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[Albion] To the early leavers, a cautionary tale



8049

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2015
326
Berkshire
I don't want to re-hash the many threads on the topic but today possibly marks the end of a long era of regret resulting from leaving a game early.

I was 12 years old and a season ticket holder. I'd travel to each home game on the No.2 bus from Shoreham. After the matches there would be massive queues for the bus home, and the buses that came along seemed to all go to Mile Oak or Hangleton with only the occasional 2 or 2a. So, if the match looked done and dusted, I'd leave at the 85 minute mark and be head of the queue. That is until the day in 1983 when we played Spurs at the Goldstone. As the 2nd half progressed, we didn't look like we were going to recover from 1-0 down, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the bus.

As I started walking along the Old Shoreham Road I heard a massive cheer - we'd just equalised. I was annoyed but pleased .We'd gained a point and I was still going to get home early. Then, as I reached the bus stop, another roar. We'd come back with two goals in the last two minutes to gain a famous victory. And I'd missed it. Never has being front of the queue felt so worthless, the appearance of the bus coming over the hill felt like a dagger to my heart and I've never been so miserable being on the top deck at the front - I didn't even pretend to drive.

From that day, I vowed never to leave a game early again and I never have. Through drubbings and drabbings, I've stayed until the bitter end because, as that match taught me, you just never know.

This evening marks the first chance I've had in 35 years to see Brighton beat Spurs at home in the top flight. No matter what the score at 85 minutes, I'll be sticking around cos I may not be around in another 35 years.

So, to the early leavers, I understand the attraction of leaving but I guarantee you won't spend 35 years regretting staying at a match or remembering the extra 30 minutes you had to queue. But you may end up regretting leaving and missing something magical.
 


Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,903
Living In a Box
I remember that game, boy did it kick off post match
 


Tokyohands

Well-known member
Jan 5, 2017
940
Tokyo
Blimey, the bus? I always used to stay till the end and bunk the train back to Shoreham, if I didn't get caught i'd still have enough pocket money left for a bag of chips from Tony's Fish Bar!
 








Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
I remember that game, boy did it kick off post match

My (future) missus was in the north stand that day with a (female) friend from Aberdeen Uni who supported Ayr Utd but had Spurs sympathies. When we took the lead, some Spurs fans left the away end and came in the back of the north, proceeding to punch the Ayr fan and break her nose. She was 19 and 5'4". The bravest bit of hooliganism I had witnessed since I saw a Spurs 17 stone bloke smash his cygnet rings into the face of the 70 year old guy stood next to me on the East Terrace in the 78 fixture. Scum.

As a postscript, my (future) mother-in-law, on hearing what had happened, said 'why couldn't it have been you?!?' to my (future) missus. Possibly the most English thing I've ever heard.

PG
 


Arthritic Toe

Well-known member
Nov 25, 2005
2,390
Swindon
Weren't they the 2 almost identical Eric Potts goals from the right wing?
- or have the memory cells faded over 35 years.
Either way I'm glad I wasn't on the early bus - would've never got over it :)
 


8049

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2015
326
Berkshire
Blimey, the bus? I always used to stay till the end and bunk the train back to Shoreham, if I didn't get caught i'd still have enough pocket money left for a bag of chips from Tony's Fish Bar!

I lived on the old airfield estate near King's Manor school. Taking the train would have meant a massive walk from either Shoreham or Southwick stations.
 




Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
Weren't they the 2 almost identical Eric Potts goals from the right wing?
- or have the memory cells faded over 35 years.
Either way I'm glad I wasn't on the early bus - would've never got over it :)

Think that was against Sunderland a few years earlier (77/78?)
 


8049

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2015
326
Berkshire
Weren't they the 2 almost identical Eric Potts goals from the right wing?
- or have the memory cells faded over 35 years.
Either way I'm glad I wasn't on the early bus - would've never got over it :)

I wouldn't know!!!!
 








Tokyohands

Well-known member
Jan 5, 2017
940
Tokyo
I lived on the old airfield estate near King's Manor school. Taking the train would have meant a massive walk from either Shoreham or Southwick stations.

True that I don't blame you! Middle Road just seemed to go on forever and ever, would often walk along to my grandparents in Rectory Road and Wilmot Road.
 


Bevendean Hillbilly

New member
Sep 4, 2006
12,805
Nestling in green nowhere
The aggro at the end of that match was epic.

The confrontation under the railway bridge with some Spurs grock being dragged by his perm by this big fat Albion bloke and then getting chucked at a police dog springs to mind.

It carried on in town afterwards too as I recall.
 




Giraffe

VERY part time moderator
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Aug 8, 2005
26,456
I don't want to re-hash the many threads on the topic but today possibly marks the end of a long era of regret resulting from leaving a game early.

I was 12 years old and a season ticket holder. I'd travel to each home game on the No.2 bus from Shoreham. After the matches there would be massive queues for the bus home, and the buses that came along seemed to all go to Mile Oak or Hangleton with only the occasional 2 or 2a. So, if the match looked done and dusted, I'd leave at the 85 minute mark and be head of the queue. That is until the day in 1983 when we played Spurs at the Goldstone. As the 2nd half progressed, we didn't look like we were going to recover from 1-0 down, so I decided to cut my losses and head for the bus.

As I started walking along the Old Shoreham Road I heard a massive cheer - we'd just equalised. I was annoyed but pleased .We'd gained a point and I was still going to get home early. Then, as I reached the bus stop, another roar. We'd come back with two goals in the last two minutes to gain a famous victory. And I'd missed it. Never has being front of the queue felt so worthless, the appearance of the bus coming over the hill felt like a dagger to my heart and I've never been so miserable being on the top deck at the front - I didn't even pretend to drive.

From that day, I vowed never to leave a game early again and I never have. Through drubbings and drabbings, I've stayed until the bitter end because, as that match taught me, you just never know.

This evening marks the first chance I've had in 35 years to see Brighton beat Spurs at home in the top flight. No matter what the score at 85 minutes, I'll be sticking around cos I may not be around in another 35 years.

So, to the early leavers, I understand the attraction of leaving but I guarantee you won't spend 35 years regretting staying at a match or remembering the extra 30 minutes you had to queue. But you may end up regretting leaving and missing something magical.

Great post. I remember the game well. I wasn't actually there though. I was an 11 year old playing football in Tarring park and listening to the game on my pepsi can radio. We stopped playing for the last five minutes to listen properly. Dancing around like little idiots when we won it.
 




Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,486
Brighton
That Cloughie drubbing from Bristol Rovers was my only early exit, left at half time. Went to Hove station only to sit and wait. By the time the first train turned up the game had finished.
 











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