Brighton once suffered incredible 18-0 Christmas Day defeat when fans made up the numbers
Brighton once suffered an astonishing defeat on Christmas Day previously.
25.12.25, 07:45 Updated 22.05.26, 14:52 2 Minute Read
Charlie Parker-Turner
An 18-0 defeat isn’t the present that most football fans would want for Christmas. As a Brighton supporter in 1940, it was what sat under their tree though, as the shell of their first team squad took on Norwich City at Carrow Road in what turned out to be quite the hammering.
As the Second World War raged on, many of Britain’s footballers were drafted for service, leaving large cracks in teams across the country. But, despite the absentees, football matches continued to take place. Amid air raid sirens and military chaos, one of the nation’s biggest morale boosters ticked on.
On Christmas Day 1940, Norwich would face Brighton at Carrow Road in Division Three South D. The Canaries filled the gaps in their squad with players stepping in from Bolton, who were stationed at the nearby barracks.
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