Albion boss Graham Potter said that was perplexed by Seagulls fans booing his team off as the match ended goal-less against Leeds – but it’s happened before and quite recently too.
1) v Cardiff at home 16 April 2019.
Albion in 17th place had lost 5-0 at home to Bournemouth just three days earlier and were expected to beat 18th place Cardiff. They lost 2-0 and gave the Bluebirds a chance of catching them. It all worked out ok – and every Albion fan actually cheered Crystal Palace a few weeks later as they stopped Cardiff’s momentum.
2) v Millwall at home 12 December 2014
With Albion 23rd in the Championship, it was widely considered that Sami Hyypia would get it right against the Lions. He got it wrong and seemed to sulk in the dugout for most of the remaining 75 minutes after Millwall had scored. Boos rang out long before the final whistle. Apart from a brief cameo at the young Seagulls Christmas party a few days later, we never saw him again.
3) v Grimsby 28 September 2002
Although starting well with a win against Burnley, Martin Hinshelwood’s Albion could only muster one more point, at home to Coventry a few days later. It was Albion’s first seaon out of the third tier, in what was then Division One and now the Championship, in 10 years – and the Seagulls were rock bottom. The South Stand’s displeasure at dear old Withdean was aired with an almost military-style operation at the final whistle. As Hinch hobbled off, almost apologetically, for that long walk back to the dressing room. Not long after, Steve Coppell almost saved the day before Albion were, almost ironically, relegated at Grimsby in May 2003.
4) v Kidderminster Harriers 28 August 2000
After all the hype and money, the Seagulls were favourites to win Division Three (League 2). But they failed miserably at Southend in the opening match. Michel Kuipers look away now. On a bank holiday Monday at Withdean, the Seagulls were beaten by Jan Molby’s Kidderminster, who today no longer exist – in their previous form at least.
Micky Adams was left in no doubt that he should up his game and was less polite about being booed than Graham Potter has been so far in his post-match interviews. Adams’s Albion team were Division Three champions 10 months later.
5) Barry Lloyd v various opponents for the latter part of 1993
Poor old Barry ran the club in administration and picked the team although Martin Hinshelwood took training most days. Albion were in the wrong half of Division Two (League 1), having been relegated from the second tier the previous season. The club’s financial position and performances on the pitch meant that, at almost every home game, loud boos were heard.
Then, came new owners. A chap called Bill Archer, former chairman Greg Stanley and their chief executive David Bellotti endeared themselves to the Goldstone faithful in December 1993 by sacking Lloyd and replacing him with superstar Liam Brady and ex Albion favourite Gerry Ryan as his assistant.
The booing stopped for a few months at least, until Brady and Ryan left, in October 1995, and the Goldstone was sold, Albion were 92nd and in danger of being relegated from the entire football league, and with nowhere to play. Now that’s a reason to boo.
So is being eighth in the Premier League, one place above Manchester United, and playing in a superb modern stadium with eight full internationals on the pitch a reason to boo the team as they leave the pitch after a hard-fought draw?
Sadly, some Albion fans appear to be harbouring ideas above their station. Did Johnny come lately?
