Oh, the life and loves of a Brighton fan. Just when you were recovering from being kicked out of your home, playing your home matches at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium, the embarrassment that was the Withdean …you draw at home to Leicester City! Yes, Brighton and Hove Albion reminded every football supporter why we love and hate football in equal ratios by drawing 2-2 at home to the surely-doomed Leicester yesterday. Note Leicester had not previously scored since January and had lost their last eight HOME games without scoring a single goal.

The good news is that a new book about the trials and tribulations of being a Seagull has hit the shelves. Maybe today’s fans can take solace in that and muse over how instead of pushing for European qualification they might well have been playing Horsham, Dover Athletic or Chatham Town in the Isthmian League or worse!

The writer, David Atherall, kindly sent me his press release.

Brighton fan and local writer, David Atherall has chosen Brighton and Hove Albion for his latest novel, ‘Embers.’ The novel is set in 1996/97, an iconic season for the Albion. They looked destined to drop out of the football league and potentially go extinct. They’d sold their home ground, The Goldstone Ground and the situation for the club looked desperately bleak. Every Brighton fan knows that the arrival of Steve Gritt as manager and Dick Knight as chairman changed everything for Brighton that season.

The novel follows the chaos of that season alongside the life of sixteen-year-old fan, Danny. Not only did it look like he was losing his football club, his dad had walked out on his family and without a job, his days were filled with watching Neighbours and playing Sensible World of Soccer. All he wants is to follow the Albion up and down the country but getting and keeping a job are tough tasks. Brighton fans have immediately connected with the book, enjoying the nostalgia of going back to the toughest time in Brighton’s history. Steve Gritt has written the foreword; super-fan, Atilla the Stockbroker has described it as an ‘excellent tale’ and Brighton winger, Paul McDonald has called it an ‘amazing story.’

Find out more here