And If You Know Your History aims to explain and highlight some of the incidents, matches, people, players, and situations – occasionally weird, occasionally wonderful – that combine to make Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club what it is.
Crumplin began his seven years at the Albion as a right winger after arriving from non-league Bognor Regis Town in 1987. The 19-year-old was chucked straight in at the deep end and became a focal point for some fans’ frustrations at the lack of perceived transfer activity at the time.
An injury to centre back Nicky Bissett meant a switch to right-back for the eager Crumplin. Wholehearted and enthusiastic, what he supposedly ‘lacked’ in natural talent he more than made up for in endeavour. His galloping runs down the right became a familiar sight, as did his knack of sending high crosses – and I mean really high crosses – into the box.
The Bath-born defender enjoyed probably the best game of his Albion career at Anfield in January 1991. Liverpool were First Division champions, with a formidable forward line of Peter Beardsley, Ian Rush, and John Barnes. Except for the 7,000 Albion fans who travelled north, no-one gave the Second Division strugglers a chance in this FA Cup fourth-round tie.
Rush netted twice in the first ten minutes and the red sections of the crowd were rubbing their hands in anticipation of an easy victory. They hadn’t reckoned on the football genius who discovered Barnes in his back pocket after the match.
Mickey Small converted a spot-kick after the late Paul McCarthy was fouled and then, as full time approached, Crumplin waved goodbye to England international Barnes once more, sending over one of his trademark deliveries. Small rose between three home defenders to nod across the penalty area and John Byrne arrived with a perfect diving header to send the Anfield Road end wild.
Chants of ‘Johnny Crumplin football genius’ reverberated through the Merseyside air long after the final whistle and an Albion legend was born.