10 shilling train to Newcastle: FA Cup fever gripped 1930s Brighton
10 shillings a return rail ticket. Departing midnight on Saturday, 15 hours before kick off. On a dirty, cold steam train. Doesn’t sound great, does it? But the appeal of the FA Cup in February 1930 was such that 3,000 Brighton fans paid packed onto six trains for the long and arduous journey to Newcastle United to watch the Albion in the fifth round of the competition for the first time ever.
Some of the anecdotes from the day are absolutely magnificent. 10 shillings was a lot of money back then. Supporters found themselves having to beg, borrow (and possibly steal) to afford the fare.
Mayor of Brighton Sidney Thompson was amongst them. Although presumably not dong any begging, borrowing or stealing. Politicians of the 1930s were surely of a more respectable calibre than today.
Once arrived in Newcastle, plenty found what greeted them somewhat bewildering, Many had never been so far from Sussex in their lives before.
It was the furthest north Brighton had ever played a game, on account of having spent their 29 year existence up to that point in the Southern League and Football League Division Three South.
Newcastle was a massive industrial city; the polar opposite of Brighton. Albion supporters reported finding the Geordie accent impossible to understand. It was therefore down to veterans of the Great War who served alongside comrades from the north east to help translate.
The first time I ever had a doner kebab pizza was in Newcastle, circa 2007 after Brighton played away at Hartlepool United. Possible even on Doug Loft Day.
I could not believe what I was eating. That pales into comparison to what this mass of people from Sussex could not believe they were experiencing.
Hearing the accent of Ant & Dec’s great-grandparents for the first time. Talking to shipbuilders and coalminers. Seeing women wearing next-to-nothing despite it being -10, glowing orange from fake tan and stumbling out of Popworld. Or is that just a 21st century Newcastle thing?
It was not just the whole 696 mile round trip thing either which caught the imagination. The Albion had already knocked out two top division sides on route to round five.
Meaning there was confidence Newcastle come become the third – and biggest – giant killed by Charlie Webb and his players.
Southern League opposition in the shape of Peterborough & Fletton United and Barry Town were dealt with in rounds one and two.
What’s occurring in round three was a home tie against Grimsby Town, then a top flight club. A 1-1 draw at the Goldstone Ground was followed by a Tuesday afternoon replay at Blundell Park, this being the days before floodlights.
Hughie Vallance scored the only goal of the game to set up a fourth round trip along the south coast to Portsmouth.
Pompey had a fine FA Cup pedigree. They were beaten finalists in the previous season, going down 2-0 to Bolton Wanderers at Wembley.
An estimated 8,000 Brighton fans travelled to Fratton Park as part of a 37,522 crowd. Just shy of Portsmouth’s home attendance record at the time.
Once again, Vallance notched in another 1-0 win. The sound of Sussex by the Sea being sung could apparently be heard all the way back to Fratton Station afterwards.
And so it was onto Newcastle. The Magpies were bottom of the top division but their rich history made them appear a tougher opposition than either Grimsby or Portsmouth.
They also had a certain Hughie Gallacher leading their attack. To this day, Gallacher holds a glut of Newcastle records unlikely to be broken.
143 goals in 174 appearances makes him the most prolific scorer in Toon history. His 36 from 38 games as Newcastle were crowned English champions in 1926-27 remains the highest total scored by a Magpies player in a single season.
Gallacher was part of a formidable all-Scottish front five, also containing Jimmy Boyd, Andy Cunningham, Tommy McDonald and Tommy Lang.
And whilst Brighton dealt relatively well with Boyd, Cunningham, McDonald and Lang, they were visibly in awe of Gallacher.
Webb rather wonderfully referred to it afterwards as Gallacheritis, describing how and why Gallacher plundered all three goals in 3-0 win for Newcastle. One coming when Gallacher somehow managed to convert despite lying on the ground in the box.
It could have been even more. Every time Gallacher got the ball, he threatened to score. Not even Newcastle wearing an unfamiliar all-white shirt could stop him.
The enormous 56,469 crowd loved it; except of course for the 3,000 Albion supporters. Although come the final whistle, the visiting contingent were doffing their flat caps to the irresistible little Scotsman.
His performance might have even been worth 10 shillings and 20 hours on a crowded steam train to witness in person.
Such a huge attendance was another alien aspect to Brighton. It represented by far and away the biggest crowd the Albion have ever played in front of.
In fact, it would be 87 years until a larger number of people watched Brighton in a game not held at Wembley. Finally eclipsed when the Seagulls stepped out at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal in their first Premier League season.
The gate receipts from St James’ Park netted Brighton £3,664. In total the 1929-30 FA Cup run was worth £9,664. A massive boost to the Albion’s finances during a campaign when the club could not afford to put on any traditional benefit matches in honour of long-serving players.
Brighton also benefitted from a reputational boost thanks to their cup exploits. Especially in defeat at Newcastle. Whilst Gallacher took the plaudits, the Albion were credited with never giving up.
Even when the game was clearly over, they kept playing their football in an attempt to find a consolation. It mean Brighton left Tyneside on that long train journey home with compliments from both the media and Newcastle fans for their style of play.
At least that is what those from Sussex think home supporters were saying through that incomprehensible accent…
