Last Day at Withdean Stadium (2)

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 30 Apr 2011

Brighton & Hove Albion played their final match at Withdean Stadium on Saturday 30th April 2011 against Huddersfield Town. Having had the Goldstone Ground sold from beneath by two carpet baggers more interested in the value of the land than the football club, Brighton decamped to Gillingham, 71 miles away, in 1997 to play home games. This lasted until 1999 when the club returned to the town to play at Withdean until a new stadium at Falmer was constructed. Initially planned to take two or three years, the planning decision came in 2009 only after a number of lengthy appeals had been seen off. Consequently the club ending up at their temporary home for twelve seasons. A successful 2010-11 season saw the Seagulls top League One back in September a position they stayed in for the rest of it. The last game saw a 3-2 defeat to promotion chasing Huddersfield and the presentation of the League One trophy. In the 65th minute Gary Hart came on as a substitute for what was his final game for the club, and thus became the only player to have played in both the very first and last matches at the ground. Withdean will still be used for football; Brighton's reserve, youth and women's matches will be played here and they will be joined by Ryman League One South side Whitehawk for a couple of years whilst their ground is upgraded. Ironically Whitehawk are managed by Darren Freeman who scored a hat trick for Brighton in their very first match here. Withdean itself began life as a tennis centre back in 1935 hosting a Davis Cup match and the South of England championships before being cut short by the war after which it never recovered financially. Athletics arrived in 1955 with the all weather track laid in 1980 which is used by the local athletics club as well as the venue for sports day for neighbouring schools. During the 1980s it was home to the Brighton B52s, a local American Football team who hold the record for the largest attendance at the venue, 12,000 spectators witnessing a clash against a San Francisco college team. This view is from the large temporary south stand which in the early years was often whisked away during the summer months to be used by the UK Open golf championships, looking towards the North Stand the only permanent structure prior to the club's arrival. The Sportsman pub, constructed in the 1930s, is the building attached to it though there was never any access between the two. The houses in the distance are in Tongdean Lane. The team are doing a lap of honour having been presented with the League One Trophy.

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