That York city game

Robert Codners Nostrils · Jul 3, 2017

No doubt it was one of the biggest days in club's history. Like it or not. However, speaking to someone recently, it appears our perception of what occurred that day is very different. For him, every Brighton fan backed the pitch invasion and saw the day as a moral victory due to the publicity it received.

I believe that most Albion fans were very much opposed to the pitch invasion at the time. Most of the north stayed put and jeered the people who went on. Only around 2000 people invaded (generous number) and the rest of the ground were not happy. However, the minority (many of them not Albion fans) got their way way and the game was abandoned. The subsequent publicity/sympathy/support was incredible. Good job the minority got their way that day. Here is a good video or those who haven't seen it.

https://youtu.be/IbY0gZIoeG0

How do you remember that day? Were you on the pitch, off the pitch but supportive (I'm sure most of you were), indifferent from the stands, or horrified?

whitelion · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
No doubt it was one of the biggest days in club's history. Like it or not. However, speaking to someone recently, it appears our perception of what occurred that day is very different. For him, every Brighton fan backed the pitch invasion and saw the day as a moral victory due to the publicity it received.

I believe that most Albion fans were very much opposed to the pitch invasion at the time. Most of the north stayed put and jeered the people who went on. Only around 2000 people invaded (generous number) and the rest of the ground were not happy. However, the minority (many of them not Albion fans) got their way way and the game was abandoned. The subsequent publicity/sympathy/support was incredible. Good job the minority got their way that day. Here is a good video or those who haven't seen it.

https://youtu.be/IbY0gZIoeG0

How do you remember that day? Were you on the pitch, off the pitch but supportive (I'm sure most of you were), indifferent from the stands, or horrified?

Who were these people if not Albion fans?

Robert Codners Nostrils · Jul 3, 2017

whitelion said:
Who were these people if not Albion fans?

Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

whitelion · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

I'm surprised that up to 2,000 fans from those clubs were at this match - in fact astounded.

I wasn't there so I have no knowledge of your claim.

Jam The Man · Jul 3, 2017

My recollection was that it was very much 50:50 for any of the pitch protests in season 95-96, as frankly people didn't know enough about what was really going on. . It ramped up significantly the following season as people started to realise the seriousness of it all.

There were fans of other clubs there, but not so much the hooligan element that was rumoured on the day. The 'combat 18' element was indeed over exaggerated

Green Cross Code Man · Jul 3, 2017

Jam The Man said:
My recollection was that it was very much 50:50 for any of the pitch protests in season 95-96, as frankly people didn't know enough about what was really going on. . It ramped up significantly the following season as people started to realise the seriousness of it all.

There were fans of other clubs there, but not so much the hooligan element that was rumoured on the day. The 'combat 18' element was indeed over exaggerated

A lot of Albion fans were there who didn't usually go to games. It was widely known something was likely to happen given the circumstances. My father who was suffering ill-health, made a special effort to be there as did I, as I made a trip down from Liverpool. So just in my case, instead of only my brother, there were three of us travelling to the game that day. I'm sure this kind of story is replicated amongst Brighton fans. Whilst I was aware that rumours abounded of various hooligan elements, at the game I was only aware of Albion fans and there were no indications that the various groups mentioned were there in any sort of significant numbers in the North where we stood.

At the time, I was on the fence about whether direct action was necessary, perhaps it was as I had lost a little touch with events living elsewhere (oh for the internet in those days!) but the York game crystallised the realisation that we would have to fight for the survival of our wonderful club, without it I wonder if we would actually have a team to follow now?

The Optimist · Jul 3, 2017

I remember some of those left in the North stand chanting something along the lines of 'What the f**k was the point in that' and those on the pitch chanting 'scabs' back.

Deleted User X18H · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

This is approaching the biggest load of nonsense I have ever read on here! And that is indeed say something.
I think the OP has belatedly, 21 years later in fact, caught up with urban legend that Combat 18 or whoever were involved. The higher than normal attendance was due to the fact that it was perceived at the time, that this was likely to be the last ever match at the Goldstone

The pitch invasion and subsequent destruction of the goals was arranged by Albion fans in the days before and finalised in the hours before kick off, at the Hove Park Tavern.

It was a chance , and one that was taken,to highlight the asset striping and mismanagement of the club to a wider audience. And how it worked. There was no violence apart from the goals being torn down and that aimed at the directors box.

Some old ladies had a picnic in the centre circle. One of whom I sat next to at Withdean for a number of years. RIP Shelia.

Green Cross Code Man · Jul 3, 2017

hove born&bred said:
This is approaching the biggest load of nonsense I have ever read on here! And that is indeed say something.
I think the OP has belatedly, 21 years later in fact, caught up with urban legend that Combat 18 or whoever were involved. The higher than normal attendance was due to the fact that it was perceived at the time, that this was likely to be the last ever match at the Goldstone

The pitch invasion and subsequent destruction of the goals was arranged by Albion fans in the days before and finalised in the hours before kick off, at the Hove Park Tavern.

It was a chance , and one that was taken,to highlight the asset striping and mismanagement of the club to a wider audience. And how it worked. There was no violence apart from the goals being torn down and that aimed at the directors box.

Some old ladies had a picnic in the centre circle. One of whom I sat next to at Withdean for a number of years. RIP Shelia.

