GENEROUS Brighton and Hove Albion fans donated more than £15,000 to the club’s official charity at the Seagulls’ home game with Everton.

Albion in the Community held a bucket collection before and after the 1-1 draw and a silent auction took place in the American Express Community Stadium lounges prior to the match.

Supporters were encouraged to bring a £1 donation with them to the stadium and the message certainly seemed to have hit home with AITC collecting more than 5,000 individual £1 coins.

In fact the charity collected almost 14,000 separate coins of varying values.

The total was also boosted by more than £1,200 donated by Seagull Travel passengers on their buses to the match.

The total of more than £15,000 will help fund the charity’s award-winning inclusive football sessions for people with a disability and other work across Sussex.

AITC is the largest provider of football opportunities for people with a disability in the area and runs 25 regular sessions.

A regular session can cost between £2,800 and £5,000 a year so to generate more than £15,000 at Sunday’s game will have a genuine impact on the charity and its work.

As well as the bucket collection and silent auction, AITC also used the matchday to highlight some of its work and celebrate the achievements of a number of its players.

Reece Meyer, who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion Down’s Syndrome FC, was interviewed on the big screen before kick-off and also selected the game’s Man of the Match.

Ben Moore, who attends AITC’s sessions for junior amputees, was among the mascots.

Oli Turnball, a regular at the charity’s session for people with learning disabilities, was introduced to fans at half-time and Perry Powell, an AITC coach with an inspirational story, was featured in the match programme