The rivalry actually started at Spurs when Alan Mullery was given the captaincy over Terry Venables who wasn't best pleased and that started the needle between the two...here's a bit more detail about the match that started the Palace/Brighton rivalry...
Alan Mullery and Terry Venables had been team-mates at Tottenham Hotspur and landed their first jobs in management within weeks of one another at the start of the 1976-77 season at Brighton and Palace respectively. Both were ambitious Third Division clubs at the time fighting for promotion and – separated by just over 40 miles down the old A23 – had built up a healthy rivalry. That all changed over the course of 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge on 6 December 1976.
After the first two games at Selhurst Park and the Goldstone Ground finished level, Chelsea’s ground was chosen as the venue for the second replay. The match eventually went ahead following two postponements owing to bad weather, with Palace booking their place in the next round courtesy of a goal from Paul Holder.
However, it was Mullery’s reaction to two decisions by referee Ron Challis – subsequently rechristened “Challis of the Palace” by Brighton fans – which sealed the mutual hatred that exists to this day.
“I don’t think there was any love lost between Terry and Alan,” remembered Jim Cannon, the former Palace defender who played in all five of that season’s matches between the two. “They were winding each other up through the press and that helped build up the atmosphere among the fans. I think it was all about Alan in the end because he went crazy on the touchline about the disallowed goal and the penalty.”
What happened next has gone down in terrace folklore. Having approached Challis after the game to remonstrate, Mullery was making his way down the tunnel when he claims to have had boiling coffee thrown over him by a supporter.
He reacted by taking some change out of his pocket and hurling it on the ground, shouting “You’re not worth that, Palace” and flashing a V sign. His actions earned the former England midfielder a £100 fine and a lifetime of notoriety in south London.
Championship Play-off: How Terry Venables and Alan Mullery sparked a
Alan Mullery and Terry Venables had been team-mates at Tottenham Hotspur and landed their first jobs in management within weeks of one another at the start of the 1976-77 season at Brighton and Palace respectively. Both were ambitious Third Division clubs at the time fighting for promotion and – separated by just over 40 miles down the old A23 – had built up a healthy rivalry. That all changed over the course of 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge on 6 December 1976.
After the first two games at Selhurst Park and the Goldstone Ground finished level, Chelsea’s ground was chosen as the venue for the second replay. The match eventually went ahead following two postponements owing to bad weather, with Palace booking their place in the next round courtesy of a goal from Paul Holder.
However, it was Mullery’s reaction to two decisions by referee Ron Challis – subsequently rechristened “Challis of the Palace” by Brighton fans – which sealed the mutual hatred that exists to this day.
“I don’t think there was any love lost between Terry and Alan,” remembered Jim Cannon, the former Palace defender who played in all five of that season’s matches between the two. “They were winding each other up through the press and that helped build up the atmosphere among the fans. I think it was all about Alan in the end because he went crazy on the touchline about the disallowed goal and the penalty.”
What happened next has gone down in terrace folklore. Having approached Challis after the game to remonstrate, Mullery was making his way down the tunnel when he claims to have had boiling coffee thrown over him by a supporter.
He reacted by taking some change out of his pocket and hurling it on the ground, shouting “You’re not worth that, Palace” and flashing a V sign. His actions earned the former England midfielder a £100 fine and a lifetime of notoriety in south London.
Championship Play-off: How Terry Venables and Alan Mullery sparked a
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