Here’s the Daily Mirror’s report of the first ever FA Cup Quarter-Final to take place at the Goldstone Ground, with the Seagulls victorious on 12th March 1983:
By Harry Miller: Brighton 1, Norwich 0
Jimmy Case knows how to keep his cool when the jackpot is only a shuffle and a shot away.
That priceless asset, picked up in a decade of Cup fighting on every front with Liverpool, explains why Brighton are heading towards Wembley and Norwich are among the also-rans.
In Norwich this morning they are probably still muttering and moaning about the legacy of Case’s 67th minute winner and whether he should even have been around to score it.
Yesterday, referee Alan Robinson, from Waterlooville, cleared up one point while the Mirror’s Footballer of the Month for February revealed another.
Norwich protested furiously and pointed to a linesman’s raised flag when Case went past Paul HayIock, shuffled and shot past Chris Woods for the goal that takes Brighton into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history.
But referee Robinson answered Norwich claims that Haylock had been fouled by saying: “When I spoke to the linesman he said he was fiagging for a foul on Case. I decided to play the advantage.
Norwich manager Ken Brown said: We were done by an old pro who was lucky to be on the field at the time.
“He had already been booked for one foul. His second one, on Mick McGuire, was diabolical.”
Case, who is still only 28, admitted that after the clash with McGuire referee Robinson had-gone to him and said: “You’re going the right way to go towards the tunnel.”
The midfield ace whose goal had knocked out Liverpool in the previous round answered: “I know. I’ll calm down.” To Norwich’s cost, he did.
Case told me: “I’m not a dirty player. I caught McGuire as he was going away from me. There were incidents in the game far worse. Anyway, my record speaks for itself.
“I’ve never been sent off.”
He added: “Really, I don’t remember much about the goal. But looking at it on the video I Certainly don’t think I fouled anyone.”
A tie played at a frantic pace and without much pattern gave a reasonable insight into why these sides are at the bottom end of the First Division.
Brighton manager Jimmy Melia was honest enough to call it “a poor scrappy game,” which it was.
In the end, reality ruled.
Brlghton’s impressive skipper Steve Foster, judged the game’s best player by the match sponsors, admitted: “I would still swap our place in the Cup for a spot halfway up the First Division.”
The Goldstone Wrap 