It makes zero sense on paper. You look at a map and see a 40-mile gap of rolling hills and suburbs. They aren't in the same city. They aren't even in the same county. Yet, when Crystal Palace vs Brighton & Hove Albion kicks off, the atmosphere is more toxic than a Twitter argument at 3 AM.
Football fans love a local derby. Usually, it's about bragging rights over a shared zip code or a bridge. But this? This is the M23 Derby—a name that, honestly, is kinda stupid because the M23 motorway doesn't actually connect the two stadiums. It stops about ten miles short of Brighton.
Still, the hatred is real. It’s visceral. If you ask a Palace fan about Brighton, or a Seagulls supporter about the Eagles, you’ll get a history lesson wrapped in a grudge that has survived fifty years.
The Day the Petty Turned Professional
Most people think this rivalry goes back a century. It doesn’t. Back in the 50s and 60s, these two clubs were basically indifferent to each other. Everything changed in the mid-1970s.
Imagine two young, arrogant, and incredibly talented managers. Terry Venables at Palace. Alan Mullery at Brighton. They had played together at Tottenham, and let’s just say they weren’t sending each other Christmas cards.
The spark that lit the fire happened in 1976 during an FA Cup first-round tie. It took three games to find a winner. Two draws led to a second replay at Stamford Bridge. Palace won 1-0, but it was a total mess. Brighton had a goal disallowed for a handball that probably wasn't. Then they were forced to retake a successful penalty because of "encroachment." The retake was saved.
Mullery lost his mind.
After the final whistle, he stormed over to the referee, then famously flicked a "V" sign at the Palace fans. As he was being escorted away by police, he pulled some loose change out of his pocket, threw it on the floor, and screamed: "That’s all Crystal Palace are worth!"
You can’t script that kind of pettiness. From that moment on, the "M23 Derby" wasn't just a fixture; it was a blood feud.
Chants, Nicknames, and the Bird War
If you've ever wondered why Brighton are called the Seagulls, you can thank Crystal Palace fans for that one.
In the mid-70s, Palace had recently rebranded as the "Eagles." During a game at Brighton’s old Goldstone Ground, the away fans were chanting "Eagles! Eagles!"
A group of Brighton fans, reportedly having a few pints in a pub before the match, decided they needed a retort. They started shouting "Seagulls! Seagulls!"
It stuck.
Brighton officially changed their nickname and even put the bird on their badge to spite their rivals. Basically, the entire identity of Brighton & Hove Albion as we know it today was born out of a desire to annoy people from South London.
Recent Drama: The 2024 and 2025 Clashes
Fast forward to the present day. The stakes haven't dropped. If anything, the Premier League era has made things even more tense because both teams are actually good now.
In December 2024, Palace went down to the Amex and absolutely ruined the weekend for the home fans. They walked away with a 3-1 win, largely thanks to an inspired performance by Ismaïla Sarr. Then came April 2025.
That match at Selhurst Park was pure chaos. Crystal Palace 2-1 Brighton.
Palace led early through Jean-Philippe Mateta, Danny Welbeck equalized, and then Daniel Muñoz bagged a stunner to win it. But the scoreline doesn't tell the half of it. Palace ended the game with nine men after Marc Guéhi and Eddie Nketiah both saw red. Jan Paul van Hecke got sent off for Brighton too.
It was a frantic, ugly, beautiful mess of a game.
Most recently, in November 2025, the teams played out a 0-0 draw that was somehow more exciting than most 4-4s. Dean Henderson had to pull off a string of world-class saves to keep Brighton out. It left both teams sitting mid-table, separated by a single point.
Head-to-Head: The Numbers
People always argue about who is the "bigger" club. Honestly, it's a toss-up. As of early 2026, the all-time record is incredibly close.
- Total Meetings: 144
- Crystal Palace Wins: 51
- Brighton Wins: 51
- Draws: 42
It is literally a dead heat. Brighton has been the more "progressive" club lately with their recruitment and European adventures, but Palace has this weird habit of winning the games that matter most—like the 2013 Championship Play-off semi-final where Wilfried Zaha scored twice to send Palace to Wembley and leave Brighton in tears.
Why This Rivalry is Different
The distance is the weird part. Most derbies are about proximity. This one is about two distinct identities.
Palace represents the gritty, "inner-city" South London vibe. Selhurst Park is old, loud, and smells like history (and maybe a bit of damp). Brighton is the trendy, coastal "London-by-the-sea" crowd.
There's a genuine cultural clash here. One side thinks the other is full of arrogant hipsters; the other side thinks their rivals are stuck in the past.
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Key Players Who Crossed the Divide
Doing a direct transfer between these two is the footballing equivalent of moving from the Jedi to the Sith.
- Glenn Murray: This guy is a legend for both, which is almost impossible. He scored goals for Brighton, moved to Palace and got them promoted, then went back to Brighton and kept them in the Premier League.
- Alan Mullery: After starting the war as Brighton manager, he actually managed Palace in the 80s. It went exactly as well as you’d expect. He was hated by both sets of fans during that stint.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re planning to watch or bet on the next Crystal Palace vs Brighton & Hove Albion match, keep these specific factors in mind:
- The "Home" Draw Bias: Interestingly, Selhurst Park has become a fortress for 1-1 draws. Between 2019 and 2023, five straight games at Palace ended with that exact scoreline.
- Late Drama is Mandatory: Since 2020, over 40% of the goals in this fixture have come after the 80th minute. Christian Benteke and Neal Maupay have both scored 95th-minute daggers in recent years. Never turn the TV off early.
- The Tactical Split: Under Oliver Glasner, Palace has moved toward a high-intensity transition game. Brighton, meanwhile, remains one of the most ball-dominant teams in the league. This usually results in Brighton having 70% possession and Palace having all the dangerous chances on the break.
The next time these two meet on February 8, 2026, don't expect a friendly handshake. Expect cards, expect VAR drama, and expect a stadium that feels like it’s about to boil over.
To stay ahead of the next derby, keep an eye on the injury reports for Jean-Philippe Mateta and Brighton’s midfield anchors like Carlos Baleba. These individual duels usually decide who gets to claim the M23 title—even if they have to drive a few extra miles on the A23 to get home.
Next Steps for You
- Check the current Premier League table to see how the one-point gap between these two is holding up before their February meeting.
- Watch the highlights of the 1976 FA Cup replay if you want to see exactly what a manager throwing coins at a crowd looks like.
- Review the discipline records of both squads; given the three red cards in their last outing, the "Over 4.5 Cards" market for the next game is looking like a high-probability play.