Brighton and Hove Albion are set to lose £300,000 in revenue and additional costs due to the Southern Railway strike.

An estimated 12,000 fans travel to the Amex for each home game using trains to Falmer railway station.

However tomorrow night for the League Cup match with Colchester United and for Friday's opening home league fixture with Nottingham Forest, the usual rail shuttle service from Brighton will not operate.

Club director Martin Perry has written an open letter to Brighton & Hove MPs Peter Kyle, Caroline Lucas and Simon Kirby.

Mr Perry wrote: "Both matches are directly affected by the proposed train strike and we have been advised there will be no trains.

"However we have now also been informed that with the temporary timetable being offered by Southern Trains, Falmer Station will be closed after 5pm and there will be no trains for our EFL League match against Rotherham on Tuesday 16th August.

"On an average match up to 12,000 supporters travel to and from the Amex by train. The impact of the strike and the disruption to travel services and the on ticket sales is huge – supporters worried about whether they will be able to get to the Amex and worse whether they will be able to get home are not buying tickets; this also has an impact on our ticket, catering, merchandising and programme sales. It also reduces the atmosphere in the stadium in one of the most challenging divisions in the football world.

"We have calculated that the impact on us over the three games will be in the order of £300,000 made up of £250,000 in lost revenue and £50,000 in increased costs providing replacement buses additional park and ride sites and stewarding etc.

"This is the impact on just our business over a period of one week.

"What is the total impact across businesses over the south east of England not only over the period of the strike but over the period that we have suffered a reduction in service levels and the disruption to train timetables? It must run into millions of pounds lost to the local economy."

The Albion stalwart urged the MPs to take the matter up with the government.

He also said the "disruption and the cost to us and all businesses in the south east is totally unacceptable."

Members of the RMT who work for Southern Railway are striking until midnight on Friday in a dispute over the role of the guard.

Southern, part of the huge Govia Thameslink Railway franchise, want drivers to have responsibility for closing train doors.

However RMT officials say it is vital the role stays with the guard for the safety of all passengers.