NUFC v Brighton – Trelford Mills!

by Colin Whittle on Wednesday 18th January 2012

To Mags of a certain age, Brighton in the FA Cup stirs certain memories that live on. Indeed when I spoke to a fellow supporter at work on the day after the draw his initial response was, “that bastard Trelford Mills’’, then went on to quote Brighton’s progress round by round to the final that year, claiming it ‘should have been us!’.

For those who have erased the name from their memories, Trelford Mills was of course the referee who disallowed two perfectly good Newcastle goals in the FA Cup third round replay in 1983, after we had drawn 1-1 at the Goldstone Ground.

Going behind in the replay to a Peter Ward goal we went on to dominate the game and piled plenty of pressure on the Brighton goal. Late on, and from memory it was last 10 minutes, we had two goals disallowed which would have won us the game, ‘goals’ from Varadi and Keegan were both chalked off.

As a result we lost 1-0 and had to accept that it wasn’t going to be our year (again). In those days the FA Cup was the ‘real deal’ and getting knocked out was a big disappointment. We had nothing much else to look forward to, being honest. I’m told that the game is available on ‘YouTube’ (Ed: Don’t worry Colin, video highlights/evidence of Trelford’s crimes already on The Mag’s YouTube channel and click above to enjoy(!) again) but I don’t need to watch it to know that there was nothing wrong with either goal! A total injustice.

Anyway, their 3rd round replay hasn’t taken place as yet so we may, in fact, face Wrexham….and of course that’s another story for Mags of a certain age. Dixie McNeil anyone?

Tagged as: brighton, EPL, Newcastle cheated, newcastle news, Premier League, trelford mills

11 comments

About the author
By day Colin Whittle is the image of respectability, only for his punk rock roots to bring out his true colours where everything is black & white.

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Sjsharp84

I’m too young to remember Trelford Mills (before I was born!) but I remember 1996 and Gerald Ashby (who I believe passed away some years ago) and that League Cup Q-F at Arsenal. I remember Mr Ashby receiving some criticism for the way he’d let Ginola draw fouls from some some lumbering Stoke City player in a previous round, particularly from Lou Macari, who managed Stoke at the time. To make up for it, Mr Ashby let Messrs Dixon and Winterburn (esp the latter) get away practically with GBH in the game at Highbury. David retaliated and got sent off. It took him a long time to return to form after that, arguably not for 10 months (and the 5-0 win over Man U) for him to refind his form. Ginola’s loss of form subsequent to that dismissal and suspension could be cited as one of the factors in the eventual destination of that year’s Premier League Title… Getting back to topic though, that was the worst refereeing performance I’d seen in a Toon game. Then along came a chap called Mr Rennie from Sheffield…
Anonymous

Strange how some things stick in your memory – I doubt I’ll be able to remember this year’s 3rd round tie in 28 years’ time. But like most Toon fans who were there I can remember this game as clear as day. Mind you I can remember an awful lot of stuff from Keegan’s 2 years with us first time around – great days (apart from the Brighton game!)
Howard gayle

I was looking forward to beating the makes in the 4th round. At least Man City turned them over. And it would have been Blyth in the 5th round if it wasn’t for Dixie McNeil!

Howard gayle

Sorry. I meant the Mackems

Colinwhittle

I’ve just watched it on You Tube……unbelievable…..nothing wrong with either goal!
Any O’Brien

As a 14 year old at the time I wasn’t sure if the febrile atmosphere was exciting or scary, but with hindsight its nights like this that fuel the passion.
Chris Ramshaw

Nearly 30 years on still makes the blood boil
Anonymous

Altogether…’It’s a fix, it’s a fix!!’
Daveed

I was in the Family Paddock that night. How it didnt end in a riot I don’t know. But didn’t old Trelford do it twice, or have I imagined that?
Horsey

Not many people remember Trelford was the man in the middle quietly going about his business on Keegan’s debut!! Then he made himself a name for all the wrong reasons in the cup. A bit like Brian Coddington, Derby Away!!! Ask your dad!!
shearerskecks

The Trelford Mills game was my very first visit to SJP, 13 years old I think I was, now my memory is useless…ask the wife, but I have never forgot that cunts name, some memories you retain that are best left forgotton.