Bloom reveals his Albion stake

The figure will rise to 31 per cent if loans he has made to the Seagulls are converted into shares.

Bloom's financial commitment to the club has increased in the last year, marking him out as a pivotal player in the club's future.

The man who sparked the Boardroom crisis over the future of manager Mark McGhee has broken his silence in a frank interview with The Argus.

He has warmly welcomed the promotion of youth team coach Dean Wilkins to the first team coaching staff and expects to see Albion pushing for promotion again from League One next season.

He is also confident the club will overcome Lewes District Council's challenge to the Falmer stadium project.

Bloom was unmasked by The Argus last week (May 4) as the major investor behind a campaign to oust McGhee from his post following Albion's relegation from the Championship.

The 36-year-old sports betting expert and top poker player had the backing of his uncle, Ray Bloom, and fellow director Derek Chapman but the Board was split, with chairman Dick Knight and chief executive Martin Perry supporting McGhee.

The saga has been resolved with the elevation of Wilkins in a reshuffle of McGhee's backroom team.

Now Bloom has revealed for the first time the extent of his influence in Albion's affairs and his devotion to the club.

He said: "I'm a huge fan. I've been a supporter since I was eight years old.

"I used to go with my late grandfather, Harry, who was vice-chairman, and also with my dad and brother and I have seen them very regularly ever since apart from times when I was living abroad.

"I've put a considerable amount of money into the club over a few years, particularly in the last 12 months or so.

"I am a shareholder. I own about 15 per cent. I've also got convertible loans which, if they were converted into shares, I would then own 31 per cent.

"Loans have been converted in the past and may be in the future. I believe I am the only person who now has convertible loans."

Bloom refused to divulge how much money he has ploughed into the club so far, how much more he is prepared to put in and whether he wants to join the Board.

He said: "I'm prepared to support the club financially but I wouldn't want to commit to amounts at this point.

"Everything I've always done has been in the best interest of the club and that will continue in the future.

"At the end of the day I've shown my feelings for the club and the way I am willing to help the club by what I've done financially."

Bloom was more forthcoming about his part in 'McGheeGate', the question of the manager's future which has been dominating the Albion agenda since last month's closing 5-1 home defeat by Stoke.

"Regarding Mark McGhee, the Board discussed the situation a week or so ago and there were different views but the exact nature of those discussions should remain private," Bloom said.

"I've met the manager a few times, not a huge amount. I didn't publicly comment in the paper that I think he should go. Those are my views but that is just my view on the managerial situation.

"I don't know him very well. At the end of the day he has got a job to do and everyone has got to be professional about it.

"Regarding the disagreement, it doesn't happen all the time. This went public, which is probably not ideal, but the Board is there to discuss things and if it is always agreeing I don't think that is the way it should be done.

"It's healthy to have a debate, for people to have different opinions, and then for a decision to be made at the end of that.

"I accept the chairman's decision and, more than that, in particular I am delighted that Dean Wilkins will be involved in the first team coaching set-up, given the marvellous job he has done with the youth team players and the fact that a lot of those players have now been given professional contracts.

"I'm very much hopeful some of them will turn out to be very good first team players in future years. I think that view is reflected among the majority of our fans."

Albion were promoted via the play-offs in McGhee's first season in charge in 2003-004.

Bloom is expecting something similar now that the Seagulls are back in League One again. He also wants to see the team playing crowd-pleasing football next season.

He said: "I think we all hope as fans, shareholders and directors that we are at the right end of the table and we have got to be pushing for promotion. It's really important that we do go up, if for no other reason than financial.

"It's much better to be playing the likes of Leeds, Crystal Palace and Watford than Carlisle. It's also important to myself and the fans to play attractive football as well, so I am hoping that will also be the case next season.

"I saw close to half of the games this season, because I travel a lot. Over the last 30 years generally speaking Brighton have played attractive football. Obviously we've had different managers and different managers play different styles.

"We found it tough this season. We were in a tough league and sometimes, when you are scrapping away at the bottom, it becomes more difficult to play attractive football, but I would be hopeful next season that, as well as reaching our goal of promotion, we can do that playing football which will bring the crowds in.

"It's vital we get decent crowds at Withdean. Part of that is down to results and partly it is to do with playing good football."

Despite his desire to see Albion thrive on the pitch again, Bloom accepts promotion is not the most important goal.

"Next season the most important thing is receiving planning for Falmer. I am confident that will all be resolved and that we will be in a position by the end of the season to have the money in place to start building.

"Falmer is absolutely key to the future of the club, the only choice. I would certainly hope Lewes District Council don't continue with their delaying tactics and if they do they won't work.

"We've waited eight years for a stadium, so prevaricating for another month or two is something we will have to live with, no matter how tough it is financially. We will get through it and we will have our own stadium at Falmer.

"As a long-standing supporter of the club, my total interest is in the future health and success of Albion. I will do everything I can to assist in that."