Unseen before stadium build photos!

[markw]

I recently found these photos while having a clear out of old stuff and thought that some would be interested to see them. When the new stadium was built, i was hired in as an excavator driver to carry out the works which was mainly on the south stand with a tracked machine to start with, later on with a wheeled 360 excavator covering the whole ground and car parking area. Exciting at the time, being involved with the move back to Brighton from Gillingham. I know a lot of people do not like the Withdean but at the time it was 100 times better than travelling 90 odd miles each way!

 

[bristolseagull]

god, its amazing to see withdean looking even more shit than it does now!

good photos....

 

[Bwian]

Excellent stuff-thanks for putting them up. Those were exciting days in their own way and your pics show the gulf between where we are now and we will be in 18 months.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Brilliant, thanks

 

[Paxton Dazo]

They're quality pictures.

 

[Robot Chicken]

When we leave, are you going to help return the south side to how it was originally?

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

What used to be where the south stand is now? Was it just a little wooden stand?

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Thanks for that. I'd forgotten the excitement I had when we first moved to the theatre if trees and this brings it all back. Compare this to the arch lifting today and wow..... just wow!

 

[markw]

They're quality pictures.

I had to scan these as they were before digital camera days

 

[Robot Chicken]

What used to be where the south stand is now? Was it just a little wooden stand?

Just a hill I think?

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Look at that little stand in the 8th pic it's like the shitty little seats next to to the South Stand now but with a roof!

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

Just a hill I think?

I can recall something being there when I went for the fireworks when I was young, I'm sure it was just a concrete "step" type structure?

 

[luke17]

Cracking pictures there.

 

[strings]

It is amazing what the club have done with the place really. Never in a million years would I have earmarked that as a potential venue for a league team - let alone a venue for second-tier football.

 

[markw]

When we leave, are you going to help return the south side to how it was originally?

I will not personally as i do not do this line of work any more. The south stand should be easy to restore as the stand is used for the british golf open each year and is taken down yearly to inspect the foundations iirc. It will be just a case of removiing a few things and then relandscaping. Most of the buildings,stands and fixtures at Withdean are temporary as i believe it was only meant to be the Albion's home for 3 years!

 

[markw]

What used to be where the south stand is now? Was it just a little wooden stand?

If i rememeber correctly it was just a hill with a small stand at the bottom about 6ft deep with a corrugated steel roof.

 

[Robot Chicken]

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Just a hill I think?

I remember sitting on that hill just before I took part in the 1500m on school sports day.

 

[Paxton Dazo]

What year is that?

 

[markw]

It is amazing what the club have done with the place really. Never in a million years would I have earmarked that as a potential venue for a league team - let alone a venue for second-tier football.

At the time, i thought to myself that the withdean would be an ideal permanent ground for Brighton if there were no restrictions, i still believe it would be the best location, much better than falmer. The problem is the athletics track,tennis courts,fitness club etc, if Bha owned the ground there is massive potential and would be a brilliant permanent location due to a huge area to work with, get rid of the athletics track,tennis,fit club, pub etc and build permanent stands along with a new station on the mainline just yards away.