Who Owns Brighton & Hove Albion?

Brighton & Hove Albion was founded in 1901 as Brighton & Hove United, adopting the current name shortly after. The club was formed by local residents including John Jackson and Fred Schweitzer, and initially played in the Southern League. This founding as a community-based football club established Brighton & Hove Albion's distinctive identity as a club that would serve its local community while maintaining competitive ambitions that would eventually lead to historic achievements.

The club moved to the Goldstone Ground in 1902, which would remain their home for nearly a century. Brighton experienced varying success in their early decades, reaching the First Division for the first time in 1979 under manager Alan Mullery. This period of success demonstrated Brighton & Hove Albion's ability to compete at the highest level of English football while establishing the club as a respected member of the football community.

The 1980s brought both success and crisis. The club reached the FA Cup final in 1983 but faced financial difficulties throughout the decade. In 1997, the club was forced to sell the Goldstone Ground, leading to a period of homelessness and near-extinction. This period of challenges demonstrated Brighton & Hove Albion's resilience and the importance of community support in maintaining the club's identity and survival through difficult times.

A turning point came with the move to the Withdean Stadium in 1999 and the appointment of manager Gus Poyet in 2009. Under Tony Bloom's ownership, which began the same year, the club invested heavily in infrastructure and player recruitment. This strategic partnership demonstrated exceptional vision in combining local ownership with professional management while creating a sustainable model for success.

The crowning achievement came in 2011 when the club moved to the new Falmer Stadium (currently known as the Amex Stadium). Under manager Chris Hughton and later Graham Potter, Brighton achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2017 for the first time in the club's history. This remarkable achievement demonstrated Brighton & Hove Albion's ability to combine traditional football values with modern analytical approaches while creating a sustainable model for Premier League competition.