ALBION HAS A TICKET TO PLAY

The football club believes it could sell between 4,000 and 4,500 season tickets for home matches at the ground. At least the first game will be all-ticket and the club says it will continue the policy if demand is high enough. The scheme would make Albion the only team in the Nationwide League third division to play all home games on a ticket-only basis. Bosses hope the step will appease residents who fear fans will cause disruption outside the ground. General manager Nick Rowe said: "People are not silly. If they haven't got a ticket to get in they won't go. "We believe we should be able to sell most of the capacity as season tickets. "We are getting crowds of around 3,000 at Gillingham now and we hope more fans would watch if the team was playing in Brighton. "Any inconvenience the club causes would be at its worst for the first few games. "A lot of people will not have been to Withdean before and we need to find our feet." Albion has submitted a planning application to play at Withdean for the next three years. sion from Brighton and Hove Council by mid-June. But residents say a ticket scheme would not reduce potential noise and damage. John Haigh, of residents' pressure group SWEAT, said: "We would still have fans coming through here, whether they are waving tickets or not. "There is nothing to stop those who don't have tickets from following the game outside the ground. "The club had been completely dismissive of the residents. The basic message from us is, You're not wanted here'." An exhibition of Albion's past and future is to stay on show. The display, at the football club's offices in Queen's Road, Brighton, will be open from Tuesday to Friday next week. Aspokesman for the club said the display was being extended to cater for demand. It is on the third floor of 118 Queens Road and will be open from noon to 3pm and 5pm to 7pm each day.

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