Albion fans have hit out at the club after it failed to mark the death of one of the Seagulls’ most popular ever players.
Bobby Smith passed away earlier this month after a short illness at a London nursing home.
The England number nine signed for the then Fourth Division based Seagulls in 1963 – after Brighton boss Archie Macauley paid Spurs £5,000 for the striker.
He went on to notch 20 goals in 33 games – helping the Seagulls go up as champions.
However, the honeymoon did not last long. He played just one further game after being fined for reporting back for pre-season overweight.
He went on to play for Hastings United but will be best remembered for his spell at White Hart Lane, where he helped land the FA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup.
He also scored 13 goals in 15 games for England.
Saturday’s match with Oldham was the first at Withdean since his tragic death but, despite a piece in the match programme, the Albion failed to hold a minute’s silence – upsetting many of the fans who remembered Smith so fondly.
The only announcement was made as the fans filed out of the ground after the final whistle.
One fan writing on a Brighton website said: ‘We only savoured him for just over a season but that was enough for all of us to know he was a class act.
‘Surely he deserved 60 seconds yesterday?’
Another added: ‘Poor show, hope they (the club) will remedy this on Tuesday (when Brighton entertain Brentford).’
Spurs marked Smith’s death with a minute’s applause.
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