[Albion] The best Withdean Moment - Last 16, Match Three

Match Three, two games from our final ever season at Withdean.

4-3 vs. Dagenham & Redbridge 2010/11 League One

Monday 11th April 2011, Att: 7,619

Winner: Group C - 44.52%

Albion were promoted to The Championship with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge. Incidentally, this was also our last ever victory at Withdean and the last ever night game. It was also my last visit to Withdean as I missed the SCC and Huddersfield matches.

John Akinde had put the visitors in front after a minute before two goals in 60 seconds from Calderon & Murray had put us ahead. Straight after the break, the reverse occurred and the Daggers were back ahead. It looked like the party would be on hold, before a Bridcutt equalizer and Ashley Barnes header put us 4-3 ahead.

A topsy-turvey classic – from the BBC:

Taking Brighton up to the Championship is a personal triumph for the highly likeable Poyet, who is now celebrating his first promotion as either player or manager

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/12968187

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sn6GscP8lg8

Last game at Withdean, 2-3 vs. Huddersfield Town, 2010/ 11 League One

Saturday 30th April 2011. Att: 8.416

Runner Up: Group D 10.60% (tiebreaker)

Huddersfield Town were the final visitors to Withdean, providing Poyet’s side with a guard of honour as we walked out as League One Champions. The weather was as glorious as it was back in 1999, the sun was beating down as the curtain closed on our Withdean chapter.

The game, which ended in a last minute defeat, is also remembered for the iconic moment after the final whistle, when Withdean residents unfurled a banner wishing us luck at our new stadium. If you think back to the opposition we faced as part of the YES/YES campaign and the anger of some Withdean residents in 1999, that was a truly lovely memory.

From the BBC:

Daniel Ward scored a late winner against Brighton to keep Huddersfield in the hunt for automatic promotion.

Benik Afobe fired the Terriers ahead early on, before Liam Bridcutt headed against the bar for the Seagulls.

Ashley Barnes scored the rebound for the hosts when his penalty was saved after Elliott Bennett had been fouled

Afobe slotted in to put the visitors ahead but Matt Sparrow levelled with a low drive, before Ward fired in late on to win it for the Terriers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZr9qBvD_0w

The Dagenham game was simply the most bizarre way to secure promotion. Unforgettable.

Hotchilidog said:

The Dagenham game was simply the most bizarre way to secure promotion. Unforgettable.

Click to expand...

They got the goal almost within seconds of kickoff and it looked like it was going pear shaped.

The party started there, and continued at Walsall, right through to the end of the season, the farewells, and looking forward to the Championship at our very own brand new stadium.

Thunder Bolt said:

They got the goal almost within seconds of kickoff and it looked like it was going pear shaped.

The party started there, and continued at Walsall, right through to the end of the season, the farewells, and looking forward to the Championship at our very own brand new stadium.

Click to expand...

Happy days! Walsall was brilliant!

Dagenham. Football, bloody hell!

I don't think I've ever seen such passion at a game.

I was in my seat in the South Stand and fans all round were on their feet screaming and willing the team on. It almost felt we were mentally driving them to win. Strangely I can remember very little about the game itself.

At the end of the game we were walking back through the tunnel to the buses and there was a guy selling "In Gus We Trust" flags. I've still got mine as a memento.

The whole night was just very special.

Unfortunately, I missed both of these games. However, I think this is no contest - for the Dagenham match, I was shaking for most of the game as I listened on the radio; for Huddersfield, an atmosphere of celebration and of the end of an era, but ultimately the result didn't matter....