Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace football clubs clashed both on and off the pitch on Saturday, as the Seagulls secured a 1-0 victory over their rivals. However, before the match even began, tensions boiled over as fans from Brighton & Hove Albion gathered at Brighton station.
Beer was thrown at police horses, and a number of flares were set off, with a few missiles thrown over the police cordon. Fortunately, there were no reports of anyone being hit.
The police had to hold fans back outside the station, as the rivalry between the two clubs stemmed back to the mid-1970s when Terry Venables, then-manager of Palace, and Alan Mullery, then-manager of Brighton, had a heated exchange. During the 1976/77 season, the two clubs faced each other five times, and the rivalry has persisted ever since.
Despite the disturbances, the match eventually got underway, and it was Brighton who came out on top. Solly March’s first-half strike secured a 1-0 victory for the Seagulls and closed the gap on the European spots.
For Crystal Palace, the defeat extended their winless run to 12 games and leaves them just three points from the relegation zone. The Eagles have scored just four league goals this season, and their fans will be hoping for a turnaround in form soon.
Overall, the match was a reminder of the intense rivalry between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, and the passion that football can inspire in fans. However, it also highlighted the need for fans to behave in a responsible and respectful manner, both on and off the pitch.
