BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION
Premier League, Amex Stadium, Saturday 26 August 2023, 5.30pm BST
West Ham United will make the trip down south to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday for a teatime kick-off.
Hammers supporters could be forgiven for thinking twice about making the trip down to Brighton, for the American Express Community Stadium has hardly been a happy hunting ground for the Hammers in recent seasons.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side finished in a record-high sixth place last season, qualifying for European football for the first time in the club’s history. They will be in the UEFA Europa League group stage alongside the Hammers.
Brighton’s fine form under their Italian head coach continued on the opening day of this season with a 4-1 home win over newly-promoted Luton Town, before a 4-1 win on the road at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
How to get there…
Normally, the Amex Stadium is easily reachable by public transport, as it is just two minutes’ walk from Falmer station, itself a nine-minute train ride from Brighton station.
However, supporters are advised that Southern Railway is operating a limited service on Saturday 26 August due to industrial action, and should make alternative arrangements after the match if at all possible.
A later start and earlier finish are in place, while some routes will not be served at all, so fans who do plan to return to London by train after the final whistle are urged to return to Brighton station promptly.
Trains usually depart regularly from both London Bridge and London Victoria, with a journey time of around an hour to Brighton, but supporters should carefully check their intended route before travelling for the fixture.
Train and bus travel within the local area is free of charge to ticket holders on matchday.
If you would like to drive, Brighton has excellent car parking facilities available to both home and away supporters at two park and ride sites at Mill Road (postcode BN1 8ZF) and Brighton Racecourse (BN2 9XZ).
Alternatively, parking is available at three car parks near the stadium. Spaces must be pre-booked in advance of the match, priced £15 per car. For details, visit the link here.
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 seven times previously, once in the EFL Championship and six 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.
Our two most recent visits have ended in defeat – 3-1 on the final day of the 2021/22 season and 4-0 last term.
