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The MIke ward The MIke ward InTervIew InTervIew I don’t think people realised just Martin agrees modern stadiums can Mike Ward is the TV what they’d be getting. To see them sometimes be soulless, but says: Critic of the Daily Martin’s now, the emotion it provokes, is “We’re having a competition for local Star and the Daily fantastic. And the fact people have artists, including fans, to provide Express Saturday fought for it so hard means they’re artwork we can put on the walls. It’ll Magazine. Hear him Boxing Clever! appreciating it so much more.” completely ‘Albionise’ the on talkSPORT’s Hawksbee & Jacobs All of this has come, of course, at a concourses. I’ve not seen that done Show every Monday at 3pm. More at There’s more to a football club than 90 minutes of action on a Saturday. Journalist Mike tricky time for the building industry. anywhere to this extent.” www.mikeward.tv Ward goes behind the scenes at Albion to discover who’s helping to make the club tick. “The recession,” Martin admits, “hit at After so many years of collective First up, Chief Executive and new stadium supremo Martin Perry… just the wrong moment. We could toil, then, the Falmer dream is coming have been in a situation where we’d true. But come on, Martin, be honest HERE’S a little-known fact for you. got the go-ahead but couldn’t – you’ll miss dear old Withdean Design-wise, the origins of our actually move.” just a smidgen, won’t you? swish new state-of-the-art But, for once, good fortune has “I won’t,” he insists. “I recognise American Express Community been on the project’s side. it’s an indelible part of our Stadium at Falmer – or the Amex, “I look back now and think we’re so history. We wouldn’t have as we’re now very happy to call it – lucky,” he adds. “Tony Bloom being survived without it, and dates back half a century. where he was at the right moment – we’ve had some great And the original design was unbelievable, just unbelievable.” football moments here. But fashioned from wooden crates. Martin is also proud of the way the I won’t shed a tear when I’ll let Martin Perry explain, seeing as club has engaged with those who’d we go. it’s the Albion’s Chief Executive, sat initially opposed the project. “In “I will, however, shed a chatting with me in the stadium fairness to Lewes District Council, tear when we kick off at project office at Withdean (yes, they’ve been tremendous – utterly the new stadium. That first Withdean), who’s just imparted this professional. day will be unreal.” extraordinary piece of information. “We’ve also had monthly meetings “Even as a kid I’d shown an aptitude with residents. They’ve even been on for building things, which was why my a stadium tour. I think people have dad decided I should go to technical It was from that address (“later they he’d been heavily involved in the realised it’s superb. Much of the college,” Martin tells me. “In those changed it to Tivoli Crescent North, development of what’s now called opposition has melted away. I’m sure days you used to bring fruit and veg which is awful”) that Martin says he the Galpharm Stadium, to help his some of the Falmer villagers will be home from the greengrocer in these first remembers hearing the distant hometown club in their hour of need. buying season tickets!” wooden boxes, most of which got roar of the Goldstone. And it Except it wouldn’t turn out to be an Martin points out that the thrown on the fire. wouldn’t be long before he joined the hour. “This stadium has now been part stadium will out-spec even “I used to collect the boxes and Albion faithful. “One of the players of my life for 14 years,” he reflects. “I Wembley in many regards – build things in our back garden – one came into my school,” he recalls, “and live, eat, breathe and sleep it.” and no, not just the pitch. of which was this structure that rose I was hooked from that moment on...” The difference now, of course, is it’s “We have great facilities, up and had an arch across. Honestly! Fast-forward a good many years, to no longer merely a vision. It’s there finished to a high standard. “So you could say the start of this 1996, and Martin took a call that for real. Or a fair chunk of it is. More We’ll have cutting-edge stadium was 50-odd years ago, in the would change his life – inviting him than enough to make jaws hit the matchday TV, nearly all back garden of 21 Hangleton Road, back down from Huddersfield, where floor. the hospitality suites Brighton!” “It was 10 years ago that we sat in will have a pitch view the architect’s office and developed – and even coming “I don’t think people this design concept, simulating the into the ground will roll of the Downs. To see it actually be a more pleasant realised just what they’d appear is unbelievably exciting. experience. Just “But what’s most thrilling is the swipe you card be getting. To see them reaction of fans, and of the city in through the general. Everyone who sees it thinks, stainless steel now, the emotion it ‘Oh, wow!’ They’d seen the images, barrier and you’ll provokes, is fantastic” but no image could do it justice. be in.” 28 29 The MIke ward Mike Ward is the TV Critic of the Daily Star and the Daily Express Saturday Magazine. Hear him on InTervIew talkSPORT’s Hawksbee & Jacobs Show every Monday at 3pm. More at www.mikewardblogs.com which, it had been discovered in 1995, the club’s directors had quietly yet scandalously removed a no-profit clause, meaning they could legally close the club down if they so wished, and The drama of cash in from selling the Goldstone]. “It wasn’t that the audience actually made any noise,” Mark recalls, “but I supporting the albion could literally feel their anger. It was as if I’d been walloped by a tropical storm. There’s more to a football club than 90 minutes of action. Mike Ward unearths I’d never felt anything like it.” the individuals who have one thing in common... a love of the Albion Mark, who went on to star in Blue & White Christmas at Brighton’s Komedia, You may not have spotted his name since his dad first took him along, clown character who appeared in a believes football and theatre, handled on the team sheet but Mark aged seven, to the Goldstone. succession of guises as the story correctly, really can mix. “It’s often Brailsford knows exactly what it’s This was back during Brian Clough’s evolved and helped link the plot. The tricky,” he concedes, “because the drama like to play in front of a capacity brief reign. “I remember Dad pointing play told the Albion’s story from the in sport is traditionally on the pitch, but crowd of passionate Albion fans. Clough out to me,” Mark recalls, “and club’s inception 100 years earlier to if you use the right dramatic devices it He has, you might say, felt the love. saying, ‘See that man? He’s very the great escape at Hereford, with the can be wonderfully effective. “There was one night,” he recalls, famous. He’s going to do great things writers playing the role of two fans “Brighton Till I Die attracted people “when this big, tattooed bloke, really for us . .’” heading to that extraordinary fixture. who’d otherwise never think of going to scary looking, came up to me the theatre. I think that’s fantastic.” afterwards, grabbed me in a headlock The Treason Show (refreshed with new and cried, ‘I loved that!’” “I remember dad songs and sketches every couple of Nice to make an impression, I guess. months – it celebrates its 10th This wasn’t after a match at pointing Clough out to me anniversary this year), has allowed Mark Withdean, mind you. Nor at an actual further opportunity, as director, writer football ground. and saying, ‘he’s going to and performer, to indulge his Albion This was at Sussex University’s do great things for us’” passion, in between the main bits where Gardner Arts Centre, as it then was – the show pokes fun at politicians and just a stone’s throw away from where such like. the glorious Amex is now rising – and Mark grew accustomed to “When Paul and Dave asked me if I’d “We’ve done songs about Bobby where Mark was performing in a play disappointments at an early age, then. like to be involved,” he recalls, “I bit Zamora, Micky Adams, Dick Knight, before a packed house of 400. It was But he’s never lost his love for his local their hands off. Falmer, you name it. the summer of 2001, the Albion’s side – and feels particularly strongly “I loved the epic nature of the story “But my favourite was actually a sketch centenary year. about its links with its community. in any case, but because it was the we did called News 2024, looking into Actually, I say “a play”. In fact, Mark Indeed, press him on the subject of Albion and I remember the dark days the future.

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