Blackpool - Home, Withdean Era
Season 8 (H) 8/10/06 - 0-3
In a week before this Sunday lunch-time live TV interlude, BHA FC received a modicum of reality in camera. Well actually prior to High Court, as Lewes District Council bottled out facing the Judge and suddenly became law abiding. They had previously persued a perverse policy of delay and drawing out a due process. Now this antipathetic agency accepted Ruth Kelly would rule the roost and abide by a final decision on Falmer. So another year had almost dragged by since Prescott's 'Yes' announcement and one less before a Sussex county town election exposure.
Just over 5000 got along to spend a pleasant rest day next to the nature reserve. The club launched a family cut price ticket initiative, needing to attract a new generation of Seagulls supporters. A general reaction was that it should prove to be much better than merely a good idea at the time. Balloons festooned their family stand at kick-off, while an extended summer sun shone. That's where warm feelings inside stopped.
Brighton went a goal down with little over a quarter of an hour on the big yellow digital clock. It was like that old statues game, where nobody moved at a set-piece. Worse was to come on the hour mark as Blackpool snapped up a winner from a corner kick. Just before an hour and a half registered, the Lancashire eleven pinched a third and then themselves, to make sure it was all real. Brighton fans witnessed Frutos sent off late in the day, for leading with an elbow. By rearranging letters, the initial French connection thus caused an explitive outburst from dugouts, ending in k for kingdom. That said, it appeared there was difficulty in players understanding coaching language. One way or another, there had been a huge break-down in communication.
Kuipers, Whing, El-Abd, Butters (Hart), Lynch (Frutos), Revell, Carpenter (Hinshelwood), Hammond, Mayo, Cox, Williams
League 1 P 13 . W 4 D 2 L 7 . F 15 A 22 . Pt 14 Po 20

Season 5 (H) 4/10/03 - 3-0 ~ McPhee 2, og
It was Steve Coppell's last game in charge before he accepted a 'step up' to Reading. He left us top of the table and if that's not an endorsement of ability, then Withdean is a true alternative site. Chairman Knight would have to pedal the Falmer dream to yet another prospective 'big club' manager and hope John Prescott added it to his wish list of substantial building in the southeast.
Roberts, Watson, Cullip, Oatway and Hart were injured. Rodger and Blackwell had long-term knee problems and Zesh Rehman came down on loan to make numbers up. Northern seasiders were awash from very early on, when conceding an own goal against the incoming tide. Chris McPhee then ensured Brighton crested the wave with a couple of strokes to float our boat. Not bad for the second eleven anyway. It was almost right on the nite for a Fatboy 'leaving do' beach party.
Kuipers, Hinshelwood, Pethick, Butters, Mayo, Piercy (Marney), Carpenter, Rehman, Jones, McPhee, Knight.
Div 2 (League 1) P 12 . W 7 D 3 L 2 . F 21 A 10 . Pt 24 Po 1

Season 3 (H) 27/8/01 - 4-0 ~ Oatway, Carpenter, Zamora, Steele
Brighton were back in div2 after a turbulent five years, while Blackpool merely took one. We went up as div3 champions, they only finished 7th but hammered Orient 4-2 in the Millennium Stadium play-off final. One way or another, it was sure to be an interesting season in the tier above. BHA had spent a reputed 1.3k pounds on a pitch to rival that of genuine Goldstone glory days. It was also our centenary season. Norman Cook had gotten his most expensive car-park spot by signing a telephone number length cheque and Skint was imprinted below the twin town shirt badge again. Seagulls had trialled a FL web site and ITV digital would show Nationwide games for mega money. Blue sky and white clouds prevailed overhead. Apparently all we fell short of was Falmer.
In the match, Kuipers saved a penalty and then B'ton battered B'pool like whipped up waves in a windy weekend. Charlie did a Maradona impression, Steeley finally headed off the transfer list with a contact worthy of his contract, Chippy opened his account and Bobby made it 4 from 5. A red card for a seasiders' player and their apoplexic manager may have helped a little. It was a great Bank Holiday Monday in the south, without even a beach in sight.
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan (Crosby), Jones, Rogers, Carpenter, Oatway, Brooker (Pitcher), Hart (Steele), Zamora
Div 2 (League 1) P 4 . W 2 D 2 L 0 . F 6 A 1 . Pt 8 Po 6

Season 2 (H) 20/2/01 - 1-0 ~ Crosby
Brighton & Hove Albion had turned down a 1.2 million pound bid from Cardiff boss Alan Cork for 20yo Bobby Zamora. Our div3 leading goal scorer had racked up 20 in all competitions and of course wanted to stay on the south coast. Knight, Adams & Co supposedly had any number of interested scouts and coaches but were cute enough to realise more potential in their 100k quid investment. Bemused B'ton fans appeared happy just to have a big value striker, regularly knocking 'em in for us.
Blackpool certainly gave Albion a game on this night but it was an unsung, bread and butter defender who disturbed the Tangerine dream. There were important points at stake after all, by the following May both sets of seasiders would have gained much fought for promotion. Andy Crosby deservedly got a championship medal and the Lancashire outfit spent a nice afternoon in Wales. Another vital member of a superb Sussex side, former Dutch Marine Michel Kuipers, made an absolutely significant stupendous save to ensure maximum points. He was rightly no.1 and literally could be designated a flying Seagull.
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Crosby, Mayo, Roger, Carpenter, Oatway, Jones (Melton), Hart (Steele), Zamora (Ramsay).
Div 3 (League 2) P 30 . W 19 D 3 L 8 . F 46 A 24 . Pt 60 Po 2

