The club was elected into the Football League in 1920 as original members of Division Three. The following year it was restructured into Division Three South and Division Three North, with Brighton naturally enough in the Southern section. And there they remained until 1958 when, just as the Football League was again restructured into a Third and a Fourth Division, they won the title and got promoted to Division Two. They lasted four seasons before back-to-back relegations saw them plummet into Division Four in 1963.

In 1965 the Seagulls won the Fourth Division championship and they managed to get back into Division Two in the early Seventies, but only for a single season. The arrival of Clough & Taylor indicated a club beginning to have ambitions, and though Brian Clough only stayed one season Peter Taylor, followed by Alan Mullery, took the club up the divisions to reach its one and only spell in the top flight, from 1979-83. These were the Glory Years for Brighton, with gates averaging up to 25,000 and even an F.A. Cup Final appearance in 1983 under Jimmy Melia: in fact two Final appearances, as they took Manchester United to a replay.

There were a few ups, but in the main the rest of the Eighties and the Nineties were a period of long slow decline. They committed the cardinal sin of selling their stadium, the Goldstone, with no new home built, and had to resort to groundsharing with Gillingham. In 1997 they avoided relegation into Non-League on the final day of the season on the strength of having scored more goals than our friends Hereford United across the season, the draw against the Welsh borders side condemning the Bulls to the drop in their stead. The following season they were 23rd again.

Brighton's recent history has been dominated by the stadium issue. After the couple of years ground sharing with Gillingham they've been stuck in the Withdean Athletics Stadium. Every step forward towards a new home seemed to be followed by two steps back. However work at last began on the site at Falmer at the end of 2008, ten years after the first proposal to build there, and the new stadium is set to open for the 2011-12 season.

The Main Stand at the Withdean Stadium. Yep, that's as good as it gets. Photo © 2006 Ciderspace

On the pitch they stabilised and began to haul themselves up from the depths. Between 2000 and 2002 there were back-to-back promotions under Micky Adams and then Peter Taylor (not the earlier one). They lasted a single season in the second tier, went straight back down, then straight back up, this time lasting two seasons before coming down to League One in 2006. Managers have come and gone, a second spell from Micky Adams was not a success, and the relegation threatened club turned to ex-Yeovil manager Russell Slade with the brief to keep them up with two months of the season to go. This he achieved against long odds. However changes in the boardroom soon saw change in the manager's office, and Slade was thanked and sent on his way in November 2009, replaced by the more glamorous Gus Poyet. With 2010-11 being the final season at the Withdean Stadium, the pressure is on Poyet to deliver promotion to the new complex at Falmer - after a fairly anonymous and slow start as Seagulls boss, he finally is showing signs of delivering results for the under-achieving Sussex club.

This is the view you're getting for your money from the away end. Note that the goalposts pictured are not even the ones on the actual pitch. That's even further away. Photo © 2006 Ciderspace

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FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name

LGE

FAC

FAT

LGC

CC

Total

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: Not Applicable
Lowest League Attendance: Not Applicable
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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Twenty-plus quid for temporary scaffolding half a pitch length from the action. Bargain! Photo © 2006 Ciderspace

General

Brighton as a town, I like. However the overall matchday experience of Brighton & Hove Albion FC is one of the most miserable and annoying ever experienced. Anywhere decent to eat and drink is miles away. The stadium has a NATO enforced exclusion zone covering most of South-East England around it on matchdays, inside which sneezing is not allowed as you might upset the residents. Away fans get that worst of all facilities: 'temporary' open seating perched on scaffolding poles. You're so far from the pitch the players resemble ants scurrying around. I ticked off this ground on our 2006 visit and swore never to go back to be ripped off again for such a cruddy experience, and have so far stuck to that promise - and with the 2010-11 season being the final planned year of the Withdean Stadium and the new stadium at Falmer appearing to be on track, hopefully one visit, and one visit only will be the way it remains.

By Road

South Coast Brighton is not a good journey from Yeovil. The road network provides plenty of options but none are direct or simple. Pays your money and takes your choice.

