Grimsby - Home
Season 5 (H) 11/10/03 - 3-0 ~ Knight 2, Rehman
Dick Knight said, 'I am extremely disappointed that Steve Coppell has decided to take the Reading job. We talked long and hard over the past two weeks about his aspirations and this club's potential. He already knew I wanted him to lead the Albion into the future, which is why I offered him a long contract in the summer. This club will never realise its full potential until we get Falmer. It is absolutely vital that the Government give us the green light after the Public Inquiry. Steve has done a tremendous job for us, he gave us back our pride and he leaves with our respect and thanks for the contribution he has made to this club.'
Although things had changed, the summer went on and on without a drop of rain recently to typify the football season. And what as season so far - a year ago Mariners had claimed a first three pointer, while Albion were destined for 10 losses on the bounce and subsequent management changes. Well, history kinda repeats but we laid some other bogeys to rest, on the green field this day. This time around, quality of visiting teams wasn't so hot so we tended to get more in the net than them. You could see the difference in div 1 finishing that really hurt BHA then, to lesser ability now of div 2 marksmen. Although the game appeared to be heading toward nil-nil, based on evidence of a first 45 minutes, a quick couple of chances put away by 55 min eased any worries. The team had been getting a little anxious like the crowd and frustrated, probably by trying too hard. A slow pace was stepped up for a 2nd period and everybody could relax and go with the flow. Superior attacking told on those bottom feeders of a last day in a fishing port in May. Rehman scored from a corner and two minutes later Knight nudged in a rebound. On time expired he also converted a flattering penalty as Grimsby er, floundered.
Kuipers, Hinshelwood, Cullip, Butters, Mayo, Hart, Carpenter, Rehman, Jones, Knight, McPhee
Div 2 (League 1) P 13 . W 8 D 3 L 2 . F 24 A 10 . Pt 24 Po 1

Season 4 (H) 28/9/02 - 1-2 ~ Zamora
On the very bottom of the div1 table was Grimsby on 2 points. Brighton were a place and two pts above them until 5pm on this day. Two weeks before, third bottom Stoke had come down to Withdean and left with all three to kick-start a rise above that drop zone. Now catastrophe was on Albion's doorstep again with a fifth consecutive home defeat and ninth loss on the bounce in div1. Could things get any worse? Martin Hinshelwood said prior to play, 'we had a break from league action in the week and a trip to Ipswich. Overall I was pleased with the performance, we showed a lot of character in the second half. Two 19yo's started the match, Dean Hammond and Adam Virgo - who gave a decent display against a top class forward line.'
Grimsby ran out in full sunlight wearing a dazzling all orange strip. They had yet to win a match but took only two minutes to peel open the scoring. Kuipers was back between posts and watched as defensive mistakes allowed visitors to net. Albion seemed all at sea while Mariners cruised through, cutting a bow wave in our flood defences. Hinshelwood was stuck with lower league tried and tested or fresh-faced kids. This was division 1 and in a sense you had to up the ante and want it more. Brighton huffed and puffed, equalising on 70 min from an also returning Zamora - as of old. Trouble was, the bottom club didn't want to be there and really rather it was us, so having come for a win, went out and got it. The battle hardened North Sea coast outfit had been sailing stormy waters in div1 for some years and basically, sunk southern softies without a trace. Grimsby were stronger at the death and Brighton had just got weaker. Hinshelwood was also in line for the chop, as speculation mounted to the motives of deadly Dick Knight.
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Virgo, Mayo, Hart, Oatway (Hammond), Carpenter, Brooker, Zamora (Marney), Barrett.
Div1 (Champ's) P 11 . W 1 D 1 L 9 . F 9 A 20 . Pt 4 Po 24

Grimsby - Away
Season 5 (A) 14/2/04 - 1-2 ~ Benjamin
Brighton played in all yellow for a third fixture running and were beaten yet again. We'd drawn one but lost for a second time away in eight tumultuous days. That made it only one point from a possible 18 over the last six matches played in other parts of the country. What a week, plus what a couple of miserable months on the long road to nowhere. Apart from on-field activities, Brighton & Hove Albion had representation at Prescott's constituency office in Hull, to deliver a giant Valentine's Day card. A number of fans who didn't travel went to the proposed stadium site at Falmer and became an instant community, annexed to a duck pond by a major trunk road, next to a railway station. McGhee said, 'you could argue that maybe we deserved more than one point from those three games but didn't deserve the amount we felt could be achieved. After returning the main aim was to refocus - getting the squad's self-belief back. As manager of this club it's my job to look at the squad as a whole and for next season as well.'
On a muddy pitch in rain lashed Cleethorpes there was controversy. Benjamin got his third goal in six outings to equalise after a mere 18 minutes. Mariners had gone ahead on only five minutes and every player was gonna get a soaking one way or another. Route one prevailed, which was understandable in those circumstances. Jake Robinson made a starting league debut and done good before being subbed with 10 minutes to go. Virgo moved into midfield to try and overcome a lack of supply for strikers. With 15 minutes left before lovely warm showers, short-term contract keeper Jones spilled a shot and got extra cold and wet. He floated over the line with ball and a tough tackling dirty northern bustard but Ref still gave 'em a goal. Mariners' goalie was sent off in a late scrap up the other end but in truth, we'd been done up like kippers.
S Jones, El-Abd, Cullip, Butters, Mayo, Robinson (McPhee), Carpenter, Oatway, Virgo, Knight, Benjamin.
Div 2 (League 1) P 31 . W 13 D 7 L 11 . F 43 A 35 . Pt 46 Po 8

Season 4 (A) 4/5/03 - 2-2 ~ Cullip, Zamora
The season was at an end and it had gone right to those two final results, to decide a one or other outcome as to who survived. It kind of meant Brighton had to win their last contest at bottom club Grimsby who were already relegated anyway. Stoke also had to lose at home for goal difference to kick in and one way or another get marked down. There had been a one from four scenario for months and now was reduced to one from two above the drop zone. It would all surely end in tears. Things did indeed go well into this last match mathematically and at one stage in a nervy afternoon, calculators were crunching positive numbers. Brighton fans were meanwhile praying Stoke slipped and broke on the potter's wheel of fortune. However Reading failed to help us out, having made the play-offs already and didn't bother to extend themselves. Of those same three up from div2 a year before, it was the ex-champions who went straight back to tier three.
A disappointment to miss out on big clubs and grounds again of course but perhaps the proverbial writing was on the wall from last summer. Brighton had kicked off ill prepared and lacking know-how for this standard and paid the ultimate price. The marked differences in strength, ability and will to win at this level made lower leagues look like a picnic. A very poor start had condemned Brighton to face re-taking exams to a sub-Prem English elite, where small money meant small returns and little chance to join big-boys. The arrival of Steve Coppell had put the squad on a competitive footing but he couldn't do much about spending a way to consolidation. Zamora was subsequently sold to Spurs for loadsa dosh. Kitson was predictably let go but Butters stayed to find a place at the back and prove people wrong about good money under false pretences.
Beasant, Watson, Ingimarsson, Cullip, Blackwell, Mayo, Hart, Rodger, Jones (Carpenter), Zamora, Kitson (Barrett).
Div 1 (Champ's) P 46 . W 11 D 12 L 23 . F 49 A 67 . Pt 45 Po 23