Brighton were founded on 24 June 1901 at the Seven Stars pub in Ship Street. A century and a quarter later, Brighton sit 8th in the Premier League with 53 points from 38 matches in the 2025 season, and that contrast is the point of the club's anniversary story. The club were promoted to the Premier League in 2017 and have stayed there ever since.
The years supporters still talk about
Paul Samrah's line is the sharpest reminder of how far things have moved. "The new generation supporters may or may not know the story, but when we're complaining about being 8th or 10th in the Premier League, you have to have a reality check as to where we've come from," he said.
He remembers Brighton being 27 minutes from relegation in 1997 before Robbie Reinelt scored an equaliser against Hereford United, and he also recalls the Goldstone Ground being sold in 1997. Earlier in that period, players were being sold in what he described as an "almost fireside sale".
Norman Cook's memory of the rescue effort is just as revealing. "I really remember the sense of community - and polarisation - we had around how to save our team," he said.
What the anniversary says about Brighton now
The old crisis stories still shape how Brighton are understood, but the current numbers tell a different tale. Eighty-eight? No, 8th, 53 points and a +6 goal difference across 38 league matches describe a club that has settled into the top flight rather than merely survived in it.
Cook's view on the present-day operation is blunt. "It's a boom time. But it feels like a different club. It's run ruthlessly and professionally now," he said.
That is probably the fairest way to read the anniversary. Brighton's history is still rooted in the Goldstone years and the struggle that followed, but the present-day club is no longer defined by emergency exits and near misses. It is a Premier League side with a stable footing, and that alone is a big enough change to mark on 24 June.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →