Brighton & Hove Albion were founded on 24 June 1901 in a pub in the town centre. On 24 June 2027 the Seagulls turn 126. Their story has it all: a dramatic cup final, an exile far from home and a European adventure.

Third time lucky

The town had already seen two failed attempts. Brighton United, founded in 1897, folded in 1900, and the amateur Brighton & Hove Rangers lasted just one year.

John Jackson, the former manager of Brighton United, did not give up. On 24 June 1901 he organised a meeting at the Seven Stars pub on Ship Street, where a new semi-professional club was born, with Jackson himself as its first manager.

Why "Albion"?

The original name was Brighton & Hove United. But local side Hove FC objected to the similarity, so before playing a match the club became Brighton & Hove Albion.

Albion is an ancient name for Britain, linked to the white cliffs of the coast. Nobody knows for sure why it was chosen, though: some point to West Bromwich Albion, others to local businesses with the same name, such as the Royal Albion Hotel and the Albion Brewery.

From "fisherman's blue" to stripes

The first colours, in 1901, are described as "fisherman's blue", a pale shade that turned darker in 1903. In 1904 the blue and white stripes arrived and became the club's trademark.

There were interludes too. In 1947 the team switched to blue shirts with white sleeves, in 1974 they wore all white for one season and in 1980, with Adidas, they briefly dropped the stripes for plain blue.

In 1992 there were even striped shorts, which almost nobody liked. Since 2014 the shirts have been made by Nike, and on the chest sits American Express, which also gives its name to the stadium.

Dolphins, seagulls and a final

In 1974-75 the team was briefly known as the "Dolphins". In a pub before a derby with Crystal Palace, fans traded chants and "Seagulls" stuck for good, and in 1977 a seagull also appeared on the crest.

Under Alan Mullery Brighton reached the top flight in 1979. In 1983 they made their only FA Cup final and drew 2-2 with Manchester United, but Gordon Smith missed a huge late chance and they lost the replay 4-0. That same season they were relegated.

From exile to Europe

In 1997 the historic Goldstone Ground, home for 95 years, was sold amid protests. Brighton played two years at Gillingham, about 70 miles away, and then at an athletics track at Withdean.

In 2011 they finally moved into their new stadium at Falmer, and in 2017 they reached the Premier League after 34 years away. With Tony Bloom as chairman and Roberto De Zerbi as coach, they finished sixth in 2022-23 and qualified for Europe for the first time, where their first match was a 3-2 defeat to AEK Athens.

Brighton have been home to world champion Alexis Mac Allister, Moisés Caicedo and Kaoru Mitoma. In 2025-26 the team finished eighth in the Premier League and earned a place in the Conference League play-offs.

Celebrate with us

From a meeting in a pub to European nights, Brighton's blue and white stripes have seen a lot. Happy 126th birthday to the Seagulls!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Falmer Stadium (the Amex) at night – Dominic Alves, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0.