Notts County - Away, Withdean Era
Season 12 (A) 7/5/11 - 1-1 ~ Barnes
This was the last game of the season and an obvious comparison to previous away fixtures held here during the Withdean era. After those two occasions, Brighton duly gained promotion to what is now the Championship and took points at Meadow Lane on route. Mark McGhee won in '03, while heading for the Millennium Stadium and Peter Taylor got a draw in pursuit of '02 title honours. Gus Poyet had already made it three elevations to level two and also went down in history as another BHA manager of champions. Over 2500 Seagulls support turned up in a crowd of 10k. It was a nice afternoon too, following morning rain.
Albion bossed opening play and Barnes scored with a super strike to justify our no.1 status (12min). But BHA failed to capitalise on superiority and we went to the interval all square. Greer netted an og when facing goal to a low centre (36m). Early into the second period, Elphick was carried off and replaced by Dunk. We never really looked like conceding another, although most of the action was in our area. This dire contest drifted toward stalemate, only sparking into fun and games when County had a bloke sent off in stoppage. With twenty mins left Gus double subbed but he might as well have come on with Tanno for all the difference it made. Brighton fans celebrated again on ninety minutes and our away record this term accumulated forty points and defo helped get us the title.
Ankergren, Calderon, Greer, Elphick (Dunk), Painter, Bennett, Bridcutt, Kasim (Dicker), Sparrow (Noone), Wood, Barnes.
League1 P 46 . W 28 D 11 L 7 . F 85 A 40 . Pt 95 Po 1

Season 5 (A) 22/11/03 - 2-1 ~ Knight 2
Meadow Lane is near by to the Trent and not far from Forest's impressive City Ground. It is a half decent stadium having been rebuilt in the nineties. Unfortunately Nottingham also had its two sides losing close touch with past success. County went into Administration that in terms of financial separation, was wider than a river between neighbours. Away fans were housed in the Kop end, which had a 5000 capacity. Over 1000 Albion supporters made the trip to join in a 5000 crowd that altogether made the place seem a bit soulless. Brighton, under new manager McGhee desperately wanted a win to refloat a promotion course up stream. They hadn't won for five league games and had been dumped out of the FA Cup at Lincoln. McGhee said, 'I've been here for a month and think I'm starting to get things across to players in training. I think that will show in our games and will be evident in our general fitness.'
Knight opened the scoring on 19 minutes in typical striker fashion, slotting home a Mayo centre. Since his signing for Coppell, he had scored 13 goals from an ever-present 18 appearances and so it continued. County pulled one back from a penalty when debutant El-Abd was deemed the culprit. Two minutes later on 36 min Knight struck a second time, when villain turned hero El-Abd provided a ball in from the by-line. Roberts had started a run in the side that was due to an unfortunate car accident involving Kuipers, who escaped with minor injuries. Yeates had come in on loan from Spurs to operate in midfield. Piercy also got to start but received a late red card for two bookables. Unlike sub Harding, he was unable to establish as a regular selection later in the season. Fellow sub Pethick left the club soon after as McGhee made other squad adjustments.
Roberts, El-Abd, Cullip, Butters, Mayo, Piercy, Carpenter, Yeates (Pethick), Jones, Knight, McPhee (Harding).
Div 2 (League 1) P 19 . W 9 D 4 L 6 . F 29 A 23 . Pt 31 Po 4

Season 3 (A) 23/10/01 - 2-2 ~ Hart, Zamora
Early in October, Micky Adams had left the club to join Leicester as assistant manager. Peter Taylor moved in the opposite direction. Dick Knight said, 'his experience at both nationwide and higher levels of football makes him ideal for the Albion, a club poised to continue its climb up the league ladder. He quickly identified with the ambition and potential here at Brighton and I'm pleased he has chosen to join us. He relishes working with our squad and Coaches to take the club forward, building on excellent results already achieved this season.' Peter Taylor added, 'I'm pleased to be getting back into management quickly and absolutely delighted it's with Brighton, a club with great potential because of its tremendous following.' Knight had sold the club to the ex-England U21 coach on the back of submission of two planning applications for a new stadium at Falmer. Everything presumed to be straightforward and what possibly could throw a spanner in the works?
On a Tuesday night seven days after becoming manager, Taylor was at Meadow Lane to see how good we were. Brighton went one down just before and two behind, just after halftime from set pieces. We'd only conceded two goals away from home in one other match - a 2-0 defeat at Northampton. Apparently a half decent Seagulls display had been blighted by being beaten twice in the air. County slipped up when their goalie came out to clear but only to Zamora. He fed Hart who chipped over the defence in a great piece of improvisation. Over 1000 punters marauding in the midlands encouraged their eleven to get back in it and level scores. Jones took a throw and from Cullip's nod, Zamora headed home. Only 4000 from north of the Trent witnessed their mob being left up the Swanee in the bottom three. They'd also had a change of manager but knew the guy wasn't going to have it as easy as Taylor would.
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan, Mayo, Hart, Carpenter, Oatway (Rogers), Brooker (Lehmann), Steele (Jones), Zamora.
Div 2 (League 1) P 15 . W 8 D 5 L 2 . F 23 A 13 . Pt 29 Po 2

