BRIGHTON and Hove Albion fans on the other side of the world are gearing up for one of the club’s biggest ever games this weekend.

All eyes will be on the Seagulls on Saturday as they take on Middlesbrough in a bid to secure a place in the Premier League for the first time.

Among those cheering Albion on at the Riverside stadium will be Simon Reynolds, 54, who has flown thousands of miles from Australia especially for the game.

The life-long supporter has been living in Australia for three decades but returns each year for the start of the football season to watch a few games.

However, he has returned early this year so he can watch what is hopefully the final game of the season.

Mr Reynolds, whose son Radd, 23, lives in Brighton, said: “I’m feeling pretty optimistic about the game. The pressure is all on Middlesbrough and I think we can do it.

“The last time we played them we had several players with injuries and since then we’ve brought in some good players.

“Going up to the Premier League will be important for the club financially but it is also so important for the fans.

“The team has definitely earned it this year. I normally only stay for the first few games of the season, but if Albion go up then I’m definitely staying over here for the whole year.”

Sally Freedman, 36, moved from Brighton and Hove to Australia in 2007 and now works as head of fan engagement for Melbourne City FC.

She has supported the club since she was two years old and one of her first jobs was selling hotdogs and burgers at the old Goldstone Ground in Hove.

Ms Freedman has organised a special viewing of the game at a hotel bar for Melbourne-based Albion fans and is expecting between 20 and 30 people to turn up.

She and her friends got into the spirit last weekend by visiting the beach for a kickabout outside an aptly decorated blue and white beach hut.

Ms Freedman said: “This is one of the biggest games in my lifetime.

“It pains me to say it but the odds are in favour of Middlesbrough but then again anything can happen – you only have to look at how Leicester have won the Premier League to see how clubs can overcome the odds.

“I am going into that game still believing we can do it. Kick-off is at 9.30pm in Australia and if we go up then we will be partying through the night.”