The leaf-blowers were doing a good job a couple of hours before the biggest night of cup-tie drama ever staged at Withdean Stadium.

They were buzzing away over there in the distant West Stand on an autumnal evening at the Theatre Of Trees back in 2008 before the turnstiles opened.

Manchester City fans might have seen their team humbled by Micky Adams’ League One strugglers after a penalty shoot-out that night.

But at least they did not have to walk through piles of dead leaves for the privilege.

Preparations like that were all part of a Withdean matchday.

There were similar scenes of activity and preparation this afternoon as the football and athletics venue was readied for another cup tie.

AFC Varndeanians, who now use the stadium as their home, play Albion under-21s in the Sussex Transport Senior Cup on Wednesday (7.45pm).

Team manager Law Edwards was out mowing a playing surface which has apparently been restored to decent condition having fallen into disrepair in Covid times.

Spectators will be housed in the North Stand, the covered area down one side which used to be the main stand when Albion used the stadium as their home between 1999 and 2011.

Other stands, some of them also used at the Open Golf Championship, had been removed within two or three days of the Seagulls saying farewell amid celebrations of the League One title.

The speed with which the arena was taken down underlined this was indeed a temporary home, even if it had not felt that way at times.

Albion are back at Withdean, a ground which served them well with four promotions (three of them as title-winners).

 

Their youngsters (the younger end of their under-21s group) take on a side who are off to a decent start in the Southern Combination premier, which is roughly an equivalent of the old County League division one.

Varndeanians chairman Dave Bridges said: “I think it is an exciting draw with a bit of trepidation as well.

“When the draw was made, it was ‘Wow’. Then you move on to the logistics side of it. But Brighton have been absolutely brilliant.”

Varndeanians have sold 550 tickets in advance but there is room for up to 900 and they hope to get close to that on the night.

They got in from their 5-1 home defeat by Hassocks on Saturday afternoon to learn that Albion under-21s were beating Crystal Palace 10-0.

But not too much should be read into either result.

Albion’s team will probably be much-changed this evening while Varndeanians were 1-0 up against the Combination leaders before being reduced to ten men early in the game.

Bridges said: “We are halfway in the table and we feel we can compete with anybody in the league.”

Varndeanians have come from Brighton League football at Patcham Place via time at Corals Stadium and Brighton University.

Former boss Ryan Gayler was key in securing their tenure at Withdean.

Kevin Keehan had an influential period in charge and current boss Edwards is looking for them to make steady progress in the Combination top flight.

Bridges said: “We have got some good young players, all local lads.

“We are looking forward to the cup tie but also Friday night when we play Peacehaven.”

Varndeanians’ coaching team includes Lewis Dunk’s brother Carl.

Albion went out of the county knockout to Southern Combination opponents last season when they lost 2-1 at Steyning.

The 21s have a Premier League Cup game at Burnley on Saturday but Wednesday’s squad could include players from Inigo Calderon’s under-18s, whose 4-1 cup defeat at Manchester City on Saturday ended a four-game unbeaten run.