SOUTH COAST PRE-SEASON VISIT ANNOUNCED
Posted on: Wed 20 Jun 2012
Chelsea will play a pre-season fixture away against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday 4 August, kick-off 3pm.
The match takes place on the weekend between the end of the club’s tour of the United States and the Community Shield game against Manchester City at Villa Park.
Capacity at Brighton’s Amex Stadium will be limited to 18,000 for the visit by Chelsea due to expansion works there. Visiting supporters will be housed in the West Stand upper tier. Ticket details will be announced in due course.
Brighton finished 10th in the Championship last season having been promoted the previous campaign under the management of former Chelsea player Gustavo Poyet.
Playing alongside Roberto Di Matteo, the Uruguayan was a prolific midfielder during his time at Stamford Bridge, scoring 49 goals in 145 appearances between 1997 and 2001.
He joined the Seagulls as manager in November 2009 having previously been an assistant at Tottenham, Leeds and Swindon.
Brighton moved to their new stadium for the start of last season. Chelsea’s last competitive game against them was at the Goldstone Ground in the old Second Division in March 1989. We won 1-0 with Kevin Wilson the goalscorer.
The current Brighton squad contains Chelsea Academy products Liam Bridcutt, Ben Sampayo and Anton Rodgers, son of our former youth and reserve manager and new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.
http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2817580,00.html