Withdean Stadium
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| Withdean | |
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| Full name | Withdean Stadium |
| Nickname | Withdean |
| Built | 1936 |
| Opened | 1936 |
| Capacity | 8,850 |
| Home of | Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Brighton & Hove Athletics Club |
| Pitch size | 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 Guardian [1].
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 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 one side, with the other stands (one on the opposite side and two at one end) are assembled from scaffolding and are located some distance from the pitch, due to the running track; the other end is left completely open. Changing and hospitality facilities are provided with Portakabins 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.
The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, finally gave permission on 28 October 2005 for Albion to build Falmer Stadium, which means at the end of the 2007-08 season Albion will play their last ever game at Withdean.
[edit] 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 Football Club.
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.
| Football League One Venues 2006-2007 |
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| Alexandra Stadium | Ashton Gate | Belle Vue | Bloomfield Road Boundary Park | Brunton Park | City Ground | Fitness First Stadium Galpharm Stadium | Glanford Park | Griffin Park | Huish Park Liberty Stadium | Matchroom Stadium | Millmoor | New Den Stadium Prenton Park | Priestfield Stadium | Recreation Ground | Sixfields Stadium Vale Park | Valley Parade | Whaddon Road | Withdean Stadium |
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