If you look at a map, the Brighton v Crystal Palace rivalry makes absolutely no sense. None. Most English football grudges are born from living in each other's pockets—think Liverpool and Everton or the north London divide. But Brighton and Palace? They are nearly 50 miles apart. There are about half a dozen clubs closer to Selhurst Park than Brighton & Hove Albion is.
So why does the air get thin and the police presence triple when these two meet?
It’s not about the A23 or the M23, despite the "M23 Derby" nickname that fans on both sides generally despise. It’s about a very specific, very ego-driven explosion that happened in the 1970s. Honestly, if it weren't for two men who couldn't stand each other, this might just be another random fixture.
The Five-Pound Note and the Coffee Cup
To understand why a Seagull wants to peck an Eagle's eyes out, you have to go back to 1976. Two young, ambitious managers were appointed at the same time: Alan Mullery at Brighton and Terry Venables at Crystal Palace. They were former teammates at Tottenham, but "friends" would be a massive stretch. Mullery was the captain at Spurs; Venables was his second-in-command, and the tension between them was already simmering before they ever stepped into a dugout.
In the 76/77 season, the universe decided to play a joke and pitted them against each other five times in a single year. Two league games and three FA Cup ties.
The boiling point came during the second FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge. Brighton had a goal disallowed. Then they were forced to retake a penalty, which they missed. When the final whistle blew and Palace walked away 1-0 winners, Mullery lost it. As he stormed off the pitch, a Palace fan poured a hot cup of coffee over him.
Mullery didn’t just file a complaint. He pulled a handful of change and a five-pound note out of his pocket, threw it on the floor, and screamed at the Palace fans: "That’s all Crystal Palace are worth!"
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He was fined £100, but the damage—or the legend—was done. That moment transformed a competitive geographical coincidence into a blood feud.
Why the Nicknames Actually Matter
You might notice that one team is the "Eagles" and the other is the "Seagulls." That wasn't an accident.
Before the mid-70s, Brighton were actually known as the Dolphins. Kinda cute, right? Not exactly intimidating. During a match at the Goldstone Ground, Palace fans were chanting "Eagles, Eagles!" In a moment of pure spite, the Brighton fans started shouting back "Seagulls, Seagulls!"
It stuck. The club actually changed their official crest and nickname because of a terrace chant meant to mock their rivals.
Modern Chaos: The Poop Incident and Playoff Heartbreak
If you think the rivalry died out when Mullery and Venables retired, you haven’t been paying attention. The 2013 Championship Play-off semi-finals added a whole new layer of weirdness and bitterness.
The first leg was a 0-0 grind. But it’s the second leg at the Amex that people still talk about for two reasons:
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- Wilfried Zaha’s brace that sent Palace to Wembley.
- The "Poo-gate" incident.
Yes, someone actually left a "gift" on the floor of the Crystal Palace dressing room before the game. For years, conspiracy theories swirled. Was it a Brighton fan? A disgruntled staff member? It was later revealed to be an unfortunate accident involving the Brighton coach’s driver who had a medical issue, but at the time, it fueled a firestorm of "dirty tactics" accusations.
Fast forward to the 2024/2025 season. The Brighton v Crystal Palace rivalry hasn't lost its edge. Just last December, Palace went to the Amex and snatched a 3-1 win, ending Fabian Hürzeler’s unbeaten home run. Ismaila Sarr turned into a man possessed that day. Then, in April 2025, Palace doubled down with a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.
Even the most recent meeting on November 9, 2025, a cagey 0-0 draw, was packed with ten yellow cards. It’s never just a game.
By The Numbers: Who Actually Owns This?
People love to argue about who is the "bigger" club. Historically, it’s incredibly tight.
As we sit here in early 2026, the all-time head-to-head is almost perfectly split. Both clubs have hovered around 51 wins each across all competitions. In the Premier League era, draws have become the most common outcome, which only serves to keep the tension high because nobody ever gets that definitive "shut up" result for long.
- Total Meetings: 144
- Brighton Wins: 51
- Palace Wins: 51
- Draws: 42
It is statistically one of the most balanced rivalries in English football. That's part of the frustration. Neither side can truly claim dominance.
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What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is the "M23" label. If you want to annoy a season ticket holder at either club, call it the M23 Derby.
The M23 motorway doesn’t even go to Brighton. It ends at Pease Pottage, miles away from the coast. To the fans, the name feels like something a bored TV executive made up to try and make the game sound like the North London Derby.
The rivalry isn't about a road. It’s about 1976. It’s about Alan Mullery’s fiver. It’s about the fact that Brighton is a seaside city that feels isolated from the rest of the south, and Palace is a south London club that feels like the gateway to the rest of the country.
Looking Ahead: The Next Clash
The next time these two face off is February 8, 2026, at the Amex.
If you're planning on going or watching, keep an eye on the technical areas. The ghosts of Venables and Mullery are still there. The managers might be different—Hürzeler for Brighton and Oliver Glasner for Palace—but the pressure from the stands is identical to what it was fifty years ago.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Neutrals:
- Study the 1970s: If you really want to talk shop with a local, mention the 1976 FA Cup replay. It’s the "Big Bang" of this rivalry.
- Watch the Wingers: Historically, this game is won or lost on the flanks. From Peter Ward to Wilfried Zaha to Kaoru Mitoma, the wide men always seem to provide the drama.
- Check the Form Guide (and throw it away): This is one of those fixtures where league position is irrelevant. Palace have frequently beaten "better" Brighton sides, and vice versa.
- Respect the "Seagull": Never call them the Dolphins unless you're looking for a very long, very loud lecture on 1970s terrace culture.
The Brighton v Crystal Palace rivalry remains one of the most authentic and strange spectacles in the Premier League. It shouldn't exist, yet it's the first fixture fans look for every August.