The stadium is something over two miles from the centre of Brighton and is off London Road (A23).

Link: 2010-11 GWSC Travel To Brighton.

Link: 2010-11 Devon and Dorset Greens Travel To Brighton.

Parking

The Withdean Stadium is completely surrounded by a Parking Exclusion Zone of around a mile on matchdays. There are two Park & Ride sites :

Mill Road Car Park (off the A33/27)
N.B. You can only access Mill Road from the A23/27 junction at Patcham, then driving West. The Hove junction into Mill Road off the A27 is closed ahead of the match.
Mithras House Car Park, Lewes Road (off the A270)

The Mill Road Car Park will be the obvious choice of the two for most Yeovil fans.

All vehicle occupants (not just the driver) must hand their travel vouchers to the car park attendants. Disabled drivers (occupants) have spaces reserved next to the Park & Ride pick up points.

The shuttle bus services are accessed through what remains of your match ticket. The service runs from 12.30 p.m. before kick-off, and for thirty minutes after the end of the game. Pick up points post-match are all in London Road. Should you decide to delay your departure after the game and then walk back N.B. that the Mill Road 'car park' returns to its more usual throughfare function two hours after final whistle. We presume you would then be deemed to be illegally parked, and suffer the standard consequences.

By Rail

Preston Park is the nearest station to the stadium.
You may use the travel voucher attached to your ticket for one return journey from stations in the area shown on the map on the match ticket to Preston Park. If travelling from a station outside that area, a return ticket must be purchased to one of the stations shown on the map, and then use the voucher for the remainder of the journey.

Brighton's main station is a couple of miles away from the ground. The principle London terminus for Brighton is Victoria, with services taking from around fifty to eighty minutes depending on the number of stops. There are also services commencing from London Bridge. Having got to Brighton station you can use your travel vouchers attached to the match ticket for the four minute journey to and from Preston Park.

By Bus

The vouchers that come attached to your ticket allow free travel on any buses run by Brighton & Hove Buses or services 17 and 700 run by Stagecoach to and from the game within a designated zone (shown on the ticket). The zone is quite extensive, stretching to Worthing in the West, Seaford in the East and Haywards Heath in the North.

Taxis

A selection of Brighton taxi companies can be found here.

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General:

With the parking exclusion zone designed to keep fans out of the area around the ground the whole plan is to shuttle fans in late and ship them out early. The tone from our hosts is that football custom is not particularly wanted on whatever limited facilities there are in this residential district.

Club Bar :

The Sportsman, which is located behind the North Stand, is reported as being open to away fans, but as one of the very few facilities in the entire area gets totally packed, so arrive early. Alcohol is not sold inside the stadium.

There are a couple of quite reasonable pubs around Preston Park station (listed below), again tending to be very busy with home fans.

The central district, especially around the railway station and in the alleys just back from the sea front, has a host of good pubs for all tastes, bars, clubs and eateries. If you're on a day out head for the centre and you'll find something that suits. However be aware that parking down in the middle is normally quite difficult.

Local Pubs :

Basketmakers Arms: This pub is in Brighton town centre, a third of a mile east of the main railway station in an area known as North Laines. It is situated in a side street just off the Grand Parade in Brighton. If you are looking for landmarks then find the Royal Pavillion or the Dome Theatre on the A23 and head northbound, and Gloucester Road is a turning on your left. It's a Fullers tied house, and therefore serves Fullers Chiswick, Discovery, London Pride, ESB plus seasonal beers and guest beers. Also has a Gales since Fullers swallowed up that brewery. It is popular with shoppers, the local business community, and those looking for good but relatively inexpensive food, with both lunchtime and evening offerings. There is also a particularly wide range of whiskies. Food is served from 12.00 noon every day, finishing at 8.30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 7.00 p.m. Friday, 6.00 p.m. Saturday and 5.00 p.m. Sunday. There's some disagreement about opening hours on Saturday, with one 'official' source having it as 11.00 a.m., and another 'official' source as 12.00 noon. However both are agreed on the rest of the times: closes 12.00 midnight Friday and Saturday; 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Sunday; 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. the rest of the week. Basketmakers Arms, 12, Gloucester Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 4AD. Tel: 01273 689006. Map: Click Here.

