BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Brighton 1920's.

Originally, the big team in the local area was Brighton United, but when they disbanded in 1900, out came Brighton and Hove Albion. The club began their playing days at Withdean and (I think) one year after moving into the County Ground, moved on to the Goldstone Ground (first known as Goldstone Bottom - shades of things to come) in 1902. There have historically been big crowds at the Goldstone, indeed, before football was played there, Druids flocked to worship at a stone on the site and later by historians attracted by an archaeological dig (and boy, don't you just dig archaeology !!), and soon to have a new ground again .

Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion 1983 FA Cup Final

Whilst the scoreline of the replay suggests otherwise, the 1983 FA Cup Final came so close to turning the form books upside down and producing the shock of the season, as Gary Bailey denied Gordon Smith and Brighton & Hove Albion from following in the footsteps of Southampton in 1976, and forcing the replay that United would comfortably win.

After Brighton had taken the lead in the first half, United hit back with two second half goals from Frank Stapleton and Ray Wilkins, and were seemingly heading towards their fifth FA Cup Final triumph, but a late equaliser from Gary Stevens with only three minutes remaining, brought the tie level, and in the end United had to be content with a replay as Gordon Smith missed a glorious chance to shower his team with FA Cup glory, and five days later they would be back at Wembley fighting it out once again.

But this time around the difference in league standings was clear to see, as United produced a performance that was indicative of their unbeaten home record in the league, and clinched the Cup by the biggest margin since Bury defeated Derby 6-0 in 1903.

Two goals in five minutes mid-way through the first half by Bryan Robson and then by the youngest Cup Final scorer, Norman Whiteside, just 18 at the time, set United on course, and Robson’s second before half time put them beyond reach. Arnold Muhren completed the scoring from the penalty spot on 63 minutes, and the trophy was heading back to Old Trafford. Norman Whiteside became the youngest player to score in a Wembley final, and United had won the cup for the fifth time on Sir Matt Busby’s 74th birthday.

With the full uninterrupted 90 minutes of the replay along with goals from the first match, there’s nothing quite like an emphatic United victory in the World’s most famous cup competition.