Brighton & Hove Albion vs Fulham FC

Matchday 12 began with an early morning start, hitting the road at 7:00 AM and making a breakfast stop at the famous Tim Hortons. With our bellies full, we embarked on a journey expected to take just over 3 hours. Along the way, we encountered our first-ever rolling roadblock, a phenomenon I’d seen on TV but never experienced in person. It was awe-inspiring to witness the Highways Agency’s professionalism as they carefully brought three lanes of fast-moving traffic to a halt. This was due to an HGV lorry crash, but fortunately, it only caused a short 15-minute delay, and we were soon back on the road without any further interruptions.

Having done some prior research, we aimed for a Park and Ride Carpark on Mill Road. At first, I was a bit perplexed because there were signs indicating that the road was closed. However, I pressed on when I saw another sign for the Park and Ride. To my surprise, I discovered that the carpark is actually a closed-off road, with one side for parking and the other for traffic and coaches. This system worked impressively well, and the best part is that it’s all included as part of your ticket. The coach journey took about 15 minutes and was straightforward, with polite staff.

Due to the early arrival and the dismal weather, we reached the Amex Stadium three hours before kick-off. So, we decided to make the most of the time between rain showers and took a leisurely stroll around the stadium, admiring its beautiful exterior. I was also pleasantly surprised by how easy and close Falmer train station is to the ground, providing convenient access for those commuting by train.

Outside the stadium, we visited the club shop and picked up our matchday program and a scarf. Liam couldn’t resist getting a new football, which I’m sure our neighbour Ian will appreciate when it inevitably lands in his back garden. However, we encountered a frustrating situation with the bag we brought. While a security guard was initially fine with it, an older staff member rudely pointed out that it exceeded the size of A4 and that the bottles of squash/flask were not allowed in. Up to that point, I was unaware of these restrictions, as they were not made clear during the booking process. Despite explaining that the bag wasn’t full and could easily be folded down, it wasn’t enough, and I had no choice but to pay £5 to drop off the bag due to our arrival at the station via Park and Ride. I also asked what would happen if I purchased a similar water bottle from the club shop, and I was informed that it still wouldn’t be allowed in the stadium. This was rather shocking, as nothing in the club shop mentioned these restrictions.

Inside the stadium, there was a substantial amount of water, almost like flooding, in the first row of the stadium, requiring a cleaner to try and push the water down a drain. It’s no wonder some fans wore wellies in that area. The actual stadium itself was quite nice, but at halftime, the interior was chaotic and clearly not spacious enough to accommodate the volume of supporters trying to get refreshments or use the restroom facilities. The area was absolutely jam-packed.

Exiting the stadium and collecting the bag went smoothly, despite queuing in the rain for the coach back to the car. The queue moved quickly, and we ended up on the third coach.

This game proved to be the most challenging experience yet, compounded by having to pay an adult’s ticket price for Liam. Before the game, I reached out to Brighton and received a reply stating that the game was sold out, with only tickets available for season ticket holders who couldn’t attend. In my opinion, a decent football club should still allow the purchase of child tickets. I’ve emailed Brighton to express my concerns as I was genuinely dissatisfied with my experience.