Blackpool - Away, Withdean Era
Season 8 (A) 10/3/07 - 0-0
Albion ground this affair out, coming under increasing pressure as the game reached a climax. Blackpool were in with a chance of a p-o place and if and when their stadium is ever finished, will prove to be an attractive Champ's venue. Meanwhile it was announced that Brighton would hear by 9 July '07 of a decision on Falmer. Lewes DC had criticised Albion's recent award as FL Community Club as meaningless and Dick Knight went on television to take issue. LDC had already caused negative spin by posting Sheepcote Valley on their web site as a pukka alternative to rival Falmer - transport modes and all!
Of this regular lg1 fare, Dean Wilkins said, 'it wasn't pretty but I'd have settled for a draw before kick-off.' The pitch was past its sell-by and in cool, cloudy conditions a sea breeze didn't exactly help. One mistake or piece of brilliance could have settled it for either side but didn't happen. Blackpool mighta tipped balance in their favour but Flinders flung himself about to save us. Albion's defence stood strong and we reverted to 442 late on from 4132 to make sure of a point. We assumed our strikers were on a pleasure trip coz they had flip-flops instead of shooting boots. Oh, that sea was rough too!!
Flinders, El-Abd, Butters, Lynch, Mayo, Hammond, Bertin, Robinson, Cox, Revell (Elder), Savage (O'Cearuill).
League 1 P 37 . W 13 D 8 L 16 . F 42 A 47 . Pt 47 Po 15

Season 5 (A) 10/4/04 - 1-3 ~ Piercy
Easter holiday crowds on the Golden Mile were all smiles even though the sea was grey, sand soggy and sky cloudy. Brighton in dreary black looked washed out, on a sick rollercoaster ride and dizzy under tortuous Tangerine's towering display. Preparation through team bonding, special diet and luxury travel backfired. A pie and a pint might have produced a better result - ask the near thousand southern softie's supporters. The only ones at Blackpool not enjoying themselves were faithful from the furthest reaches of the channel coast. Some left early to taste temptations of a 'kiss me quick' lifestyle close at hand. Withdean had more atmosphere on a bleak December evening in the open air.
We got turned over again like at Wednesday, Grimsby, Luton, QPR and Swindon. Facts showed eleven defeats on the road from an outfit that often appeared ordinary, when journeys beyond the quirky nature reserve occurred.
Roberts, El-Abd, Virgo, Butters, Harding, Hart (Piercy), Carpenter, Oatway, Jones (McPhee), Iwelumo (Hinshelwood), Knight.
Div 2 (League 1) P 40 . W 19 D 9 L 12 . F 59 A 40 . Pt 66 Po 4

Season 3 (A) 29/12/01 - 2-2 ~ Steele, Jones
Mention seaside and you don't immediately think of cold, inhospitable Lancashire at years end. Blackpool had erected two new stands curving through a right angle at Bloomfield Road. The rest though was still a bit of a dump as redevelopment plans left away supporters wishing it was next August, or when ever the place would be finished. An intrepid 700 turned up anyway and anticipated another towering performance. It was also time to check the view after we'd climbed to halfway. Brighton were keeping up the pace and held a regular top three position since early season fluctuations. Consequently the 'p' word got frequent airings with each snapshot of a fixture list that showed only 2 defeats. Albion were on the up and some.
Taylor managed to get keeper Royce in on loan after Kuipers sustained injury. He'd also lost originals Hart and Mayo and more or less sent out eleven from the fittest pro's left. By half time Albion had gone two up, from Steele close in and Jones an in-off the bar. Sitting on a lead for 45 mins can prove tiring, especially as the cushion wears thin just before final curtain. Royce saved a penalty in stoppage time. He was unfortunately unable to stop Blackpool's equaliser moments later as Albion nodded off in the box.
Royce, Watson, Culip, Morgan, Jones, Rodgers, Carpenter, Oatway, Pethick, Steele (Brooker), Zamora
Div 2 (League 1) P 24 . W 12 D 10 L 2 . F 34 A 19 . Pt 46 Po 3

Season 2 (A) 12/9/00 - 2-0 ~ Rogers, Hart
It was the third away game in seven days, all spread 'near' and far. Irrespective, over 300 Brighton stalwarts made it to open seaside Bloomfield Road on a Tuesday night, in the middle of a fuel crisis! They witnessed Albion's first win on the road with a battling two - nil advantage. A Morecambe Bay force eight howled down the pitch and helped with securing those goals before half time. Wind assisted shots or not it was backs to the wall, in the teeth of a second half gale. Keeping a clean sheet in breezy Blackpool made sure we blew them away by bedtime. Tangerine shirts of the home side allowed us to play in south coast blue and white - quite a sea change all round.
A vital victory made sure B'ton stayed in touch with top table early pace setters. Promotion had been on 3500 away fans' lips from day one but these were hushed following three losses out of four first fixtures. Micky Adams had bought in some new faces on 'frees', Kuipers, Carpenter, Steele, Jones, Melton, Wicks, goalie Cartwright on loan and signed Brooker (25k) and Zamora (100k) from Rovers reserves. He was confident keeping the faith would put things right. May was the time for hindsight, not September.
Cartwright, Watson, Cullip, Wicks, Mayo, Rogers, Carpenter, Oatway, Jones (Brooker), Hart, Zamora.
Div 3 (League 2) P 7 . W 3 D 1 L 3 . F 11 A 10 . Pt 10 Po 9