Brighton & Hove Albion: a journey from nowhere to the Premier League

In April 1997 Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club were rendered homeless due to the sale of the Goldstone Ground. Further to that they were teetering on the brink of relegation from the Football League. Since then they have achieved an improbable rise to the Premier League via Gillingham and a repurposed athletics stadium. This is the story of a dedicated group of fans who saved them helped them prosper
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[@lebalo3z]

I may not be a fan, but they've got my support.

[@HardWater91]

Lee S Thanks man. SEAGULLS!

[@matthewworrall6582]

HardWater91 Hey man I'm a Wednesday supporter so I'm still a little sad, last year being so close! Anyways I don't really like a pl club besides Watford but I'll root for you all this season, I hope you guys are able to stay up!!!!

[@doctorninetytwo3300]

Matt, seems odd you saying that when you think who the first choice keeper is hah

[@wolfzee6753]

Lee S and look at us now 🤣

[@benholloway27]

HardWater91 Brighton are having an ok season hope they can stay up from a spurs fan :)

[@DJMattHealey]

As a Hereford supporter i was there on 3rd May 1997. Good luck to them.

[@haterofallthatiscakelittle2386]

Matt Healey man I feel bad but one team had to win

[@sammaclintock8017]

You’ve got cracking support for where you are , hopefully we (Brighton) will play you again in a few years 👍🏻

[@bradleygreen8902]

How does seemingly no one know who Brighton are? They've been very close in the last few seasons to getting promoted.. Also the Palace rivalry is mainly down to the fact they live in shitty Croydon and are jealous of a beautiful classy city like Brighton.

[@willrees1560]

Bradley Green Good one Bradley

[@litrellyalemrr7456]

😂

[@rxplayzyt5680]

I get the joke as a Brighton fan the real story is it started with two player playing at tottangham and being friends they both always wanted to be the best and needed up one going to Brighton one to palace :)

[@steveluckhurst2350]

classy Brighton? Your ground is next to Moulsecoomb!

[@gort1052]

I'm not a Brighton fan but I honestly want them to do good

[@alexchalcraft5640]

Watched with a tear in my eye, being a child of the 70's, I only visited the North and East stands in the Goldstone, would make the trip to Gillingham with the usual suspects, and was there for the first games at Withdean, subsequently I moved to the USA in 2005, so was never there for the AMEX inauguration, but have been. Thank you Atilla for your efforts over the years, being a Stanley Arms local in the day, I thank you for Glastonwick, and just being a strong, vocal supporter that got us out of that quagmire!

[@sauravbhattacharjee6429]

The first thing I'd noticed before the city game earlier today was the magnificent stadium. Extremely impressive that, coming from a championship side. But ofcourse, the story is even better and very inspiring ☺ Glad to see the great Liam Brady involved in the club's history. Arsenal fan, but I'll always keep a watch on the Albion!

[@TerrierTom88]

Happy for Brighton fans. A great achievement after being through so much. Just like Huddersfield Town being on the brink in 03. It just shows that loyal & passionate fans, sensible ownership, a decent manager and hungry players that anything is possible.

[@pratt17648]

I've become a Brighton Fan! From Denver, Colorado. USA

[@icedtrae11]

w

[@AlphaAlex1]

I'll be rooting for you Brighton & Hove Albion even as a Liverpool supporter all the way from Australia.

[@Justin-wu7mp]

Respect from an Arsenal fan.

[@maxpoole3526]

I was a fan since league 1

[@sam24hardy]

James XD

[@marcusjacques8858]

Brighton my whole life

[@johnnorth1961]

Well done Brighton, greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪👍

[@qg1235]

I went to primary school with Dick Knight's grand son. One day they invited me to a game. Sat in his special seat area. Brighton 4-3 Carlisle. What a game. Even though I don't support Brighton, I hope they do very well this season.

[@michaelfeast9869]

These heroes should never be forgotten

[@ProjectGamechannel]

Who was on the pitch against Wigan...?

[@lukerickards1734]

Project Game best day of my life

[@michaelwelch2654]

meeeee

[@burchieboy69]

meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee best day in my life period

[@adityashrivastava8498]

Well done Brighton fans. Absolutely brilliant!! 👏👏👏👏👏. I hope you stay in the Premier league!!!!.

[@L1ttleBadger00]

ESPN needs to get ahold of this for a 30 for 30

[@charlesthebrick5251]

Austin Young yep

[@smoky6532]

I didn’t realise that Withdean isn’t just a random stadium that I go to every Friday

[@molluskhead]

Well Done Guardian. It brought tears to my eyes.

