Seven hundred fans, including celebrities Des Lynam and Norman Cook, attended a campaign launch for Albion's stadium bid.

They were told the future of the club depended on the £44 million stadium at Falmer getting the go-ahead.

But they were warned at a meeting at Hove Town Hall last night that there was a lot of opposition to the proposals and it would be a tough fight to get the stadium the club deserved.

Plans for the stadium on two sites north and south of Village Way have been lodged with Brighton and Hove City Council.

Last night's meeting organised by the football club and attended by Albion fans of all ages.

Fans were urged to write to local councils, email them and to sign a petition in support of Falmer.

There were also told to write to the Countryside Agency to ask for the site of the proposed stadium not to be put within the boundaries of the proposed South Downs National Park.

After seeing a presentation of how the proposed new stadium on sloping fields close to the Universities of Brighton and Sussex would look, the evening ended with a standing ovation and chants of "Seagulls"

DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, made an appearance with his 11-month-old son Woody. Both were dressed in a white T-shirts with the slogan Falmer For All.

He said he wanted Woody to be able to watch his football in his own city in a brand-new stadium TV sports presenter Des Lynam was the first to sign a petition calling for councillors to support the idea of a community stadium at Falmer.

Albion chairman Dick Knight showed computer-generated designs of what the proposed stadium would look like.

He said: "It will be a sporting beacon of excellence on the South Coast"

He said he believed the current Premier League would be split into two divisions of 36 elite clubs and added: "It is vital the Albion is one of those clubs."

Albion manager Peter Taylor said if the team were to compete with the top clubs in the country a new stadium had to be built.

Chief executive Martin Perry explained why other sites had been ruled out.

Land next to Brighton Station was already being developed as was the Alliance and Leicester site by Hove greyhound stadium.

Shoreham Harbour would involve demolishing several successful small business premises.

At Waterhall, Patcham, there were transport difficulties involving cash having to be spent on new roads.

Attempting to allay some of the objections to the scheme by councils outside Brighton and Hove and environmental groups, he said Falmer had already been severely damaged environmentally by road building.

Supporter Nigel Fernihough urged the club to have a "Plan B" ready because already opposition was growing to Falmer from most councils outside Brighton and Hove.

Mr Knight told him Falmer was the only viable site in the boundaries of Brighton and Hove.

He said: "That is why we are sticking with Falmer and we will win Falmer."