[Albion] 40 years ago today: Albion travel north to see Newcastle v. Bristol Rovs (att. 9625)

Nottseagull · May 2, 2019

I've popped the attendance in there because it's relevant to the main point of the thread, which is really a preamble to this Sunday's 40th anniversary thread (which I won't be doing). The team and playing staff went three full days in advance of their crucial last match (anybody know where they stayed and trained?) If we allow 200 for this party and the following from Bristol, we then have an increase of 19,000 to be accounted for on the Saturday, the main purpose of the thread. The Wednesday match was the first of three home games in 7 days, but with nothing to play for gates had slumped dramatically. They had always exceeded 20,000 until March when just 15,000 turned up against Charlton - that's 20,000 fewer than for the previous home game v. Sunderland! The next home match v. Preston drew 12,157, despite them having just won 3-1 at Oldham.
Sunderland got the win they needed at Wrexham on that last Saturday but they still required the Albion to lose for them to go up, but it's difficult to estimate how many would have turned up at St James' Park to cheer on their rivals.

So, how do you think those extra 19,000 were apportioned?

drew · May 2, 2019

Nottseagull said:
I've popped the attendance in there because it's relevant to the main point of the thread, which is really a preamble to this Sunday's 40th anniversary thread (which I won't be doing). The team and playing staff went three full days in advance of their crucial last match (anybody know where they stayed and trained?) If we allow 200 for this party and the following from Bristol, we then have an increase of 19,000 to be accounted for on the Saturday, the main purpose of the thread. The Wednesday match was the first of three home games in 7 days, but with nothing to play for gates had slumped dramatically. They had always exceeded 20,000 until March when just 15,000 turned up against Charlton - that's 20,000 fewer than for the previous home game v. Sunderland! The next home match v. Preston drew 12,157, despite them having just won 3-1 at Oldham.
Sunderland got the win they needed at Wrexham on that last Saturday but they still required the Albion to lose for them to go up, but it's difficult to estimate how many would have turned up at St James' Park to cheer on their rivals.

So, how do you think those extra 19,000 were apportioned?

As clear as mud!

Eeyore · May 2, 2019

The match the following Tuesday against Wrexham, with nothing on it again, attracted just 7,134. Hard to think of a Geordie attendance so low.

As regard the Albion match- 28,434

A number of factors.

Albion were an attractive pull. There were also, at least, 5,000 Albion fans in the crowd.

The match had much on it for Sunderland's fate. Sunderland were at Wrexham that day.

It was a bank holiday weekend- as opposed to a mid-week match.

Massive crowd swings were not uncommon in those days and matches on holiday weekends were pretty well attended. (Albion had nearly 31,000 for the home match against Charlton Athletic at Easter) I'm guessing most Geordies chose this one as their final respects to the season.

AZ Gull · May 2, 2019

Brighton Lines said:
The match the following Tuesday against Wrexham, with nothing on it again, attracted just 7,134. Hard to think of a Geordie attendance so low.

As regard the Albion match- 28,434

A number of factors.

Albion were an attractive pull. There were also, at least, 5,000 Albion fans in the crowd.

The match had much on it for Sunderland's fate. Sunderland were at Wrexham that day.

It was a bank holiday weekend- as opposed to a mid-week match.

Massive crowd swings were not uncommon in those days and matches on holiday weekends were pretty well attended. (Albion had nearly 31,000 for the home match against Charlton Athletic at Easter) I'm guessing most Geordies chose this one as their final respects to the season.

Three different media outlets have recently reported the Albion fans as numbering at least 10,000:-

SEAGULLS TV: MULLERY ON NEWCASTLE 1979

The History of Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United

Albion staging 40th anniversary promotion reunion at the Amex

Questions · May 2, 2019

AZ Gull said:
Three different media outlets have recently reported the Albion fans as numbering at least 10,000:-

SEAGULLS TV: MULLERY ON NEWCASTLE 1979

The History of Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United

Albion staging 40th anniversary promotion reunion at the Amex

I was at St James and there was never 10k away fans there that day. It’s become a bit of a myth that.

tigertim68 · May 2, 2019

Questions said:
I was at St James and there was never 10k away fans there that day. It’s become a bit of a myth that.

I was there as well , and yes there was

Eeyore · May 2, 2019

AZ Gull said:
Three different media outlets have recently reported the Albion fans as numbering at least 10,000:-

SEAGULLS TV: MULLERY ON NEWCASTLE 1979

The History of Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United

Albion staging 40th anniversary promotion reunion at the Amex

Most of this comes from received memory and transcribed sources. I'm pretty sure the figure quoted at the time was 5,000.

It would be best served to check the Argus at the time and the Chronicle.

Looking at the footage we appear to have the full away end- although there is more space at the edges. I'm pretty sure there were Albion fans in the seats and on the edge of that. 5,000 does sound a closer figure.

Edit: The Leazes End had been knocked down at that point and the capacity for the away end at Newcastle was indeed 5,000.

A Newcastle United online mag refutes Lawro's claims:

https://www.themag.co.uk/2019/04/ma...wcastle-united-backed-by-10000-brighton-fans/

Harry Wilson's tackle · May 2, 2019

No, I have read the whole thread and still don't understand the OP's post. :shrug:

AZ Gull · May 2, 2019

Questions said:
I was at St James and there was never 10k away fans there that day. It’s become a bit of a myth that.

tigertim68 said:
I was there as well , and yes there was

Brighton Lines said:
Most of this comes from received memory and transcribed sources. I'm pretty sure the figure quoted at the time was 5,000.