[@MythicalSkull13]

Hope they stay up, I support Arsenal but Brighton's recent history is great

[@ceannasai5731]

5:00 "find us a home or we are going to start the seagulls party, and of course they were scared stiff" - like a boss!!!!!! :)

[@kimvanhauwaert8429]

Came to see the game vs Burnley last month, (fc Bruges fan, we came to see Izquierdo and Ryan play), had a great time, will certainly return

[@smak4462]

love of the game

[@conormcauliffe4798]

And straight back down! I'm joking, I hope they do well this season.

[@mickeyjpg918]

Well we're now 14th.......won some matches and lost some....unlike poor old Crystal Palace with 0 points

[@burchieboy69]

that might come true at this point we could go down this year

[@abbaszaidi8371]

Beautiful video. Don’t have too good a game tonight at Wembley, but your boss is class. Love to go to an away fixture at the Amex in the near future

[@TheSeafordian]

I had a season ticket during our Gillingham years. Couldn't get to many games but the money must have helped.

[@horatiohuskisson5471]

I'm a South African living in Brighton. Love the place, hopefully the Seagulls do well in the EPL

[@DonkeyAk47]

The parallels with Leyton Orient are very real right now with our situation except they managed to survive in the football league

[@HarrisonJamess]

Thomas Faull i watched you against Sutton , although I do agree there was a need for a change but there is no chance you will survive hopefully the team will conjoint quickly to survive if you do you will be back in league 2 or 1 because that is where you need to be good luck Leyton

[@kubrickshithouse9350]

Peter Gabriel admiring the trumpet at 4:13

[@rextshark4017]

Now they need to remake this “from nowhere to Europa league!”

[@ponder6184]

Definitely hopping on this underdog train

[@mayank7103]

I really like this club!

[@jonathanfrimerman8855]

Hos about to watch this as Brighton clinch Europe football for next year

[@cameronfearne2158]

funny that they didn't acknowledge that the fans defaced priest field stadium and wrecked it causing thousands of pounds of damage.

[@xMoistAF]

Hey Englanders, here in the u.s where I live football is shit and I've always admired how England's football leagues are setup and how passionate fans are for their clubs even at lower levels, I am a Mexican and would love to live in England or visit for a while in the future but I am wondering how English people feel about Mexicans living there. Would I be accepted or like in the u.s. Be disliked. Just wondering and any opinions would be nice

[@rodg321]

FR-S Rafa yes, you will be accepted, I'm in London btw. I cant speak for other cities though.

[@xMoistAF]

There is a lot of racism in the U.S all the time now not just towards mexicans but i live in the middle of the Country (Nebraska) and there is no team to support without driving like 3 hours away. But still the MLS will never be on the level of the English leagues

[@xMoistAF]

ok cool thanks for the reply !

[@xMoistAF]

Awesome !

[@bear1245]

FR-S Rafa pop over mate have a look 👀

[@ethanballs8310]

I wish we had a system like US then loyal fans would be rewarded more but that's only cos I'm a Leeds fan and we've been really hard done by

[@nyuon9247]

Wow.

[@acustomer3518]

iwas at the donny game got some great camera photos

[@toggafamai4224]

Outsider here: Brighton is like San Francisco right?

[@georgeriddles4024]

Togga Famai no mate its full of bellends and shit. No joke

[@bradleygreen8902]

Togga Famai it is supposedly, although I've never been to San Francisco I was born in Brighton and its a great city..

[@bradleygreen8902]

George Riddles05 you're talking out of your arse

[@thomasvanestrik]

Played against the U15 of Brighton 3 years ago at an international tournament in the Netherlands, we're only a regular amateur club in the Netherlands and we played 1-0 (loss) and 0-0. Don't know what they're doing with their youth academy but it isn't going in the right direction I guess..

[@thisisstuart7951]

Y is the ground so far from the town center

[@steveluckhurst2350]

planning regs . Locals objected to the constant stink of defeat!

[@dennis771]

That's why this league is the best in the world

[@seanadams5827]

Whats the song name at 7:14.

[@AlphaAlex1]

Sean Adams. If that is a real pic of you. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a young Fernando Torres? XD

[@GamerGurpal]

AlphaAlex1 That's Fernando Torres u fuck

[@AlphaAlex1]

Oh really? I never knew that.. sarcasm lost on you?

[@seanadams5827]

Used it for 15/16 UCL final. xD Didn't change it recently.

[@doctorninetytwo3300]

Seagulls Ska: We Want Falmer

[@louisherbert934]

Yes yes gillingham my team

[@jayjay4spurs]

And now they're in Europa League

[@tundeabidakun4575]

Ah! and people tink this club is gonna get demoted back to championship, these guys arent going without a fight, and i am not even sure they will be... I see Watford, Huddle and Swansea as the relegated teams.

[@myparentsaredisappointedin4806]

tunde abidakun "demoted"

[@TheSeafordian]

Support your local team. I could never be a glory hunter.

