Albion have matched the donations of Maty Ryan and Aaron Mooy towards the bushfire crisis in Australia.

Ryan pledged AU$500 (£265) per save made by any goalkeeper in the Premier League during last weekend’s round of matches and that is after the pair had already made a significant contribution via the Australian players’ association.  

Albion's board of directors voted to match this by contributing AU$30,000 almost £16,000 to the cause.

Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said: “It’s heart-breaking seeing the devastation ripping through Australia, and we have seen the affect it’s had on two of our players first hand.

“As well as Mat and his Socceroos teammate Aaron Mooy, we have a growing fan base down under, including several hundreds who are members of the supporters’ group Seagulls Down Under. 

“We felt it was right to show our support for the two players and match their incredible generosity.”

Ryan said: “It was a really nice surprise to hear the news after training today, and this is a fantastic gesture by the club.

"Adversity can bring out the best in people and it’s so humbling to see the response in the past few days.

“To now hear this from the club, I’m blown away.

"I knew this was a special club, but this underlines the value of community to everyone at Brighton & Hove Albion — be it local or global.

"It’s a phenomenal gesture and I would like to thank the club.”