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Swindon v Brighton (abandoned)



whitelion

New member
Dec 16, 2003
12,828
Southwick
I was at that game. I'm sure it was in the late 70's and we were 3 or 4 goals down with no chance of getting a result. Then...miracle of miracles the ref abandoned the game. I remember laughing all the way home.

Can anyone remember the date and other details?
 
Last edited:

Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Jan 19, 2009
14,865
BN3 7DE
I think it must have been 1976/77.
 


Everest

Me
Jul 5, 2003
20,741
Southwick
Jan 1, 1977 (abb 67 mins losing 4-0) att 12,369

1 Grummitt
2 Cattlin
3 Wilson
4 Horton
5 Winstanley
6 Cross
7 Towner (Burnett)
8 Ward
9 Morgan
10 Piper
11 Mellor

Replayed on May 10 (lost 2-1)
 

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I am 99.9% sure that it was rain and a waterlogged pitch but I do remember a policeman telling us at half time that the ref was going to start the 2nd half and then abandon the game.

The game was in doubt but the ref started it and it poured with rain towards the end of the first half. We then started the 2nd half and the ref called it off after about 10 mins so that the score didnt stanmd and the game had to be replayed, which we lost 1- 0 I think.
 


Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Jan 19, 2009
14,865
BN3 7DE
Were we playing against the mighty Ray McHale? No wonder we lost.
 

Peter Grummit

Well-known member
Oct 13, 2004
6,769
Lewes
Jan 1, 1977 (abb 67 mins) att 12,369

1 Grummitt
2 Cattlin
3 Wilson
4 Horton
5 Winstanley
6 Cross
7 Towner (Burnett)
8 Ward
9 Morgan
10 Piper
11 Mellor

Replayed on May 10 (lost 2-1)

Fair enough (!)
Presumably we were already promoted by the time the replay was played.
Decent side that for the 3rd division. Piper had a spell in midfield but was a local lad (Woodingdean) who played most of his games at CB. Towner also local (Bevendean I think) for those of you too young to know.
PG
 

Everest

Me
Jul 5, 2003
20,741
Southwick
PG, we clinched promotion by beating Sheff Weds 3-2 the game before the Swindon replayed game.
 


One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Licker Extraordinaire
Aug 4, 2006
21,440
Worthing
Steve Piper played in midfield mostly. Generally the centre-half's were Rollings and Graham Cross. Graham Winstanley filled in when there were injuries.

Went to the second game in May. I believe we took the lead via Peter Ward.

Remember the Sheff Wed game.... What an atmosphere!!
 

Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear
Jan 19, 2009
14,865
BN3 7DE
Amazingly, the Sheffield Wednesday game of 1977 was listed in a book of the world's greatest 100 matches of all time.
 


Freddie Goodwin.

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2007
7,186
Brighton
I remember it well.

The previous night, being NYE, i was partying down Sherry's and met the woman who was to become my wife and we are still together.

Went to the swindon game, obviously a tad hungover and maybe the Albion side were too because we were well turned over by a decent side who knew their pitch and raided down the wings, Davis Moss tormenting us.

the swindon pitch seemed very clay like and clingy so it was not like a lot of surface water. it was a cold day and raining throughout, although not too heavy.

If the game had run it's course i reckon we would have lost by about 6 and this may have derailed our promotion run. As it was, the abandonment was a great sign and slice of luck. Our next game was just a couple of days later andmore or less the same team got back to winning ways and we went on from there.

The replayed fixture was at the end of the season and we had clinched promotion so the 2-1 defeat hardly seemed to matter.

I'll always remember us 'Singing in the rain' at Swindon!
 

Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,652
Worthing
I remember that day so well. Felt like absolute shit after new years eve. my mate had stolen half a bottle of scotch from his dads cupboard and had put it into a Listermint bottle. Got some strange looks from the boys on the coach on the way up seeing us downing that.
 

Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,320
Uffern
I think that they also had the fabulous Don Rogers in the side

No. Don Rogers' last start for Swindon was four days earlier. He made one more substitute appearance but he wasn't fully fit that season and retired at the end of it.

I remember that on the way back to the station after that game, we got led past a building site and a few bricks were chucked our way - although I remember their aim was terrible and no-one got hit.
 


mona

The Glory Game
Jul 9, 2003
5,470
High up on the South Downs.
I think that they also had the fabulous Don Rogers in the side

Don't think so. He'd moved on.

My memory was that Winstanley got roasted. He was a slow defender with, like Guy Butters, excellent positional sense which saw him through. Lawrenson later said that he learned a lot from playing alongside "Tot". On that day Swindon exposed him and he was struggling to turn in the mud. The ref shouldn't have abandoned it but it was great to celebrate as Swindon were a stroppy lot in those days as well.
 

The Keeper

New member
Oct 22, 2005
540
West Sussex
My Nan was there, RIP, She burst out laughing when Ref abandoned the game,
Then a swindon fan behind her thumped her, Then his mate thumped him, and said you should be ashamed of striking a woman. In a silly west country accent
 

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