What are your memories of your very first game at the Goldstone?

[Deleted User X18H]

Of course in a few months we have a wonderful new experience to look forward to.

My recollections are different kinds of tobacco smoke, the orangeness, of the cinder track, and how green the grass looked. But best of all, the massive roar when ever we got near the opposition penalty area ( I am talking about 25,000 odd people) and my old man saying rude words he never said at home.

Oh men in trilbys.

I think my first match may have been a early spring evening game

 

[Giraffe]

It was 81 I think. We lost to Nottingham Forest 1-0, Ian Wallace scored in front of us in the South Stand. Someone called him a Ginger wanker. I remember being baffled by how many people were there, and I was completely hooked.

 

[Mendoza]

being shit scared going for a piss in those "toilets" with everyone else at half time.

 

[Art Vs Science]

I was two so i do not remember my first game(1973), i remember Brian Horton missing two penalties though, he missed but it was retaken for some reason and he missed that too. Maybe someone can remember this more and who this was against, it's the only detail i remember.

 

[bhaexpress]

69 0r 70, evening game, we beat Birmingham 2-0 in the old league cup. As we were in the Third and they were in the Second it was a good way to start. At least I started on a high but what a roller coaster since. I seem to recall it's the first time I can remember clapping with my hands above my head too.

 

[Ding Dong !]

Amazing first game for me at the Goldstone. It was October ( i think ) 1981 standing in the east terrace watching an enthrawling 3-3 draw with Liverpool. Got me hooked on the Albion !!! Cracking diving header fom Jimmy Case.

 

[Barry Izbak]

I can't remember my first game, but I do remember my first evening game. It was against Bradford City. Their maroon and orange stripes looked amazing to me under the floodlights.

 

[Icy Gull]

I doubt many had a better game for their 1st. 1975/6? Malcolm Alison's table topping stylish Crystal Palace team with Peter Taylor on the wing. Albion totally dominated them and won 2-0 with Harry Wilson having Taylor in his pocket. A crowd of around 33,000 and the fantastic atmosphere of an evening game. Bizarrely the memory of the smell of pipe tobacco smoke linges on too.

One newbie fan sold on the Albion

 

[pasty]

I have no memories of my first game whatsoever. In fact I only know when it was, who we played and the score because it was on my birthday, 36 years ago and I looked it up!

 

[Knightsworld]

7-0 v Walsall, Ward 4 Mellor 3

It don't get much better than that for your first game.

 

[Jesus Gul]

Blue Parker jacket, orange Unigate milk bottle crates as a stand and the light turquoise disabled cars parked in the corner

 

[tonymgc]

I remember it was 1994 & either against York City or Burnley. Those were my first two Brighton games & both were 1-0 wins thanks to Kurt Nogan (one was a pen).
When i first started going my nan would take me my bro & sis because my dad's never been into football. So we'd sit in the south stand. I can remember running down to the corner & getting autographs off the subs too.

The toilets were horriflying & i remember even a spiders web being encrusted in piss!!!

As i mentioned my nan took me to my first games, She's now 88 & suffers from dementia but she remembers how she'd take us up the Goldstone like it was yesterday & how sad it was when we lost our home.

 

[Bigtomfu]

Brighton 1 Gillingham 0 - League Cup First round August 1987.

I remember sitting in the West Stand with my Dad, the sound of the wooden seats dropping and clacking loudly as people either arrived or left. The smell of bovril mixed with sweet almost vanilla like tobacco smoke.

The sound of new words and phrases echoing around me - I remember being particularly perplexed by phrases such as 'good ball' as if the ball was in someway not an inanimate object and was in fact in charge of its own destiny. (Pretty deep for a seven year old..)

Despite not being a huge crowd, around 7,000 I believe, the noise when we scored stuck with me ever since. Magical times.

 

[Jonno]

September 1986 against Grimsby, my Dad took me for my 6th birthday.
Sat in the South Stand and I think we lost 0-1.
I remember thinking how enormous the stadium seemed (I guess it was compared to Withdean!)

I'd be very interested if someone has the programme for this game.

 

[JJ McClure]

It was the FA cup game at home to Arsenal in 88 which would have made me 10 at the time. I was in the East corner right next to the Arsenal fans. I seem to remember spending as much time watching the gooners fans as the game as they were a tad intimidating to a little chap like myself.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

The first game I can clearly remember was in autumn 1971 when my family moved from abroad to settle in Sussex; a 2-0 win against Shrewsbury. I was 12.
I had been taken a couple of years before and remember the rosettes, rattles and children on crates of a very different era. The smell I shall always associate with the Goldstone was my dad's pipe tobacco, a smell that I have never forgotten even though he died in 1985. The smell I will always associate with Withdean is that sickly chips and curry sauce aroma that greets you as you approach, usually accompanied by light drizzle; not nearly as evocative.

 

[Chicken Run]

Easy one, walking down old shoreham road, with Kate bush blaring out over the sound system "it's me I'm kathy I've come home now" hated that song! Mid 70's I think?

 

[Taybha]

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[BLOCK F]

Can't really remember!
Was probably 1963.....I can't even remember who we played,but it was a Saturday afternoon.
General memories from years ago:Mounting excitement walking from Hove Station to the Goldstone. Half -time scores around the ground indicated by letters you had to look up in the programme.The smell of liniment coming from the changing rooms. Smell of cigar smoke from the old boys in the West Stand seats( I used to stand behind the home dugout containing trainer Cyril Hodges)Looking up to the Dirctors' box to see if Norman Wisdom was there.Trilbys and flat caps.Adverts for Watneys Red Barrel,Tamplins Ales etc.Crunching tackles from hard man Dave Turner.Wally Gould and Norman Gall were my favourite players.Disbelief that we had signed THE BOBBY SMITH!
Great memories...it makes you wonder where all the years have gone.Oh yes,Archie McCauley always looked immaculately dressed!

 

[jevs]

Can't really remember the first game but it must've been at the start of the 1976/77 season. Used to stand in the north right in front of the goal with me mate as a couple of 9 year olds whilst my old man stood up the top armed with a hot flask of soup for half time.

The smell of pipe tobacco and burgers still remind me of the goldstone to this day