mellowed. Watching the video is a lovely experience, probably a bit like having Alan Mullery for tea in your living room, so intimate and warm was the atmosphere. Even so, as well as fascinating, I also found it slightly maddening, as some of his account of his career was clearly not factually accurate.

Is it too pedantic to point out that the Fulham v Brighton game from 1972/73 that he mentions ended 5-1 rather than 3-1 to the London club? OK, everyone gets a score wrong every now and then. Crazily, though, he talks about getting angry with team mate Jimmy Dunne for leaving Fred Binney unmarked. Suffice to say, Fred Binney was not a Brighton player at the time. As for the Albion player he meant, both Mullery’s autobiographies name the centre-forward as Ken Beamish. At least that’s clear.

(As for another Ken, it was Ken Gutteridge that was the member of Peter Taylor’s back room staff, which Mullery mentioned later on when his mind went blank).

Other clangers include Mullers saying Peter Ward was signed from Borrowash United. As we probably all know, it was actually Burton Albion. Politeness and respect probably stopped anyone calling this out! Mullery also suggested that Fred Binney was sold a week later from the now famous pre-season training session. In fact, Binney played a few matches at the start of the 1976/77 season and eventually departed a year later, to Plymouth after a summer with St Louis (Exeter was the team that Binney joined Albion from). Furthermore, in the thrashing that followed Maybank and Sayer being seen in a nightclub, Leicester also did not beat Brighton 5-1, but 4-1 in September 1978.

Should we cut Mullery some slack on the events of 30 or 40 years ago? Certainly, yes. Personally, I know I don’t remember the details of everything that long ago. It’s probably the case that when you’re a participant in an event, like players and managers are, living in the moment, your recording of events in your brain works differently from that of supporters, who may be more likely to look up records of past seasons and players of their favourite club, and have accurate facts and figures reinforced that way. A participant is much more likely to record the flavour of their emotions around an experience, though. Indeed, the effortless way Mullery is able to evoke the glory years, so you can almost feel it and see it, is part of what makes events in which he speaks so enthralling.

Nevertheless, I thought Mullery’s account of Ray Clarke, that he ‘never lived up to his reputation’ at Brighton, seemed rather harsh. As well as scoring himself, Clarke’s intelligent play provided such good service for Peter Ward’s only successful season in the top flight, 1979/80. A comparison of Albion’s fortunes in that debut campaign in Division One before and after the ex-Ajax striker was bought demonstrates how significant a contribution he made. To put the record straight, Clarke was sold to Newcastle for £175,000, the same figure he had cost the club from Bruges.

Mullery also got quite angry about his second spell at the club, repeatedly speaking about how he was reduced to picking a reserve goalkeeper, John Phillips, as the substitute for his final match against Grimsby in January 1987 before being sacked. This did not actually happen, as Kieran O’Regan was the sub. Phillips had left Brighton in June 1981. The player Mullery was referring to was probably John Keeley, but he was in goal during the Grimsby match.

In the current Backpass Magazine, a letter talks of Steve Daley:

“I believe Steve Daley is a successful and humorous after-dinner speaker. I suspect, like most speakers, he has embellished a few anecdotes over the years and has eventually believed them to be true.”

Perhaps the same is true of Mullery.

At the risk of being seen as overly picky, I do hope it’s OK to give notice of these errors, just in case some people are learning about the club’s history and may take it all as gospel.

That said, it doesn’t detract from the fact Mullery is a wonderful, passionate speaker who does a great job in capturing people’s imaginations and, occasionally, bringing a tear to the eye. I found it such a moving moment when he remarked:

The best five years I had in football was not for me, it was for people like yourselves, when I was manager at Brighton and Hove Albion. They were the best five years I ever had, and I played in World Cups, played in cup finals, I played all those games and everything else. But that was the best time I ever had.

Factual errors or not, the Albion is so very lucky to be able to call upon Alan Mullery as its club ambassador. Just like 30 or so years ago, he is a doing a wonderful job in the service of the club and its supporters.

Tagged alan mullery, fred binney, john keeley, john phillips, ray clarke

Feb 02 2014

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Media Coverage, Photo Opportunities

When Albion walloped Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road

Brighton were mostly dreadful away from home under Peter Taylor in the mid-1970s, and Fred Binney usually less than effective. But every dog has its day, as this FA Cup victory on 22nd November 1975 showed. Here’s John Vinicombe’s account that Saturday afternoon:

Albion took Watford apart in the first round of the FA Cup before a 9,283 Vicarage Road crowd this afternoon.

Watford, in the wrong half of Division IV, were outclassed and lucky to escape with a 3-0 hiding.

