ALBION may not play at Withdean this season after the postponement of a welcome home dinner.

The celebration of the Seagulls' return to Brighton had been scheduled for March 22.

That is five days before the club's target date for their first Withdean match against Barnet.

Now it has been put back until May 11, three days AFTER Albion's final fixture at home to Rochdale.

General manager Nick Rowe said: "We think it's inappropriate to have a dinner to welcome home Albion when there is doubt about it.

"It would be difficult to sell the tickets, so we are turning it into an end of season dinner.

"We are still going for March 27 at Withdean, but it's not certain. It's a difficult target."

Albion have been insisting since Christmas that the Barnet match is their target date.

Sources exclusively revealed to the Argus last month that the first game at Withdean would, in fact, be against Hull on April 23.

The Rochdale match is the only one Albion have left at home after that.

Now the dinner switch suggests the club could be gearing up for a big Withdean launch for the start of next season.

There is growing support among Albion fans to continue groundsharing at Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium through to May, rather than a last-gasp move back home.

Tim Carder, chairman of Albion's official supporters club, revealed: "There is quite a mood among supporters that we have come this far at Gillingham and we are not doing badly so it is probably better to stay there.

"The Board have got to look quite seriously at what is best for the team. Disruption now could have a detrimental effect on any push for promotion. But we have to be back in Brighton for the start of next season."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.