Albion opens the doors of the Amex to the community
More than 200 local children were recently given the unique opportunity to play on the pitch at the Amex Stadium.
Albion in the Community, the official charity of Brighton & Hove Albion, hosted a play on the pitch event which saw hundreds of children grace the turf of the Amex.
With fans unable to attend matches for much of the season until recent government restrictions were eased, Albion were pleased to provide the opportunity for local children to enjoy the unique experience of playing football in the stadium.
Children from ten local schools along with participants of the charity’s disability football programme were all given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Albion captain Lewis Dunk and other Premier League stars by taking to the pitch and showing off their skills.
Part of the day saw the charity organise a school’s football tournament including an under-11s girl’s competition and an under-9s mixed-team contest.
The Oaks Primary School were the winners of the under-11s tournament and returned to Crawley with the Albion Cup. Elsewhere, Southwater Junior Academy lifted the under-9s mixed-team trophy.
Rob Josephs, who oversees Albion in the Community’s work with schools was delighted with the outcome of the event.
“It was great to be able to welcome ten schools from across Sussex to the Amex, in a long-awaited return to football and school competition.
“The smiles on faces and positive feedback from school staff shows how much the opportunity meant to everyone involved. It was a privilege to be a part of such a rewarding and successful event.”
Alongside the school competition, the charity also welcomed participants from its popular disability football programme to play on the pitch.
Across a three-hour session, over 100 children and adults with a disability enjoyed a fun-filled training session which was followed by a friendly tournament.