Albion had it all their own way, taking the lead at 32 minutes through Neil Martin. A brief Watford revival was snuffed out as Albion turned on the power and Fred Binney sewed it up with goals at 55 and 82 minutes, bringing his tally for the season to 13.

Albion were given a great ovation by fully 2,000 fans, many of whom had travelled by charter train.

It was one of Albion’s best Cup performances in recent seasons and their first win at Watford in six visits. This was Albion’s fourth away win and quite the most emphatic.

Mellor put Watford in a state of panic with a fierce cross that caught Rankin out of position but at this early stage there was only one team in it.

Watford had a goal disallowed at 20 minutes when Bond crossed smartly and Horsfield hooked the ball into the net, but was ruled to have handled.

Tiler had three fine runs and each time Watford resorted to desperate measures to check Binney and Martin (twice). Then Lees was glad to turn Fell’s low cross behind and Joslyn was a wee it lucky when he headed clear but only just missing the far post.The pressure ultimately brought a goal at 32 minutes. Fell took Albion’s ninth corner, Mellor ghosted away from his shadow and headed the ball on to the far post where Martin met it at full pelt and blasted Albion into the lead from point blank.

Fred Binney – double delight

After 56 minutes Binney scored his 12th goal of the season after Mr Daniels had played the advantage rule when Martin was fouled on the half-way line.

The ball then ran to Mellor with Mr Daniels waving play on and the pass arrowed fully 25 yards to Binney who timed his run to perfection. He accelerated past Garner and as Rankin came out drilled a brilliant goal.

Eight minutes from the end Binney scored a classic goal. Just outside the box he gained possession and with his back to goal did not seem to pose any danger – or at least so Watford thought.

Within a flash he turned like lightning and placed a low left-footer to the far corner, catching Rankin wrong-footed.

Albion: Grummitt, Tiler, Wilson, Machin, Piper, Burnett, Fell, O’Sullivan, Binney, Martin, Mellor. Sub: Kinnear.

Watford: Rankin, Howe, Akers, Joselyn, Lees, Garner, Scullion, Bond, Horsfield, Jenkins, Walsh. Sub: Greenhigh.
Referee: Mr B.H. Daniels (Brentwood).
Attendance: 9,283.

The victory was Albion’s fourth on the trot. It was helped by Fred Binney’s outstanding goal touch. He was in a glorious spell of seven goals in just six matches. Despite Fred being on the scoresheet again on 3rd January 1976, Albion’s interest in the FA Cup was ended at the third round stage, losing 2-1 at the Goldstone to Southend.

Tagged fred binney, neil martin

Feb 01 2014

2 Comments

Around The Goldstone, Photo Opportunities

Matthew Wiltshire – back to the future

I was delighted to hear from Matthew Wiltshire. He’s the father of one Cameron Wiltshire, a young, promising midfielder currently progressing through the ranks at Brighton to play in the under-18s team and development squad. As bn1&bn3 Albion commented on North Stand Chat in August 2012, Cameron:

Came on as a substitute in today’s Development Squad game. Only 16, had a good touch and well composed considering he was playing against people twice his size. Could be a great player for the future.

It’s helpful that his family are no strangers to Brighton & Hove Albion. Matthew Wiltshire came through the newly formed youth system in the late 1970s. He was an apprentice for two years and then a young pro for another couple of years. Mat went to Germany, Holland and the USA before returning to play with many clubs in senior Sussex football. Here’s a photo of the him in his Albion days:

When Matt emailed me a few months ago, he said: ‘I have recently become an avid reader of The Goldstone Wrap and your other stuff – great work’. Marvellous! Not only that, he was kind enough to answer some questions I had:

For the people who never got to see you play, could you describe what kind of player you were? What were the strengths to your game were?

Thats a little tough to say, I was a midfielder and probably seen as technically competent 🙂 I do have a dodgy photo from a Dutch Panini Sticker book that say’s that I was a ‘two footed midfielder, a real playmaker’, but in Germany the English had a reputation for toughness, so they looked at me as more combative.

How did you get to join the Albion? How close to a first team appearance did you get?

My older brother Greg was scouted by the brand new youth system introduced by Mullery and ran by John Shepherd. I was soon mentioned and started at about 12 years old through to being released at 20 years. There was a time when Mike Bailey was manager that it looked more likely that I might be involved and was lucky enough to travel as part of the squad against Coventry away. When I signed pro I was hopeful, but I was signed as an apprentice by Mullery, a pro by Bailey, then Jimmy Melia/George Aitken were there for the FA Cup Final and Chris Cattlin gave me a free transfer. Near the end I didnt really have an ally on the coaching side, something young players need.

