By Tim Hodges
In reverse order…
5) The 1991 play-off final. 2nd June 1991. The Seagulls lost 3-1 to Neil Warnock’s Notts County at Wembley Stadium. In what was the start of the clubs woeful fall from grace. Barry Lloyd’s men froze on their big day. Clive Walker and Dean Wilkins hit the woodwork for Albion,before Dave Regis and Tommy Johnson put the Magpies in command. A tearful Dean Wilkins got a late consolation for the Seagulls .Why it was played in June is still anyone’s guess!
4) The 2004 2nd Division Play-Off Final. 30th May 2004.Albion’s pre Falmer day out. 30,000 Seagulls fans saw Mark McGhee’s men defeat Bristol City by virtue of a late Leon Knight penalty. A big message sent to John Prescott on the national stage.
3) The 1983 FA Cup Final 21st May 1983. Certainly the biggest day out in the clubs history. In the day when the FA Cup Final was bigger than the Champions League Final is today. Watched by over a billion people around the world. But times change in football. Albion so nearly winning the famous old trophy. The Seagulls have never quite got back in the big time since that 4-0 replay defeat on May 26th 1983.
2) The final fixture of the 2015/16 Football League season 7th May 2016. Albion go to Middlesbrough next Saturday knowing what ever happens against Derby today (May 2nd) a win will secure automatic promotion back to the top flight for the first time in 33 years. Simple as that. Although a hatful against the Rams will make things a bit easier.
1 Hereford final fixture of the 1996/97 Football League season. 3rd May 1997. The ultimate point winner takes all football match. After a remarkably bad season on and off the pitch. Steve Gritt, who took the reigns just before Christmas 1996 Transformed the team and performed miracles with championship winning home form and few vital away points. Robbie Rienelt’s equaliser after Kerry Mayo’s first half own goal, gave Albion the point they need needed to preserve their football league status. Homeless the club could have been heading for oblivion. With then new chairman Dick Knight sourcing the football pyramid to find a league who might take the Seagulls should things had gone wrong. 18 years 364 days later the club will play in front of over 30,000 fans in still gleaming five year old stadium. In the east of Brighton. Within touching distance of the Premier League.
May’79 @:Sid James Park has got to be in this list. Can History repeat itself with Albion winning promotion in the north east?