Brighton & Hove Albion does not live up to the English cliché and is therefore perhaps extra great to visit. The Seagulls have a modern stadium and Brighton is one of the nicest and sunniest coastal towns in England.
Brighton & Hove Albion might not be the flashiest name in English football, but it could be a lot worse for Seagull supporters. During most of the club's history, they played in the lower divisions of English football. But without too much effort, Brighton has managed to maintain their Premier League status since their promotion in 2017. On top of that, they've become very stable and are perhaps one of the best-run clubs in the world. Much to the delight of away fans too, because a trip to the coastal city of Brighton offers opportunities for a few beautiful sunny days.
The stadium with its long sponsored name is referred to by most as 'The AMEX.’ It is located a little outside of Brighton in Falmer, near the university. Unlike most British stadiums, it is in a fairly rural area. No picturesque stadium here where you have to plough through people's backyards to get to the stands. The keyword here was probably 'accessibility', because the stadium is located right next to an exit from the A27 and Falmer train station.
Aesthetically, we don't get an overwhelmingly warm feeling when looking at the outside of The AMEX, which is barely decorated in club colours or football club-related frills. The best part is its location in a hilly area.
The stadium can fit just over 30,000 people, but it feels smaller and cosier. The chairs are padded in a beautiful Brighton blue, with a nice detail being the white seagulls that are incorporated into the seats.
If there was one club that needed a new stadium, it was Brighton. The club had to leave their beloved Goldstone Ground due to bad ownership which led to financial problems in the past. They even had to play in Gillingham for two seasons, which was one and a half hours away. After, Brighton found a temporary home in the Withdean Stadium, a small athletics stadium crammed with outdoor emergency stands. Even though Brighton tends to see more sunshine than other cities in the United Kingdom, playing with uncovered stands was still a bit of a problem at times.
When Brighton played at Withdean Stadium it was by far the ugliest stadium in the Football League. It still exists, although it has resumed its old function of an athletics stadium with various non-league clubs playing there. You'll find the stadium in the north of Brighton on Tongdean Lane, near the intersection with Withdean Road.
Although Brighton & Hove Albion now plays football far outside the city, the club's roots are certainly in the centre of the city. In the Seven Stars Pub, in the centre of town, the club was founded in 1901. The pub is located at 27 Ship Street, near the sea.
How does a little-known Spanish footballer become a hero on the English south coast? Perhaps he also asks this himself, but Bruno, who ended up at Brighton at the age of 31, had a fairly anonymous career in Spain. Not only will it have been his credit, but from the moment the Spaniard came in, things started changing at Brighton, leading to promotion to the Premier League.
After his career came to an end, a mural of Bruno with a crown was immediately created by the locals. The anger was immense when it disappeared to make way for a dull advertisement.
Everyone in Brighton agreed that there had to be a new one made. And it came. On the side of 85 Ditchling Road, is the captain with the text 'Once a Seagull, always a Seagull'. El Capitán himself came by to give his approval of the artwork.
Given the stadium's location, there are not plenty of choices when it comes to finding a good pub. You do have Dick's Bar, in the stadium itself, in the North Stand.
Dick's Bar refers to honorary president Dick Knight, the saviour of the club in the late 1990s. Next to the bar is the club museum in which a lot of attention is paid to the fan experience around the club, now and in the past.
There are still quite a few matches at Brighton that go in the general sale. However, this is not the case for large matches and the match is often already sold out a month or two before, in the phase where only members can buy tickets. So if you don't want to miss out, it's best to become a member of the club, which costs 30 pounds per season for international fans.
Tip: Don't sit too high up on the first tier. This runs quite far under the second ring and you can hardly see anything of the other stands from those places. It is better to sit in the main stand (the West Stand) because this stand is a bit higher than the rest and you get a beautiful view of the hilly Sussex Downs.
Brighton’s stadium is easily accessible via train and bus. The price of your match ticket includes travel to the game from various areas within Sussex, meaning you can travel freely from 3 hours before the game up until 3 hours after the match has ended. Take the train from Brighton or Lewes station to Falmer and you’ll be there in 10 minutes. Alternatively, there are multiple buses to the stadium from the centre of Brighton. Bus 25 drops you off just outside of the South Stand.
Alternatively, there are multiple park-and-ride schemes all over the city.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency
