BIG-HEARTED Brighton are leading the way in English football’s bid to limit the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Albion were the first club to commit to paying all their staff — including 600 matchday casual workers — until the end of the season, whether games are played or not.
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Potter’s Brighton side are doing all they can for our brave NHS workers and their own casual staffCredit: Rex Features
And yesterday they began a movement to reward our healthcare heroes by donating 1,000 tickets for future matches to frontline NHS staff.
The hope is more clubs will follow suit in some way so a nationwide haul of 100,000 tickets can be reached — and already Bournemouth have committed to doing so.
While the FA, Premier League and famous ex-players such as Rio Ferdinand and Bobby Zamora have also thrown their support behind the laudable scheme.
Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber told SunSport: “We felt we needed to do more for those NHS guys on the frontline.
“We work very closely with the NHS in our part of the world, with paramedics on matchday — and our stadium doctor being the A&E consultant for our general hospital, the Royal Sussex.
“Some of our staff have partners who work in the frontline. And there is a chance that all of us in this crisis are going to need NHS support at some point.
“It would be wonderful if every club could get behind it in some way and we can really rack up a big number of tickets. Let’s see — it might capture the imagination.
“It’s a small gesture from our community who rely on the NHS. Hopefully people will look forward to coming to games and being thanked properly.”
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Brighton also yesterday announced their catering partner Sodexo are donating a quantity of non-perishable food and drink to NHS workers in Sussex.
While they are also calling on all football fans to join the nation at 8pm tonight on their doorsteps to applaud the NHS staff around the country.
Today, Brighton manager Graham Potter, chairman Tony Bloom, Barber, plus players and staff will check in on elderly and vulnerable fans by phone.
Barber added: “We almost went out of business 20 years ago and it was the fanbase and the community that saved the club.
“That connection between the club and community is as strong, if not stronger, than most in the country.
“We’ve never forgotten our roots and we have never taken it for granted.
“And that is one of the reasons we feel we should be acting like a community leader where we can.
“If we can encourage others to do the same, then that is a small bit of good cheer we can bring at this difficult time.”
Amazingly, 92 per cent of Albion season-ticket holders have renewed for next term despite the current uncertainty — which is only one per cent less than last year.
Barber has been leading Brighton’s initiativeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
We’ve never forgotten our roots and we have never taken it for granted
Paul Barber, Brighton CEO
The Seagulls announced on Wednesday they would be giving season-ticket holders the chance to defer three months of payments from May to help with costs.
It will impact the club’s cash-flow by around £3million.
Former FA commercial director Barber explained: “It’s incredible. We’re still battling to stay in the Premier League, so people have renewed in good faith, regardless which division we end up.
“If a three-month payment holiday gives that little bit of breathing space to pay other more important bills — or put food on the table for their kids — then that has to be the right thing at this time.”
Many lower-league clubs risk going out of business, with matches being postponed and bills still to pay.
Brighton may be in the Premier League now but they know very well the financial difficulties those further down the pyramid face in normal circumstances, having only been promoted three seasons ago.
Barber added: “We were down in the bottom reaches 20 years ago and a couple of kicks away from becoming extinct.
“We know the challenges of operating at that level and being able to pay bills at the best of times, let alone the worst of times.”
‘Albion’ is an antiquated word for Great Britain. And in unprecedented times, Brighton and Hove Albion set the example for clubs across the country.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
