Why the ‘M23 derby’ is likely one of the fiercest within the Premier League

Each time Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace play one another, questions come up over the origins of the extreme animosity between groups whose 43-mile separation means they’re in numerous counties.
When the golf equipment meet once more on the Amex Stadium on Sunday (2pm GMT), it will likely be the primary version of the febrile fixture for Brighton supervisor Fabian Hurzeler and Palace’s Oliver Glasner – a coach the Albion boss has immense respect for from their time in Germany.
Hurzeler was St Pauli boss and within the away finish on a fact-finding mission when the perimeters drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park final season, whereas Glasner turned Palace supervisor 16 days after their 4-1 defeat at Brighton on February 3.
Listed here are a number of the historical past classes the pair might have been advised, in addition to a have a look at some memorable showdowns between Brighton and Palace.
“There’s a variety of ardour in it” 👀
Glenn Murray and Jobi McAnuff talk about the fierce rivalry between Crystal Palace and Brighton 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ODNIGql8VM
— Sky Sports activities Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 21, 2023
Brighton vs Palace rivalry: When did it begin?
There had been bother at video games between the groups in the course of the mid-Seventies, in addition to a subversion of Palace’s ‘Eagles’ nickname by Brighton followers that in the end led to Albion assuming their very own nickname – the Seagulls – in direct opposition to Palace.
Through the 1976/77 season, the groups took half in a first-round FA Cup tie that required three instalments earlier than Palace prevailed 1-0.
Two intensely charismatic characters had been within the dugouts: Alan Mullery for Brighton, Terry Venables for Palace. The pair had been Tottenham room-mates as gamers, with Spurs supervisor Invoice Nicholson selecting Mullery over Venables as captain.
Mullery was livid after Albion misplaced the cup tie. His captain, Brian Horton, had a penalty disallowed by referee Ron Challis earlier than the retake was saved, and iconic Brighton striker Peter Ward additionally had a purpose chalked off.
The supervisor produced an immortal piece of images when he flicked a ‘V’ signal on the celebrating Palace followers at full-time, complained to Challis and threw change in direction of the opposition squad, including: “Palace ain’t value that.”
LWT The Large Match
October 1976
Two Golf equipment That Don’t Get On!
Brighton 1-1 Crystal Palace
Commentator Brian Moore#BHAFC #CPFC pic.twitter.com/I4IE19UDdp— TV Soccer 1968-92 (@1968Tv) November 14, 2022
Alan Mullery vs Terry Venables
Martin Hinshelwood, a Palace participant on the time who would develop into a revered youth coach at Brighton and briefly handle the Seagulls in 2002, has noticed that Venables “all the time appeared to outdo Alan.”
Palace completed two factors forward of Brighton as each groups had been promoted from the Third Division that yr, and an inexorable story of promotion tussles, dramatic matches and hatred between units of followers had been set in movement.
Amongst them, Palace beat Mullery’s Brighton to the title once more in 1978/79 as each groups had been promoted to the highest flight, and 5 penalties had been awarded inside 27 minutes of a 2-1 win for Palace in 1989, together with a wayward spotkick by Ian Wright, who was rejected by Brighton as a teen for being too small.
Palace had misplaced eight and drawn two of the ten derbies between 1979 and 1986, however that they had bragging rights between 1990 and 2001, spending three seasons within the Premier League and the remaining within the second tier whereas Brighton teetered getting ready to oblivion on the different finish of the EFL.
After virtually going out of enterprise and staying within the EFL on the ultimate sport of the 1996/97 season, Albion hung out at two short-term houses earlier than lastly shifting to the Amex Stadium in 2011.
In 1976-77, Crystal Palace & Brighton performed one another 5 instances (together with 3 FA Cup video games!) & unhealthy blood between managers Terry Venables and Alan Mullery spawned a membership rivalry.
Listed here are the programmes from the preliminary First Spherical and replay video games.#cpfc #bhafc #facup pic.twitter.com/D44dxen8Db— Aaron Porter (@AaronPorter) Might 27, 2020
Palace vs Brighton: Trendy outcomes
When their wait of just about 13 years to play Palace once more ended, it got here on an excellent day for the house followers at Selhurst Park, who witnessed a 5-0 thrashing within the second tier, with future England striker Andy Johnson bagging a hat-trick.
Palace misplaced solely as soon as in eight conferences with a 1-0 defeat at Selhurst Park in 2005 and have become the primary workforce to beat Brighton on the Amex Stadium, in addition to defeating them there within the 2013 Championship playoff semi-finals.
