Guy Butters was an outgoing, whole-hearted almost larger-than-life character as a centre-back with Albion (among others).

Fifteen years after hanging up his boots, those qualities are as valuable as ever, for a very reasons.

The former Seagulls, Tottenham, Gillingham and Portsmouth man is among the key figures with Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation.

The work of the foundation, previously known as Albion In The Community, was celebrated, highlighted and promoted at a Christmas lunch with club legends at the Amex.

While the club itself and the foundation are separate companies, they are closely linked and have both grown over the last decade and a half.

Butters has seen it all happen first-hand and said: “It’s 15 years since I retired and it has gone from strength to strength.

“I used to be doing the holiday courses and after-school clubs around the Chichester area.

“Now it has moved across everything.

“I am involved in all different departments so one week I might be meeting a young kid who might is going through a little bit of trouble in school. I’ll be sat in Dick’s Bar at the Amex teaching him maths and English.

“Another time, I could be doing an Albion Memories group, which we have got for some supporters who are suffering from dementia.

“We put that on and we talk about football. We’ve got old match programmes and we play some clips on the TV just to spark off some memories.

“There’s the Kicks project. We have tournaments involving people who live in deprived areas and who don’t have the means and the equipment to play football.

“We do the 'keep weight off' programme with fans.

“It’s never-ending and it’s brilliant – I love it. I get to meet so many people in the community who support us.

“And with the football club doing so well, it is a real feelgood factor around the place.

“We are separate from the football club. We are the club’s charity but we are two separate businesses.

“As much as they support us in everything we do, we still need to raise vital finds.

“We get grants from the Government and we have to raise the rest ourselves.

“It is important we raise not only vital funds but also awareness of the stuff we do.

“I think a lot of people associate us with the football club so sometimes we have to go out there and explain the stuff we do.

“Every day is different and every day is a challenge but it is something I enjoy.

“I like going out there and meeting people anyway and telling them all the stuff we can provide.”

The Christmas lunch raised more than £30,000 for the Foundation.

Former players present included Steve Foster, John Byrne, Ian Chapman, Kerry Mayo, Dean Wilkins, Adam Hinshelwood and George Parris.

There was a Q&A session involving Alan Mullery, Glenn Murray, Dani Bowman and Inigo Calderon and examples were shown of youngsters who have benefitted from the foundation’s work.

Butters said: “We do some tremendous work in the community all across Sussex.

“We try and make sport accessible to everyone, regardless of age, gender, ability, etc.

“We go from Eastbourne to Chichester and up as far as about Guildford.

“We have seven different departments all running sessions through the week and it costs money to do it.

“We have to put on fund-raisers to provide these sessions who want to be involved in football and sport.”

The lunch took place the day after Albion beat Marseille to secure top spot in Europa League Group B.

As a former player and now a matchday host at the Amex, Butters keeps a close eye on the current team – including one of his centre-back successors, Lewis Dunk.

He said: “Dunky has gone from strength to strength.

“I have seen him grow from a young kid to playing for England and being club captain.

“He leads by example on the pitch. I think he admits himself he is not the most vocal of captains but he has been an absolute role model.

“When we go out in the community and do some of the after-school and holiday clubs, when I first started you might see the odd Brighton shirt.

“Now you are seeing them everywhere and they have got Dunk on the back, Ferguson on the back coming through the ranks.

“It’s brilliant, it’s great to see and it just goes to prove the stuff we are doing is working.”

Full details of the Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation can be be found by clicking here.