Dick Knight is not the only club chairman who will be sending John Prescott flowers on Valentine's Day.

Chris Carter fears the future of Brighton and Hove City Athletic Club could be in jeopardy if the Deputy Prime Minister throws out plans for a new football stadium at Falmer.

The former Olympian says the relationship between the athletics club and Albion has worsened since they started sharing Withdean Stadium five years ago.

Albion are due to leave their temporary home at the end of next season but if Prescott does not give Falmer the go-ahead it is likely the Seagulls will need to extend their stay.

According to Carter, that could be the final nail in the coffin for Brighton and Hove City AC's attempts to re-establish itself as one of the top clubs in the country.

Carter said: "I am keeping my fingers crossed that Prescott says 'yes'. If not, there is the possibility Albion will remain at Withdean and we will be pushed further aside.

"I have been supporting the Albion for 50 years so I wouldn't say I want to see the back of them but the club has taken over far more than was foreseen back in 1999."

Brighton and Hove City AC has produced Olympians like Carter, Andy Todd and Steve Ovett.

Spectator facilities, lighting and security improved when Albion first moved in at the stadium.

However, that relationship has worsened over the last few years, according to Carter, and he believes it could be a matter of time before the football club takes over completely.

Carter, who is also secretary of the South of England Athletics Association, said: "At first there was some kind of relationship but now the football club does not seem to take athletics into account at all.

"Unfortunately, I can see a scenario where we are told we no longer need to be at Withdean because there is an athletics track down the road at Lewes which we could use."

The athletics club has suffered a series of inconveniences due to their enforced cohabitation with Albion.

Tuesday night training sessions are cancelled when there is a midweek football match and hammer throwing has been discouraged because it churns up the pitch.

Carter was hoping to hold the County Championships at Withdean this summer but was unable to book the track in case Albion made the play-offs and needed the pitch.

Now the athletic club's clubhouse is under threat from Albion's plans to put in extra seating behind the goal at the western end of the ground.

Carter said: "The first we knew about the extra seats was when we saw plans showing the clubhouse will be removed which shows how much consideration we were given in the process.

"If people are sitting behind that goal it will also mean the end for our hammer cage because spectators won't want to be watching the game through that. If we were able to upgrade our facilities then maybe we could get back to where we once were but we can't when we are always looking over our shoulder.

"It is a worry for athletics in the city because, from being a major club 30 years ago, we have gone alarmingly downhill. It is because the facilities are not up to scratch."