[@momo-ht2oe]

I'm from South Africa and my hometoen team sucks and keeps getting relegated.

[@emsiarr5005]

top lad

[@chrisbratt649]

anyone support Brighton

[@airqx2808]

We are the greatest club in the world

[@thatguyluis]

Dick Knight tho, what a name.

[@nicocitrone9633]

Yh

[@Gos1234567]

Evan Ferguson....at last a decent Irish player that can score goals!!

[@Gigs2trappy]

An eagle kills a seagull

[@vcntwllm]

The NEW "Leicester"?

[@tbahahahh]

As a fan I want that to happen but it wont

[@tobymatthews993]

Dick knight looks like an old Daniel Craig

[@johnnorth1961]

The Goldstone Ground

[@rethabilechoshane7439]

what does Hove Alboin mean

[@dennis771]

Rethabile Choshane Albion is a mascot. Brighton & Hove are two towns

[@steveluckhurst2350]

Brighton and Hove are two adjacent but very different towns. The team was once based in Hove. The word "Albion" is an ancient word. It's closest translation is "nil". 😂😂

[@decarbonatedsprite8382]

Welcome to the Premier league

[@austincoleman9359]

Eagals

[@bigmanwilfred4955]

*cough cough* oh just need to pass through here, thanks...

[@Alimthehotty219]

They'll be going right back down. I'm not hating but I just don't think they will stay up. Hope they surprise me.

[@michaelwelch2654]

they will

[@paulsstuff7637]

we did

[@marvell2935]

this is just like jamie vardy

[@TheWoollyFrog]

Birdtown & How the hell did they get to the prem Albion*

[@kinggaming2742]

Who's a Brighton fan

[@udayaai]

2017: Brighton joins Premier League 2035: Brighton signs Messi Jnr 2036: Brighton Wins the double

[@smartzy502]

Anything is possible.

[@tarikhaustor7171]

Archie HW in wengers world . #wengerout

[@jeroenjanssen3941]

Arsene Wenger then messi jnr is a flop😏

[@myparentsaredisappointedin4806]

It's gonna be Stoke that sign Messi Jr, they only sign Barca rejects

[@udayaai]

atta boy

[@penaltygallery]

This is why English club football is the best in the world - Brighton, Bournemouth, Swansea all went from nearly going out of business to making the premier league... gives hope to those fans in the lower leagues that maybe oneday their club might do the same.

[@JayRicci7891]

What you say is true, but then theres the flip side, clubs like Portsmouth, Leeds, Blackpool, Nottingham Forest were all Premier League once. I know sometimes fans have to take the rough with the smooth, but there are so many clubs in England with owners who dont give a fuck, just want to run it into the ground, then take the money and run leaving a big mess behind them.

[@mrncsreviews7666]

Jack Tanner What about Crystal Palace? They have been in administration twice in the past twenty years and yet are in the Premier League now.

[@HarrisonJamess]

JayRicci7891 Leyton was once good now can't win in the conference , ispwich can't even contend for the efl

[@Nile15rush_fj]

Jack Tanner Crystal Palace too..they had it the worst I believe now they're an established pl club with an excellent squad

[@harveyatkinson9511]

JayRicci7891 Exactly what Clarke Osborne and Gaming International are trying to do to *Torquay* . I hope my club isn't destroyed by a non-caring owner.

[@PradeepPurple]

Thats a good looking stadium for a former Championship side......hope they do well this season

[@Danny-vg1jz]

pradeep kanchan unbelievable stadium. Been in it twice for fat boy slim and Crawley vs Brighton. Will be buzzing In Brighton this year

[@damianfinneran5534]

What capacity does it hold?

[@Ethan-pm4zm]

utd 44 Around 30k :)

[@doctorninetytwo3300]

30750 to be precise

[@bhaunion6539]

@@Dachri1943 no one cares

[@andrewrandrew2191]

This is what football is about; not Neymar

[@simplyspudley3293]

Andrew Randrew agree

[@variedgamer9498]

Stephen Dunsby or an entire team...

[@joaopedropeixoto8558]

What's Neymar got to do with anything? Actually, football is also about Neymar. He grew up in a poor family and did his best to achieve something that millions dream about around the world. Isn't that what football is about? Dreaming? How much he earns and how much PSG spent on him is none of his business. If you want to point fingers, then do it on those who turned football into a business. Point it at those who bought Chelsea, PSG, Manchester City and many, many more. Those are the ones to blame, not Neymar or any other player.

[@daviemyers8299]

João Pedro Peixoto you would make one hell of a salesman

[@CARLIN4737]

ABSOLUTELY

[@jamiemedhurst10]

This is why I love being a Brighton fan.

