Kevin Poole is powerless to prevent Stuart Munday's magnificent strike
PUBLISHED
13:03 8th April 2014
by Kuen-Wah Cheung
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It’s celebration time for Leicester City fans tonight as they play their first match since winning promotion back to the top flight. However, down memory lane, Brighton supporters also have their moments to savour involving the Foxes.
Take 1994/95, for example, when Kurt Nogan’s goal helped the Seagulls upset Premiership Leicester 1-0 in the Coca- Cola Cup at the Goldstone in the first leg.
Things got even better in the second leg when Stuart Munday’s wonder-strike pretty much confirmed Albion’s place in round three.
Those memorable games represented happy days in difficult times for the Albion. But a difficult day in happy times came in September 1978 when a Seagulls side seeking promotion were carved apart by Leicester’s wing wizard Keith Weller in a 4-1 pummelling.
Amazingly, the return fixture at the Goldstone in February 1979 was featured in a children’s book about Peter O’Sullivan, ‘A Day with a Footballer.’Leicester’s young defender Larry May received a yellow card in the Seagulls’ 3-1 victory that day. He could only watch as Albion were promoted to the top flight at the end of that 1978/79 campaign. However, he helped the Foxes emulate us a season later. In 1980/81, he had his work cut out as Brighton came from behind to beat nine-man City 2-1 in a crucial match as both clubs battled to stay in Division One. A photo of Larry from the game can be seen on the cover of the Brighton v Manchester City FA Cup programme two years later.
Of course, May eventually joined the Seagulls, playing a crucial role in bolstering the defence in 1988/89 with his assured and resolute performances. His professional career was ended by a knee injury in April 1989.*
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Other ex-Foxes who had a single season at the Goldstone include defender Graham Cross and striker Alan Young, the latter of which was sent off for the Foxes in that 1980/81 Albion win. Here is Young’s account of his busman’s holiday when the Seagulls played Real Madrid in the summer 1983.
Real Madrid had reached the final of a major cup competition in the season just gone. A bit like us!
UPCOMING HOME FIXTURES
| Albion v Charlton Athletic: Saturday 12th April, kick-off 3.07pm |
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| Albion v Blackpool: Monday 21st April, kick-off 3.00pm |
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| Albion v Yeovil Town: Friday 25th April, kick-off 7.45pm |
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Original article