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How Danny Baker saved Brighton & Hove Albion  - The inside story of Fans United



Thunder Bolt

Ordinary Supporter
Is something being organised for him? It would be fabulous if he could be introduced at the Amex pre-match?

It's all being organised, stadium tour, meal, etc. I think he's also on the Albion Roar beforehand too.
 




Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,919
at home
Terrific article warren. Almost exactly as I remember it.

I can remember getting out my old Huddersfield town shirt and standing in our favourite place in the chicken run. Stood with us were palace fans and charlton fans and at no time was there any animosity. I even think it is probably the only time "rivals" all leapt about and hugged each other when brighton scored the first.

I had a chat after the game to a guy who had travelled all the way from Alaska. He was on his honeymoon, but had flown back for the day. He lived in canada and was born in brighton but had emigrated with his family when he was 7. As we lived in goldstone road, I invited him back for some dinner and took him to a Gatwick hotel for the flight the next day. Never saw him again but that epitomised the spirit of the day with people coming from far and wide to support us in our hour of need.
 


Publius Ovidius

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
45,919
at home
Is something being organised for him? It would be fabulous if he could be introduced at the Amex pre-match?

Absolutely right! If it is at half time hopefully just before the players come out so people are back from a drink and wee wee.
 


Aug 11, 2003
2,724
The Open Market
Although it's in Build A Bonfire, it's rarely mentioned in dispatches about Warren's intervention to get Danny Baker to mention it on air; something vital in securing even more publicity and credibility. From there, it became a national - and international - story.

Great stuff.
 




Silverhatch

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
4,271
Preston Park
Fabulous piece. Thank you.

As other's have said the memories may fade but the emotions are still raw. The fog was a perfect accompiniment to the day. It made everything feel more inimate and personal despite the fact that there were literally thousands of visiting supporters in the North.

For me I'd spent all season driving down from London for match days and end up, most of the time, being holed up outside on Old Shoreham or Road or behind the West or East stands hurling abuse at Archer and Belotti. I think most of us had given up on the pitch and were only focussed on the result(s) off it. It was actually ****ing magic to go into the Goldstone again fired up for all the right reasons. Fans United was the end of the beginning. It galvanised more new people and supported those that had done so much to get the plight of the club noticed. Not all publicity is good publicity - especially when you are the CEO of a major UK business and your dirty washing is now being aired publicly. Brilliant campaigning was making Archer squirm and it ultimately brought him to the table.

Had forgotten about those amazing press ads. I'd love one of the toilet roll. Anyone know if the artwork still exists?

PS. Feel most sorry for Cov fans who have no individual to focus their efforts at. SISU must be the most onerous example of "anti fan" investment in a football club. A hedge fund for ****'s sake!
 




fosters headband

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2003
5,158
Brighton
Wow what a battle that was over the years, brings it all flooding back. Great day and with many great people involved in the fight for our club. Many thanks to all of them.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patreon
Oct 8, 2003
49,337
Faversham
Thanks, Warren. You write very well. I would hope that its not just RV who is introduced to the crowd this Saturday. . . . . . .

I should note that I have another tribute to Warren's organisational skills - for pretty much organising my season ticket when we moved to the Amex :thumbsup:
 


hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.
Helpful Moderator
Mar 16, 2005
61,094
Chandlers Ford
Thanks, Warren. You write very well. I would hope that its not just RV who is introduced to the crowd this Saturday. . . . . . .

I should note that I have another tribute to Warren's organisational skills - for pretty much organising my season ticket when we moved to the Amex :thumbsup:

Tell you what - when Richard Vaughan is introduced for his round of applause, we can clap [MENTION=189]Wozza[/MENTION] instead / as well. (Although, he might get a bit embarrassed if I do, so, tbh, what with me sitting next to him!)
 


Bob'n'weave

Well-known member
Nov 18, 2016
1,970
Nr Lewes
Is something being organised for him? It would be fabulous if he could be introduced at the Amex pre-match?

Be nice if the club did something in a match program or a pre match bit on the Fans United game on the big screens. So many young fans don't know the full story of what we went through.
 






Aug 11, 2003
2,724
The Open Market
Be nice if the club did something in a match program or a pre match bit on the Fans United game on the big screens. So many young fans don't know the full story of what we went through.

Buy one and find out... :wink:
 






The Andy Naylor Fan Club

Well-known member
Aug 31, 2012
5,144
Right Here, Right Now
Great read. Takes you back 20 years in an instant. Fantastic memories of the day and although I was 27 at the time I was like an excited kid seeing all the flags and shirts that represented the different clubs uniting to our cause. Also if my memory isn't playing tricks I recall hundreds of cards placed around Hove Park with messages of support from fans near and far. I'll have to dig out my Fans United t-shirt ( United Colours of Football ) to look at, alas no chance of it fitting me now! :down:
 


Ernest

Stupid IDIOT
Nov 8, 2003
42,739
LOONEY BIN
Funny how 20 years later we are now on the CUSP of the PL with a ground to die for and the team that wanted to boot us out of the league are on their way into the Conference themselves. If it wasn't for Fans United we would have been dead and buried, all of a sudden we believed we could stay up and fans and team came together to do it.
 


Pevenseagull

Anti-greed coalition
Jul 20, 2003
19,513
Excellent read. Up until Fans United I'd thought that the FA cup final (when I was 13) was the event that made me Albion forever. No amount of tattoos could make a permanent mark on me.

Marvellous scenes.
 


Wozza

Shite Supporter
Jul 6, 2003
23,585
Online
I liked that piece i have one small request-please.......i feel the title to the thread needs changing to include the word "Helped" .

I know, I know. I felt the headline needed to be provocative to get interest from a wider audience.
 




Kalimantan Gull

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2003
12,898
Central Borneo / the Lizard
20 year anniversary, wow! Probably will end up as my all-time favourite Albion experience, the mist in Hove Park, the crowds and crowds of people and the atmosphere in the North Stand what a day. My Dad and I befriended a Stoke fan for the day who we met near the turnstiles (although they ended up just opening the gates). Great day
 


attila

1997 Club
Jul 17, 2003
2,244
South Central Southwick
Great piece. Well done EVERYONE.
Gonna raise a glass to the memory of my old mate Roy tonight.
I always knew we'd get there in the end :)

'The battle's only just begun, but we have won the war.
Our club, though torn asunder, will survive.
And I salute each one of you who stood up and said NO!
And fought to keep the Albion alive.
And one day, when our new home's built, and we are storming back
A bunch of happy fans without a care
We'll look back on our darkest hour and raise our glasses high
and say with satisfaction: we were there.'
 



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