It would be best served to check the Argus at the time and the Chronicle.

Looking at the footage we appear to have the full away end- although there is more space at the edges. I'm pretty sure there were Albion fans in the seats and on the edge of that. 5,000 does sound a closer figure.

Edit: The Leazes End had been knocked down at that point and the capacity for the away end at Newcastle was indeed 5,000.

A Newcastle United online mag refutes Lawro's claims:

https://www.themag.co.uk/2019/04/ma...wcastle-united-backed-by-10000-brighton-fans/

The fact is, we will never know for sure. In "Statto's Column" in the Spring 2004 Brighton and Hove Albion Collectors' and Historians' Society newsletter (no. 18), they split the difference at 7,500:-

Eeyore · May 2, 2019

AZ Gull said:
The fact is, we will never know for sure. In "Statto's Column" in the Spring 2004 Brighton and Hove Albion Collectors' and Historians' Society newsletter (no. 18), they split the difference at 7,500:-

View attachment 108730

There were definitely some fans celebrating Albion goals in the sections close to the away end. Although they may have been home fans celebrating Sunderland's promotion failure !

el punal · May 2, 2019

AZ Gull said:
The fact is, we will never know for sure. In "Statto's Column" in the Spring 2004 Brighton and Hove Albion Collectors' and Historians' Society newsletter (no. 18), they split the difference at 7,500:-

View attachment 108730

Blimey! I was at 12 of those games. Missed the Fratton Park match in 1930 as the train terminated at Barnham. :drink:

drew · May 2, 2019

AZ Gull said:
The fact is, we will never know for sure. In "Statto's Column" in the Spring 2004 Brighton and Hove Albion Collectors' and Historians' Society newsletter (no. 18), they split the difference at 7,500:-

View attachment 108730

As you say, no one will ever know until they invent a time machine however I seem to recall an FA cup match at St James against Hull where they took 7500 (15% of 50k) and it was reported that it was the biggest away attendance since Brighton in 1979!

heathgate · May 2, 2019

tigertim68 said:
I was there as well , and yes there was

I was there too... 10k it was

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heathgate · May 2, 2019

Brighton Lines said:
Most of this comes from received memory and transcribed sources. I'm pretty sure the figure quoted at the time was 5,000.

It would be best served to check the Argus at the time and the Chronicle.

Looking at the footage we appear to have the full away end- although there is more space at the edges. I'm pretty sure there were Albion fans in the seats and on the edge of that. 5,000 does sound a closer figure.

Edit: The Leazes End had been knocked down at that point and the capacity for the away end at Newcastle was indeed 5,000.

A Newcastle United online mag refutes Lawro's claims:

https://www.themag.co.uk/2019/04/ma...wcastle-united-backed-by-10000-brighton-fans/

We also had half the big stand opposite the tunnel... I was in the seats, only ticket I could get.

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Questions · May 2, 2019

heathgate said:
We also had half the big stand opposite the tunnel... I was in the seats, only ticket I could get.

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I don’t remember it being all ticket. Looking at a pic of the Leazes end which we were in and it says it held 15k before 1978 and was then demolished and the capacity more than halved.

heathgate · May 2, 2019

Questions said:
I don’t remember it being all ticket. Looking at a pic of the Leazes end which we were in and it says it held 15k before 1978 and was then demolished and the capacity more than halved.

Yep.. all tickets for us in seats, mine came from my neighbour who was steward on seagull specials.

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Nottseagull · May 2, 2019

heathgate said:
... my neighbour who was steward on seagull specials.

Did he look a bit like this?

perseus · May 3, 2019

Big 10K+ Albion crowds at Charlton 4-3 defeat in the late seventies, Aldershot FA Cup in the sixties 0-0, much more than the home fans. Also large numbers at Fratton Park for an Easter game in the seventies. Others as well: Old Den, WHL which I went to. Old Valley was the best.

Questions · May 3, 2019

Questions said:
I don’t remember it being all ticket. Looking at a pic of the Leazes end which we were in and it says it held 15k before 1978 and was then demolished and the capacity more than halved.

Our end that day was a third of the original stand in this picture which held 15k. So I’m struggling even with the 800/1000 or so in the seats. We had New Utd fans all around us in the corner trying to start.
Anyway it was fantastic up there. There was a punch up on the centre circle ages after the game had finished when the ground was nearly empty.

heathgate · May 3, 2019

Questions said:
Our end that day was a third of the original stand in this picture which held 15k. So I’m struggling even with the 800/1000 or so in the seats. We had New Utd fans all around us in the corner trying to start.
Anyway it was fantastic up there. There was a punch up on the centre circle ages after the game had finished when the ground was nearly empty.

There was no punch up... home fans completely cleared before the away fans went on pitch, and that only happened as we in the seat stand were being moved onto the pitch from the upper tier of cantilever stand and Mullery appeared by the tunnel being interviewed by TV.

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[Albion] 40 years ago today: Albion travel north to see Newcastle v. Bristol Rovs (att. 9625)

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