I have been an Albion supporter for more than 60 years.

Selling the Goldstone and being forced to move to Gillingham was a disaster.

This board of directors was not responsible but is still picking up the pieces with a capital gains tax bill from the Inland Revenue from the sale of the Goldstone.

As I remember, the Football League insisted the club had to be back in Brighton within three years, otherwise they would be expelled.

Dick Knight and his fellow directors achieved this by taking us to Withdean and spending substantial sums of their own money to convert a run-down athletics venue into an arena just about capable of hosting league football.

When the Albion leave Withdean, they will leave a facility far improved from the one they took over for the benefit of the City and its youngsters.

As regards the new stadium, as I understand it Falmer was effectively the only site Brighton and Hove City Council would support.

The city is congested enough so goodness knows what would happen if other sites such as Shoreham Harbour were considered.

Surely we all know this board has nothing but the interests of Brighton and Hove Albion at heart? They would not have spent the money on Falmer if there were any cheaper or more viable alternatives. Three promotions and an incredible day at Cardiff which children and grandchildren will remember forever can all be lost if we do not help the club now.

They are asking for £100 from each supporter. Over the course of a year, you could buy four Mars bars a week with this money but that would be fattening, or a bottle of beer a week - unhealthy, or on Saturday afternoons you could use the money to pay the car parking when you go shopping rather than going to see the football.

Alternatively, you can give the £100 to the Albion which would be money well spent because it would ensure our children and grandchildren continue to enjoy league football in Brighton.

Also, all of us supporters can continue to enjoy the back page of The Argus reporting on the Albion and discussing in pubs and clubs last Saturday's match.

The club gives us all so much more than just 90 minutes on a Saturday and it provides considerable facilities for the continuing education of young people in our city.

I know if you bought a season ticket money would be wasted if the club goes out of business.

We dillied and dallied over the West Pier and that's now effectively lost. We must now stand up and be counted and help save our football club or another major asset to the city will be lost.

When you think about it, it is bizarre to expect local businessmen on their own to fund a facility that is for the benefit of the city.

They need our help.

-WJ Salmon, Coldean, Brighton