There may be gloom and doom on Brighton and Hove seafront with no building work progressing on any major development.

But over at Falmer on the north eastern edge of the city, progress is being made on the community stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion.

Passers-by can now see the main stand taking shape as part of a project which should be open to fans for the season after next.

It will be a big boost, not simply to a club which has suffered more than its fair share of troubles over the past two decades, but also to the city as a whole.

I know more than many people howimportant a football club can be to the health of a neighbourhood, town or city.

When I started reporting in the 1960s, my main job was to cover sport in West London.

The prestige part was going to matches at Chelsea and Fulham, which were then, as now, among the top clubs of England.

Chelsea were challenging for honours, having won the League in 1955, while Fulham ranged in skill from England captain Johnny Haynes to Jimmy Hill (now a Sussex man) who turned out to be far better at commentating than playing.

But I was far more fascinated by Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) who inhabited the lower reaches of the Football League, flitting around the Third Division with companion clubs such as Brighton and Hove Albion.

There was real passion among the fans packed into the stands and terraces at Loftus Road, a ground so compact you could almost reach out to the players.

In a bid to better themselves, QPR made two mistakes, which almost ruined the club.

The first was to move to White City, an enormous athletics stadium capable of holding 50,000 supporters.

Separated from the playing area by a running track, the few thousand fans looked lost in a venue that had no atmosphere.

Results suffered accordingly and they moved back home after just one season.

The second mistake was to talk to washing machine tycoon John Bloomabout taking over the club.

Now almost forgotten, he was a mildly charismatic but flawed businessman who duly went bust before he could offer much to QPR.

Unfortunately the Bloom episode encouraged the club to go for the big time before being really ready for it.

QPR did spend a few years in the top flight but were overtaken by further financial misfortune.

They are now involved with some of Britain's richest men but success is still proving elusive.

Albion's best playing period was in the 1980s when they were promoted into what was then the First Division.

They also reached the FA Cup Final, memorably drawing with mighty Manchester United before losing the replay.

But the money spent in those palmy days on players and wages could not be sustained.

Eventually, amid huge controversy, the Goldstone ground in Hove was sold.

I know of fans today who, out of principle, will not go to the retail warehouses nowon the site.

Albion spent two years groundsharing with Gillingham in Kent.

They nearly went out of business and out of the League but somehow survived to use an ageing athletics stadium at Withdean.

This ground has a small capacity and a dismal atmosphere.

Before last Saturday, the club had gone more than four months without a home victory.

Gratitude Luckily Albion have not repeated their previous mistakes.

The club owes a deep debt of gratitude to former chairman Dick Knight, a prickly but committed character, and to chief executive Martin Perry for seeing them through a perilous patch.

New chairman Tony Bloom, in marked contrast to hisQPRnamesake, and the current board have provided much-needed financial stability.

Results on the pitch have been disappointing under a variety of managers in recent years but in the past fewweeks Gus Poyet and the team seem to have got it together.

After good performances away against some of the leading sides such as Leeds and Charlton, the Seagulls managed to beat Exeter at Withdean on Saturday and move out of the relegation zone.

A few thousand faithful fans have supported Albion loyally during the lean years but there are far more potential followers.

Should the Seagulls have a run of success in the league or cup, supporters should easily take all the seats at Falmer just as they filled terraces during those glory days at the Goldstone ground.

There is no reason why the Seagulls should not become a successful Championship side in time, while their splendid new home will also have other uses besides football, proving a real asset to the city.

The club has immense potential.

There is no league side for more than 50 miles to the east and to the west there is only ailing Portsmouth, a sadder victim of former success than Albion or even QPR have ever been.

Northwards the nearest club is Crystal Palace.

Assuming people will travel roughly an hour to home matches, Albion must have the best part of a million people who could and should be interested in supporting them.

Many of those fans may combine their trips to Falmer with spending time in other parts of the city, helping to bring prosperity.

They may even settle down for some relaxation on the seafront, where I hope the Seagulls' success will help kick-start some of those stalled schemes.

Click here to watch the stadium take shape on the Falmer webcam