Withdean Stadium

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Withdean Stadium
location = Brighton, England


fullname = Withdean Stadium
nickname = Withdean
built = 1936
opened = 1936
seating_capacity = 8,850
tenants = Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
[http://www.brightonandhove-ac.com/ Brighton & Hove Athletics Club]
dimensions = 110 x 75 yards

Withdean Stadium is an athletics stadium in the Brighton suburb of Withdean which is currently the home ground of football team Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.. It was voted the fourth worst stadium in the UK by The Observer. [ [http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1324085,00.html "Simply the worst"] , Gemma Clarke, The Observer, October 10, 2004]

The capacity of the ground is 8,850 people all seated. The stadium is intended as a temporary home for Brighton before a new stadium is built, with the Falmer Stadium the club's preferred option. The club's former stadium, the Goldstone Ground, was sold for redevelopment in 1997 by the board of the time (none of whom have any involvement with the club anymore). This resulted in the team playing their home matches at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium, over 100km from Brighton, before moving to Withdean Stadium. The only other local option for Albion had been to play at Sussex CCC's County Cricket Ground, Hove.

The temporary nature of the stadium is obvious - the stadium is primarily used for athletics, so the pitch is not exactly the right shape; there is a single permanent stand along the north side, while the other stands are assembled from scaffolding. The largest is the South Stand, running the entire length of the pitch. The east end of the pitch contains two medium sized and one tiny stand. One of the larger stands here is designated as the family stand. The West Stand is the designated away stand. Changing and hospitality facilities are provided with portable cabins placed haphazardly around the site, and there is very limited onsite car parking.

There was considerable opposition in the community to allowing the club to use the stadium. After some unique concessions were made, the club was allowed to move into Withdean in 1999. Amplified music was banned during football matches (except for the traditional "Sussex by the Sea"), and matchday parking restrictions were imposed within a one-mile radius of the ground. After a year, the music restrictions were eased, but the parking limitations continue in force. The price of each match ticket includes a public transportation voucher allowing free bus or rail travel throughout the Brighton and Hove area.

For Albion's match against Sheffield United on 2 October 2004 the stadium was temporarily renamed Palookaville as it hosted the launch party for Fatboy Slim's album of the same name. The album was released on Skint Records, the club's shirt sponsor, and for that match the team wore shirts bearing the name Palookaville instead of Skint. The name Palookaville was also considered appropriate by fans because it reflected the inadequacy of the club's temporary home. Additional seating was added at the North End of the ground in November 2005, just in time to give visiting Crystal Palace supporters a fantastic view of their last minute winning goal in a 3-2 victory of the home team.

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, finally gave permission on 28 October 2005 for Albion to build Falmer Stadium. However, an appeal was launched by Lewes Council and local residents in Falmer. This further delayed things. Permission was once again granted on Tuesday 24th July 2007 by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears. Development is due to begin in December 2008 and Brighton & Hove Albion intend to begin the 2010/11 season in their new stadium.

Stadium Management

The stadium is managed and maintained under contract from Brighton and Hove city council by D C Leisure Management. The staff responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the stadium on match days used to be employed and managed by D C Leisure (when the company was called Ecovert Management Limited) until the 2003/2004 football season when responsibility of match day stadium staff was handed over to Brighton and Hove Albion F.C..

The staff responsible for the leisure facilities of the stadium complex including the gym, squash and tennis courts, spa and the stadium on non-match days are still employed and managed by D C Leisure.

References