Wow! I knew you could do it! A sensible and excellent post that hit the nail on the head. Everyone savour the moment!

Harry Wilson's tackle · Jul 3, 2017

The exact time of the pitch invasion was known to me on the day, although I can't recall how I knew. I saw no evidence of involvement of supporters of other clubs, and certainly no evidence of political groups. The York supporters in the South East corner had a mild love in with Brighton supporters who came over to that corner so I recall. Correct me if I'm wrong - we were deducted points for that pich invasion were we not? Relegation that season would gave seen us finished as a club. I have always been troubled by the thought of actions, no matter how well intentioned, that actually cause harm. Thankfully after a run of impressibe away wins we romped home safe long before the end of the season didn't we?...... oh.

Simster · Jul 3, 2017

Combat 18 sounds like an urban myth but I can say I had never before seen the fat bloke who snapped the crossbar.

And I'd say the OP is correct that most people in the ground condemned the initial pitch invasion. Nothing wrong with that, there were plenty who invaded the pitch simply because they were pissed off at relegation, not because the board were asset stripping the club. Some of the people who invaded the pitch later turned on people still in the north by chucking stuff at them (mostly clumps of grass rather than coins or bottles, in fairness).

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Deleted User X18H · Jul 3, 2017

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
The exact time of the pitch invasion was known to me on the day, although I can't recall how I knew. I saw no evidence of involvement of supporters of other clubs, and certainly no evidence of political groups. The York supporters in the South East corner had a mild love in with Brighton supporters who came over to that corner so I recall. Correct me if I'm wrong - we were deducted points for that pich invasion were we not? Relegation that season would gave seen us finished as a club. I have always been troubled by the thought of actions, no matter how well intentioned, that actually cause harm. Thankfully after a run of impressibe away wins we romped home safe long before the end of the season didn't we?...... oh.

No immediate points deduction but a suspended one. Invoked after the Lincoln invasion in October that year.

papajaff · Jul 3, 2017

I'm glad someone else got in before me. Utter nonsense that there were fans from other clubs there. Seriously, Millwall, Palace having a love in with us? It didn't happen.

I actually stayed in the stand but was happy with the pitch invasion. It had to happen. What was going on with our club at the time changed some of our personalities. What I mean by that is I would NEVER usually go round to the West Stand after the mass exodus at the Mansfield (?) game and try to kick in a door. But I did and that's just not me. And chasing Archer out of a bar in the London hotel where they had the chairman's vote many years ago.

And HB&B, keep it up.

Taybha · Jul 3, 2017

I felt sick .

1959 · Jul 3, 2017

hove born&bred said:
There was no violence apart from the goals being torn down and that aimed at the directors box.

Not strictly true. I saw two women leaning against a crash-barrier in the North Stand that day, who appeared to be booing the pitch invaders. I remember one of these ladies was wearing a neck-brace of some sort, one of those collar things. A big blond-haired guy on the pitch saw her and started shouting abuse and pointing. Then he climbed back into the stand, walked straight up to the one wearing the neck thing and headbutted her hard. She went down in a heap, of course, bleeding profusely. He shouted a bit more abuse at her as she lay on the ground while her friend was screaming. And then he ran away.

wellquickwoody · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

Sorry, but you are talking out of your arse.

The Wookiee · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

Rubbish

Hamilton · Jul 3, 2017

Robert Codners Nostrils said:
Great question. But you don't get the highest crowd of the season for the last game having just been relegated unless you have guests. There were tons of Chelsea, milwall, charlton and even palace present that day.

Well, I was there and I don't remember tons of Chelsea, Millwall, Charlton and Palace fans being there.

I also remember a lot of North Stand fans who didn't make it onto the pitch being incredibly sympathetic and supportive.

Jam The Man · Jul 3, 2017

1959 said:
Not strictly true. I saw two women leaning against a crash-barrier in the North Stand that day, who appeared to be booing the pitch invaders. I remember one of these ladies was wearing a neck-brace of some sort, one of those collar things. A big blond-haired guy on the pitch saw her and started shouting abuse and pointing. Then he climbed back into the stand, walked straight up to the one wearing the neck thing and headbutted her hard. She went down in a heap, of course, bleeding profusely. He shouted a bit more abuse at her as she lay on the ground while her friend was screaming. And then he ran away.

Yes this unfortunately did happen. I remember them being interviewed on local TV the next day.
Sadly we've always had some utter moronic tossers as 'fans', and I'd like to think that bell end got arrested and banned for life, but I doubt anything came of it.

Ecosse Exile · Jul 3, 2017

The pitch invasion was planned, in fact i dont need to say much as unbelievably, hb&b has it just about right!

The only thing i will add, is that we made the national papers in the previous home game too Carlisle iirc, as Bellotti had to run for his life, fans chased him from the directors box to one of the lounges where they were only held off by police and security. This was normal Brighton fans, not C18 or anyone else.

We'd had enough by this stage, and even many people who believed the bullshit that was being spouted through the media from the club, had long since realised that Archer & co were ripping the club apart for their own gain, the changing of the articles of association were enough for most fans to realise action was needed, nobody that mattered were listening.

So in response to the OP, whoever told you that is talking bollocks, the invasion was planned, had been coming, had to happen AND WAS BRIGHTON FANS!

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