Council support club's bid for women's stadium

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Plans to bring our women’s team to the city have received cross-party support from Brighton & Hove City council.

Bruce Talbot

2023-10-25T08:23:00Z

Albion played in front of a record crowd for a WSL match against Spurs earlier this month.

A motion was passed at a meeting of the full council last week committing their support to the club’s bid to relocate back to Brighton and Hove.

Cllr. John Hewitt, of the Labour group on the council, believes a new stadium would be a ‘fantastic addition’ to the city.

“The team have been playing in the top-flight Women’s Super League since 2018 and have established themselves as a solid side in the league,” he said.

“But to build upon this it is vital that the team relocates to the City, so that the infrastructure is in place so that they can thrive. A purpose-built stadium for our team will allow attendances to improve, encourage participation and will enable the team to follow on in the footsteps of the men’s side. Imagine having two European tours to go on in the same season!

Nearly 7000 fans watched our WSL game against Spurs at the Amex.

“The club have already provided bespoke training facilities in Lancing for the women’s teams, and this would go a vital step further. This would be a fantastic addition to our city.”

Cllr Hewitt’s thoughts were echoed by the Green Party’s Cllr Kerry Pickett, a lifelong Albion fan who has been watching the club since its days at The Goldstone.

She said, “I want to see Brighton & Hove Albion’s women’s team play to a packed stadium in their home town. The recent game against Spurs at the Amex drew a [record] crowd of just under 7,000 fans – including a large number of young girls keen to cheer on their heroes.

“The Albion’s WSL players are an inspiration to these young girls, and I believe this level of support can and will increase and interest will only grow. Indeed, the club’s amazing foundation recently celebrated a 100% increase in attendance at its football sessions for girls in the last 12 months alone.

Our WSL team could be playing permanently in Brighton in the future.

“Ultimately, the goal for Brighton & Hove Albion’s WSL team has got to be success, sustaining their position in the Women’s Super League while playing at their own stadium.”

Zoe Johnson, managing director of women’s and girls’ football at the club, is delighted that the council are behind Albion’s plans for a stadium in the city.

“We believe that this is another positive step in the right direction for women’s football within the Sussex community. We understand that it will take time, and we look forward to working with the council to ensure that we can bring the women’s team to Brighton on a permanent basis.”

Head coach Melissa Phillips added, “It is encouraging the council are supporting their motion to help us find a suitable location to return to the city. This is another massive first step in our journey back to Brighton and we are excited for what is ahead for this club, community, and team.”