Harty writes on Keith Cuss and the Albion

Older supporters might remember Keith made national news during a game against Manchester City, at the Goldstone, in 1989.

As ballboy supervisor, Keith was sitting on the perimeter fence when the ball came at him, at some speed, with the Albion winning against a City side neck and neck with Chelsea for the old Division 2 championship.

Keith ducked, or so he claimed at the time, the ball hit him on the back of the head and disappeared high up into the West Stand, wasting valuable seconds in the dying minutes of a thrilling game.

City went ballistic, accusing Keith of gamesmanship. Shortly after the initial furore died down, the final whistle sounded and struggling Albion recorded one of their most prized victories of that campaign.

Manchester City boss Mel Machin continued the protest in front of the waiting press and Keith became an unlikely media star, with his 15 minutes of fame that Andy Warhol had predicted for him and many others.

Unfortunately, it came at a price. While Keith was popular with the players, running the after-match bar for them, he had made enemies in the boardroom. And less than 48 hours later, after more than five years of unpaid and loyal service, he was sacked for "gross misconduct".

The years have certainly been kind to him. By my estimation he should be riding on buses free and living with his family in the New Forest, but he still had his dark brown hair (possibly courtesy of Lloyds Pharmacy, but who cares), Douglas Bader bomber jacket and that glint in his eye when we met.

A real Albion character in every sense of the word.

As for the game on Tuesday, while it was great to see the Albion record their first away win of the season, I have to say that Bournemouth were one of the worst league sides I have seen the Albion play in the Football League.

In fact, so bad was the performance, it set one of the themes for the phone-in about the worst side the Albion have ever played.

Having played in the nether regions of the Football League for a few years, a number sprang to mind. But having thought it through, my clear winner is the Doncaster Rovers team which played out a goalless draw at Gillingham against the Albion on St Valentine's Day, 1998.

They were the worst league side I have ever seen. Although the result might suggest, that at the time, cash-strapped Brighton weren't far behind. And within weeks of the result, Dick Knight must have had similar thoughts, because Albion boss Steve Gritt was sacked.

Congratulations to Charlie Fearn of Shoreham who correctly answered that Ricky Hatton will fight Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas in December. He has won the two tickets to the boxing show at the Metropole tomorrow night.

Can anyone please settle an argument?

My good friend Gerry King claims that he can remember Worthing playing a league side, he thinks Northampton, at Woodside Road in the FA Cup in the last 25 years. And he recalls that Kevin Foreman was playing on the wing for the Rebels.

He says that it was a night game and the match was held up for around 30 minutes as the floodlights failed. And Morty Hollis and Co had to get Seeboard to out to restore them.

I, too, recall this incident, around 1984, so Gerry wasn't far off with the date, but it wasn't a league club or the FA Cup.

To my recollection it was Gravesend and Northfleet, who became Ebbsfleet playing in the Conference at the start of this season, and it was the FA Trophy.

I'm sure at least one Herald series reader will have the definitive answer. So please, who is right, or are we both wrong?

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