AN ELDERLY Albion fan who collapsed moments before kick-off was attending his first game at the Amex, it has been revealed.

Tony Helyar, 87, died soon afterwards.

Now his son Richard has paid tribute to him – and told how a special day turned to tragedy.

He said Tony, of Wellington Road, Newhaven, had been “really excited” about going to see Albion play Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Richard said: “I took my ten-year-old daughter Amy to see her first match in September and I was really looking forward to taking my dad to his first at the age of 87. He always followed Brighton and Hove Albion and was really excited to see them for the first time.

“I am a huge fan of the club and he knew that. He was talking about going to a match together for ages.

“When I moved away to work in London he used to save the special editions of The Argus that covered club news and matches for me.

“It came as such a shock. He was elderly but was in good shape so it was completely unexpected. I had been hoping to get a selfie of me and him at the game to celebrate our first match together – but it was too late.”

Richard thanked the many wellwishers who had sent such “thoughtful messages” about his father.

These included tributes from other fans, Albion players and club chief executive Paul Barber.

Richard, 49, said his father was perfectly fit and well but medics said he collapsed because of a sudden rupture which was “irreversible”.

He was taken to Brighton’s Royal Sussex County Hospital and pronounced dead upon arrival.

Richard, who now lives in Epsom, Surrey, said his father was excited about watching his first match and was also looking forward to enjoying a pie and a pint with his son.

He said: “I can only try and see it in a positive way, and I think of all the places it could have happened. This was hardly the worst because there were amazing people on site from medics to football players to security who did all that they could to help in this situation.

“The support from everyone has been surreal, overwhelming and just amazing.”

Richard said he has not been able to respond to all the messages people have sent to him but wants to “publicly thank the medical team, fans, security, football players and all those that helped and reacted to the situation”.

He said: “The huge wave of response has been a reminder of the community that the club is.”

Paul Barber has invited Richard to sit with him for a game in the next couple of weeks. Richard said: “I will find it hard going back to the ground, but the support has been amazing.”

Tony was a retired electrical engineer and travelled the world with his work.

Richard said: “We are a huge family and we will all miss him so much. He was a much beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather.”