Interviews

Barber: Albion fans have been fantastic

Paul Barber has paid tribute to Albion's fans for their amazing support during this second lockdown, ahead of tomorrow's Premier League game against Fulham - and also welcomed a whole new legion of fans from South Africa.

By Paul Camillin • 26 January 2021

By Paul Hazlewood
Barber said that the club have received countless message of support.

The Albion chief executive and deputy chairman says he is looking forward to the match, buoyed by the continued positivity coming through via email and social media channels from the club's supporters.

He said, "We're very much looking forward to Wednesday's game, but It's a shame we haven't got fans in the stadium of course because that would have added another really big dimension - under the floodlights, those occasions are always special.

"Nonetheless, we've had fantastic support from the fans all the way through the pandemic. Over the winter period where results haven't always gone our way, even though I think we've been playing pretty well, the fans have been great.

"Fans won't be aware, but we've received countless emails daily leading up to and after games, full of encouragement, support and goodwill, and that's been wonderful.

"It's hard to imagine anyway the fans could get behind the club anymore when they can't actually be in the stadium. Watching on TV and sending in those messages is something we really appreciate, not just me, but particularly Graham and the players.

"We have had encouragement about the style of football we're playing, it's terrific encouragement for the players that are new to the club and are beginning to find their way; and the players that we have brought back from loan in this transfer window."

By Paul Hazlewood
Support from South Africa has been pouring in since the return of Percy Tau.

Barber also admitted he has been staggered by the number of messages, particularly via social media, starting to flood in from a new fan base for the club in South Africa, ever since the return of Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau from his loan spell with Anderlecht.

"People have been eagerly waiting to see Percy play in Brighton colours for quite some time and I think he's made an impact, not just with our own fans, but with many new fans we now seem to have acquired in huge numbers from across South Africa, which is very good."

07:01

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