Football in the 1960s

J

John15

New member

Jun 23, 2013

2

• Jun 24, 2013

• #1

I’m writing a book about Liverpool's promotion campaign of 1961-62 and, for each away game, I'm trying to capture the flavour of football in that era. Liverpool visited Brighton in mid-September 1961, when the Seagulls became the first team to take a point off Liverpool that season (0-0 draw). I'd be interested in anyone's memories about following Brighton around that time, whether or not they can remember this particular game. I’m looking for things like the differences in watching the game back then, where the away fans generally congregated at the old Goldstone ground, what the home support was like and anything else that gives an insight into what it was like watching football in the early 1960s.
Hope you can help. Cheers.

 

Moshe Gariani

Well-known member

Mar 10, 2005

12,071

• Jun 24, 2013

• #2

Welcome to a slightly-madhouse...!!

Too young to help but there are a few veterans on here who will hopefully come up trumps for you.

From your knowledge of that season, how many would have travelled from Liverpool...? 500? more/less?

 

hans kraay fan club

The voice of reason.

Helpful Moderator

Mar 16, 2005

61,276

Chandlers Ford

• Jun 24, 2013

• #3

Good morning John,

I sorry but NSC is a little busy at the moment, pissing its collective pants over who said what, where and when, and worrying about whether any spotty 15 year-old Plymouth fans have tweeted anything slightly derogatory about our club.

Could you call back later?

Cheers

 

Kumquat

New member

Mar 2, 2009

4,459

• Jun 24, 2013

• #4

Don't know how far the Evening Argus (local rag) archives go back, but they may be worth contacting for facts and figures. They may be able to put you in touch with sources to talk to as well.

 

T

The Birdman

New member

Nov 30, 2008

6,313

Haywards Heath

• Jun 24, 2013

• #5

Ask Ian Hart about the right age

 

D

dougdeep

New member

May 9, 2004

37,732

SUNNY SEAFORD

• Jun 24, 2013

• #6

I know we finished bottom that season. You'll come across the word bottom a lot on this board.

 

Goldstone Rapper

Rediffusion PlayerofYear

Jan 19, 2009

14,865

BN3 7DE

• Jun 24, 2013

• #7

I'll have a dig around for a Jimmy melia radio interview covering his time at Liverpool later...

 

Barrel of Fun

Abort, retry, fail

Aug 22, 2005

52,833

Sūþsēaxe: The Land of the South Saxons

• Jun 24, 2013

• #8

In answer to what was the home support like, we averaged 13k that season.

An extract from SEAGULLS! The Story of Brighton & Hove Albion FC...

'The bad results prompted another struggle for control of the boardroom. The 'Season Ticket Holders and Patrons Association', commonly known as the 'Pep Group', was a league of councillors and businessmen campaigning in December and the New Year 'to keep top-class football at the Goldstone'.

Offering guarantees of up to £40,000, the group demanded the release of the 20,000 unsold shares, representation on the board, and the acquisition of a proven goalscorer.

Click to expand...

So to summarise. We were grumpy and disgruntled. Not much changes.

 

Return of the Rev

Well-known member

Nov 26, 2008

21,045

Flitting between the county league and mates rates

• Jun 24, 2013

• #9

John15 said:

I’m writing a book about Liverpool's promotion campaign of 1961-62 and, for each away game, I'm trying to capture the flavour of football in that era. Liverpool visited Brighton in mid-September 1961, when the Seagulls became the first team to take a point off Liverpool that season (0-0 draw). I'd be interested in anyone's memories about following Brighton around that time, whether or not they can remember this particular game. I’m looking for things like the differences in watching the game back then, where the away fans generally congregated at the old Goldstone ground, what the home support was like and anything else that gives an insight into what it was like watching football in the early 1960s.
Hope you can help. Cheers.

Click to expand...

I think you will find it had nothing to do with the seagulls probably find the point was nicked by the clams or porpoises

 

J

John15

New member

Jun 23, 2013

2

• Jun 24, 2013

• Thread starter
• #10

Liverpool's away support was better than most in those pre-motorway days, but numbers varied on how far away a game was. The south coast would have been a stiff journey from the north-west, but the gate that day of nearly 19,000 would have contained a couple of thousand Liverpool fans. For games at Preston, Oldham, Huddersfield and the like, Liverpool would have 5,000 travelling fans for a league game and twice as many for the cup.

 

wolfie

Well-known member

Jul 19, 2003

1,662

Warwickshire

• Jun 24, 2013

• #11

I was watching at the Goldstone from the 59-60 season but didn't really get into it until 62-63. One of my clearest and fondest memories was the big capital letters along the walls down each touchline. In the second half of games, a chap in a white coat would walk down with a bucket of whitewash and paint on the half time scores from around the country. we needed a programme to find out which game was which. I remember the ball knocking the bucket over more than once and they eventually started propping up number cards instead.

Note for younger viewers : We didn't have giant screens, smart phones (or even small portable radios) in those days.

 

L

Lenny Rider

Well-known member

Sep 15, 2010

5,426

• Jun 24, 2013

• #12

The Birdman said:

Ask Ian Hart about the right age

Click to expand...

Cheeky f***er I was born in 1964

 

Seagull on the wing

New member

Sep 22, 2010

7,458

Hailsham

• Jun 24, 2013

• #13

wolfie said:

I was watching at the Goldstone from the 59-60 season but didn't really get into it until 62-63. One of my clearest and fondest memories was the big capital letters along the walls down each touchline. In the second half of games, a chap in a white coat would walk down with a bucket of whitewash and paint on the half time scores from around the country. we needed a programme to find out which game was which. I remember the ball knocking the bucket over more than once and they eventually started propping up number cards instead.

Note for younger viewers : We didn't have giant screens, smart phones (or even small portable radios) in those days.

Click to expand...

Memories....started watching 58 but you are correct about the half time scores....if the OP would like to contact me by PM with an Email address I might be able to help him.