http://www.bha.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=507145
The Rivalry that Baffles Football
The rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace was recently voted 10th in the 'Football Rivalries Report 2008'. It is one of the fiercest, most intense rivalries in football yet it is baffling for many outsiders...partly due to the geographical distance and partly the fact that the clubs have player each other only a handful of times in the last 18 years.
We look at the history of the rivalry:
Part 1 - How it started.
The teams first met in the 1906/07 in a Southern League fixture which saw the Albion win 2-1, the clubs would go on to meet many times in both the Southern league and then division 3 (south) with honours fairly even but although there were some great matches the teams never really considered each other as their main rival until the mid seventies.
There were quite a few reasons why things intensified, the clubs were neck and neck footballing wise, the legendary Alan Mullery (Brighton) and Terry Venables (Palace) did not like each other (to say the least!) and the upsurge in hooliganism but it was an FA Cup first round tie in 1976, which really stoked the fires.
In 1976-77 season the teams met no less than five times: twice in the league and three times in an F.A Cup tie. After stalemates at the Goldstone and Selhurst Park the FA Cup Second Replay was held at Stamford Bridge that Palace narrowly won. Mullery was incensed by some diabolical refereeing decisions from Ron Challis including a penalty that had to be retaken and a disallowed goal! After provocation from the Palace fans he justifiably flung down five pound notes change into a puddle and screamed 'You're not worth that, Palace' whilst gesticulating at them.
He instantly became a legend with the Brighton and a villain in Croydon and it was then that the rivalry really kicked in, both on and off the field, quite often reaching boiling point.
It was also around this time that the Albion changed their nickname from 'Dolphins' to 'Seagulls' in response to Palace's 'Eagles'. Over the next few years the rivalry would get even stronger and Boxing Day would gain greater significance for both clubs.
Part 2 to follow
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#10?!?! **** me, i don't have the list, but i assume it was an "England-only" Top 10 list. In any case, well done Palace, and **** you seaweed
The Rivalry that Baffles Football
The rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace was recently voted 10th in the 'Football Rivalries Report 2008'. It is one of the fiercest, most intense rivalries in football yet it is baffling for many outsiders...partly due to the geographical distance and partly the fact that the clubs have player each other only a handful of times in the last 18 years.
We look at the history of the rivalry:
Part 1 - How it started.
The teams first met in the 1906/07 in a Southern League fixture which saw the Albion win 2-1, the clubs would go on to meet many times in both the Southern league and then division 3 (south) with honours fairly even but although there were some great matches the teams never really considered each other as their main rival until the mid seventies.
There were quite a few reasons why things intensified, the clubs were neck and neck footballing wise, the legendary Alan Mullery (Brighton) and Terry Venables (Palace) did not like each other (to say the least!) and the upsurge in hooliganism but it was an FA Cup first round tie in 1976, which really stoked the fires.
In 1976-77 season the teams met no less than five times: twice in the league and three times in an F.A Cup tie. After stalemates at the Goldstone and Selhurst Park the FA Cup Second Replay was held at Stamford Bridge that Palace narrowly won. Mullery was incensed by some diabolical refereeing decisions from Ron Challis including a penalty that had to be retaken and a disallowed goal! After provocation from the Palace fans he justifiably flung down five pound notes change into a puddle and screamed 'You're not worth that, Palace' whilst gesticulating at them.
He instantly became a legend with the Brighton and a villain in Croydon and it was then that the rivalry really kicked in, both on and off the field, quite often reaching boiling point.
It was also around this time that the Albion changed their nickname from 'Dolphins' to 'Seagulls' in response to Palace's 'Eagles'. Over the next few years the rivalry would get even stronger and Boxing Day would gain greater significance for both clubs.
Part 2 to follow
----------------------------------------------------------
#10?!?! **** me, i don't have the list, but i assume it was an "England-only" Top 10 list. In any case, well done Palace, and **** you seaweed