Notts County - Home, Withdean Era
Season 12 (H) - 22/3/11 - 1-0 ~ Calderon
Hey, this re-arranged match was originally scheduled as that very last Friday night fixture before Xmas. Oh yes, a strange ritual B'ton fans had been enduring since 1999 - see Rochdale. Next year we would be at Falmer and it was gonna be one long party season anyway. Note the juxtaposition of home fixtures below, with those anticipated promotion seasons. Btw our very last contest during the Withdean era, of yet another forty-six matches in League1, was to be held at Meadow Lane. On the night it was fine and dry and over 7200 watched from around the old athletics stadium.
Albion had been out in from of this mediocre division for six months and remained unbeaten to date at good old Withy. Teams were coming here using block defence methods, trying to hold out for a frustrating stalemate. Withdeanites had got used to it now, so there wasn't too much of an atmosphere until BHA eventually netted. As ever it took ages and Gus Poyet had already subbed injured El-Abd when introducing Noone on the hour. He set off down left flank, crossed and Calderon got there at the back stick as the ball by-passed keeper, defence and strikers (63min). Later Sandaza got on to liven things up a bit and perhaps grab a bonus goal. Seagulls soared, even if we didn't have to hit heights to win this fixture. It was the sixth victory on the trot and Albion were ten points clear at the top. A few injuries reduced the squad but we appeared to have strength in depth and hey, time would tell if Brighton would beat totals of Championes back to back promotions.
Ankergren, Calderon, Greer, El-Abd (Elphick), Painter, Bennett (Noone), Bridcutt, Dicker, Sparrow, Wood (Sandaza), Murray.
League1 P 36 . W 23 D 8 L 5 . F 66 A 26 . Pt 77 Po 1

Season 5 (H) 1/5/04 - 1-0 ~ og
Guy Butters was confirmed as player of the year, while Cullip and Knight were named in the div2 PFA line-up at their awards jolly. Butters had come back from dead and buried after a loan spell at Barnet, as Albion battled but were relegated from div1. His career seemed washed up but he got a chance due to serious injury to Blackwell and never looked back. McGhee said, 'there was a question mark over him but he has made sure it has gone the right way by committing himself to be in shape and by the way he has played.' Knight was a close runner-up in votes cast in the fans seasonal poll. Brighton went into this final home fixture in sixth position, needing three points to secure a play-off place. McGhee said, 'we know that the job has to be finished and in mind and effort are fully focused on achieving that. If we reach play-offs then that alone cannot be considered success, even getting to Cardiff is not enough. The only thing that counts is promotion. So there'll be no party here, no celebrations and no back slapping until the job is complete and we are back in the first division.'
County had been officially relegated but came down for a shutout anyway and nearly got it. Their goalie played a blinder and was only beaten once with 15 mins to go - by a defender guarding his very own post. The rest was largely forgettable as defences were generally on top and mopping up chances keepers didn't. At least the sun was out, as a Mayday crowd of over 6600 became the season's biggest gate. McGhee had continued good work begun by Coppell and nudged BHA into play-offs despite some average performances, especially on the long road to a top six finish. Brighton had only conceded three goals in a month since losing at Wednesday and all those were away in Blackpool at Easter. We all loved it when a plan finally came together.
Roberts, Virgo, Cullip, Butters, Harding, Reid, Oatway (Hart), Carpenter, Jones, Knight, Iwelumo (Piercy).
Div 2 (League 1) P 45 . W 21 D 11 L 13 . F 62 A 43 . Pt 74 Po 4

Season 3 (H) 23/3/02 - 2-2 ~ Zamora, Webb
Brighton & Hove had become a millennium city and now wanted to be European City of Culture for 2008. By then BHA would be playing at a community stadium on unitary boundaries at Falmer, which would act as an iconic beacon on the edge of protected South Downs. Of course there was competition from other established UK metropolis and certain opposition was emerging to planning proposals at Falmer but hey, it had all been good so far. Dick Knight often used this catchy sound bite, 'a modern city needs a modern stadium' and Brighton fans agreed wholeheartedly. The city of culture bid was based on pleasure, passion and pride, an endorsement for embracing sport and football in particular, which dovetailed with Brighton's plans all round.
Simon Morgan was having one hell of a brilliant season, if that isn't an obvious contradiction. He had come to Brighton as a patched up old pro from Fulham but Adams knew enough to take a punt on a 'finished' player. Morgan said, 'at the Albion, what the lads have done this season has been a virtual miracle in getting the club into such a position again, without facilities, money and with basically the same team that won promotion last year. They need that stadium as quickly as possible to help the club progress. I think the top eight clubs in the first division are on a different plane. There is a gap and it will be very difficult to bridge it.'
Zamora scored early in the game and was then clattered by a County big bloke. Taylor said, 'for half an hour we were outstanding.' Webb nodded Albion into a 2-0 lead just after the break. Zamora was then wrecked by a, 'once more for sorrow', Magpie challenge - that dislocated his shoulder. Nottingham's second club got one back and then equalised five minutes from time. Taylor said, 'that's football, you never know. All I can say is that we have learnt lessons from the game.'
Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan, Mayo, Hart (Steele), Carpenter, Lewis, Brooker, Webb (Oatway), Zamora (Pethick).
Div 2 (League 1) P 41 . W 21 D 14 L 6 . F 58 A 40 Pt 77 Po 2