Kev Brimley has some great memories from exactly 500 Albion away games.

From his first trip following the Seagulls (which was to Aldershot) to Kingstonian and Sudbury to Bobby Zamora getting the beers in after promotion was clinched.

But away game No.500 will be right up with the best of them as he celebrated the landmark in Marseille.

Kev, from Patcham, had to miss the memorable 3-1 win at Manchester United recently due to illness.

But that meant his 500th was at the Stade Velodrome on a dream European trip.

Kev worked out his running total towards the end of last season and realised 500 was getting close.

He said: “I couldn’t go to Man United but that would have made Villa the 500th, which wouldn’t have been so good.

“I’ve seen the Albion at 135 different grounds – although I know there are people who have been to more.

“M first away game was a 1-1 draw with Aldershot at the Recreation Ground in 1976 when Wardy (Peter Ward) scored.

“My second was the FA Cup replay with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge (when Alan Mullery famously ignited the rivalry between the two clubs).

“Marseille was the European dream.

“I was at the Europa League draw with Paul Samrah and we were saying we couldn’t believe we were at an event like that.

“The draw we got was sensational. The atmosphere at Marseille was the loudest I have been in.

“It felt like going to a World Cup or an international game with the trip and the weather.

“But we were there watching Brighton.

“Marseille was so impressive. We came back on the Saturday so we did the tourist bits as well and it was a really good trip.”

Of course for those who were there, Hereford in 1997 remains the ultimate awayday experience.

Albion would have gone out of the league had they lost.

It was not necessarily one to enjoy but certainly one to remember.

Kev said: “The most important game was Hereford.

“At half-time we were 1-0 down and thinking if we don’t get back into it, what will happen?

“I think the club would have kept going but we might still be at Withdean now!

“I used to like the obscure grounds. I went to Bradford because they were playing at Odsal.

“There was the McCain Stadium at Scarborough. There was Kingstonian and Sudbury.

“There are some good memories but it has never been better. The football is incredible.”

Kev was in Marseille with his son Liam and friends Graham, Doug and Pete.

Tales and memories will live on for years.

And they might just be up there with the time Zamora bought the drinks.

That one dates back to the day Albion won promotion from the fourth tier in 2001 at Plymouth.

He recalled: “We won 2-0 with Bobby Zamora and Paul Brooker scoring.

“A combination of results meant we clinched promotion that day and luckily we had bought tickets in the away seated area in the main grandstand, which meant we could access the Far Post Bar at the ground.

“Micky Adams sent the squad down for a beer to celebrate and Bobby Z got the drinks in for lucky few Albion fans in there.

“It prepared us well for a legendary four-hour train trip back to London celebrating.”