Withdean Stadium, Brighton
Division Three v Mansfield Town
Saturday, March 31st 2001, 3pm
By Lee Roberts

Having read and heard a lot of bad press regarding Brighton's temporary home, I decided that it was time to find out for myself what all the fuss is about.  Obtaining a ticket for what are always sell-out matches was going to be difficult, so I thought, but a pointer in the right direction from Duncan (who completed his own 92 at the Withdean) saw me secure my seat in the North Stand a few weeks before the game.  When the ticket arrived through the post, I also received a brochure outlining the access conditions that are enforced on matchdays, as well as guidelines on various do's and don'ts.  It was all very well organised but I wondered whether or not it would reduce my enjoyment, having all those rules set out.  I decided against taking the car so I caught an early train to the south coast.  My plan was to get to the ground for some photos and then find a pub to (hopefully) watch Man Utd win at Anfield on the Sky Sports lunchtime match.

I arrived at Preston Park station at about 11 o'clock, and immediately saw signs of the strict line taken on matchdays.  There were 'No Parking' signs everywhere and fans on foot were directed via certain roads only.  The walk was only about 5 minutes to the Withdean Stadium, and I managed to persuade a steward to let me in to take some pictures of the stadium.  He had to radio through to his supervisor, but the response was more than friendly and the club seemed pleased that I was taking an interest in their facilities.  I walked around the running track that reminds all visitors that the Withdean was designed for athletics, and on more than one occasion club staff waved to me and offered a smile.  

Having familiarised myself with the interior of the ground I wandered around outside and spotted the decent-sized pub in front of the North Stand.  Perfect, I thought; I could spend the next couple of hours watching Liverpool get stuffed over a few beers and then stumble through the turnstiles and into the ground for the match.  However, my joy was short-lived as upon entering the pub I soon discovered that they didn't have Sky!  I approached the same steward who had sorted me out earlier, and he advised that I'd be best off catching the park and ride bus (the terminus is in the stadium car-park) into town and watch it there as there were no decent pubs with Sky that were within walking distance.  I hopped onto a bus and paid my fare, only realising later on that all match tickets come with a free return ticket for the bus!   

 


I watched the TV match in a superb bar near the seafront, called Walkabout (not surprisingly, it had an Aussie theme).  There were literally dozens of monitors showing the match as well as a couple of giant screens, and I enjoyed a few cold bottles.  What I didn't enjoy was the outcome of the match from Anfield, and the fact that the place was full of plastic Liverpool fans bedecked in shirts of yesteryear.  But then again I shouldn't have been surprised to find a large Koppite contingent down there, as it is a few hundred miles from the city and that's the kind of distance where they all come from.  I had a quick chance for a walk around the central area of the resort, and even caught a glimpse of the sea (a novelty for someone who grew up in Southport!) before heading back to the park-and-ride.  I was sorry that I couldn't spend a bit longer there as it seemed to be a town that really was buzzing.

As the bus made its' way to the Withdean I noticed that are some fantastic looking houses in the vicinity of the stadium, and I suppose the upper-class residents wouldn't want to suddenly be faced with 10,000 or-so noisy football fans every fortnight.  I concluded that is the reason why there are so many rules attached to the club playing there. My thoughts during that bus journey were proved correct as the vehicle became blocked in one of the plush roads leading to the ground.  Traffic came to a halt as a buses travelling in opposite directions left it too late to give way to the other and they both became trapped with no way of reversing.  Within minutes a long tail of cars had built up behind both buses, and the residents all ventured outside to poke their noses up at such disruption to their peaceful lives.  These people should get a life.

I entered the ground and sat down to an awful view from my seat; not only was I sat on the second row but my seat was at the very end of the North Stand, behind the goal-line.  The facilities inside the ground are like the nature of Brighton's residency - temporary.  Numerous wooden walkways have been constructed and temporary stands erected wherever there is space to! The only covered stand was the one I was sitting in, but fortunately it never rained when I visited so the home fans' passion was never dampened.  Indeed, the noise generated by the Seagulls supporters was terrific, especially as the main body of them are in the open. With their team looking good for automatic promotion, the fans were made to wait for the safety of a second goal in injury time which was greeted with rapture.  At the final whistle I ran to Preston Park and just made it in time to catch the early train back into London, although I was half-tempted to venture back into Brighton itself for a few beers.

It is known that Brighton and Hove Albion are looking for a permanent home elsewhere in the town but the Withdean is pleasant enough place to visit until they move on (provided it doesn't rain!).  The facilities are pretty basic and the location is not the most supporter-friendly, but I'm sure the home fans are happier than having to travel to Gillingham for their home games.  That said, it will be interesting to see how with Brighton being promoted, the locals cope with a club, such as Stoke City, who visit there with a huge away following, especially during the warmer months.

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Copyright © Lee Roberts 2001. All rights reserved.