Battle of Trafalgar: This is a town centre pub that is situated in a side street almost directly opposite the main railway station, about 100 yards away, on the side of a steep hill. Serves Harveys Sussex Best Bitter and Fuller's London Pride as the house beers, plus two guests, and does lunchtime and evening food weekdays, and from opening through to 5.00 p.m. at weekends. There's a small secluded garden at the rear, principally occupied by smokers these days. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Friday and Saturday. Battle of Trafalgar, 34, Guildford Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 3LW. Tel: 01273 327997. Map: Click Here.

Crown & Anchor: Walking distance from the ground at just under a mile, this pub is situated on the main A23 south of the ground and just south east of Preston Park Railway Station. This is a single saloon bar pub that does lunchtime food and serves Harveys Best and usually a couple of other real ales. Has a big screen for sports and a pool table. Very standard typical boozer: nothing bad about it; nothing to write home about. Crown & Anchor, 213, Preston Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 6SA. Tel: 01273 559494. Map: Click Here.

Probably the best real ale pub in Brighton © Hugh Gleave Evening Star: This is one of the top real ale pubs in the town, having won several local awards, including CAMRA Branch, County and Regional Pub of the Year. Used to be the brewery tap of the Dark Star Brewing Company until it expanded and moved out, but the pub still focuses on the Dark Star range, with several regulars, a seasonal and a monthly special brew. There are generally three guest beers in addition, as well as real cider (usually Thatchers) and sometimes a perry, and a draught organic lager. They also serve bottled and draught Belgian and German beers. There are several beer festivals per year. Lunchtime food, which was available when we visited last, seems to have been abandoned, with the pub focusing entirely on its beer. To find it, simply head 100 yards south from Brighton main railway station and it's on the main road. The beer was absolutely excellent when we were last at this pub. There's a smoking area with retractable awning. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Friday; 11.30 a.m. - 12.00 midnight Friday and Saturday. Evening Star, 55-56, Surrey Street, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 3PB. Tel: 01273-328931. Email: info@eveningstarbrighton.co.uk. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

A Harveys of Lewes outlet © Hugh Gleave Lord Nelson Inn: Harveys pub in the back streets off the town centre, just east of the main Brighton railway station. Trafalgar Street is the first road south of the station running east, and so is easy to find. The pub is in the North Laines area and so you might fancy a trip to the Basketmakers Arms (above) as well whilst you're heading in that direction. The Lord Nelson has two bars, one of which often shows sporting events on a pull-down screen, whilst the other bar leads out to a back room and conservatory. There is a patio out the back for smokers. On tap are Harveys XX Mild, Best Bitter, Armada Ale and Hadlow Bitter, plus any seasonal beers from the brewery. The ciders are Addlestones, Scrumpy jack and er, Str*ngb*w. They do lunchtime food 12.00 noon - 3.00 p.m Monday to Saturday, 12.30 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. Sunday; and offer pizzas and pasta in the evenings (but not on Sundays). Children and dogs are welcome. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Friday and Saturday; 12.00 noon - 10.30 p.m. Sunday. Lord Nelson Inn, 36, Trafalgar Street, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 4ED. Tel: 01273 695872. Email: info@TheLordNelsonInn.co.uk. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Preston Brewery Tap: Like the Crown & Anchor (above), this pub is situated on the main A23 south of the ground and a short distance, south-east of Preston Park Railway Station. Despite the name, this is not a brewhouse. Beers served include the woeful Courage Directors plus Harveys Best and a guest beer. This pub does both lunchtime and evening food. Preston Brewery Tap, 197, Preston Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 6SA. Tel: 01273 508700. Map: Click Here.

