Chairman Tony Bloom brought in Gus Poyet as manager and together they led the Seagulls to their new stadium as Football League One Champions and promotion to the Football League Championship in 2011.  But the resurrection of Brighton and Hove Albion as a formidable proposition for top flight football is not just about sport.

This year has seen the Seagulls take residence at the multi million pound stadium and multiply the club’s revenue fivefold.  In the context of its 14 year titanic struggle to even exist what has been achieved against all odds is one of the most extraordinary turnarounds not only in global sport – but also in international business!  And the development was on time and on budget!

The effect that Brighton and Hove Albion has had and continues to have on our city is a monumental one.  Brighton and Hove Albion has a huge impact on the community, it isn’t just about the stadium.  The spacious facilities at the new Amex Stadium dovetail with the Albion’s work both with the commercial sector and the community – it is estimated that there are more than 1,500 businesses working with the football club and whenever possible these are local businesses.  The business growth that has been going on since July 2011 is incredible - all the hard work the club has put in over the years has certainly been worth it.  The club, its business, its hospitality and its charity ‘Albion in the Community’ all feed in to one another and make the club the success it is – and not just in financial terms. 

The position that Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club has reached is a real achievement which is less about the football business and more about the unfailing spirit of the supporters and the commitment of the people of Brighton and Hove – we have indeed come a long, long way together!