[@michaelharrison3602]

Does you boyfriend know

[@Shoostep]

As a fan of Coventry City FC it's great to see Brighton have made there way back to the top. Hopefully we can follow someday too.

[@philippaine]

Brighton up your ambition!!!

[@liammclaughlin1612]

"It's like playing a preseason game in Norway" *laughs awkwardly*

[@Tom-vy3cb]

Makes me proud to be a Brighton fan

[@TheUKNutter]

That is a really amazing story. Well done to Brighton!

[@mattyslife4545]

Welcome to the Priemer League Brighton! Manchester United fan

[@gusmalta5043]

Thank u

[@Finn-wt7bu]

This fan would quickly regret that “welcome”. Only joking all the respect to Utd just a bit of fun

[@ryanmoss2207]

So proud to have been a die hard fan in the low times and now in the high. Cant wait for man city!

[@sanjayaneupane136]

Respect Brighton from Man City

[@Josuke217]

And now Brighton will be playing Europa next season. Great story

[@Dilly-Winkus]

Excited to see them this year, but I hope they lose their first game vs City, but only because they're my team lol. I hope to see both Hove & Newcastle establish themselves in the Premier League for some years to come. 👍👍👍

[@jackbuchanan9169]

This Brightoned up my day

[@burchieboy69]

lol

[@brightenyourdaywithbrighto9012]

I have been summoned.

[@rishabhagarwal4702]

My god. This is brings some tears to my eyes. I love this game and the English fans. Kudos from India.

[@HardWater91]

4 brilliant years in the Premier League since then including wins against Arsenal (3) Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United (2) and Tottenham Hotspur (2). The remarkable story continues! Hopefully push for top 10 next season, now that would be something.

[@nunnster446]

And in 8th place we are!

[@duckseatbread104]

Top to achieved. Beat spurs aresnal and united convincingly and in quick succession. Never would've dreamed that in the 90s

[@daffaabieza1938]

pure respect mate. i hope leeds will comeback to prem again, just like your team.

[@AmityAddict1979]

It feels nice to see the club you've supported even in the bad times get recognition and be appreciated

[@de132]

People are laughing at me, but I think those fucking seagulls will avoid the drop.

[@CARLIN4737]

BHAFC till I die. North stand Goldstone.

[@andrewsfix9200]

Good luck Brighton & Hove Albion in PL! Cheers from Canada

[@LurgsHowToGuides]

Archer was a parasite. I was there through the dark times. So glad we made it through. Thanks to all the true fans & of course Dick Knight. Now we are successful we are getting 30,000 fans. Where were they in the real dark times & protests? O well, onwards & upwards.

[@bernardweston6392]

I wasn’t born

[@steveluckhurst2350]

plastic fans. Still, at least the shop is busy..

[@eaglenate]

As much as I hate this lot I will always respect those fans who were there when Brighton were at an all time low. Rivalry aside it's good to see they're in a permanent ground as the Withdean was absolute awful and that's saying alot. I still hope they get a proper pasting for the 38 games ahead of them though. EAGLES!!

[@attilastockbroker1]

Thanks mate. We look forward to renewing the rivalry :)

[@jackbudgen8858]

CpfcNate I used to do my school sports day at withdean, even for that it was rubbish

[@eaglenate]

attilathestockbroker bring it on seagirls ;) haha nah you're right

[@leowood3237]

CpfcNate you perv;)

[@eaglenate]

No all 38 was correct

[@howtoheal8003]

Smaller teams have the best history

[@KaizerMan]

If they have the best history they would be considered big clubs?

[@williamhawkins8155]

@@KaizerMan History doesn't have to be full of trophies. The Albion has a remarkable history despite not having a loaded trophy cabinet.

[@pablochampagne525]

Going to fire up a Football Manager 2017 game with Brighton.

[@CARLIN4737]

brings tears to my eyes

[@bangroji]

Actually, there are so many minnow sides that work like BHA in other league. What make EPL good is. First they are popular. Second thing are TV rights. I heard even a minnow side earn big share in EPL. Third...EPL isnot a 2 horses competition. The 3rd reason make EPL the best competition in the world. Yes, they dont win UCL in last 5 years, but do you think Barca and Madrid will win UCL without EPL superstar? 100% NO.

[@crazychameleon123]

Attila the stockbroker. What a name

[@alexbarnes9364]

Have a great season Brighton all the best from Tottenham supporter.

[@MrJJuK]

FFS!... who's cutting onions... 😭😭😭 #BeautifulStory

[@NinhLyUK]

Great story! Well put together. Good job guys! :)

[@Alimthehotty219]

Beautiful history. Good luck Brighton.

[@JustaRandomGuy890]

I’m a Brighton fan for a few years now, only been to the Amex once. I wanna visit England again so much just to see Brighton play there again