No letter

[algie]

The post arrived at the club offices shortly after 7am today - but the letter that eveyrbody was waiting for was not in it.

The club continued to wait and was making desperate phone calls and emails to find out what had happened to the letter.

Despite the delay the decision was still expected this morning

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Best everyone waits for the 9.00am e-mail, then

 

[Since1982]

You couldn't make it up

 

[Eggmundo]

Patience.......







AAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH

 

[Superseagull]

Just another one to add to the thousands of letters 'lost' by the post office every day. Why trust the post office to deliver anything more important than junk mail?

 

[algie]

The final whistle is about to be blown.

After what seems like a lifetime of extra time, Brighton and Hove Albion will find out today if they can finally build a new stadium at Falmer.

New Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has now made her decision on plans for a 22,000-seat arena at Village Way North. She has signed a letter, spelling out the verdict, which is expected to land on Albion's doorstep this morning.

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Everyone involved in the long-running planning saga has been told to expect the "decision letter" - which will reveal the most important result in 105-year history of the club.

Whether or not Mrs Blears has answered Albion's prayers remained a secret to all but her closest aides last night.

Ten years ago the Seagulls played their last ever match at the Goldstone Ground. A decade of court battles, tears, agonising delays, protests, false starts, arguments, three promotions and two relegations have followed.

But an announcement is now expected at any moment telling Seagulls supporters all over the world if their dreams have been fulfilled or dashed.

Two years ago former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott triggered champagne celebrations when he gave the scheme the thumbs-up - only for the decision to be quashed in the High Court months later.

The latest verdict is about much more than a new nest for the Seagulls. Jobs will be created, and sports clubs across Sussex would have access to the state of the art stadium facilities.

The club's award-winning work in the community - benefitting thousands of youngsters and adults - will flourish in a new, permanent home.

Albion have been without a home since the Goldstone Ground was sold in 1997. The team has been playing at the 8,000 capacity athletics stadium at Withdean since 1999, following a spell groundsharing at Gillingham.

With the costs of playing at council-owned Withdean crippling the club financially, most fans fear a No verdict would sound the death knell for the future of club.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said the club had done everything in its power to get the go-ahead for the new stadium.

He said: "The club and its supporters have been through this whole thing together, and we deserve a stadium. The wider football community has supported us and there is no doubt what is at stake.

"We are all keeping our fingers crossed for the right result."

If permission is granted, work is expected to begin on the £50 million stadium in the Autumn next year. With an expected two-year build process, the Seagulls could be kicking off the 2010 season at Falmer.

The club's solicitors, DMH Stallard, are likely to be among the first to learn what Mrs Blears has decided. The letter is expected to arrive at their office in Queens Road and, unless there are delivery problems, it should arrive today.

The same document will fall through the letterbox of a handful of key organisations, including the club, Brighton and Hove City Council, Lewes District Council, Falmer Parish Council, the University of Brighton and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

 

[Dirty Dave]

c'mon sort it out!

 

[algie]

It's 8am come on

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Come on

 

[algie]

Not untill 9am now

 

[coventrygull]

Is that today or next week

 

[Mr C]

Right, sod this. The letter clearly hasn't turned up, and we'll obviously have to wait until at least 9am, so I'm giving it another 5 minutes then I'm going to bed!

We've waited ten years.... finding out in a few hours isn't gonna make much difference

 

[Lawro's Lip]

I suppose we were told we would have the answer by 25th July.

 

[algie]

The club are going to break the news to the Argus first according to online Argus

 

[ditchy]

The club are going to break the news to the Argus first according to online Argus

The argus would say that to increase its hit ratio look at whats gone on their website already

 

[TSB]

EVERYONE else will have theirs!