Memorable matches against our next opponents: Rotherham
It is hard to associate Rotherham with any big matches, but in the history of the Albion there have been at least two really good occasions of matches against Rotherham, the three Cup matches were before my time and they were not even talking about them when I first went to the Goldstone.
1971-2
This was a promotion challenge match in the old Division Three against rivals that thought they were still in with a chance. The Albion (in a poverty stricken period) had just forked out £30,000 + for Ken Beamish (equivalent to over a £1 million today) and it looked like Albion had to win just about all their matches to get promoted and they certainly could not afford to slip up at home.
26/4/72 Wed. FL D3 (h) W 2-1 1-1 W.Irvine, K.Beamish 27,928
The match was nothing special, but I would say for the sheer atmosphere it was the best I have been to and I went to virtually every home match from 1969 to 1985.
The other matches to rival this match for atmosphere at the Goldstone alone was a Cup replay against Aldershot in 1967 or so, Chelsea in 1967, Spurs in the late seventies, Bournemouth and Villa in 71-2, and just about every match in the first season in the old First Division. I don't think a decent atmosphere gets buzzing until there are 25,000 in the ground and when it goes over 30,000 it got too crowded and it falls off a bit. Standing helps but the important bit is being with yer mates, except with the really terrific matches this does even matter very much.
Scenario:
Old Division Three
Albion started off middle of the tablish, another mundane season in prospect (no play-offs in those days), Aston Villa running away with the League, followed by Bournemouth (Redknapp) and Notts County fighting it out for the second promotion spot, and Albion and Rotherham (their manager reckoned 53 pts would be enough for second spot when it was 2 pts for a win: they finished on 55 pts and missed out by a street) as also rans. Pat Saward was the Albion Manager, and Albion were failing to impress in the home matches. Kit Napier and Willie Irvine were star players, with Burt Murray and Peter O'Sullivan. Already knocked out of the Cup by Walsall (the dirtiest side I have ever seen). Before Christmas that was and the gates were down to the 10,000 mark or so. The season before was regarded as a bit of a crisis as the average attendance fell to 9,803 (below 10,000 which was unheard of in those days: the only time a lower average gate had been known before since the War was after two successive relegations to Division Four). So really it was thought of as the pits and hardly worth going. (NB: IN 1985-86, the gates fell below 10,000 again and never rose above that figure.This was after Barry Lloyd joined and the beginning of the demise.)
Before my time:
8/2/60 Mon. FAC R4 2Rep
W 6-0 2-0 A.Thorne 2, W.Curry 3, F.Jones 32,864
Played at Arsenal
3/2/60 Wed. FAC R4 Rep (h) D 1-1 1-0 A.Thorne 23,871
After extra time
30/1/60 Sat. FAC R4 (a) D 1-1 0-1 A.Thorne 24,500
Millmoor
Record Attendance: 25,170 (v Sheffield United, Division Two 1952)
Current Capacity: 11,499
It is hard to associate Rotherham with any big matches, but in the history of the Albion there have been at least two really good occasions of matches against Rotherham, the three Cup matches were before my time and they were not even talking about them when I first went to the Goldstone.
1971-2
This was a promotion challenge match in the old Division Three against rivals that thought they were still in with a chance. The Albion (in a poverty stricken period) had just forked out £30,000 + for Ken Beamish (equivalent to over a £1 million today) and it looked like Albion had to win just about all their matches to get promoted and they certainly could not afford to slip up at home.
26/4/72 Wed. FL D3 (h) W 2-1 1-1 W.Irvine, K.Beamish 27,928
The match was nothing special, but I would say for the sheer atmosphere it was the best I have been to and I went to virtually every home match from 1969 to 1985.
The other matches to rival this match for atmosphere at the Goldstone alone was a Cup replay against Aldershot in 1967 or so, Chelsea in 1967, Spurs in the late seventies, Bournemouth and Villa in 71-2, and just about every match in the first season in the old First Division. I don't think a decent atmosphere gets buzzing until there are 25,000 in the ground and when it goes over 30,000 it got too crowded and it falls off a bit. Standing helps but the important bit is being with yer mates, except with the really terrific matches this does even matter very much.
Scenario:
Old Division Three
Albion started off middle of the tablish, another mundane season in prospect (no play-offs in those days), Aston Villa running away with the League, followed by Bournemouth (Redknapp) and Notts County fighting it out for the second promotion spot, and Albion and Rotherham (their manager reckoned 53 pts would be enough for second spot when it was 2 pts for a win: they finished on 55 pts and missed out by a street) as also rans. Pat Saward was the Albion Manager, and Albion were failing to impress in the home matches. Kit Napier and Willie Irvine were star players, with Burt Murray and Peter O'Sullivan. Already knocked out of the Cup by Walsall (the dirtiest side I have ever seen). Before Christmas that was and the gates were down to the 10,000 mark or so. The season before was regarded as a bit of a crisis as the average attendance fell to 9,803 (below 10,000 which was unheard of in those days: the only time a lower average gate had been known before since the War was after two successive relegations to Division Four). So really it was thought of as the pits and hardly worth going. (NB: IN 1985-86, the gates fell below 10,000 again and never rose above that figure.This was after Barry Lloyd joined and the beginning of the demise.)
Before my time:
8/2/60 Mon. FAC R4 2Rep
W 6-0 2-0 A.Thorne 2, W.Curry 3, F.Jones 32,864 Played at Arsenal
3/2/60 Wed. FAC R4 Rep (h) D 1-1 1-0 A.Thorne 23,871
After extra time
30/1/60 Sat. FAC R4 (a) D 1-1 0-1 A.Thorne 24,500
Millmoor
Record Attendance: 25,170 (v Sheffield United, Division Two 1952)
Current Capacity: 11,499
pende-loving-freak 