Jordan Ayew scored the one purpose of the sport in Palace’s first Premier League win at Brighton in 2020, and beautiful drama turned an indicator of the sport in the course of the 4 subsequent encounters, three of which had been determined by Ninetieth-minute objectives.
Brighton’s resounding win greater than 10 months in the past is the one time both workforce has gained by greater than a purpose within the final 11 video games between them, with Hinshelwood’s great-nephew, Jack, among the many scorers on that event.
Palace’s final two defeats to Brighton have additionally prefaced their managers departing: Patrick Vieira’s final sport in cost was a 1-0 defeat on the Amex Stadium in March 2023, whereas their loss in the identical setting final season proved to be Roy Hodgson’s last away match of his tenure.
.@DeJesusOfiicial ending issues off with our fourth v Palace… 🥶 #AlbionAdvent #⃣1⃣4⃣! 🎄 pic.twitter.com/4UOeyeiqno
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 14, 2024
Why is Brighton vs Crystal Palace referred to as the M23 derby?
Studies are likely to name the sport the ‘M23 derby’ to indicate the trail between Brighton and London. The precise street offering a direct connection is the A23.
Brighton vs Palace: 5 episodes within the rivalry
Brighton 1-1 Palace, October 2 1976
Within the spirit of even-handedness, let’s begin with a draw at Brighton’s authentic Goldstone Floor residence, watched by a crowd of greater than 27,000 in Division Three.
Mullery seemingly joked about Venables arranging for smoke bombs to be thrown on the pitch, feeling that the interruptions by followers had hindered his workforce’s momentum.
As has continuously been the case in favour of both aspect, Palace took the lead towards the run of play by Jim Cannon. Brighton swiftly levelled by Kenny Sansom’s own-goal.
Palace 2-1 Brighton, March 27 1989
An outstanding early Ian Wright purpose, a pink card for Brighton’s Mike Trusson and a profitable Mark Brilliant penalty put Palace 2-0 forward and seeminly heading in the right direction for a routine win regardless of Brilliant and Wright then lacking penalties in swift succession.
Alan Curbishley replied from the spot after the break earlier than defender John Pemberton fired a penalty over the bar for the hosts. Palace reached the highest flight through the play-offs that season, whereas Brighton flirted with relegation however survived.
Ian Wright on certainly one of his finest ever objectives for Palace in a traditional win over Brighton. 💥🔴🔵 @IanWright0 #cpfc #cpfcfamily pic.twitter.com/GLmBmrWoKk
— Screaming Alice (@screamingalice1) December 15, 2019
Palace 5-0 Brighton, October 26 2002
Steve Coppell had been Palace supervisor for that sport of 5 penalties, and his job when the perimeters met once more after a 13-year breather was to rescue Albion from a determined begin to their Championship season.
Sadly for Brighton, Coppell’s first away sport in cost solely cemented his standing as a Palace legend, with Johnson scoring twice within the first half. Present Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman then netted, as did Julian Grey after Johnson had accomplished his hat-trick.
Whereas Palace completed 14th, Coppell confirmed his appreciable experience to revive Brighton’s season, taking their unsuccessful relegation battle to the ultimate day of the season.
Brighton 3-0 Palace, March 17 2013
This was Brighton’s first win over Palace for greater than seven years, first at residence for 25 years, first on the Amex Stadium and solely victory within the fixture in eight makes an attempt between 2005 and 2017.
Spanish midfielder David Lopez scored a spectacular free-kick in between objectives by targetman Leo Ulloa. Brighton had been chasing a play-off place within the Championship on the time, whereas Palace had been hoping for computerized promotion.
🎥 Right here’s your second favorite second on the Amex Stadium up to now…
👏🏻 step ahead @David_Lopez_7#BHAFC 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/mx9SnjuMt4
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 22, 2018
Brighton 0-2 Palace, Might 13 2013
Palace had the final giggle that season within the Championship play-off semi-finals.
Following a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park, two Wilfried Zaha objectives inside 20 second-half minutes gave the guests a 2-0 combination win, with the supervisor who had masterminded Brighton’s promotion from League One and led them to their new residence, Gus Poyet, leaving The Seagulls two days later.
Ian Holloway led Palace to victory over Watford within the play-off last, they usually have been within the Premier League ever since.
Brighton vs Crystal Palace face to face
The extraordinarily tight total file between the groups displays the seesaw nature of their video games and outcomes towards one another over the many years.
The precise figures are the topic of debate, however Brighton have 42 wins to Palace’s 38, in keeping with 11v11.com, with 31 ending as attracts.