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The History of Brighton and Hove Albion v Barnet

Meetings between Brighton and Hove Albion and Barnet have been pretty much restricted to the late 1990s and early 00s - when Barnet enjoyed some of their most successful times and the Albion some of their worst.

Nothing illustrates that better than the fact that Barnet were the side against whom the Albion had their lowest ever gate for a home league game. November 5th 1997 was the day when only 1,025 people treked on a Wednesday night to Priestfield to watch two very poor fourth tier teams do battle.

Even that crowd figure appeared to be massaged - ask anyone in attendance and they will tell you there were no more than 900 people there. Which was just as well as Steve Gritt's side were hammered 3-0. Still, at least those on the Rainham End terrace got to see some nice fireworks going off at the opposite end of the ground as Gillingham celebrated Bonfire Night.

The previous season Barnet had been the opponents when we played our last ever floodlit game at the Goldstone Ground. Ian Baird scored the only goal in a 1-0 win as another step was taken on the greatest of great escapes.

Our visit to Underhill in October 1998 offered one of the stranger chapters in Brighton and Hove Albion history. The goal scorer that day was Emeka Ifejiagwa, a young centre back signed on loan from Charlton Athletic. Ifejiagwa would go onto play only one more time for the Albion before being deported for being in the country illegally.

Another defender goalscorer popped up with two last time we met in the first round of the League Cup at Withdean in 2008. Micky Adams played Adam Virgo in central midfield that day and Virgo helped himself to a brace, accompanied with Albion fans jokingly saying "If Virgo is playing in central midfield he must have it written in his contract that he has to start every game." It didn't seem very funny when a month later he was playing on the right wing away at Northampton.

P W D L F A Goalscorers
Third tier 2 1 1 0 2 1 Gary Hart 2
Fourth Tier 10 5 1 4 9 11 Sam Jennings 2
FA Cup 3 2 1 0 6 1 Adam Virgo 2
League Cup 1 1 0 0 4 0 Bobby Zamora 2
Football League Trophy 1 1 0 0 2 1 Jimmy Case 1
Total 17 10 3 4 23 14 Ian Chapman 1

Brighton 4-0 Barnet Tue 12/08/08 / League Cup R1 / Withdean Stadium / 2,571
Adam Virgo (2), Nicky Forster, Matt Richards
Adam Virgo scores twice from central midfield (really) as Micky Adams marks the first home game of his second spell in charge with a convincing League Cup win
Brighton 2-1 Barnet Tue 09/10/07 / League Trophy R2 / Withdean Stadium / 1,995
Jake Robinson, Dean Cox
Brighton 4-1 Barnet Wed 14/03/01 / 4th tier / Withdean Stadium / 6,587
Andy Crosby, Bobby Zamora (2), Paul Rogers
It was one of those unimaginably wet Withdean evenings as the Albion strengthened their promotion push with a 4-1 win over Barnet
Barnet 0-1 Brighton Tue 26/12/00 / 4th tier / Underhill / 3,908
Gary Hart
With Bobby Zamora suspended, there were concerns aplenty at who would get the Albion goals. Gary Hart got this one on a freezing cold Boxing Day on what turned out to be our last ever visit to Underhill
Barnet 0-1 Brighton Sat 25/03/00 / 4th tier / Underhill / 3,721
Gary Hart
Brighton 1-1 Barnet Sun 26/12/99 / 4th tier / Withdean Stadium / 5,739
Paul Watson
In the days when foreigners in Brighton shirts were as a regular a sight as Paul Barber giving away money, Italian striker Lorenzo Pinamonte made his home debut in the Boxing Day draw with Barnet.
Brighton 0-1 Barnet Sat 27/03/99 / 4th tier / Priestfield Stadium / 2,353
Defeat at home to Barnet made it nine games without a win and four games without a goal. The Barnet scorer? A certain Scott McGleish
Barnet 0-1 Brighton Sat 24/10/98 / 4th tier / Underhill / 2,299
Emeka Ifejiagwa
On loan Nigerian defender Emeka Ifejiagwa marked his Brighton debut with a goal. He had a short Albion career after it was discovered he was in the country illegally two weeks later
Barnet 2-0 Brighton Sat 14/03/98 / 4th tier / Underhill / 2,845
A momentous day in Albion history as Damien Hilton, largely considered to be the worst ever player to play for the club, makes his debut in a deserved defeat at Underhill
Brighton 0-3 Barnet Wed 05/11/97 / 4th tier / Priestfield Stadium / 1,025
The lowest crowd ever to watch an Albion home league game. Those who treked to Gillingham were rewarded by some nice Bonfire Night fireworks behind the unopened terrace though.
Brighton 1-0 Barnet Tue 01/04/97 / 4th tier / Goldstone Ground / 9,525
Ian Baird
The last ever game under floodlights at the Goldstone ends 1-0 to the Albion thanks to Ian Baird's first half goal.
Barnet 0-3 Brighton Tue 27/08/96 / 4th tier / Underhill / 2,513
Brighton suffer a heavy defeat to a delirious Barnet side who included ex Albion striker Robert Codner who played like a man on some sort of drugs. Ironically.
Barnet 1-1 Brighton Sat 02/04/94 / 3rd tier / Underhill / 2,733
Kurt Nogan
Brighton 1-0 Barnet Mon 27/12/93 / 3rd tier / Goldstone Ground / 10,153
Ian Chapman
Our first ever league game with Barnet bought out the Goldstone's biggest crowd of the season - the only time the attendance made it into five figures in the 1993-94 season.
Brighton 3-1 Barnet Tue 05/01/82 / FA Cup R3 Replay / Goldstone Ground / 15,885
Martin Thomas, Jimmy Case, Neil McNab
After being held to a 0-0 draw at Underhill three days earlier, top flight Albion saw off non league Barnet at the second attempt. Bees left back Graham Pearce was so impressive we signed him as a result.
Barnet 0-0 Brighton Sat 02/01/82 / FA Cup R3 / Underhill / 4,800
Non league Barnet trebled their gate prices for the visit of top flight Albion. Underhill as a result was only 3/4 full as the plucky part timers secured a draw in conditions that resembled the Battle of the Somme.
Brighton 3-0 Barnet Sat 27/11/26 / FA Cup R1 / Goldstone Ground / 13,874
Sam Jennings (2), Tommy Cook