IN RESPONSE to Dr Langridge's letter to The Argus on Monday, outlining his concerns about our new mobile ticketing arrangements at the Amex, I appreciate some fans may find the thought of a change to the process quite daunting.

However, to reassure our supporters, in practice it is relatively straightforward - and for those supporters who do not have a smart phone, we do provide an alternative solution.

As we head into the new season, still in the grip of a global pandemic, our number one priority is to ensure we keep all spectators, staff, officials and players as safe as possible, and our mobile ticketing system will help us to do that.

We advised season-ticket holders in the renewal mailing and by email last spring of the change to mobile tickets for the new season. We also took out newspaper advertising in The Argus and ran several pieces on the club website and in the programme.

And we trialled the system at our final home game last season so it is misleading to suggest fans were only told a week ago.

To address another of the concerns raised, there is absolutely no reason for any supporter to enter their credit or debit card details to use mobile ticketing while to suggest that phones get lost or broken as a reason we should not be moving to mobile tickets is also wrong.

People tend to take more care of their mobile phones than a plastic card, which is more likely to be forgotten, lost or damaged. We know this as we have spent every matchday since we have been at the Amex issuing replacements.

The club want to take full advantage of the latest technology to benefit our fans and the club. And mobile tickets have significant benefits for fans (as well as the club), including allowing us to introduce a new ticketing sharing scheme for season-ticket holders, helping to cut out ticket touts exploiting Albion supporters and keeping fans safe, as digital tickets are now part of the Premier League's safety protocols for all clubs. 

Finally, to suggest we don't want Dr Langridge's support at the Amex is simply not true. Of course we do. But in these challenging times sometimes a little patience is all that is needed.

Our supporter services team (who are incredibly busy and like all businesses have suffered from staff absences) have already been in touch and provided Dr Langridge with an alternative solution, and we look forward to seeing him at the Amex for the new season. 

Paul Barber

Chief executive and deputy chairman, Brighton and Hove Albion