On the 28th November 1973, Brian Clough was reasonably silenced after he and his team Brighton and Hove Albion were humiliated by a 0-4 defeat at their home, the Goldstone Ground, in the 1st Round replay of the FA Cup, beaten by Walton and Hersham FC, then an Isthmian League club. 9,800 witnessed the shambles.
This followed a stubborn 0-0 draw on Nov 24th at Walton's Ground, Stompond Lane.
In the replay, the kick off had to be at 1.45pm, on the Wednesday, due to the national "power cuts" put in place nationally, following power issues with the coal miners' strike.
Walton lost away to Hereford Utd, 3-0 in the 2nd Round.
Clough had chosen to manage the club in 1973-4, following his previous spells at Hartlepool Utd (1965-7), Derby (1967-73). Brighton had first entered the FA Cup in 1898-99; this was their worst defeat! Clough then went on to the fateful year at Leeds and then relative heaven at Nottingham Forest (1975-93).
Colin Woffinden (back left) went to play for Brighton briefly and Dave Bassett (left of keeper) was the manager at Wimbledon in their long ball pomp!
W&HFC had been FA Amateur Cup winners in 1972-3 and were a strong club in the days of "amateur" football so they were no joke.
https://youtu.be/r6y9K1kpnOk
Three days later Brighton played Bristol Rovers in a Third Division game and were humiliated 2-8 as the video above will show. It was not a great week for Brian.
Eric Sykes, a well known comedian of stage, TV and other screens, was president of the Walton and Hersham Club; Clough did not find his sense of humour agreeable that week.
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