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

©Nigel Mykura

Dist:0.1km<br/>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.

©Simon Carey

Dist:0.1km<br/>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

©Colin Smith

Dist:0.1km<br/>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/#

©Nigel Mykura

Dist:0.1km<br/>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

©Colin Smith

Dist:0.1km<br/>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.

©Simon Carey

Dist:0.1km<br/>The Sportsman is on the Withdean Sports Centre complex

©Paul Gillett

Dist:0.1km<br/>Brighton and Hove Albion FC (lodgers at the Withdean Stadium) entertaining guests (Aberdeen FC) in a pre-season friendly (1-0). The athletics stadium is home to the Seagulls until their new football stadium at Falmer is completed.
http://www.seagulls.co.uk

©Colin Smith

Dist:0.1km<br/>Brighton fans watching their team's pre-season friendly with Scottish guests, Aberdeen (1-0). Withdean Stadium is an athletics stadium.
http://www.seagulls.co.uk

©Colin Smith

Dist:0.1km<br/>This is currently the home of Brighton and Hove Albion FC although in the 2011-12 season they should be moving to the new �95 million stadium being constructed at Falmer, a few miles away. The Albion have played on several grounds since they left their long time home the Goldstone Ground in Hove in 1999. The Withdean Stadium is not really a football ground and has been used mainly for Athletics over the years though at one time it was a zoo. This is the stands on the north side of the pitch.

©Nigel Mykura

Dist:0.2km<br/>This is currently the home of Brighton and Hove Albion FC although in the 2011-12 season they should be moving to the new �95 million stadium being constructed at Falmer, a few miles away. The Albion have played on several grounds since they left their long tiime home the Goldstone Ground in Hove in 1999. The Withdean Stadium is not really a football ground and has been used mainly for Athletics over the years though at one time it was a zoo. This is the temporary stand at the eastern end.

©Nigel Mykura

Dist:0.2km<br/>This is currently the home of Brighton and Hove Albion FC although in the 2011-12 season they should be moving to the new �95 million stadium being constructed at Falmer, a few miles away. The Albion have played on several grounds since they left their long time home the Goldstone Ground in Hove in 1999. The Withdean Stadium is not really a football ground and has been used mainly for Athletics over the years though at one time it was a zoo.

©Nigel Mykura

Dist:0.2km<br/>The Sportsman is on the Withdean Sports Centre complex

©Paul Gillett

Dist:0.2km<br/>Near the junction on the right with the close Wayland Heights.

©Robin Webster

Dist:0.2km<br/>Withdean is the current temporary home of Brighton & Hove Albion having been removed from their previous Goldstone Ground by a carpetbagging chairman. John Prescott will rule on a new site near Falmer in October. Withdean is the only football ground with an athletics track, the hammer net can just be made out above the portakabins behind the queues, which belies one of its original purposes. This area has also hosted Davis Cup tennis matches before World War Two and the far end was a small zoo until the 1960s. The stadium itself is built into a natural amphitheatre within the Downs. The picture was taken from the road on the eastern side of the ground looking west.

©Simon Carey

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