Ian Hart: Mitoma’s Albion goal was a beauty, but a Frank Worthington strike from 40 years ago was better

Initially with a hint of route one, the assist was by Albion’s Dutch keeper Bart Verbruggen, and the subsequent control by the Seagulls’ Japanese midfielder and execution was almost worth the admission on it own.

Naturally, we’ve seen countless TV replays of the goal from various angles over the past few days.

Many are saying it’s potentially the best Albion goal they ever seen, others are saying it is simply the best goal – but that is one hell of an accolade.

For me, 52 Albion years in, it is without doubt ‘one of the best’ Albion goals I’ve seen, but bear in mind when talking about BBC TV’s Goal of the Season contest, we’ve had a recent winner, Julio Enciso, versus Manchester City at the Amex in 2023.

For Albion fans young and old, it is a fascinating debate, but with the advent of TV coverage for every game in more recent times, modern-day goals are more likely to be seen and repeated.

To me, December 29, 1984, is still ingrained in the old memory banks, and for just under 11,000 Albion fans who were present, it’s probably the same.

Brighton v Wimbledon in the old Second Division, a post Christmas fixture at The Goldstone Ground. The legendary Frank Worthington, very much in the autumn of his career, had signed for his boyhood friend, Albion boss Chris Cattlin, in the summer of 1984.

Albion were 1-0 down at half-time but Danny Wilson equalised for hosts before, towards the end of the second half, Worthington received a pass with his back to goal, around, 20 or 25 yards out, controlled the ball, turned and hit a shot into the top corner which gave future England keeper Dave Beasant no chance whatsoever.

And then, the icing on the cake… the celebration was almost as sublime as the strike itself, Worthington just raised his arm in triumph like a Gladiator in the Colosseum.

The years and my ever developing fuzzy memory have probably recalled the event with a just of tad of romance, but that’s the beauty of memories.

I still marvel at Bobby Zamora’s superb finish at the Withdean against Halifax in 2000. I was lucky enough to be the matchball sponsor, celebrating my Albion half century, for Enciso’s goal, along with Mitoma’s wonder goal on Friday, and all captured on celluloid.

But the late and much missed Frank’s strike 40 years ago still has a huge place in my heart – and always will.

Returning to Friday, I have to say I find the booing of former Albion players Marco Cucurella and Moises Caicedo, a little bit disappointing.

Although their Albion tenures were all too brief, the collective profit made on both players has done so much to put together the current squad, perhaps the strongest in the club’s 124-year history. So why boo?

Everyone in the ground should be eternally grateful to the duo for their collective Albion contributions rather than resorting to infantile catcalling.