Brighton & Hove Albion FC
The Seagulls
Founded: 1901, Stadium: Falmer Stadium (Brighton), Capacity: 30,750
Founded in 1901, and nicknamed the “Seagulls” or “Albion” Brighton played their early professional football in the Southern League, before being elected to the Football League in 1920. The club enjoyed the greatest prominence between 1979 and 1983 when they played in the First Division and reached the FA Cup Final in 1983. By the late 1990’s Brighton was playing in the fourth tier of England and were having financial difficulties. In 2002 Brighton moved back to the second tier and in 2011 the club moved into the Falmer Stadium after 14 years without a permanent ground. In 2016-17 Brighton finished second in the Championship and promoted to the Premier League after 34 years of absence. The Seagulls first known crest was the more traditional coat of arms from the twin towns of Brighton & Hove. A hybrid design incorporating the two had been used whilst an ornate shield was introduced in the late 1950s. The club became known as the dolphins in 1974 and at the start of the following season produced a new crest featuring the mammal yet both the nickname and crest became short lived. It is said that prior to a heated derby with rivals Crystal Palace the away support were heard chanting their renowned “Eagles, Eagles” to which Dolphins fans replied with “Seagulls, Seagulls”. The clubs then director Derek Chapman rechristened the club, the Seagulls in a direct avian response to Palace’s Eagles.Brighton & Hove amended their crest to fit in 1977, featuring a soaring seagull above the clubs title. This was adapted in 1998 to fly within a more classic crest shape that also featured the clubs nickname. The clubs current crest was introduced in 2011 upon moving to their new stadium in Falmer. A modernised version of their 1977 iteration that is said to evoke the forward thinking movement the club is now heading in. Seems that new direction might be working out quite nicely.
