BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Premier League, Amex Stadium, Saturday 4 March 2022, 3pm GMT
West Ham United supporters could be forgiven for thinking twice about making the trip down to Brighton on Saturday, for the American Express Community Stadium has hardly been a happy hunting ground for the Hammers in recent seasons.
The Irons have not won in five Premier League visits, taking just two points from a possible 15. The most recent, in May 2022, saw the east Londoners squander a half-time lead to lose 3-1 and miss out on a victory that would have secured a place in this season’s UEFA Europa League group stage.
That victory secured a record-high ninth-place finish for the Seagulls, but much has changed at the Sussex club since then.
Head coach Graham Potter resigned in early September to move to Chelsea, with his role going to Italian Roberto De Zerbi. The former CFR Cluj Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk boss has taken charge of a new-look Brighton squad, but one which is still excelling in the top half of the Premier League table and is through to the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals.
How to get there…
The Amex Stadium is easily reachable by public transport, as it is just two minutes’ walk from Falmer station, itself a nine-minute ride from Brighton station.
Trains depart regularly from London Bridge, with a journey time of around an hour to Brighton, and do so in the opposite direction after the game.
What’s more, train and bus travel within the local area is free of charge to ticket holders between 11.30am-9pm on matchday.
If you’d like to drive, Brighton has excellent car parking facilities available to both home and away supporters over two easy-to-access, nearby sites. Spaces must be pre-booked in advance of the match, priced £15 per car, from BrightonAndHoveAlbion.com/tickets
The Seagulls also offer two park and ride sites around the city: Mill Road (BN1 8ZF – 450 spaces) and Brighton Racecourse (BN2 9XZ – 700 spaces).
Free motorbike parking is available on-site at the Amex Stadium.
Where to stay…
As one of English’s foremost seaside resorts, Brighton is abundantly stocked with the full range of accommodation options, from luxury hotels to hostels to BnBs.
Realistically, anywhere in the city is suitable if you want to stay the Friday or Saturday night and have a few drinks and some food.
What to do…
Ever since King George IV fell in love with Brighton back in the 1700s, the city has been a magnet for visitors in search of fun, frolics and fresh sea air.
With its majestic Regency squares and crescents, iconic Royal Pavilion and Palace Pier, today Brighton is as well-known for being a welcoming and diverse city with a passion for culture, creativity and sustainability as it is for its historic landmarks.
Among them are the i360 observation tower, SeaLife aquarium, Museum & Art Gallery and The Lanes, which are crammed with independent shops, bars and restaurants.
Find out more at visitbrighton.com.
What’s happened there before…
We have been to the Amex Stadium six times previously, once in the EFL Championship and five times in the Premier League.
The first visit, on 24 October 2011, ended in a 1-0 victory courtesy of Kevin Nolan’s opportunistic winning goal.
Since then, however, we have yet to win at the Amex in any of our Premier League trips there, losing twice before drawing 1-1 in both 2019/20 and 2020/21 courtesy of goals from Chicharito and Saïd Benrahma respectively.
Last season’s visit was best forgotten as Michail Antonio’s first-half goal put the Hammers in front, only for three strikes after the break to deny the visitors a second consecutive sixth-place Premier League finish.
