SUPPORTERS and players at a football club are sending out 100,000 leaflets accusing Brighton and Hove City Council of kicking them out of Withdean Stadium.

The Withdean 2000 club is protesting after being told their ground share agreement with Brighton and Hove Albion is over. Club secretary Brian Davies said hundreds of youth players could be affected along with the senior players.

It is sad the club is no longer able to stay at Withdean but the Albion need to play on a high-class pitch, particularly since they have reached the heady heights of Division Two, and overuse of the pitch has left it in a poor condition in the past.

However, it is also vital that younger players have the opportunity to play the game. English football, and possibly the Albion, will suffer in the future if home-grown talent is not cultivated because of the lack of training and playing venues.

Giving youngsters something to do also keeps them off the streets and out of trouble.

Not all clubs have the same finances available to pluck talent from abroad as those in the Premiership, so these young people must be found an alternative home to play their matches and train and soon.