Brighton's players funded tickets, merchandise and scarves for supporters who travelled to their UEFA Conference League play-off encounter with Tromsø in August, setting the tone for a club-wide celebration of its 125th anniversary.
The Seagulls' milestone year reached its crescendo on 19 September 2026 when the club hosted Arsenal at the Amex Stadium in a specially designated anniversary fixture. Wearing a one-off commemorative kit inspired by the original 1901 strip, Fabian Hurzeler's side delivered a performance that matched the occasion's significance. A record attendance of 31,944 packed the stadium to witness Brighton dismantle the defending Premier League champions with a commanding 3-0 victory.
Pascal Gross opened the scoring, Charalampos Kostoulas doubled the lead just before half-time, and Chema Andres' header sealed a comprehensive win after the interval. Brighton created additional chances but three goals proved sufficient as celebrations erupted throughout the ground long before the final whistle.
Hurzeler reflected on the performance with evident satisfaction.
It was a special one, not only because we played against maybe the best team in England but because of the performance. The boys started really intense, they won their personal duels, played good in possession and created chances. I'm really proud of my team, hopefully they enjoy it today because these kind of moments are important to enjoy.
The victory encapsulates an extraordinary transformation. From near-extinction to European competition and defeating England's champions on a milestone day—this represents the Seagulls' remarkable ascent.
How did Brighton reach this point?
The club's journey from the brink of oblivion to continental football is rooted in survival and resilience. On 9 November 2023, Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi addressed his players in the Amsterdam Arena before their Europa League tie with Ajax.
There's 3,000 Brighton fans in this stadium tonight. But there's more than twice that number in the city who have travelled over. Remember that when you go on to that pitch.Brighton won 2-0, marking the high point of their first European campaign in the club's history.
For many clubs, European nights against Ajax are routine. For Brighton, the moment represented something profound. A long-standing senior club official, present in the dressing room that evening, described it as a pinch-me moment—encountering the royalty of European football from where the club had come.
The contrast with Brighton's recent past could not be starker. In 1995, chairman Bill Archer sold the Goldstone Ground, the club's home since 1902, due to mounting debts with no alternative stadium arranged and no consultation with supporters. Brighton did not vacate until 1997, though their final season was confirmed only after the final match of 1995-96, when thousands of furious fans spilled onto the pitch in protest, snapping both crossbars in the tumult.
After two seasons 70 miles away at Gillingham, and with plans for a new stadium in the Toad's Hole Valley area abandoned, the club returned to Brighton in 1999 and began playing at Withdean Stadium, previously famous as the home athletics track of Olympic middle-distance gold medallist Steve Ovett. The stadium's original capacity was only 6,000—a stark contrast to the more than 7,000 Brighton supporters who travelled to Amsterdam in 2023.
The club came within 27 minutes of being relegated out of the Football League entirely in 1997. Survival was secured through the determination of supporters, bucket collections, protests, and a refusal to accept that the Albion should disappear. Key figures including former Football Association executive director David Davies, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott (who overturned a rejected planning application for the current stadium in Falmer), and former chairman Dick Knight stabilised an institution that had become rudderless.
What transformed Brighton into a modern force?
The contemporary Brighton emerged through the vision and investment of chairman Tony Bloom. Born in the city and a lifelong supporter, Bloom's connection runs through his grandfather Harry, a former vice-chairman, and uncle Ray, a director. An entrepreneur who accumulated wealth through finance and data-driven gambling ventures, Bloom became chairman in 2009 and masterminded the club's rise from League One into the American Express Stadium.
The transformation has been comprehensive. Brighton's recruitment model—buying players and selling them for substantial profits—is now envied across English football. The club has secured its 10th consecutive Premier League campaign and sits fifth in the table four games into the season. Last season, average attendance exceeded 31,000. In their 125-year history, Brighton have never operated at this level.
Sporting director Mike Cave reflected on the scale of change:
Anyone walking into Brighton today compared to even 15 years ago would not think it was the same football club. The club has been on an unbelievable journey. We've got staff members and many fans who have done that journey. For those of us who weren't here 15 years ago, our responsibility is to ensure what's to come - and I think there's lots - is better than what's happened in the recent or long-distance past.
What is the historical significance of the 125th anniversary?
Brighton was formed in 1901. The club anchored its 125th anniversary celebration on 21 September 1901, the date of their first competitive fixture, which they won 6-2 over Brighton Athletic. The club spent nearly two decades in the Southern League before being voted into the Football League, and experienced only seven seasons in Division Two before promotion to the top flight for the first time in 1979.
For decades, Brighton were known outside Sussex chiefly for a single moment: the 1983 FA Cup final. During that match, late in extra time, BBC radio commentator Peter Jones delivered the famous line
And Smith must score...as Gordon Smith, clear on goal, saw his shot saved by Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey. United won the replay, denying Brighton their first major trophy.
The years following that near-miss saw players sold, investment withheld, the Goldstone decay, and crowds dwindle. There was no communication between board and supporters, directors came and went, and the club drifted without continuity or direction.
How did the anniversary match reflect the club's journey?
Brighton's choice to host Arsenal on 19 September 2026 was designed to celebrate the milestone, reflect on the club's history, and look ahead to its future. The commemorative shirt was modelled on the original 1901 strip, tying the match directly to the club's earliest competitive era. The kit was limited to a single competitive appearance, making the occasion unique in the club's modern history.
In his message for the anniversary programme, chairman Tony Bloom reflected on the club's place in the community:
Since 1901, this football club has been part of the fabric of our city and the broader county of Sussex. It has connected generations of families and communities. Grandparents have brought their children and grandchildren to matches. Lifelong friendships have been forged on terraces, in stands and on away trips. Through good times and bad, Brighton & Hove Albion has provided so many of us with some of the most memorable moments of our lives. This club is in my blood. Some of my earliest and most cherished memories are wrapped up in the sights and sounds of the Goldstone. When I had the privilege of becoming owner and chairman, it was like being entrusted with something precious to safeguard and help develop for the future. Many of you reading these words will remember those difficult years. The loss of the Goldstone. The long journeys to Gillingham. The challenges of the Withdean era. What got this football club through was the determination of its fans. The bucket collections. The protests. The refusal to accept the Albion should disappear. This anniversary belongs as much to those supporters as anyone. Quite simply, without them, we would not be here today.
Key Facts
- Brighton defeated Arsenal 3-0 on 19 September 2026 in front of a record Amex attendance of 31,944 wearing a one-off commemorative kit inspired by the club's original 1901 strip
- The club came within 27 minutes of being relegated out of the Football League in 1997 after losing the Goldstone Ground in 1995 with no alternative stadium in place
- Brighton spent two seasons at Gillingham and 12 years at Withdean Stadium before moving to the American Express Stadium, which has driven the club's rise to Premier League stability and European football
- Chairman Tony Bloom, who became owner in 2009, has overseen the club's transformation from League One to their 10th consecutive Premier League campaign and current fifth-place position
- Brighton's first competitive fixture on 21 September 1901 resulted in a 6-2 victory over Brighton Athletic, establishing the historical anchor for the 125th anniversary celebration
