Thousands on Amex waiting list while just 42 give up season tickets

Brighton & Hove Albion have enjoyed a bumper season in terms of attendances and have an application in to add 8,000 more seats to their state-of-the-art £93million new home.

And the club’s operations manager Richard Hebberd has revealed that demand for season tickets is showing no signs of dampening.

Talking to members of a local supports group, he said that as well as the 2,000 strong waiting list there is also a 600 person long list for people wanting to take advantage of the 1901 membership. Just 42 people have contacted the club to say they will not be renewing next season.

If all goes to plan, the corners at either side of the South Stand will be filled, along with a new players’ lounge and hospitality suites above the stand.

There will also be a second tier at the top of the East Stand, creating an extra 3,200 seats.

Further down the line, the gaps either end of the North Stand will be filled taking the overall capacity to 30,750.

And the club is confident that if permission for the expansion is granted before the end of the season, the extra seats will be ready for the start of the new season.

If that does goes ahead, away fans will be seated in a section of the East Stand as well as part of the South which should, according to Mr Hebberd, make it easier for them to get away after games.

There are no plans to lock in away fans after games because the club is happy with the relative low level of trouble around the stadium and, in fact, Mr Hebberd revealed that following Liverpool’s visit earlier in the season, the Merseyside club has changed its policy on handling away fans to more closely mirror that of the Albion.

In fact, damage has been limited in the away end. One toilet was smashed up by visiting Millwall fans while 11 seats were torn up by Crystal Palace supporters.

Falmer Station is likely to be made longer and the Albion are in talks about putting in better signalling between Falmer and Lewes to make it possible for more trains to work the route.

And the operations manager also said that despite wondering whether or not the club should stock Harveys at the ground, the Lewes-brewed ale has gone down a treat – with more than 12,000 pints sold during the recent Cardiff game alone.