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Albion v Rochdale in 1972 - the crowd was really only 24,766 not 34,766



Moshe Gariani

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2005
12,062
In May 1972, Brighton needed just one point against Rochdale to return to the Second Division. At the time the Goldstone crowd for the match was reported as being an amazing 34,766, but it is a little known fact that in reality only 24,766 passed through the old turnstiles that day.

As Ken Beamish recalled in ‘Match of My Life: Brighton & Hove Albion: "The Chairman was aware that we were a provincial club that never enjoyed any significant on-field success apart from the Charity Shield in 1910. Although our support was decent we needed to make more of an impression on the national scene so that he could attract sponsors and strengthen the squad for the following year. He cooked up a plan with Pat Saward that whatever the crowd was we would add 10,000 onto it so that the newspapers would have a story to tell about what a well supported club we are. At the time Crystal Palace were getting 12,000 against Bristol City in Div 2 so we knew us getting 34,000 in Div 3 against Rochdale would attract a lot of coverage."

A similar tale is told by his striking partner Willie Irvine in his autobiography ‘Together Again: "That game against Rochdale is still talked about for the incredible number of people that turned up. I always felt a bit guilty knowing the truth about the attendance but it is out in the open now and I don't suppose in 40 years time anyone will be bothered about it in any case".

Amazing stuff and shows that inflated attendance figures are not just a modern day phenomenon.
 

LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
46,415
SHOREHAM BY SEA
In May 1972, Brighton needed just one point against Rochdale to return to the Second Division. At the time the Goldstone crowd for the match was reported as being an amazing 34,766, but it is a little known fact that in reality only 24,766 passed through the old turnstiles that day.

As Ken Beamish recalled in ‘Match of My Life: Brighton & Hove Albion: "The Chairman was aware that we were a provincial club that never enjoyed any significant on-field success apart from the Charity Shield in 1910. Although our support was decent we needed to make more of an impression on the national scene so that he could attract sponsors and strengthen the squad for the following year. He cooked up a plan with Pat Saward that whatever the crowd was we would add 10,000 onto it so that the newspapers would have a story to tell about what a well supported club we are. At the time Crystal Palace were getting 12,000 against Bristol City in Div 2 so we knew us getting 34,000 in Div 3 against Rochdale would attract a lot of coverage."

A similar tale is told by his striking partner Willie Irvine in his autobiography ‘Together Again: "That game against Rochdale is still talked about for the incredible number of people that turned up. I always felt a bit guilty knowing the truth about the attendance but it is out in the open now and I don't suppose in 40 years time anyone will be bothered about it in any case".

Amazing stuff and shows that inflated attendance figures are not just a modern day phenomenon.

Someone remind me what the date is
 


Seagull over Canaryland

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2011
3,549
Norfolk
Something fishy here...... Poisson d'Avril?

I've heard of the supposed inflated crowd figure back in the Goldstone era, perhaps for lesser games - but not for the biggest home league game in years.

My recollection is of The Goldstone being absolutely rammed full that balmy evening. Some turnstiles were closed before kick off and many punters missed John Templeman's goal. If anything it felt as if too many tickets had been sold and still could not meet demand, with a good number of disappointed punters wandering around Newtown Road after KO.

Someone must have photographic evidence of a brimming Goldstone from that evening?
 


papajaff

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2005
3,965
Brighton
Yep I remember this evening game very well and being in the North Stand thinking where the **** is everyone coming from. Normally it would be cosy but this night was something else with the crowd.
 

BLOCK F

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2009
6,310
Something fishy here...... Poisson d'Avril?

I've heard of the supposed inflated crowd figure back in the Goldstone era, perhaps for lesser games - but not for the biggest home league game in years.

My recollection is of The Goldstone being absolutely rammed full that balmy evening. Some turnstiles were closed before kick off and many punters missed John Templeman's goal. If anything it felt as if too many tickets had been sold and still could not meet demand, with a good number of disappointed punters wandering around Newtown Road after KO.

Someone must have photographic evidence of a brimming Goldstone from that evening?

Absolutely. I was there and the ground was packed.
I believe a good two or three thousand didn't manage to get in.
Happy days.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
46,415
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Yep I remember this evening game very well and being in the North Stand thinking where the **** is everyone coming from. Normally it would be cosy but this night was something else with the crowd.

Aye gorgeous May evening ..I was in South and had to sit pitch side of the wall...not that I minded
 

Neil

Eastie
Aug 27, 2010
728
Langney
I was there and it was rammed , took an hour to get into the ground with the queue back as far as Sackville Rd.
Think I am right in saying that we needed a point for promotion and Rochdale needed a point to stay up.
We scored first and they equalised in the second half and the game then petered out
 


Pinkie Brown

I'll look after the skirt
Sep 5, 2007
3,532
Neues Zeitalter DDR
I was there and it was rammed. I remember it taking ages to get in that evening. As a young teen, the only way me and friends managed to get a glimpse of the pitch was scaling the corrugated fence in the NW and hanging on for as long as we could in the second half. We couldn't force our way into the North Stand at the start.
 

perseus

Broad Blue & White stripe
Jul 5, 2003
23,454
Sūþseaxna
Could hear a pin drop when Rochdale (Ray Train) scored.
 


sir albion

New member
Jan 6, 2007
13,055
SWINDON
Let me see mmmmm:ohmy:
Oooops wrong photo:)
 

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GoldWithFalmer

Seaweed! Seaweed!
Apr 24, 2011
12,687
SouthCoast

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