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On this day: Sixty years since Norman Gall's debut

Tomorrow also marks the former defender's 80th birthday.

By Nick Szczepanik • 29 September 2022

By Paul Hazlewood
Norman Gall joined Albion in 1962.

For most sports journalists, hero-worship is a no-no. Selfies with players are out. We are professionals, there to interview and interrogate. Only very occasionally can there be exceptions, with perhaps a brief handshake. For me, one of those exceptions was made for Norman Gall, whom I met in the Amex press room before a match last season.

For Albion fans of a certain age, Norman was the backbone of the first teams we cheered on at The Goldstone. The only debate about his standing is whether he is remembered by the nickname of ‘Mister Reliable’ or Mister Consistent’. Even Brian Clough had good things to say about him.

Norman turns 80 tomorrow, made his Albion debut 60 years ago today and went on to become one of the club’s greatest servants. He made 488 appearances in our colours over 12 years, third behind only Tug Wilson and Peter O’Sullivan. He played his part in two promotions and captained the side on many occasions. He was twice voted player of the year, in 1971 and 1974.

By BHAFC
The defender made 488 appearances for Albion.

A dependable central defender, he was only 5’ 9”, but was seldom found wanting in the air. He formed solid partnerships with Dave Turner, Barry Rees, John Napier, Ian Goodwin and Steve Piper among others.

Norman was born in Wallsend on Tyneside and arrived in Sussex from Gateshead FC. He made his debut in a 2-0 defeat away to Watford in place of popular skipper Roy Jennings, but when the team lost its next two games, he was out of the side again.

However, he was a regular the following season at centre-half and full-back and missed only two games of the 1964-5 Fourth Division championship campaign. He was also ever-present in Pat Saward’s exciting 1971-72 promotion side, keeping things tight at the back as Kit Napier, Willie Irvine, Sully and the rest bombed forward in search of goals.

The second division found the team out and Norman was transfer-listed after falling out with Saward in the wake of a dismal 3-0 defeat away to Millwall. But he won his place back and was one of the team’s mainstays again when Brian Clough took over as manager on November 1 1973 to usher in another period of turbulence.

By BHAFC
After he departed Albion, Norman played for a number of non-league teams.

One of the club’s darkest days was also memorable for a compliment from Clough. Analysing the 8-2 home defeat by Bristol Rovers on The Big Match, Clough praised Gall for not giving up the fight and attempting to cover back as goals continued to rain in, calling him “that honest man.”

Clough had made him captain during his first meeting with the team at the White Hart Hotel in Lewes purely on the grounds of being a Geordie, but it was a good choice, and not just because the young Norman had idolised Clough the player. As Spencer Vignes reveals in his excellent book on the period, Bloody Southerners, they would sometimes walk around the Goldstone pitch together instead of training – ostensibly to protect Norman’s fitness but also to reminisce about the north-east.

His final appearance came in a 3-0 defeat away to York City on March 30 1974. He was released at the end of the season and went on to play for Horsham, Eastbourne United and Southwick.  A man whose hand was well worth shaking.