Which players do you most enjoy playing with? Who most looked like they would break into the first team?

It was a time of real top players and characters, Mark Lawrenson, Peter Ward, Steve Foster, Jimmy Case, Andy Ritchie, Gordon Smith, Graham Moseley, Tony Grealish, Michael Robinson, Brian Horton. For a local youngster to train and watch them close up each day was fantastic, but perhaps surprisingly the one stand out player for me was Neil McNab. No doubt he would have been appreciated in Brighton’s current team much more. He was the one for me that when I trained with him he impressed me with his tricks and technique, I liked his style of play.

When you are young, each player has their own attributes and you generally don’t immediately pinpoint those that will make it. However, you are only too aware of those who are being progressed from within the club. Gary Stevens, although a couple of years older, was progressing well and his mentality and professionalism (in today’s terms) was obvious.

After you left Brighton in 1984, who did you play for? Are there any memories that particularly stand out?

Playing against Borrussia Dortmund, Mat is the number 4 with the high-footed tackle to challenge Romanian international Raducanu whilst Hurst Hrubesch, the German International, looks on

In the striped shirt second front left in the background, Mat watches his side take the lead against Dortmund

Germany: 1984 – 1986: TuS Paderborn-Neuhaus (now SC Paderborn 07). Bundesliga 2: Ex-Polish captain Jan Liberda was my coach. In 1986 we played Borrussia Dortmund in the last 16 of their FA Cup (I’ve got an old dodgy video somewhere!) winning 2-0 at half time, lost 2-4. My midfield partner Michael Henke went on to become one of the top German coaches, notably being assistant to Ottmar Hitzfield at Borrussia Dortmund and more recently was Aston Villa’s European Scout. A nice man.

Holland: 1986 – 1987: VV Emmen Dutch 1st Division. Disappointing time, most notable exception was meeting up again with my old playing buddy Dean Wilkins. We have remained best friends ever since. Best man at wedding, Wendy and I godparents to his daughter blah blah blah and sat in the directors box this Saturday to see Reading lose to Brighton this month! 🙂

USA: 1987 – 1988: Chicago Sting: Major Indoor Soccer League. Brilliant experience, flying to games, razzmatazz, good indoor crowds. I think out of the roster of 22 professionals there was 19 nationalities! And bumping into old BHA team mates (in the loose sense of the word), Peter Ward (Cleveland Force/Witchita Wings) and Mickey Thomas (Wichita Wings) I think. Both were great blokes, but Mickey was slightly mad but very generous, would always give me stuff when we met!

USA 1988: Albany Capitals: MSL.

Then played for Lewes, Worthing, Bognor, Newhaven, Eastbourne Borough, Peacehaven, Eastbourne Town.

Has the life of an apprentice changed much since you were one?

Yes, to a degree. It’s quite funny when Cameron comes home and his humour towards his fellow scholars is very similar to what we were doing 35 years ago! The biggest aspect is the education and the conundrum is that the failure rate amongst young players remains very high so the governing bodies have implemented an in-depth college course, which seems to make sense, but perhaps impinges on the scholars’ football training, rest and study of the game, so it unwittingly exacerbates the failure stats. That then prompts more focus on education and so it continues.

We used to have to clean changing rooms, boots and sometime pitch maintenance at the Goldstone, and more excitingly be in the old ‘boot room’ opposite the home dressing room on match days and see these stars of football walk by. Some would stop and talk. Even had Clough chase his star player John Robertson before a game for smoking in our bootroom!

Cameron has to clean his changing rooms and then college.

How do you think it’s helped Cameron to have a dad who has been with a professional football club?

If you accept that coaching and advice is important to any young player then it should follow that having advice and a mentor 24/7 might help.

When did the club discover him and what progress has he made?

He was asked to train at 8 years and signed when he was 9 years old, I think he has done very well. He is a really good kid (takes after his Mum) and approaches the game in the right way. How things will progress at Brighton & Hove Albion is not yet decided, but I am sure he will be fine wherever he goes.

What’s you line of work nowadays?

I have run soccer schools for some time now including going into a few schools here in Peacehaven and in Worthing on a daily basis.

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The Goldstone Wrap

The Albion Retro Blog

Monthly Archives: February 2014

90 Minutes Live: Fans United, 1997

Watching Forest at the Town Hall

With Wolves visiting, Cup fever grips Brighton

Energy drinks, Albion’s secret weapon in 1969!

Peter and the pelvis

Memory fades, but the passion still burns in Alan Mullery

When Albion walloped Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road

Matthew Wiltshire – back to the future