Prestonville Arms: A Fullers house. Best of the pubs roughly in the area of Preston Park station, tucked in a side-street north of the A270, west of the junction with the A23. Quite hard to find, and slightly less convenient for the stadium than the other pubs listed from that area of town. Serves up to five real ales, with London Pride and Discovery from Fullers, and Butser and HSB from Gales, the house beers, but usually including a guest ale as well. Other drinks available on draught are Staropramen, Grolsch, San Miguel, Strongbow, Scrumpy Jack and Guinness. The food, which has a good reputation, is served 5.00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 12.00 noon - 9.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12.00 noon - 5.00 p.m. Sunday. There is an outside area. Opening hours: 5.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Friday and Saturday; 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Sunday. Prestonville Arms, 64, Hamilton Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 5DN. Tel: 01273 701007. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Station Hotel: One of the more local pubs to the Withdean - roughly 10 minutes walk south of the stadium - pretty much opposite Preston Park, nearest railway station to the ground. This is a single bar outlet that was refurbished a couple of years back. They serve Harveys Sussex Best Bitter as the house ale and up to five varying guest beers. Food is offered lunchtime and evenings - pizzas as far as we can tell. There is a pool table, and an outdoor area for smokers and others. Opening times are: 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday; 11.00 a.m. - 12.00 midnight Thursday to Saturday; 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Sunday. Gets very busy on home matchdays. Station Hotel, 1, Hampstead Road, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 5NG. Tel: 01273 501318. Map: Click Here.

The Park View: This is the furthest of the 'walkable' pubs mentioned in this guide and the fact that it is situated along a side road away from the main road and the station may mean it is a little quieter. Just over a mile away from the ground, so allow roughly 20 minutes walk. If you can find the Crown & Anchor and the Preston Brewery Tap on the A23, south of the ground and the station, then at that point, turn eastward (left if you are walking away from the ground) into Preston Drove. The pub is an imposing corner site building with a large three-tiered outside area including covered and heated section for smokers. Has two or three real ales on tap, but this is more a continental lager/beer pub: Amstel, Becks Vier, Budvar, Carling, Erdinger Wiesse, Heineken, Hoegaarden, Leffe, Peroni, Red Stripe, Staropramen, Stella Artois are all claimed to be available on draught. There's also a range of ciders, with the non-fizzy one being from the Westons stable. Food is served from 12.00 noon - 10.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10.30 a.m. (it says!) - 9.30 p.m. Sunday. (Note that the full menu is not available across all these times.) You might be staggered to find out how many pubs with websites don't bother to put up that most obviously important bit of information - their opening times. This is yet another one. Over 21s only (unless dining in a family group). The Park View, 71, Preston Drove, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 6LD. Tel: 01273 544121. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

The Sportsman: This is a large pub situated right outside the Withdean Stadium. This was originally part of the Brewers Fayre chain, then passed to the TableTable chain, and now passed to the Crown Carvery chain. Each time, another refurbishment and another rebranding. But who cares - or could notice the difference? The end result with such pubs is always identikit bland middle-of-the-road decor, bland middle-of-the-road food, and bland middle-of-the-road drink in the livery of another bland middle-of-the-road chain. Away fans were generally allowed, although the fact that it is almost bolted onto the outside of the stadium gives a clue that it is going to be excessively crowded on match days. The impression we have from recent reviews is that there's no real ale on tap, although with the number of rebrandings being done it's hard to keep up. As the name of the latest PubCo to take it on suggests, it's main feature in terms of food is a carvery. Sports shown; children allowed; outside area. Opening: Monday to Saturday 11.00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m.; Sunday 12.00 noon - 10.30 p.m. The Sportsman, Withdean Sports Complex, Tongdean Lane, Withdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5JD. Tel: 01273-505561. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Brighton sees itself as cosmopolitan and trendy and, to be fair, it pulls it off quite well. Most people will already be aware, but the phrase "the only gay in the village" is not applicable here.

Top-Tip :

Encourage 'em to get on with Falmer - twelve years and still waiting. (Scheduled for opening August 2011.)

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