IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Shepherds Croft, BRIGHTON, BN1 5JF

Withdean and Westdene Woodlands Nature Reserve.

Withdean and Westdene Woodlands Nature Reserve.

Near the junction on the right with the close Wayland Heights.

General view of the stadium from the eastern end looking west.

For several years until the 2011/12 season, this was the home of Brighton and Hove Albion.

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 access route to the players changing rooms. Beyond is an indoor sports centre used by a number of groups and clubs one of whom included a women's aerobics class held in the room with the big window which would be left open and draw the attention away from whatever dire lower league fare was on offer on the pitch below.

Athletics stadium set in a wooded bowl in northern Brighton. It is the temporary home for Brighton and Hove Albion (the Seagulls). Photograph taken during the Brighton-Aberdeen pre-season friendly game (1-0). A running track surrounds the football pitch. http://www.seagulls.co.uk

The Sportsman is on the Withdean Sports Centre complex

The large arrays of electric heat lamps are to make the grass grow even in winter to give a better playing surface. They are moved around the ground to wherever they are needed. This is one US company that makes the lighting rigs: http://www.sglconcept.com/en/#

Withdean Stadium was formerly known as the Brighton Sports Arena. It is now an athletics stadium but is also the temporary home of Brighton and Hove Albion F.C. until their new home at nearby Falmer is completed. The photograph shows the North Stand. In the foreground are Aberdeen fans gathering for the Brighton-Aberdeen pre-season friendly match. http://www.seagulls.co.uk